Resize VS Canvas Resize

[Bill]

Here is some info I got from the Affinity Photo Forum, I ask them a question about the resizing vs the canvas resizing, and here is what 2 of the moderators said about them. Hope this clears things up on the different types of resizing. It made good sense to me and I understand it better.
Here is what the AP Forum said;



    Hello MEB

    I am Using Affinity Photo windows pc

     I have watch the video on resizing and canvas resize,, I guess I must be dumb.

    I do not understand why there is two ways to resize, resize image and resize canvas. All I want to do is resize my photo smaller so the file is not so big. Following the video is really very frustrating. Can you tell me how to do a simple photo resizing??

    Using the way it says in the video has a lot of steps to go thru. I do a lot of photo work and resizing is done a lot in my work.

    I hope MEB can help on this

 

Hi wumpabill, if your goal is to reduce the resolution of your image then just use Resize Document and enter a new resolution into the Size box. Resize Canvas is for resizing the "work area" of your document and you needn't worry about it in this case. Hope that helps.

 

The image/canvas resize video is perhaps a bit too involved and could benefit from scaling back the detail a little, I'll put it on the list!

Hi wumpabill,

Resize image (menu Document ▸ Resize Document... )will resize the whole document (the canvas area + all layers will be resized).

 

Resize Canvas as the name implies (menu Document ▸ Resize Canvas...) , only resizes the canvas area, that is, the white (or transparent if you set it to transparent) area where the layers sit above when you start a new document. Although the canvas area is not "visible" when you open an image, it is still there below it. You can check this if you change to the Move Tool select the image in the layers panel (make sure it's not locked) and drag one of the corners - you will see the canvas area (transparent - represented by a checkerboard) behind it. You may want to use this to add more space around an image to add more elements/images to create a composition for example.

 

If you want to resize the whole image to make it smaller (or bigger) use the File ▸ Resize Document command. Just insert the dimensions you want and press the Resize button.
 

[Teejay]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i think i get it...
am off to play
thanks bill.

[Bill]

Thank you Teejay,, I try to find all good answers and info, so we all can understand this program, I will continue to find answers for us all. I know in time we will stumble on things so we need to get to the right answers as quick as we can so our members can do the work and understand it all. As we use the AP program we will accomplish it.

[MaryLou]

I think the confusion comes in the terminology.  Document vs image vs canvas.  The confusion comes with the word canvas.  I understand that the document  is the entire white space (or transparent space) that you are working on.  You select the size when you open a new image.. that is the Document size.

Then, comes canvas and image.  I understand image. It's the photo/image that is placed on the document so when you resize the photo/image, it resizes everything within the layer panel. 

But that's where I am confused. What is the canvas area?  Is that the same as the photo or the image?   Are they using canvas to mean photo or image?  If so, that is NOT good - there is no consistency here.

[Bill]

MaryLou,
I agree with you very confusing, that is why I ask the question about the resizing thing and that is the 2 answers I got from the Affinity forum , As far as I am concerned we do not need 2 ways for resizing , it should be image or canvas

[SherylC]

Thanks Bill. Would like to add a Like here but can't find it....not at the bottom of the message.

I always look at the document as an easel and the canvas as the material that rests against it, whether that be a photo or image. Don't know if this is correct but helps me to understand it better.

[Teejay]

yes i see it the same way
or i will from now on... thanks shez.

[MaryLou]

I find it confusing either way.  They need to decide on which terminology to use because they keep interchanging the words. To me, the document is the blank canvas  and the stuff I add to it are the images.   

[Majse]

Agree, MaryLou

[MaryLou]

Bill, you might want to edit your first post.  Where it says:

If you want to resize the whole image to make it smaller (or bigger) use the File ▸ Resize Document command.

There is no Resize command under File.  I thought I was doing something wrong and went back several times and couldn't find it. Finally, decided to search around and it should be  Document > Resize Document.