Yes there is. You can specify the angle of a line by using keyboard inputs to position subsequent nodes following the first one.

But if all you want is 45 degrees then use the snap grid. It's a lot faster than all that typing. A line that crosses the same number of horizontal grid squares as vertical ones is always 45 degrees.

Ok. The first part is kind of finished, give or take a bit of polishing and file size reduction.

I know a lot of the things that were discussed haven't been included, but that's why there is a part 2 ;)

I wouldn't use Affinity to do it either. I'd use GIMP. It's the only app that can sharpen a mask if such proves to be necessary.

I think my idea of something being too much work is probably quite different to yours. Only yesterday I processed 364 symbol pngs to 64k colours instead of full colour - one at a time by hand. All in the name of reducing the sheer size of a new style for download next month :)

(I use Corel to do that particular job, since none of the other apps seem to be capable of it)

It would be easier to subtract the white background if you export without any antialiasing at all.

That's an interesting detail I never knew - about the SHIFT button either way.