#Japan #Tokyo #Digital Hollywood #Affinity #Hideo Horie

Expanding Creative Choices with Affinity

On December 20, 2025, Digital Hollywood's online school, a pioneering institution focusing on IT and digital content education, held a highly anticipated seminar dedicated to the powerful design platform, Affinity. Invited as a speaker was graphic designer Hideo Horie, who introduced participants to the latest tools available within Affinity, emphasizing its relevance in today’s design landscape.

What is Affinity?

Affinity, created by the UK-based Serif company and now under the umbrella of Canva Pty Ltd, is gaining significant attention in Japan, especially with the recent launch of version 3.0 in October 2025. This version marked a groundbreaking shift by providing all its core features for free, a move that greatly enhances accessibility for creators across various fields.

Key Takeaways from the Seminar

The seminar began with an overview of the latest changes in Affinity and their practical implications for users. As participants engaged with the software, they compared its distinct functionalities with established tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. This hands-on experience deepened their understanding of Affinity’s unique offerings.

During the first half of the session, the focus was on vector mode, where attendees created a “bomb badge” and a 3D-styled text using basic shape tools and dialog features. Horie demonstrated the “warp group” feature, allowing for non-destructive transformations with just a drag of the mouse, making the creation process both efficient and user-friendly. The ease with which a badge suitable for printing could be made illustrated Affinity's potential for practical application.

The second half shifted to pixel mode, where attendees practiced photo editing and layout design. They explored special effects such as sepia tone adjustments and newspaper-style halftone effects. The seminar showcased the versatile ‘filter brush’ tool, which enables real-time adjustments while applying filters, streamlining the creative process.

Horie also introduced the “layout studio,” highlighting its automated page numbering feature. While acknowledging some limitations in vertical writing capabilities, he shared templates he developed that facilitate this type of formatting, indicating that the software is evolving to meet broader user needs.

Furthermore, a demonstration of Canva AI’s depth of field adjustment feature showcased the enhanced efficiency that can be achieved through AI integration, allowing for richer graphic expressions even with vector data generation.

Participant Feedback

The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, especially among those who had long used traditional tools as industry standards. Many expressed interest in Affinity as a practical alternative to Canva, seeking greater expressive freedom and creative autonomy.

There was also recognition of the need for unification in the design workflow. Participants praised Affinity's capability to consolidate multiple tools and processes, creating a more streamlined experience. It was noted that this merging of workflows, especially incorporating Canva, could bring substantial practical benefits.

Interestingly, individuals across various roles, including marketing, public relations, and direction, noted an increasing necessity for engaging directly in production projects. Those who regularly used Canva expressed a desire for more advanced tools, positioning Affinity as a desirable next step in their creative arsenal. The sentiment suggested that Affinity is steadily carving out its niche as a supportive tool for both novices and experienced professionals, bridging the gap between ease of use and creative depth.

Upcoming Affinity Courses

In response to the encouraging feedback from the seminar, Digital Hollywood’s online school plans to launch a comprehensive “Affinity Course” in spring 2026, curated by Hideo Horie. This course promises to go beyond a simple feature overview, providing a curriculum that anticipates the needs of professional design environments.

In a rapidly changing landscape for design tools, the capacity to choose the most suitable one based on purpose and function is becoming increasingly vital. Digital Hollywood is committed to offering a diverse range of tools— from advanced applications to accessible options for beginners, allowing learners to determine the best approach for their artistic endeavors.

With new tools like Affinity emerging, the potential for expanded creative expression is vast. Participants are encouraged to look forward to a learning experience designed for the demands of future production environments.

Speaker Profile: Hideo Horie

Hideo Horie is an accomplished graphic designer and freelance artist since 2011, focusing on art direction and design in the entertainment sector. He's recognized for sharing his insights on Affinity through his social media and has authored three books on the subject for specialized events. His contributions to understanding digital design are widely regarded.

Visit Hideo Horie’s page at: Hideo Horie Homepage

About Digital Hollywood Online School

Operating as Japan’s first school specializing in industry-academia collaboration, Digital Hollywood has been nurturing creators since its inception in 1994. The online school combines cutting-edge industry practices with teaching excellence to deliver a contemporary curriculum in Web design, 3DCG, and video editing.