Creating images with rounded corners, or adding a border radius, is a common design task. In Affinity Photo, while seemingly straightforward, simply dragging and dropping an image onto a rounded rectangle might not achieve the desired embedded effect. This can lead to confusion, especially for users new to the software. Understanding the correct method ensures your images are seamlessly integrated with rounded corners, maintaining a professional and polished look.
To properly add a border radius to an image in Affinity Photo, you need to utilize the clipping function. Instead of just dragging an image onto a rounded rectangle shape, you must clip the image layer into the rounded rectangle layer. This process effectively uses the rounded rectangle as a mask, shaping the image to fit perfectly within its rounded boundaries.
Here’s how to do it correctly:
- Create a Rounded Rectangle: Begin by drawing a rounded rectangle shape using the Rounded Rectangle Tool in Affinity Photo. This will be the shape that defines the border radius for your image.
- Place Your Image: Import or place the image you want to have rounded corners into your Affinity Photo document. Ensure that the image layer is positioned directly above the rounded rectangle layer in your Layers panel.
- Clip the Image: This is the crucial step. Instead of dragging the image layer onto the rounded rectangle in the document view, you need to drag the image layer into the rounded rectangle layer in the Layers panel. Specifically, drag the image layer onto the name of the rounded rectangle layer, not its thumbnail. A visual cue will appear indicating that you are about to clip the layer. Release the mouse button to perform the clipping.
- Alternative Method: “Move Inside”: Alternatively, after selecting the image layer, you can use the Arrange > Move Inside command. Then, select the rounded rectangle as the target. This achieves the same clipping result as dragging in the Layers panel.
By using either of these clipping methods, your image will now be perfectly contained within the rounded rectangle, effectively adding a border radius. You can adjust the roundness of the corners by selecting the rounded rectangle and modifying its corner radius settings.
It’s worth noting that while Affinity Photo’s iPad version might have a slightly different user interface compared to the desktop version, the core principle of clipping remains the same. The methods described above are applicable to both versions.
Finally, it’s important to remember that Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher, all within the same version (like the current V2), utilize the same native file format. This means you can seamlessly work with files across these applications without compatibility issues. You can even open .afphoto files in Designer or Publisher, and vice versa, ensuring a smooth workflow regardless of which Affinity app you or your team members are using.
By mastering the clipping technique, adding a border radius to images in Affinity Photo becomes a straightforward process, allowing you to enhance your designs with polished, rounded corner effects.
