Affinity Serif Software

Published 23rd October 2023

We recently hosted a webinar by our Blueprint 1000 member Serif. They did an overview of the Affinity software for Design and Technology teachers. The session covered the package and its unique features. Further webinars will be arranged and free trials are offered to teachers in attendance. Further dates are to be announced.

What is Affinity?

Affinity is an award-winning photo editing, graphic design and page layout software for Mac, Windows & iPad. Affinity has three key packages:

Affinity Designer: This application is a vector graphic design tool. It is used for creating illustrations, logos, icons, and other vector-based artwork.

Affinity Photo: Affinity Photo is a robust photo editing software that provides advanced editing and retouching capabilities for photographs and images.

Affinity Publisher: This desktop publishing software is ideal for creating layouts, magazines, brochures, and other printed or digital publications.

What makes it different?

Affinity's suite of applications shares an intuitive user interface. This similarity in design makes transitioning between different applications in the suite much smoother compared to rival packages.

During the webinar some unique characteristics of the software were demonstrated, for example, Affinity Photo offers advanced non-destructive editing capabilities. Users can edit images without permanently altering the original file, allowing for more flexible and reversible adjustments.

Affinity also supports a wide range of file formats, making it compatible with popular industry standards. The software is known for its regular updates and a growing community of users who provide support, tutorials, and resources making it easy to learn and implement in the classroom.

Affinity software takes advantage of modern hardware, resulting in excellent performance and faster processing. It's known for its efficient use of system resources, making it a preferred choice for users with less powerful computers.

There is also access to a vast library of assets, including brushes, templates, fonts, and more, within the software to promote creativity. Affinity's user interface is designed to keep the focus on creative work. It minimises distractions and offers a clean, clutter-free workspace for designers.

Affinity's applications are also available on iPad, allowing for seamless cross-platform work. Projects started on a computer can be continued on an iPad and vice versa.

Cost-effective alternative

Perhaps the most significant advantage of Affinity software is its cost-effectiveness. The one-time purchase pricing model for Affinity products contrasts with other rival packages which work on subscription-based pricing. This makes Affinity software a more budget-friendly option for professionals, small businesses, and educational institutions.

Affinity software's unique combination of features, cost-effectiveness, and continuous development has made it an increasingly attractive choice for creative professionals and educators.