Pixelate filter for Affinity Photo tutorial

Filter menu in Affinity Photo
Distort
Pixelate filter
Set quantilisation
Click apply

The pixelate filter for Affinity Photo can be found in the distort sub menu of the filters menu list. It is a fairly basic filter for square designed designs but as with all filters, you can manipulate the results in countless ways by using other filters or repeating the pixelate filter over and over.

Patterns perfect for pixelate

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Duplicate layer with pixelate filter in Affinity Photo and blend

Sadly there is no blending mode option for the pixelate filter but a quick workaround to that is to duplicate the existing layer.

layer menu
duplicate
filters menu
distort
pixelate
set value
click apply
go to the layers panel
change blending mode for the duplicate to darken etc

All kinds of interesting combinations can be generated by using multiple layers with multiple blending modes and different settings of quantisation.

Effects combined with pixelate filter

effects blur and adjustments combined with pixelate filter

You don't have to use the pixelate filter in Affinity Photo just once or only that filter, you can combine the filter with others such as blur. You can also re-color the result using live adjustment layers such as curves

filters menu and blurs
gaussian blur
set to 45 etc
apply
filters menu
distort
pixelate
set value
click apply
layers menu
new adjustment layer
curves adjustment
set value
close panel

The result can be a lot softer pixelate. You can, of course, then apply a blur to the pixelate depending on the result required. Or perhaps use adjustments

Channels and pixelate filter in Affinity Photo

You can create all kinds of interesting color effects by using the channels panel

view menu and studio
channels
select composite red
apply pixelate filter and different setting
select composite green
apply pixelate filter and yet another setting
etc
click round arrow in channels to return to RGB

Selections and pixelate filter in Affinity Photo

selection of affinity photo pixelate filter

You can also just create a selection and feather that selection and use that with the pixelate filter. So if you have a face in an image and only want to obscure the face then simply select the selection tools and select that area and apply the pixelate filter

select the elliptical marquee tool in the toolbox / toolbar
create a selection over the face etc
select menu
feather
set radius and apply
filters
distort
pixelate filter
apply setting

Other resources

1. Random grid brushes

2. Twirls brushes