GRAPHICS DESIGN

WITH

CORELDRAW

TRAINING NOTES

Creating a new drawing

The new command clears the drawing window allowing you to
begin a new drawing. If you want to base the new drawing on a
particular style template, use the New from Template command to
select the template.
To create a new drawing:
Choose new from the file menu.

If you have made changes to the current drawing that have not
been saved, CorelDraw asks you if you want to save them before
clearing the drawing window. Choose Yes to save the changes, No
to ignore them or Cancel to cancel the command.

To base a new drawing on a particular styles template:

1. Choose New from Template from the File menu.
2. In the File Name box, type the name of the template you want to
open or select it from the list.

If the template you want is in another drive or directory, select the

drive from the Drives box and the directory from the Directories
box.

3. If you want to load the template but not the objects in it, click
With Contents to clear the check mark.
4. Choose OK.

If you have made changes to the current drawing that have not
been saved, CorelDraw asks you if you want to save them before
clearing the drawing window. Choose Yes to save the changes, No
to ignore them or Cancel to cancel the command.

Opening a drawing
The open command opens drawings previously saved to disk. You
can also open a recently saved drawing by choosing its name (or
the number beside it) from the File menu.

To open a drawing:
1. Choose Open from the File menu.
2. In the File Name box, type the name of the drawing you want to
open or select it from the list.

If the drawing you want is in another drive or directory, select the

drive or directory from the drives box and directory box
respectively.

Choosing the Options button reveals options which let you search
for files using either keywords or Mosaic. See finding files using
keywords and finding files using CorelMOSAIC.

3. Choose OK.

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To open a recently saved drawing:
1. Choose open from the file menu.
2. Choose the name or number of the drawing you want to open.
3. Choose OK.

Saving a new drawing

The Save command displays a dialog box where you can give a new
drawing a filename and specify a location in which to store it.

To save a file for the first time:

1. Choose Save from the file menu.
2. Do one of the following:

To save the drawing in the current drive and directory, type a name
up to eight characters in the File Name box.

If you want to save the drawing in a different drive or directory,

type the entire path name in the File Name box. Or, select the drive
from the Drives box and the directory from the Directories box.

3. Choose OK.

Using Roll-up windows

Commands such as Blend and Extrude use Roll-up windows instead
of dialog boxes to request information from you. In other cases, you
have a choice between using a Roll-up window or a dialog box. For
example, you can select different types of fills and text attributes
from a Roll-up window.

Roll-up windows contain many of the controls found in dialog boxes:

command buttons, text boxes, drop down lists boxes, and so on. But
unlike other dialog boxes, the window stays open after you apply
the selected options. This lets you make adjustments and
experiment with different options without having to continually re-
open a dialog box.

When you are not using a window, you can hide the controls leaving
just the Title bar visible.

To carry out your selections:

Click the apply button.

To roll a window up and down:

1. Click the arrow in the top right corner.

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2. Click the control menu and choose Roll up or Roll down.
3. Double-click the roll-ups Title bar.

To close a Roll-up window:

1. Click the control menu and choose close.
2. Click in the window and press the ESC key.

To move a Roll-up window:

Point to the title bar, hold the left mouse button down and move to
the new location.

To arrange open Roll-up windows:

1. Click on the control menu.
2. Do one of the following.

Choose Arrange All to roll-up the active window and then move it to
the top right corner of the drawing window.

Choose Arrange All to roll-up all open windows and move some to
the top right corner and others to the top left corner of the drawing
window.

To get help on Roll-up windows:

Do one of the following:
1. Press SHIFT + F1 and click on the Roll-up.
2. Click the control menu and choose Help.

Repeating an action.
You can use the Repeat command to repeat the last action o the
same object or on another object. For example, if you rotate and
object, choosing Repeat rotates that object or another one you
selected by the same amount.

To repeat an action:
Choose Repeat from the Edit menu.

Starting and exiting CorelDRAW

You can start CorelDRAW form either Windows or the DOS
command prompt. To exit the program, choose Exit from the File
menu.

To start CorelDRAW from the windows Program Manager:

1. Open the group window with the CorelDRAW icon.
2. Double-click the CorelDRAW icon.

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To start CorelDRAW from the command prompt:
At the command prompt, type win coreldrw.

If an error message appears, the path statement in your

AUTOEXEC.BAT file does not include the directory containing
CorelDRAW. Change to the CORELDRW directory and try again.

To exit CorelDRAW:
Choose Exit from the File menu.

If you have made changes to the current drawings that have not
been saved, CorelDRAW asks if you want to save them before
closing. Choose Yes to save the changes, No to ignore them, or
Cancel to cancel the command.

Viewing Drawings
CorelDRAW provides two ways to view your drawings on the
screen:
 Estimate preview, which is the default view, displays your
drawing as it will look when printed. You’ll see all fills (except
PostScript textures and halftone screens), outline attributes and
text attributes. You can edit in editable preview and immediately
see the effects of your changes.

 Wireframe view, enabled by choosing Edit Wireframe form the

Display menu, displays your drawing in outline form. If you’re
working on a complex drawing, wireframe view can save time on
screen redrawing. You can apply fill and outline attributes in
wireframe view, but you must switch to editable preview to see
them.
Here are some other ways you can control the view in CorelDRAW:
 Zoom tool: lets you magnify parts of your drawing, bring all
objects on the screen into view, show only objects on the
Printable page, show objects at printed size and zoom-out by
factors of two.
 Auto-panning: scrolls the drawing window automatically when
you drag beyond the edges of the window.
 Scroll bars: these appear along the bottom and right side of the
drawing window and allow you to move the drawing window
vertically and horizontally.
 Layers: organizing your drawing in layers then making certain
layers (and object on them) invisible saves time on screen
redrawing.

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 Interruptible display: saves time by allowing you to select a
menu command or tool without waiting for the screen to redraw
completely.

Displaying a drawing in editable preview

Editable preview is the default view you’ll probably use to create
and edit most of your drawing. It shows outlines, fills (except
PostScript textures and halftone screens), and text attributes as
they will appear when printed.

To display drawings in editable preview:

Choose Edit Wireframe from the display menu.

Displaying a drawing in Wireframe view

As your drawing becomes more complex, you may notice the screen
taking longer to redraw. Wireframe view increases redrawing
speed by displaying objects without their outline and fill attributes.
You can apply attributes in wireframe view, but you must switch to
editable preview (or choose show preview from the Display menu)
to see them.

To display drawings in wireframe view:

Choose Edit Wireframe from the Display menu.
When wireframe view is enabled, a check mark appears beside the
command.

Magnifying and reducing the view of a drawing

The zoom tool lets you magnify objects to get a closer look or
reduce the so that you can see more of your drawing.

To magnify the view of a drawing:

1. Select the zoom tool.
2. Click on the + magnifying glass icon.
3. Position the magnifying glass at the top left corner of the area
you want to magnify.
4. Drag down and to the right until the area is enclosed in the
marquee box.
5. Release the mouse button.

You can continue magnifying until you reach the magnification limit
for your screen.

To reduce the view or return to the previous view:

1. Select the zoom tool.
2. Click on the negative magnifying glass icon.

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Enter your view zooms out by a factor of two, or you return to the
previous view. You can continue zooming out until the height or
width of the drawing window reaches 48 inches.
To return to normal view:
1. Select the zoom tool.
2. Click on the full page icon.

Drawing with the Pencil, Rectangle and Ellipse Tools

CorelDRAW provides three tools for drawing objects: the pencil, the
rectangle and the ellipse tool.

The pencil tool is the most versatile of the three. It’s most obvious
function is drawing lines and curves. You can also use it to
autotrace bitmaps and add dimension lines. You choose which of
the pencil tool’s drawing modes you want to use from the flyout
menu that appears when you hold the mouse button down on the
tool.

The technique you use to draw is essentially the same for each of
the tools: select the tool, click anywhere on the page, and drag the
mouse. If you hold down the CTRL key as you drag, you can
constrain the motion of the mouse to draw perfect squares, circles
or straight lines.

When you finish drawing an object, CorelDRAW automatically

selects it. This allows you to immediately use another tool or the
menu commands to modify the object.

All new objects you add are given a default outline and fill. You can
change the defaults at any time by choosing the outline or fill tools
with no objects selected. For more information, see specifying a
default outline and specifying a default fill for new objects.

Changing the line/curve drawing mode

CorelDRAW provides two styles or modes for drawing lines and
curves:
Freehand mode, which is the default mode, lets you draw by
dragging the mouse button as you would a pencil on paper. Use this
mode for doing quick sketches where precision isn’t critical.

Bezier mode is a connect-the-dots style of drawing that lets you

draw smooth flowing curves with ease. Use this mode when you
want to draw with precision.

To change the line/curve drawing mode:

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1. Hold the mouse button down on the pencil tool.
2. When the flyout menu appears click on the Bezier icon to select
the Bezier mode.

The pencil tool remains in Bezier mode until you click on the
Freehand icon to switch back to freehand mode or exit CorelDRAW.

Drawing curves in Freehand mode:

To draw curves in Freehand mode, you drag the mouse as you
would a pencil on paper.

When you finish drawing, nodes appear at points along the curve.
Moving the nodes and their control points with Shape tool allows
you to change the shape of the curve.

To draw curves in Freehand mode:

1. Select the pencil tool.

If you don’t see the Freehand icon, select it from the flyout menu
displayed by holding the mouse button down on the pencil tool.

2. Draw the curve by dragging the crossbar along the desired path.

If you want to backtrack, you can erase part of the path you have
drawn by holding down the SHIFT key while continuing to drag.
When you release the SHIFT key, you will resume drawing your
line.

3. When you reach the end of your curve, release the mouse button.

There is a slight pause while CorelDRAW determines where to

position the nodes along the curve you have just drawn. If you want
to draw a second curve connected to the first, start dragging from
the endpoint of the last segment.

In order for the line segments to connect, you must click within five
pixels of the endpoint. You can adjust this by choosing preferences
from the Special menu, click on the curves button and then
specifying the number of pixels in the AutoJoin box.

Drawing curves in Bezier mode

To draw curves in Bezier mode, you click to place the nodes at
either end of the curve and then drag to position the control points.
When you’re done, CorelDRAW connects the nodes with a curve.

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Later, you can shape the curve by moving the nodes and control
points with shape tool.

To draw curves in Bezier mode:

1. Select the Pencil tool.

If you don’t see the Bezier icon, select it from the flyout menu
displayed by holding the mouse button down on pencil tool.

2. Position the crossbar where you want the curve to start.

3. Press and hold down the mouse button.

A node indicating the start point of the curve appears.

4. Drag in the direction you want the curve to be drawn.

As you drag, two control points move in opposite directions from

the node. The distance between the control points and the node
determines the height or depth of the curve. The angle of the
control points determines the slope of the curve.

5. When the control points are in the desired positions, release the
mouse button.

Holding down the CTRL key as you position the control points
forces them to move in 15 degree increments. You can specify a
different angle by choosing preferences from the special menu and
typing or selecting the angle you want in the constrain angle box.

6. Move the crossbar where you want the curve segment to end,
then press and hold the mouse button.

A second node is set down and connected to the first.

7. Drag to position the control points that will determine the height
and slope of the next curve segment.

If you want to draw a curve with no change of direction (i.e. a curve

with one bump) drag in the direction the curve is moving through
the end node. Dragging in the opposite direction creates a curve
with a smooth change in direction (i.e. a curve with two bumps).

8. Release the mouse button.

The curve segment will be redrawn between the two points.

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9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 as many times as you want.

To draw a closed shape in Bezier mode:

1. Draw the shape segment by segment as described above.
2. After drawing the next to last segment, connect it to the start
node on the first segment by clicking on top of the node and
dragging.

To draw a curve segment in Bezier mode that is unconnected

to the previous one:
Press the SPACEBAR twice before you define the start point of the
new segment.

Drawing a dimension line

Dimension lines are commonly used in technical illustrations to
show the size of objects or the distance between them.

You add them to your drawing using the three different icons with
double pointed arrows in the pencil tool flyout menu.

To draw a dimension line:

1. Turn snap to objects on by selecting snap to objects form the
layout menu. (You don’t need to enable snap to objects, but using
it makes precise measuring easier).
2. Hold the mouse button down on the pencil tool.
3. Select one of the dimension tools from the flyout menu.

Select To draw
The vertical double arrow - vertical dimension lines
The horizontal double arrow - horizontal dimension
lines
The angular double arrow - angular dimension lines

4. Click on the point where you want to begin measuring and then
drag.
5. When you reach the other point, click. If you have snap to
objects enabled, the cursor will snap to the end of the object.
6. Move the cursor to where you want the dimension text to appear
and click.

The dimension text appears where you clicked, provided you

haven’t specified a default dimension text location through the
preferences command in the special menu. See changing dimension
line preferences.

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The dimension text value is expressed in the same units as the
horizontal ruler unless you specified otherwise in the preferences -
Dimensions dialog box. (The rulers use the unit specified for
Horizontal Grid Frequency in the Grid Setup dialog box).

Drawing Rectangles and Squares

The rectangle tool lets you draw rectangles and squares.

To draw a rectangle:
1. Select the Rectangle tool.
2. Position the crossbar where you want one corner of the
rectangle to appear.
3. Hold the mouse button down and drag up or down on a diagonal.
4. When the rectangle is the size and shape you want, release the
mouse button.

To draw a rectangle from the center out:

Hold down the SHIFT key as drag.

To draw a square:
Hold down the CTRL key as you drag.

To draw a square from the center out:

Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT keys as you drag.

Rounding the corners of a rectangle or square

You can use the Shape tool to round off corners of a rectangle or
square.

To round the corners of a rectangle or square:

1. Click the rectangle/square with Shape tool.

If the rectangle/square is unfilled or you are working in wireframe

view, click the outline.

2. Drag one of the corner nodes along the outline of the

rectangle/square.

As you drag, the four corner nodes each divide into two nodes with
a round corner forming in between. As you continue to drag, the
corners become increasingly round.

3. Release the mouse button when the rectangle/square is shaped

the way you want.

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The amount of rounding (the corner radius) is displayed on the
Status Line.

Drawing Ellipses and Circles.

The Ellipse tool lets you draw ellipses and circles.

To draw an ellipse:
1. Select the Ellipse tool.
2. Position the crossbar where you want one corner of the ellipse’s
highlighting box to appear.
3. Hold the mouse button down and drag up or down on a
diagonal.
4. When the ellipse is the size and shape you want, release the
mouse button.

To draw an ellipse from the center out:

Hold down the SHIFT key as you drag.

To draw a circle:
Hold down the CTRL key as you drag.

To draw a circle from the center out:

Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT keys as you drag.

Turning an ellipse or circle into an arc or pie wedge

You can use the shape tool to turn an ellipse or circle into an arc or
pie wedge.

To turn an ellipse or circle into an arc or pie wedge:

1. Click the ellipse/circle with the shape tool.

If the ellipse/circle is unfilled or you are working in wireframe view,

click its outline. A single node appears at the top or bottom or the
ellipse/circle.

2. Drag the node around the outside of he ellipse/circle to create

and arc or around the inside to create a pie wedge.

As you drag, the node divides into two nodes with the arc/pie
wedge forming between.

3. Continue dragging until the arc/pie wedge is the shape and size
you want.

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The status line shows the position of the two nodes and the
distance (the total angle) between them in degrees.

If you are creating the arc/pie wedge from an ellipse, the word
“distorted” appears after the total angle. This means, for example,
that a 45 degree angle will be an eighth of the way around the
ellipse rather than actually being at 45 degrees.

Selecting an Object.
You select objects with the Pick tool. Eight square sizing handles
appear around an object when it’s selected.

To select an object:
1. Select the Pick tool.
2. Do one of the following:
 In wireframe view and for unfilled objects, click anywhere
on the object’s outline.
 In editable preview click anywhere on the object’s fill or
outline.

To marquee select an object:

1. Select the pick tool.
2. Hold down the mouse button and drag a dotted rectangle (called
a marquee box) so that it completely encloses the object you
want selected.
3. Release the mouse button.

Selecting multiple objects

Selecting more than one object lets you apply the same commands,
transformations or attributes to them. When you select multiple
objects, a single highlighting box enclosing them all appears.

To select multiple objects:

1. Select the pick tool.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key.
3. Do one of the following:

In wireframe view and for unfilled objects, click anywhere on the

object’s outline.

In editable preview, click anywhere on the object’s fill or outline.

To marquee select multiple objects:

1. Select the pick tool.

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2. Hold down the mouse button and drag a dotted rectangle (called
a marquee box) so that it completely encloses the objects you
want selected.
3. Release the mouse button.

To select all objects:

Choose Select All from the Edit menu.

Moving, Copying and Deleting Objects

Moving, copying and deleting objects are basic operations you’ll
perform over and over again. And like many other operations in
CorelDRAW, there are at least two ways to perform them. For
instance, you can move objects by dragging them with mouse or by
entering values in a dialog box. Sometimes, you’ll have the option
of using the keyboard to carry out an action the Del key for
example, can be used to delete objects.

For copying objects, CorelDRAW provides a Duplicate and Clone

command. Both are located in the Edit menu. Duplicate replicates
an object. Clone also creates a replica, but unlike the duplicate
object, many changes that you make to the object will be applied
toe the clone as well.

The copy and paste commands in the Edit menu offer yet another
way to copy objects. They let you copy selected objects to the
windows clipboard. Form there, you can paste them into another
drawing or windows application.

If you make a mistake while performing any of these operations,

you can choose the Undo command in the Edit menu to reverse the
operation.

Moving an object with numeric precision

The move command in the Arrange menu allows you to move
objects by a specific amount or to a specific location. You can also
move objects visually with the mouse or nudge them with the arrow
keys.

To move an object by a specific amount:

1. If the rules are not already displayed, choose show rulers from
the display menu.
2. Select the object(s) you want to move.
3. Choose move from the Arrange menu.
4. If it’s checked, choose absolute co-ordinates.

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Nine buttons appear. One button for each handle on the selected
object’s highlighting box and one for the object’s center. These are
used to indicate which part of the object will lie on the specified co-
ordinates. For example, if you want the object centered on the co-
ordinates, click on the center button.

5. Click the button you want to use.

6. In the horizontal and vertical boxes, type or select the co-
ordinates where you want the object moved. Specify the co-
ordinates from the rulers.

If you want to use a different unit of measurement, select it from

the unit’s box. CorelDRAW will automatically convert the value to
its equivalent in the unit you select.
You can choose leave original to move a copy of the selected object
while leaving the original behind.

7. Choose OK.

Moving an object using the mouse

Dragging objects with the mouse lets you position them
interactively. You can also move objects with numeric precision and
by nudging them with the arrow keys.

To move and object using the mouse:

1. Select the object(s) you want to move.
2. Press and hold the mouse button.
3. Drag the object to the location you want.

As you drag, the object’s outline is replaced by the dotted

rectangle. The status line shows distance moved.

4. Release the mouse button to complete the move.

To leave the original object behind:

While dragging press the right mouse button.

To constrain the object’s movement:

Holding down the CTRL key while dragging forces the object to
move vertically or horizontally.

Copying an object using the Duplicate command

The duplicate command in the Edit menu makes a copy of the
selected object or group of objects and offsets it slightly from the
original.

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You can change the amount of offset by choosing preferences from
the Special menu and then specifying the amount in the boxes
under place Duplicate.

To duplicate an object or group of objects:

Select the object or group of objects.
Choose Duplicate from the Edit menu.

NOTE: Pressing the + key in the numeric keypad also duplicates

objects but unlike the Duplicate command, the copy is placed on
top of the original with no offset.

Copying objects with the Clone command

When you copy an object with clone command cost changes you
make to the original object (called the master) are automatically
applied to the clone. For example, if you change the original’s fill,
the clone’s fill will change as well. However, if you change one of
the clone’s attributes, that attribute will no longer be dependent on
the master.

NOTE: CorelDRAW will clone the following effects provided they

were applied before the object was cloned: Blend, Extrude, Contour
and PowerLine. Envelope and Perspective effects will be cloned
regardless of when they are applied.

To clone an object:
1. Select the object.
2. Choose clone from the Edit menu.

The clone will be offset by the amount specified with the

preferences command in the special menu.

To determine which object is the master and which are the

clones:
1. Click on the object with the right mouse button.

The object menu will appear with a command for selecting the
object’s clone or master.

NOTE: You may have to hold the mouse button down depending on
the mouse preferences specified through the preferences command
in the special menu.

2. Click the command.

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Working with Text and Symbols

Adding text and symbols

CorelDRAW’s powerful text-handling capabilities let you add and
manipulate text with ease. You enter text directly on the screen as
either strings or Artistic text or blocks of Paragraph text. You can
add symbols from the symbol Library, which is a collection of pre-
drawn graphic symbols relating to business, transportation, sports
and many other subjects.

As with other objects, text and symbols you add are given a default
outline and fill. You can change the defaults at any time using the
outline and fill tools.

Editing and Formatting Text

You can edit existing text on the screen or from a dialog box. As
long as you don’t convert it to curves, text remains editable even
after you transform it or apply special effects to it.

Some of the formatting you can apply to text includes changing

typeface, point size and spacing.

When you add a string or block of text, every character must use
the same formatting. Once the text is added, however, each
character can have its format changed.

Formatting features available for paragraph text allow you to:

 Flow text into columns
 Set tabs and indents
 Create bullet lists
 Hyphenate text automatically

You can carry out formatting changes using commands in the text
menu or with the text roll-up window.

Proofing Text
CorelDRAW’s proofing tools can help improve your writing by
finding spelling errors, correctly hyphenating words, and finding
synonyms for a word.

Special Text Features

Some of the special features in CorelDRAW allow you to:
 Fit text to the outline of another object.
 Fit paragraph text to a shape and wrap it around other objects.

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 Create your own Adobe type I and True Type compatible
typefaces and symbols and use them in other windows
applications.
 Extract text from a drawing, edit it in a word processor, and then
merge it back into the drawing.

Adding Artistic Text

Entering text as Artistic text allows you to fit the text to a path and
create special effects with it using commands in the Effects menu.
You can add as many strings of Artistic text as you want, with each
string limited to 250 characters.

To add Artistic text:

1. Select the Text tool.
2. Click on the spot where you want the text to begin.
3. Type the text.

To end a line and start a new one, press ENTER Key.

Once the text is on the page, you can use the Text Roll-up window
or the character command to change the font, point size and other
character attributes.

Adding Paragraph text

If you are working on a newsletter, brochure or some other text-
sensitive application, you should enter text as paragraph text.
Compared with Artistic text, paragraph text offers more formatting
options. For example, you can flow paragraph text into columns,
create bullet lists and set tabs and indents.

You can have as many as 850 paragraphs of paragraph text per

series on linked frames. Each paragraph-that is, a block of text
ending with a carriage return-is limited to about 4000 characters.

To add paragraph text:

1. Hold the mouse button down on the Text tool.
2. From the flyout menu, click the full page icon.
3. Do one of the following:
 Click and drag out a frame to contain the text.
 Click to add a page-sized frame.

Later, you can use the pick tool to adjust the size of the frame.

4. Type the text.

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Text wraps from one line to the next automatically. To insert a
blank line (between paragraph, for example) press the ENTER key.

Once the text is on a page, you can use the text Roll-up window or
the Character command to change the font, point size and other
character attributes.

To change paragraph formatting, use the Frame and Paragraph

commands in the text menu Roll-up.

Flowing text between Paragraph text frames

You can have text flow between frames on the same page or other
pages in a multi-page document.

The frames are linked, so that if you shrink one frame or (reduce
the size of the text) the text will automatically flow into the next
frame. Similarly, if you enlarge a frame, text will flow into it from
the next frame.

NOTE: Selecting one frame in a series of linked frames, then

changing the point size or font will only change the text within the
selected frame. To change text in all frames at once, make the
changes to the text in the last frame in the series.

To link frames of paragraph text on the same page:

1. Click the hollow box along the top or bottom of the frame.

The top box flows from the beginning of the frame, the bottom,
from the end of the frame.

2. Do one of the following:

 Drag to create the next frame.
 Click anywhere on the page to create a page-sized frame.
 Click on an existing frame. If the frame is already linked,
you can still flow text into it provided it isn’t linked via the
same handle as the first frame.

To break the link between frames:

Do one of the following:
 Use the pick tool to select one of the linked frames then choose
separate from the Arrange menu. Text will flow out of the
selected frame and into the other frames.
 Use the pick tool to select one frame and then the frame
immediately before or after it in the chaining sequence. Then,

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 choose separate from the Arrange menu. The text will split into
two separate blocks.

Adding Symbols
CorelDRAW’s Symbol Library contains thousands of predrawn
graphic symbols ranging from arrowheads and bullets to business
and sports related symbols. You can use the symbols as they are, or
edit them the same way you would any other object.

You can even select a symbol and create a pattern that covers the
entire page.

To add a symbol to a drawing:

1. Hold the mouse button down on the Text tool.
2. From the flyout menu, click the asterisk (*).

The symbols Roll-up appears.

In the size box, specify the height you want the symbol drawn at.
(The unit of measurement is the one the vertical ruler displays in).

Once it’s on the page, you can use the pick tool to resize the
symbol.

Do one of the following:

 Choose the symbol category from the list box at the top of the
roll-up. Use the top and down arrows to scroll through the list of
symbols. Drag the one you want onto the page.
 Choose the symbol you want by entering its index number in the
symbol # box. (Index numbers are listed in the symbol and
Clipart Libraries Catalog).

The symbol is automatically selected and assigned the default

Outline and Fill attributes.

To create a pattern from a symbol:

1. Click title.
2. Click the options button if you want specify the spacing between
the symbols then choose OK.
3. Select the symbol using the above procedure.

NOTE: The symbols in the pattern are clones of the top left symbol.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 20

Importing text
You can take advantage of CorelDRAW’s text importing features to
add paragraph text that already exist in electronic form.

If the text is in a file format the program supports and you want to
keep the formatting, the use the import command in the file menu.
CorelDRAW will add a new text frame sized according to page size
specified in the file. If the frame can’t hold all the text, additional
frames and pages will be created.

You can also import text files through the Edit Text dialog box. The
file must be unformatted ASCII text containing no more that 4000
characters per paragraph. Any characters over this limit will be
dropped.

To import text using the import command:

1. Choose import from the file menu.
2. From the list files of type box, choose the format the text you
want to import is in.
3. In the file name box, type or select the name of the file you want
to import.

If the file you want is in another drive or directory, select the drive
from the drives box and the directory from the directories box.

4. Choose OK.

To import text from the Edit Text dialog box:

1. Use the text tool to create a new frame.

You can also import text into an existing frame. The imported text
will replace the existing text, however.

2. Choose Edit text from the text menu.

3. Click the import button.
4. In the file name box, type or select the name of the file you want
to import.

If the file you want is in another drive or directory, select the drive
from the drives box and the directory from the directories box.

5. Choose OK.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 21

The text will appear in the window at the top of the dialog box.

6. Do one of the following:

 Edit the text and apply attributes while it’s in the text
editing window then choose OK.
 Choose OK to add the text to the frame and edit and apply
attributes to it on screen.

Pasting text from the Clipboard

You can use the clipboard to bring in text from another CorelDRAW
file or application.

NOTE: Text with more than 250 characters is automatically pasted

as paragraph text.

To paste text into CorelDRAW:

1. From the other CorelDRAW file or application, cut or copy the
text to the clipboard.
2. Open the drawing you want to paste the text into.
3. Do one of the following:

To Do this
Add a new string of Artistic text choose paste from the edit
menu to paste
the text at the center of the page.
OR

Choose the Text tool, click where

you want the text to appear on the
page, then choose paste form the
edit menu.

To Do this
Add a new block of paragraph text choose the text tool, drag to
draw a frame then choose paste
from the edit menu.

Add existing text choose the text tool, click where

you want the text inserted then
choose paste from the edit menu.
OR
Select the text then choose edit
text from the text menu. Click

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 22

 where you want the text inserted
then choose paste followed by OK.

Selecting text on screen

CorelDRAW offers several ways of selecting text depending on what
type of changes you want to make.

Use To
Text tool Add, delete, replace, or change the attributes
of text on screen.

Pick tool change the attributes of all characters or edit

the text in a dialog box.

Shape tool kern and change the attributes of individual

characters.

To select text with the Text tool:

1. Move the crossbar over the text you want to select.

The crossbar changes to a vertical bar called the insertion point.

2. Do one of the following:

 Hold the left mouse button down and drag across the text
you want to select.
 Click to position the insertion point in the text you want to
select, hold down the SHIFT key then press the arrow keys
to select the text one character at a time.

To select text with the pick tool:

Do one of the following:
 To select paragraph text, click on the frame or the text.
 To select text while working in wireframe view or text that
does not have a fill, click anywhere on the text’s outline.
 To select filled text while working in editable preview, click
anywhere on the text.

To select characters with the shape tool:

1. Click the text you want to edit. For paragraph text, click
anywhere inside the frame.

Nodes appear next to each character along with a pair of handles

for adjusting spacing.

2. Do one of the following:

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 23

  To select a single character click on the node to its left.
 To select multiple characters, hold down SHIFT key and
click on the nodes of each character you want selected.
 Or, hold down the mouse button and drag a dotted
rectangle - called a marquee-so that it completely encloses
the nodes of the characters you want selected.

To deselect a character from a group of selected characters

with the shape tool:
Hold down the SHIFT key and click on the node of the character
you want to deselect.

Editing text in the Text dialog box

Although you can edit text on screen, you may find it easier to use
the text dialog box if you rotated, skewed or blended it with
another object. Text that you have fitted to a path, or applied
special effects (except Blend) to, can only be edited in the Text
dialog box.

To edit existing text:

1. Do one of the following:
 Using the pick tool, click on the text you want to edit. Then,
choose Edit Text from the Text menu.
 If the text is fitted to a path or has had special effects applied
to it, select the Text tool and click on the text.

2. Edit the text using the following techniques:

To Do this
Move insertion point point and click on the new location, or
press the following keys or a
combination of keys.

Arrow keys moves in direction of arrow.

HOME moves to start of current line.

CTRL+HOME moves to start of text.

END moves to end of current line.

CTRL+END moves to end of text.

Page up/Page down scrolls the text box.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 24

Select text drag across the text with the mouse, or
hold down the SHIFT key and press the
arrow keys HOME or END key.

Delete text press BACKSPACE or DEL key to delete

one character at a time or select the
characters and press the DEL key.

Add text move the insertion point where you want

the text to start, then type.

Replace text select text and begin typing.

Begin new line press ENTER.

Copy to clipboard select text and press CTRL+C.

Cut to clipboard select text and press CTRL+X.

Paste press CTRL+V.

3. When you are finished, choose OK.

Formatting columns of paragraph text

You can format frames of paragraph text in newspaper-style, or
“snaking,”
columns.
In newspaper-style columns, text flows from the bottom of one
column to the
top of the next. If your document contains linked frames, you’ll
need to set
the number of columns for each frame.

To format a paragraph text frame in columns:

1. Select the pick tool.
2. Click on the paragraph text you want to format.
3. Choose frame from the text menu or the text roll-up window.
4. In the number box, specify the number of columns you want.
5. In the gutter width box, specify the amount o space you want
between columns.

To use a different unit of measurement, select it from the unit’s

box.
CorelDRAW will automatically convert the value to its equivalent in
the unit

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 25

you select.

6. Choose OK.

Setting, changing and clearing tab stops.

Each paragraph in a paragraph text frame has preset tab stops
spaced at half-inch intervals. You can change the preset interval
and add, move and clear tabs for selected paragraphs.

To change the default tab stops:

1. Select the paragraph text tool from the Text tool flyout menu.
2. Click the paragraph whose tabs stops you want to change. To
change the default for two or more consecutive paragraphs, drag
to highlight them.
3. Choose paragraph from the text menu or roll-up.
4. Click tab.
5. In the apply tabs every box, type or select the distance you want
between the tab stops.

To use a different unit of measurement, select it from the units box.

CorelDRAW will automatically convert the value to its equivalent in
the unit you select.

6. Click the apply tabs every button.

7. Choose OK.
8. Click the apply button, if you opened the paragraph text dialog
box from the text roll-up.

To add, move or clear tabs:

1. Select the paragraph(s) and then open the paragraph dialog box
as described above.
2. To add a tab do one of the following:
 Click the spot on the ruler where you want to set the tab.
(Zero on the ruler is the left edge of the text frame).
 In the text box beside the set button, type or select the
position at which you want to set a tab, and then click the set
button.

3. Under alignment, choose the alignment option you want.

4. To move a tab, do one of the following:
 Drag the tab marker, (_) on the ruler to the new location.
 Select the tab you want to move from the list box then type a
new location.

5. To clear a tab, do one of the following:

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 26

  To clear on tab stop, click the tab marker, (_) on the ruler or
select it from the list box, and then click the Clear button.
 To clear all tab stops in the selected paragraph(s) choose the
clear all button.

6. Choose OK.
7. Click the Apply button if you opened the paragraph text dialog
box from the Text Roll-up.

Indenting Paragraph text

You can indent all lines or only the first line in a paragraph text.

To indent a paragraph:
1. Select the paragraph text tool from the text tool flyout menu.
2. Click the paragraph you want to indent. To indent two or more
consecutive paragraphs, drag to highlight them.
3. Choose paragraph from the text menu or roll-up.
4. Click indents.
5. Do one or more of the following:
 To indent the first line differently from the rest of the
paragraph, type or select the distance from the left frame
margin that you want to indent it in the First Line box.
 In the Rest of Lines box, type or select the distance from
the frame margin that you want to indent the remainder of
the paragraph.
 In the Left Frame Margin box, type or select the distance
from the left edge of the text frame that you want to indent
the entire paragraph.

NOTE: If the selected paragraph has a bullet applied to it, Left

Frame Margin changes to bullet indent.

 In the From Right box, type or select the distance from the
right edge of the text frame that you want to indent the
entire paragraph.
 You can also use the ruler to indent the paragraph.

Adding bullets to paragraph text

CorelDRAW’s Symbols library contains thousands of symbols that
you can use as a bullet in paragraph text. You can place bullets at
the beginning of any paragraph, whether the paragraph is one word
in a list, or a larger block of text.

To add bullets to paragraph text:

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 27

1. With the paragraph text tool click the paragraph to which you
want to add a bullet. To add the same bullet to two or more
consecutive paragraphs, drag to highlight them.
2. Choose paragraph from the text menu or roll-up.
3. Click the bullets button.
4. Select the bullet on option.
5. Do one of the following:
 Choose the symbol you want by entering its index number
in the symbol # box. Index numbers are listed in the
symbol and clipart Libraries Catalog.
 Click on the symbol category in the list box on the left, then
on the symbol you want in the display box on the right.
6. In the size box type or select the size or symbol you want.

NOTE: The default size is the size of the text in the selected
paragraph.

7. In the Vert Shift box type or select the distance you want the
symbol shifted from the baseline of the text. You can enter
positive or negative values.
8. In the Bullet Indent box, type or select the distance you want
between the bullet and the left edge of the text frame.

NOTE: You can adjust the space between the bullet and the text by
clicking the indents button and entering the same value in the First
Line and Rest of Lines boxes.

9. Choose OK.
10. Click the Apply button if you opened the paragraph text dialog
box from the Text Roll-up.

The bullet appears with the default outline and Fill attributes,
which you can change in the same way as you would text.

Adjusting text spacing

You can adjust the spacing between characters, words, lines and
paragraphs of text on screen, from a dialog box, or from the Text
Roll-up window.

To adjust text spacing with numeric precision:

1. Do one of the following:
 To adjust spacing for Artistic text, select it with the Pick
tool.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 28

  To adjust spacing for a paragraph text click on it with the
paragraph text tool. To adjust the spacing for two or more
consecutive paragraphs, drag to highlight them.
OR
2. Do one of the following:
 Choose paragraph from the text menu or Roll-up.
 Choose edit text from the text menu, then choose the spacing
button.
3. Type or select the amount of spacing you want.
4. Choose OK.

To adjust text spacing on screen:

1. Select the Shape tool.
2. Click the text whose spacing you want to adjust.

Nodes appear next to each character, along with a pair of handles

for adjusting spacing.

3. Do one of the following:

To adjust spacing between Do this

Characters move the mouse pointer over the
left pointing hashed arrow and
drag to the right to increase the
spacing or left to decrease it.

Words move the mouse pointer over left

pointing hashed arrow, hold down
CTRL key and drag to the right to
increase the spacing or left to
decrease it.

Lines move the mouse pointer over the

downward pointing hashed arrow
and drag down to increase the
spacing or up to decrease it.

Paragraphs move the mouse pointer over the

downward pointing hashed arrow,
hold down the CTRL key, and drag
down to increase the spacing or up
to decrease it.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 29

Applying character attributes
CorelDRAW provides several ways to apply character attributes
(typeface, size,
spacing etc) to a selected block of text.

To apply character attributes to a selected block of text:

1. Select the Pick tool.
2. Select the text to which you want to apply attributes.
3. Choose one of the following commands:

Choose To
Edit Text (Text Menu) apply any of the available
attributes.

Character (Text Menu) apply typeface, size, style,

subscript and superscript.

Frame (Text Menu) apply formatting options to

paragraph text and adjust the
spacing of Artistic text.

Text Roll-up (Text Menu) display the text Roll-up window for
quick access to all available
attributes.

4. Choose the attributes you want.

5. Choose OK.

You can apply different attributes to individual characters in the

same text block by
highlighting the individual characters with the mouse or selecting
them with the
Shape tool.

Copying text attributes

The copy Attributes From command lets you copy the attributes
(typeface, point
size, spacing etc.) of one string of Artistic text to another, or one
block of Paragraph
text to another. Character attributes—horizontal shift, vertical shift,
and angle—
cannot be copied.

NOTE: If you often use a particular set of attributes, you can make
it easier to

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 30

apply them to other text by saving them as a style.

To copy text attributes:

1. Select the text with the attributes you want to change.
2. From the edit menu, choose Copy Attributes From.
3. Choose Text Attributes.
4. Choose OK.
5. The cursor becomes an arrow with the word From?
6. Click the text with the attributes you want to copy.

Checking Spelling
The spell checker command lets you check your text for spelling
errors. If an
unrecognized word is found, you can correct the word if it is
misspelled, or add it to
a personal dictionary if it is correctly spelled.

To check spelling:
1. Select the text you want to spell check.
2. Choose spell checker from the text menu.

When a word that is not in the dictionary is found, CorelDRAW

displays it in the
box under Word not found.

3. Do one of the following:

 Correct the spelling if the word is misspelled.
 Choose the ignore button to leave the current word
unchanged.
 Choose Ignore All button to skip the current word and any
further occurrences of it during the current spelling check.
 Add the word to a personal dictionary.

When all words have been checked, a message box appears. Choose
OK to return to
your drawing.

NOTE: You can open a personal dictionary and have CorelDRAW

refer to it, along
with standard dictionary during a spelling check.

Using the thesaurus

You can use the Thesuarus command to look up synonyms for a
selected word.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 31

To use the thesaurus:
1. Using the text tool, select the word which you want to look up
synonyms.
2. Choose Thesaurus from the text menu.

CorelDRAW lists possible definitions for the selected word in the

Definitions box.
Synonyms for the first definition appear in the synonyms box.

3. Do one of the following:

 Select other definitions to see their synonyms.
 Select the synonym you want to replace the selected word in
the drawing, then
 choose the Replace button.
 Choose the cancel button to close the thesaurus dialog box
without changing the
 selected word in the drawing.

Finding and Replacing text

The find command in the text menu lets you find each occurrence of
a word,
phrase or any other combination of characters in a block of text.
With the Replace
command you can find and replace text.

To find text:
1. From the text menu, choose find.
2. In the find what box, type the text you are searching for.

You can type as many as 100 characters; the text will scroll
horizontally as you
type.

3. Select Match case if you want CorelDRAW to observe the case of

the letters you
type.
4. Choose Find Next to begin searching.

CorelDRAW will highlight the first occurrence of the text in the text
frame. Choose Find Next if you want to search for the next
occurrence. To edit the found text, choose cancel.

To replace text:
1. From the Text menu, choose Replace.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 32

2. Type the text you want to find in the Find What box and the
replacement text the Replace with box.

You can type as many as 100 characters; the text will scroll
horizontally as you type.

3. Select Match Case if you want CorelDRAW to observe the case of

the letters you type.
4. Choose Replace if you want to confirm the replacement of each
occurrence of the text you are searching for. Or, choose Replace
All to change all the occurrences in one step.

To cancel replacing initiated with Replace All button, press ESC.

Fitting text to a path

Text normally rests on an imaginary straight line called the
baseline. While you cannot edit the baseline, you can fit it, along
with the text, to a path of any shape. You can use an ellipse,
rectangle, line, curve and even a letter converted to a curve object
as the path.

The text and path become a dynamically-linked group, which means

you can edit the text or path and have CorelDRAW automatically
refit the text to the path.

To fit text to a path:

1. Select the text and the path.
2. Choose fit Text to Path from the Text menu.

The Fit Text to Path Roll-up window appears:

3. Choose options that determine how you want CorelDRAW to fit

the text to the path.

Click on To
Down arrow in 1st box display a list of text orientation
options.

Down arrow in 2nd box display a list of vertical placement

options. The last in the list lets you
adjust the alignment by dragging with
the mouse.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 33

Down arrow in 3rd box display a list of horizontal placement
options if you are fitting text to an open
path.

4. Select the quadrant on a closed path to which you want the text
fitted. You can
also move the text along the path by dragging it with the mouse.

Place on the other side fit the text on the opposite side of
the path.

You can also specify horizontal and vertical placement, by choosing

the Edit button
and typing or selecting numeric values in the Horizontal Offset and
Distance from
path boxes.

5. Choose the apply button.

Editing text fitted to a path

Fitting text on a path creates a dynamically-linked group of objects
which you can
edit by:
 selecting different options from the Fit Text to Path Roll-Up
window.
 Editing the shape of the path.
 Editing the text.

When you finish editing, CorelDRAW refits the text to the path
automatically.

To edit text on path from the Fit Text to Path Roll-up

window:
1. If the Roll-up window is not already displayed, choose Fit Text to
Path from the Effects menu.
2. Select the text/path group.
3. Choose the options you want to see.
4. Choose the apply button.

To edit the shape of the path:

1. Select the shape tool.
2. Click on the path.
3. Shape the path by moving selected nodes and control points.

To edit the text:

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 34

1. Select the Text tool and double-click on the text.

The Artistic Text dialog box appears.

2. Make the changes you want.

3. Choose OK.

Detaching text from a path

You can break the link between the text and the path to which it is
fitted. Once the link is broken, you can use the Straighten Text
command in the Text menu to straighten the baseline of the text.

To detach text from a path:

1. Select the text/path group.
2. Choose Separate from the Arrange Menu.

Extracting and merging text.

Does text in your drawing need major revision? You can make those
revisions faster and easier by saving the text in a file that you can
edit in a word processor. When you finish editing, CorelDRAW will
automatically insert the revised text into your drawing.

The revised text will appear just as the original text did, provided
you did not change the attributes of individual characters or apply
any of the following commands:
 Extrude
 Blend
 Contour
 Powerline
 Fit Text to Path

To extract text from a drawing:

1. Open the file with the text you want to extract.
2. Choose extract from the Text menu.
The Extract dialog box appears, prompting you to give the
extracted text file a name.

3. Accept the suggested name or type a new one.

4. Choose OK.

To merge text with a drawing:

1. Load the text file into Windows Notepad or other text editor.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 35

2. Edit the text, making sure not to change the filename at the top
and the codes before and after each text string or paragraph of
Paragraph text.
3. When you are finished editing, save the file as an ASCII text file,
then go back to CorelDRAW.
4. Open the drawing from which you extracted the text.
5. Choose Merge-Back from the Text menu.
6. In the File Name box, type or select the name of the text file.
7. Choose OK.

Within a few seconds, the drawing will appear with the changes you
specified. If you save the revised file at this point, CorelDRAW will
overwrite the original. To keep the original, choose Save As from
the File menu and save the revised file under a different name or in
another drive or directory.

Creating symbols using the Create Symbol command

The Create Symbol command turns objects like company logos or
modified letter shapes into symbol characters and adds them to the
symbol sets in the Symbols Roll-up.

The object you use can be any size; CorelDRAW will resize it to
match the proportions of other symbols in the set.

To create a symbol using the create symbol command:

1. Select the object you want to make into a symbol.
2. Choose Create symbol from the special menu.
3. Type the name of the symbol category to which you want the
symbol added. Or select it from the list.
4. Choose OK.

The symbol will appear at the end of the list in the symbols Roll-up.

You can also use CorelDRAW’s typeface export filters to create new
symbol sets and add to add symbols to existing sets or create new
sets.

Using Print Merge

CorelDRAW can automatically merge a drawing with information in
a text file and send the result to the printer. Print Merge is ideal for
creating personalized certificates or similar documents which text
changes from one copy of the document to the next.

NOTE: Only Artistic text in the drawing can be merged.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 36

To prepare the merge file:
1. Open a new document in your word processor.
2. Type the number of strings of Artistic text in the drawing you
want replaced, then press ENTER.

You can replace as many strings in the drawing as you wish, but
each string must be unique.

3. Type the text exactly as it appears in the drawing putting a

backslash (\) before and after each string/frame.

Each string/frame can be typed back to back (e.g.\Name\Company\

Address\), or on separate lines as follows:
\Name\
\Company\
\Address\

4. Type the text you want inserted into the drawing, putting a
backslash (\) before and after each string/frame.

The replacement strings/frame can be typed back to back, or on

separate lines.

For every text string/frame entered in step 3, there must be a

corresponding one entered in step 4.

5. When you are finished, save the file in ASCII format.

To merge the text file with the drawing:

1. Open the drawing you want to merge the text with.
2. Choose print Merge from the File menu.
3. Select the text file.
4. Choose OK.
5. Select any print options you want.
6. Choose OK.

CorelDRAW merges the text with the drawing and sends the result
to the printer.

Transforming Objects
Transforming an object in CorelDRAW means to change its
orientation or appearance without altering its basic shape.

The transformations you can perform are:

 Rotate

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 37

  Skew
 Stretch
 Scale
 Mirror

You can perform all of these transformations using either the

mouse or commands in the Effects menu. Using a command allows
you to enter exact values for precise transformations. Some
precision is also possible with mouse transformations. For example,
moving an object while holding down the CTRL key forces it to
move either horizontally or vertically.

Whether you use a command or the mouse, you can have

CorelDRAW transform a copy of the selected object rather than the
object itself.
You can perform any number of transformations on an object or
group of objects.

Rotating an object with numeric precision

The rotate & skew command in the Effects menu allows you to
rotate objects to a specific angle. You can also rotate objects
interactively with the mouse.

To rotate an object with numeric precision:

1. Select the object you want to rotate.
2. Choose rotate & skew from the Effects menu.
3. Type or select the angle you want in the Rotation box.

You can choose Leave Original to rotate a copy of the selected

object while leaving the original behind.

4. Choose OK.

Rotating an object using the mouse

You can interactively rotate objects by dragging them with the
mouse. If you want numeric precision, use the Rotate and Skew
command in the Effects menu.

To rotate an object using the mouse:

1. Do one of the following:
 Double-click the object you want to rotate, or click once if
it’s already selected.
 If the object is unfilled or you are working in wireframe
view, double-click (or click) its outline.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 38

The handle on the object’s highlighting box change to double-
headed arrows.

2. Move the mouse pointer over one of the corner arrows until it
becomes a cross.
3. Drag in circular motion around the object.

As you drag the object’s outline is replaced by a dotted rectangle.

The Status Line shows the rotation angle.

4. Release the mouse button to complete the rotation.

To leave the original object behind:

Press the right mouse button before you begin rotating.

To constrain the angle of rotation:

Holding down the CTRL key while dragging forces the object to
rotate in 15-degree increments.

You can specify a different angle by choosing Preferences from the

special menu and typing or selecting the angle you want in the
Constrain Angle box.

Skewing an object using the mouse

You can interactively skew objects by dragging them with the
mouse. If you want numeric precision, use the Rotate & Skew
command in the Effects menu.

NOTE: CorelDRAW uses the object’s center as a reference when

skewing with the Rotate & Skew command, and a corner handle on
it’s highlighting box when skewing with the mouse.

To skew an object using the mouse:

1. Do one of the following:
 Double-click the object you want to skew or click once if it’s
already selected.
 If the object is unfilled or you are working in wireframe
view, double-click (or click) on it’s outline.

The handles on the object’s highlighting box change to double-

headed arrows.

2. Move the mouse pointer over the top middle or bottom middle
arrow to skew the object horizontally or the side arrows to skew
the object vertically.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 39

3. Drag in the desired direction.

As you drag, the object’s outline is replaced by a dotted rectangle.

4. Release the mouse button to complete the skew.

To leave the original object behind:

Press the right mouse button before you begin skewing.

To constrain the object’s movement:

Holding down the CTRL key while dragging forces the object to
skew in 15 degree increments.

You can specify a different angle by choosing Preferences from the

Special menu and typing or selecting the angle you want in the
Constrain Angle box.

Stretching, scaling or mirroring an object using the mouse

You can interactively resize objects either proportionally (scale) or
in different vertical and horizontal proportions (scale). You can also
create a mirror image of an object by flipping it across an
imaginary line through the center of the object.

For numeric precision, use stretch & Mirror command in the

Effects menu.

NOTE: CorelDRAW uses the object’s center as a reference when

skewing with the Rotate & Skew command, and a corner handle on
it’s highlighting box when skewing with the mouse.

To stretch or scale an object using the mouse:

Select the object(s) you want to stretch or scale.
Move the mouse pointer over one of the handles between the
corners to stretch the object or over the corner handles to scale it.

The pointer becomes a cross.

Drag the handle in the desired direction.

As you drag, the object’s outline replace by a desired size.

Release the mouse button when the object is the desired size.

To stretch/scale in 100% increments:

Hold down the CTRL key while dragging.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 40

To leave the original object behind:
Press the right mouse button before you begin stretching or
scaling.

To stretch/scale in multiple directions:

Hold down the SHIFT key while dragging to stretch the object in
two directions or scale it in all four directions.

To stretch/scale in 100% increments from the object’s center:

Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT key while dragging.

To create a mirror image of the object:

1. Hold down the CTRL key while dragging a side handle across the
object instead of away from it.
2. If you want to leave the original behind, start dragging across
the object. Then with the mouse button still held down, press the
right mouse button. Next, hold down the CTRL key and finish
dragging.

Clearing transformations
You can quickly reverse all transformations plus envelope and
perspective effects applied to an object or group of objects.

NOTE: If you selected a group, only transformation performed on

the group are cleared; transformations performed on the objects
before they were grouped are not cleared.

To clear transformation:
Selected object or group of objects whose transformations you want
to clear.
From the Effects menu, choose Clear Transformations.

Shaping Objects
Objects created with the Elipse, Rectangle and Text tools are
constructed from basic elements called paths. A line, for example,
is a path drawn between start and endpoint. Circles and rectangles
are represented by paths as well.

The shape tool allows you to change the characteristics of the path
and the endpoints (called “nodes”) which in turn allow you to
reshape the object. For example, you can convert a straight line to
a curve and then manipulate the curve to shape it any way you
want.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 41

Two special types don’t require converting the object to
curves:
1. Rounding the corners of rectangles and squares.
2. Creating arcs and pie wedges from ellipses and circles.

Keep in mind that you cannot edit text after you convert it to
curves.

Converting rectangles, ellipses and text to curve objects

To change the shape of objects added with the Rectangle, Ellipse
and Text tools, you must first convert them to curves.

Converting rectangles, ellipses and text to curve objects.

1. Select the object with the pick tool.
2. Choose convert to curves from the Arrange menu.

Though it looks the same, the objects is now a curve object that you
can reshape by manipulating its nodes and control points with the
shape tool.

Selecting and deselecting a node or segment on a curve

object
You use a shape tool to select nodes and segments on a curve
object. Once you select a node or segment, you can change its
characteristics by applying commands from the Node Edit Roll-up.
You can also move a selected node and its associated control
points.

To select a single node or segment on a curve object:

Select the shape tool.
Click the node or segment.

The selected node becomes highlighted in one of two ways:

hollow if the associated segment is a line; solid if it’s a curve.
Control points extending from the selected node and those on
either side of it appear.
The status line shows the type of node (smooth, cusped or
symmetrical) and segment (line or curve). If you clicked the
segment, a dot appears.

To select multiple nodes:

1. Do one of the following:
 Hold down the SHIFT key and click the nodes you want to
select.
 Drag a marquee box around the nodes you want to select.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 42

To deselect one or more nodes:
Do one of the following:
 Hold down the SHIFT key and click the nodes you want to
deselect.
 Hold down the SHIFT key and drag a marquee box around the
nodes you want to deselect.

To deselect all nodes:

Click any while space away from the outline of the curve.

Shaping a curve object by moving its segments, nodes and

control points
You can change the shape of a curved object by moving the
segments that make up the curve or its nodes and control points.
Normally, you move the segments and nodes to make coarse
adjustments then fine tune the shape by moving the control points.

NOTE: The Elastic Mode option in the Node Edit Roll-up affects the
way multiple selected nodes move when dragged with the mouse.

To shape a curve object by moving its nodes:

Hold down mouse button down on the segment and drag.

To shape a curve object by moving its nodes:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Click the node you want to select.

Control points appear extending from the selected node and those
on either side of it.

3. Drag the node.

As you drag, the segments on either side of the nodes move. The
node’s control points also move so that the angles at which the
curve enters and leaves the node unchanged.

To shape a curve object by moving several nodes at once:

1. Select the nodes you want to move by holding down the SHIFT
key and clicking them or by dragging a marquee box around
them.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 43

2. Drag any of the selected nodes.

To shape a curve object by moving its control points:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Click the node you want to select.

Control points appear extending from the selected node and those
on either side of it.

3. Drag the control points one at a time until the curve is the shape
you want.

The control points move differently depending on whether the node

they are associated with is smooth, cusped or symmetrical. This, in
turn, affects the shape of the curve.

To constrain the movement of the node or control point:

Holding down the CTRL key while dragging forces the node/control
point to move horizontally or vertically from its starting point.

Adding nodes to a curve object

If shaping a curve object by moving the existing segments, nodes
and control points isn’t giving you the results you want, you can
add more nodes.

To add a single node:

Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

Do one of the following:

 Click the spot along the curve where you want the node added
then press the plus key on the numeric keypad.
 Double-click the node or the spot along the curve where you
want the node added. From the Node Edit Roll-up, click the +
button.
 If you click on a node, the new node appears midway along
the adjacent segment. If you clicked on the curve, the node
appears on the spot you clicked on.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 44

To add several nodes at once:
1. Click the curve object with the Shape tool.
If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in
wireframe view, click the path.

2. Use marquee-select or multiple-select to select the nodes

between which you want further nodes added.
3. Double-click one of the selected nodes.
4. From the node Edit Roll-up, click the + button.

An additional node appears between each of the selected nodes.

Deleting nodes and segments from a curve object

Deleting closely bunched nodes and segments helps to simplify
complex curve objects. You can also delete them to smooth
unwanted bumps along a curve.

In addition to deleting the node yourself, you can also have

CorelDRAW delete all extraneous nodes and segments in one step.

To delete a node or segment from a curve object:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Do one of the following:

 Click the node you want to delete then press the minus key
on the numeric keypad.
 Double-click the node you want to delete. From the Node
Edit Roll-up, click the –button.

To delete several nodes/segments at once, select the

nodes/segments by dragging a marquee box around them or by
holding down the SHIFT key and clicking on them.
The curve redraws without the deleted node/segment. The position
of the deleted node/segment determines the amount of change in
the shape of the curve.

To delete all extensions nodes and segments at once:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 45

2. Do one of the following:
 To delete all extraneous nodes and segments in the curve
object, double-click any node.
 To delete extraneous nodes and segments along a portion
of the curve object, select the nodes along that portion.
Then double-click one of the selected nodes.

3. From the Node Edit Roll-up, click the Auto-Reduce button.

NOTE: The Auto-Reduce setting in the Preferences – curves dialog

box controls the extent to which the curve’s shape changes when
nodes are removed.

Aligning nodes and control points

Suppose you have two curve objects that are required to fit
together like pieces of a puzzle, for example, the regions of a map.
The easiest way to create a seamless fit is by aligning nodes and
control points on the objects. To do this you must first combine with
the combine command in the Arrange menu. After you align the
nodes and/or control points, you can use the Break Apart command
to separate the objects.

You can also align just the nodes.

To align nodes and control points:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Click the node you want to realign.

3. Hold down the SHIFT key and click the node you want to align
with.
4. Double-click one of the selected nodes.
5. From the node Edit Roll-up, choose align.
6. From the node align dialog box, deselect any options you do not
want. For example, if you only want to align horizontally,
deselect Align vertical. All three options must be selected to
align the shape or the curves as well as the nodes.
7. Choose OK.
8. Repeats steps 2 to 7 as often as you need.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 46

Breaking a curve object
You can turn a curve object that forms a closed path into an open
one by breaking the path at any point. You can also break an open
path into one or more subpaths.

To break a curve object:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Double-click the spot where you want to break the path.

To break the path at several nodes at once, select the nodes by

dragging a marquee box around them or by holding down the
SHIFT key and click on them.

3. From the node Edit Roll-up, choose the break icon.

Two superimposed nodes appear at each break. Though you can

move the new node, its associated segment is still part of the
original curve object.

Changing a segment to a curve or line.

You can change a curve segment to a line segment an vise versa.

To change a segment to a curve or line:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Double-click the segment or the node that follows the segment

you want to change.

To change several segments at once, select them or their

associated nodes by dragging a marquee box around them or by
holding down the SHIFT key and clicking on them.

3. From the Node Edit Roll-up, choose ToLine or ToCurve.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 47

If you choose ToLine, the curve segment redraws as a straight line.
If you choose ToCurve, the line segment will appear unchanged.
However, if you select a node at either end of the segment, control
points will appear indicating that it is now a curve.

Joining nodes to close an open path or connect separate

paths
You can close an open path by joining its two end nodes. You can
also join end nodes on separate paths by first combining the paths
into one object with the Combine command in the Arrange menu.

To join two nodes to close an open path:

1. Find the nodes on the ends of the path you want to close.
2. Using the shape tool, select the nodes by dragging a marquee
box around them or by holding down the SHIFT key and clicking
them.
3. Double-click one of the selected nodes.
4. From the Node Edit Roll-up, choose the join icon.

The curve redraws as a closed path that can then be filled with the
Fill tool.

To join two nodes to make a single curve from separate

paths:
1. Select the paths you want to join with the pick tool.
2. Choose combine from the arrange menu.
3. Find the nodes on the ends of the paths you want to join.
4. Using the shape tool, select the nodes by dragging a marquee
box around them or by holding down the SHIFT key and clicking
them.
5. Double-click one of the selected nodes.
6. From the Node Edit Roll-up, choose join.

The curve redraws as a single open path.

Making a node smooth, cusped or symmetrical

CorelDRAW provides three types of curve nodes. The type
determines how the shape of a curve passing through a node
changes when you move its changes when you move its control
points.

 Cusp nodes allow the curve to bend sharply.

 Smooth nodes allow a different curvature on each side of the
node.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 48

  Symmetrical nodes keep the same curvature on both sides of
the node.

To make a node smooth, cusped and symmetrical:

1. Click the curve object with the shape tool.

If the object is an unfilled, closed path or you are working in

wireframe view, click the path.

2. Double-click the node you want to change. To change several

nodes at once, select them by dragging a marquee box around
them or by dragging a marquee box around them or by holding
down the SHIFT key and clicking them.
3. Choose smooth, cusp or symmet.

Unless the curve passed through the node on a fairly sharp angle,
changing the node’s type will not noticeably affect its shape. It will,
however, affect the way in which you can reshape the curve by
adjusting the node’s control points.

Stretching and scaling parts of a curve

You can select portions of a curve object and stretch or scale it just
as you would any other object.

To stretch or scale parts of a curve:

1. Using the shape tool, select the nodes along the curve you want
to stretch or scale by dragging a marquee box around them or by
holding down the SHIFT key and clicking them.
2. Double-click one of the selected nodes.
3. From the Node Edit Roll-up, click the Stretch button.

Eight sizing handles appear.

4. Drag the corner handles to scale the curve, or those in between

to stretch it.

Rotating and skewing parts of a curve

You can select portions of a curve object and rotate or skew in the
same way as you would any other object.

To rotate or skew parts of a curve:

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 49

1. Using the shape tool, select the nodes along the curve you want
to rotate or skew by dragging a marquee box around them or by
holding down the SHIFT key and clicking them.
2. Double-click one of the selected nodes.
3. From the Node Edit Roll-up, click the Rotate button.

Eight rotating/skewing handles appear.

4. Drag the corner handles in a circular fashion to rotate the curve

and those between the corners to skew it.

Outlining and Filling Objects

Outline and Fill Attributes

When you add an object to a drawing, it is automatically given a set
of default outline and fill attributes. These vary with the type of
object and can be changed using the outline and fill tools.

Open paths are given outline attributes such as thickness and color,
line style (solid, dashed, etc) and line ending shape (round, square,
arrowhead, etc.)
Closed paths are given a fill attribute and some of the outline
attributes of an open path. The fill attribute can be a solid color, a
fountain fill a pattern or a texture.

You can turn either a set of attributes off and leave the other
visible. Turning off a rectangle’s fill for example makes it
transparent, allowing objects behind it to show through.

Text is given the same attributes as open and closed paths, and
others such as typeface and style, point size, inter-line spacing and
so on.

Choosing Attributes
For flexibility and ease of use, CorelDRAW offers four ways to
select fill and outline attributes.

Fly-out menus – provide quick access to pre-defined line

thicknesses and colors for outlining and filling objects. You display
the fly-out menus by clicking on the outline and fill tools.
Color Palette – lets you select outline and fill colors with the click of
a mouse button. A command in the display menu turns the palette
on and off and loads it with spot or process color.
Roll-up Window – lets you apply a wide range of attributes with one
or two clicks of your mouse. You can have the window open as you

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 50

work or hide the controls, leaving just the title bar visible. You
display the roll-up windows by clicking on icons in the fly-out
menus.
Dialog boxes – give you access to all available attributes plus
controls for specifying attributes such as line thickness with
numeric precision. You display the dialog boxes by clicking on icons
in the fly-out menus and the Edit button in the roll-up windows.

You can also assign fill and attributes to an object by applying a

style to it and by copying the attributes of other objects.

Choosing a line thickness

You can choose a variety of common line thicknesses from the
outline tool menu and specify others with the Pen Roll-up window
and the outline Pen dialog box.

To select a line thickness from the outline tool menu:

1. Select the object you want to outline.
2. Select the outline tool.
3. Click on the line thickness you want. The choice of thicknesses is
¼ point, 2,8, 16 and 24 points.

To select a line thickness from the pen roll-up window:

If the window is not displayed, click on the arrow icon in the outline
tool menu.
Select the object you want to outline.
1. Select the line thickness you want by clicking on the Thickness
Selector arrows.

Each click changes the thickness by .01 inches. Click the down
arrow repeatedly to select hairline or no outline at all.

2. Click the Apply button.

To select a line thickness from the outline Pen dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to outline.
2. Select the outline tool.
3. Click the pen icon.
4. In the width box, type or select the line thickness you want.
To use a different unit of measurement, select it from the units box.
CorelDRAW will automatically convert the width value to its
equivalent in the unit you select.

5. Choose OK.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 51

Choosing an outline color
For outlining in black, white and shades of gray, you can use icons
in the outline tool. To outline in color, you can use the Pen Roll-up
window, the on-screen color palette, or the outline color dialog box.

From the outline tool menu:

1. Select the object you want to outline.
2. Select the outline tool.
3. Click on black, white or the shade of gray you want. The shades
vary in increments of 20% from 10% to 90%.

From the Pen Roll-up window:

1. If the window is not displayed, click the arrow icon on outline
tool menu.
2. Select the object you want to outline.
3. Click the color selector bar.
4. Click the color you want.
5. Click the Apply button.

From the on-screen color palette:

1. If the palette is not displayed, choose show color palette from
the display menu. Then from the sub-menu, choose the spot color
palette or one of the process colors palettes.
2. Select the object you want to outline.
3. Select the color you want from the palette by clicking it with the
right moue button.

To scroll the palette one color at a time, click an arrow at either

end of the palette with the left mouse button. Click with the
secondary mouse button to scroll the width of the screen.

From the outline color dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to outline.
2. Do one of the following:
3. From the outline tool menu, click the color wheel icon.
From the pen Roll-up window, click the Edit button, then the color
button. From the color palette that appears, click the More button.

From the Show list box, choose the color specification method you
want to use.
4. Do one of the following:
 To select a color from the TRUMATCH or PANTONE
palettes by sight, click Show Color Names to clear the
check mark, then click on the color you want.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 52

  If you want a lighter shade of the selected Spot color, type
or select a value in the % tint box.
 To choose a color by name, choose Show Color Names,
then click the name of the color.
 The search option lets you locate a color by typing part of
its name. As you type, the list of names scrolls to the color
that most closely matches what you type. You do not need
to type the word TRUMATCH or PANTONE.
 To create a process color, choose CMYK, RGB or HSB from
the model box. Create the color you want using the
numeric controls or the color adjustment markers.

5. Choose OK.
If you are using the Pen Roll-up window, click the Apply button.

Closing paths to accept fills

You can only fill objects that form a “closed “ path. To fill in an open
path, you must close it by joining the nodes at the two ends.

To close an open path:

1. Find the nodes on the ends of the path you want to close.
2. Using the shape tool, select the nodes by dragging a marquee
box around them, or by holding down the SHIFT key and clicking
on them.
3. Double-click on one of the selected nodes.

The Node Edit Roll-Up appears.

Choose the join button (it’s the one with the connected chain links).

Choosing a fill colour

From the fill tool menu, you will fill objects with black, white and
five shades of gray. To fill objects with a uniform color, you can use
the on-screen color pallete or the uniform fill dialog box.

From the fill tool menu:

1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. Select the fill tool.
3. Click on black, white or the shade of gray you want. The shades
vary in increments of 20% from 10% to 90%.

From the on-screen Color palette:

1. If the palette is not displayed, choose show color palette from
the display menu. Then from the sub-menu, choose the spot color
palette or one of the process colors palettes.
2. Select the object you want to outline.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 53

Select the color you want from the palette by clicking it with the
right mouse button.

To scroll the palette one color at a time, click an arrow at either

end of the palette with the left mouse button. Click with the
secondary mouse button to scroll the width of the screen.

From the outline color dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to outline.
2. Do one of the following:
 From the outline tool menu, click the color wheel icon.
 From the pen Roll-up window, click the Edit button, then
the Color button. From the color palette that appears, click
the More button.
 From the Show list box, choose the color specification
method you want to use.

3. Do one of the following:

 To select a color from the TRUMATCH or PANTONE palettes
by sight, click Show Color Names to clear mark, the click on
the color you want.
 If you want a lighter shade of the selected spot color, type or
select a value in the %tint box.
 To choose a color by name, choose Show Color Names, then
click the name of the color.
 To search option lets you locate a color by typing part of its
name. As you type, the list of names scrolls to the color that
most closely matches what you type. You do not need to type
the word TRUMATCH or PANTONE.
 To create a process color, choose CYMK, RGB or HSB from
the model box. Create the color you want using the numeric
controls or the color adjustments markers.

4. Choose OK.
If you are using the Pen Roll-up window, click the Apply button.

Closing paths to accept fills

You can only fill objects that form a “closed path”. To fill an open
path, you must close it by joining the nodes at the two ends.

To close an open path:

1. Find the nodes on the ends of the path you want to close.
2. Using the shape tool, select the nodes by dragging a marquee
box around them, or by holding down the SHIFT key and clicking
on them.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 54

3. Double-click on one of the selected nodes.

The Node Edit Roll-up appears.

4. Choose the join button (it’s the one with the connected chain
links).

Choosing a fill color

From the fill tool menu, you can fill objects with black, white and
five shades of gray. To fill objects with a uniform color, you can use
the on-screen Color Palette or the Uniform Fill dialog box.

From the fill tool menu:

1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. Select the fill tool.
3. Click on black, white or the shade of gray you want. The shades
vary in increments of 20% from 10% to 90%.

From the on-screen Color Palette:

1. If the palette is not displayed, choose Color Palette from the
display menu. Then choose one of the color palettes.
2. Select the object you want to fill.
3. Select the color you want from the palette by clicking it with
the left mouse button.

To scroll the palette one color at time, click an arrow at either end
of the palette with the primary mouse button. Click with the right
mouse button to scroll the width of the screen.

From the Uniform Fill dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. From the Fill tool menu, click the color wheel icon.
3. From the Show list box, choose the color specification method
you want to use.
4. Do one of the following:
 To select a color from the TRUMATCH or PANTONE
palettes by sight, click show color names to clear the
check mark, the click on the color you want.
 If you want a lighter shade of the selected spot color,
type or select a value in the % Tint box
 To choose a color by name, choose Show Color Names,
then click the name of the color.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 55

  The search option lets you locate a color by typing part
of its name. As you type, the list of names scrolls to the
color that most closely matches what you are typing. You
do not need to type the word TRUMATCH or PANTONE.
 To create a Process color, choose CYMK, RGB or HSB
from the Model box. Create the color you want using the
numeric controls or the color adjustment markers.

5. Choose OK.

Creating a fountain fill

A fountain fill is one that flows smoothly from one color to another.
The fill can flow in a straight line across the object (linear), in
concentric circles from the center of the object out (radial) or in
rays from the centre of the object out (conical).

You can use a dialog box or the fill Roll-up window to create
fountain fills.

From the fountain fill dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. Select the fill tool.
3. Click on the fountain fill icon.
4. Choose the type of fountain you want (linear, Radial or
conical).
5. Click on the From color button and then on the color you want
as the end color.
6. Click on the To color button and then on the color you want as
the end color.

To create your own colors or select existing ones by name, choose

the More button. Clicking the options button displays another
dialog box that gives you greater control over the colors
CorelDRAW uses to create the fountain.

NOTE: If you are using Spot color, and plan to create color
separations, use tints of the same color to specify the start and end
colors.

To specify the angle of a Linear or Conical fountain do one of

the following:
 Type or select the angle in the Angle box.
 Hold the mouse button down in the preview box and
drag. For conical fountains use the right mouse button.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 56

 Holding down the CTRL key as you drag constrains the
angle to 15-degree.

To offset the center of a Radial or Conical fountain do one of

the following:
 In the X and Y boxes under center offset, type or select the
amount of offset.
 Hold the mouse button down in the preview box and drag.
Holding down the CTRL key as you drag constrains the
amount to 10-percent increments.

To increase the percentage of start and end color in the fountain,

type or select the percentage in the Edge Pad box.

You can save the fountain settings you specified so that you can
apply them to other objects. Type a name in the Presets box then
click the Save button. Clicking the Delete button removes the
selected settings from the Preset list.

7. Choose OK.

From the Fill Roll-up window:

1. If the window is not displayed, click on the arrow icon in the
Fill tool menu.
2. Select the object you want to fill.
3. Click on the fountain fill button.
4. Click to select to create a linear fountain, a radial fountain or
to create a conical fountain.
5. Click on the left color button, and then on the color you want
as the start color.
6. Click on the right color button, and then on the color you want
as the end color.
7. Do any of the following:
 To change the angle of a Linear fountain, hold the mouse
button down in the Preview box and drag. Use the right
mouse button for conical fountains. Holding down the
CTRL key as you drag constrains the angle to 15-degree
increments.
 To offset the center of a Radial or Conical fountain, hold
the mouse button down in the Preview box and drag.
Holding down the CTRL key as you drag constrains the
amount to 10-percent increments.

8. Click on the Apply button.

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Choosing a Two-Color fill pattern
You can fill objects with a pattern composed of repeating bitmap
images. CorelDRAW supplies a collection of black and white bitmap
patterns to which you can add color. You can also create you own
patterns from imported bitmaps or from images drawn in
CorelDRAW.

From the Two-Color pattern dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. Select the fill tool.
3. Click the Two-Color pattern icon (checkerboard)
4. Click the arrow in the preview box.
5. Click on the pattern you want and choose OK.
6. To color the pattern:
 Click the left color button, and then the color you want
for the foreground color.
 Click the right color button and then the color you want
for the background.

To scale the pattern tiles:

 Choose the Tile button. A pair of boxes appears inside the
object you are filling.
 Drag the small square along the bottom edge of the boxes to
scale the pattern.

To offset the pattern tiles:

 Choose the Tile button. A pair of boxes appears inside the
object you are filling.
 To offset the entire pattern, hold the mouse button down
inside the left box and drag.
 To offset the alternating columns of tiles, hold the mouse
button down inside the right box and drag down.
 To offset alternating rows of tiles, hold the mouse button
down inside the right box and drag down and to the left.

7. Click on Apply button.

Choosing a Full-color fill pattern

CorelDRAW supplies an extensive selection of Full-color pattern
fills composed of repeating vector images. You can also create you
own patterns from imported images, or from images drawn in
CorelDRAW.

From the Full-Color pattern dialog box:

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 1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. Select the fill tool.
3. Click on the full-color pattern icon (double-headed arrow).
4. Click on the pattern filenames to display a sample of the
pattern in the preview box.
5. Click on the arrow in the preview box.
6. Click on the pattern you want and choose OK.
7. To specify the size of the pattern, do one of the following:
 Choose small, medium or large to select a predefined
size of 0.25x0.2, 50.50x0.50 or 1.00x1.00 inches.
 Choose the Tiling button and type or select a custom size
(up to 3x3 inches) in the width and height boxes.

8. To use different unit of measure, select it from the units box.

CorelDRAW will automatically convert the displayed value to
its equivalent in the unit you select.

To offset the pattern tiles:

 Choose the Tiling button.
 To offset the entire pattern horizontally and/or vertically, type
or select the amount of offset in the X and Y boxes under First
Tile Offset.
 To offset alternating row or columns of tiles, choose Row or
Column under Row/Column Offset, then type or select the
amount of offset.

9. Choose OK.

From the Fill Roll-up window:

1. If the window is not displayed, click on the roll-up window
icon in the Fill tool menu.
2. Select the object you want to fill.
3. Click on the Full-color pattern button (double-headed arrow).
4. Click on the arrow in the preview box.
5. Click on the pattern you want and choose OK.
6. To scale the pattern tiles:
 Choose the Tile button. A pair of boxes appears inside
the object you are filling.
 Drag the small square along the bottom edge of the
boxes to scale the pattern.

To offset the pattern tiles:

 Choose the Tile button. A pair of boxes appears inside the
object you are filling.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 59

  To offset the entire pattern, hold the mouse button down
inside the left box and drag.
 To offset alternating columns of tiles, hold the mouse button
down inside the right box and drag down.
 To offset alternating rows of tiles, hold the mouse button
down inside the right box and drag down and to the left.

7. Click the Apply button.

Choosing a Bitmap texture

Bitmap textures are fills that look like clouds, water, gravel,
minerals and dozens of other natural and manmade substances.
Each texture has a set of parameters that you can change to create
millions of variations.

Bitmap textures display on your screen and print to any printer.

From the Bitmap Texture dialog box:

1. Select the object you want to fill.
2. Select the Fill tool.
3. Click the Textures button.
 From the Textures Library List box, choose the library
containing the texture you want.
 From the Textures List, choose the name of the texture
you want.

Adjust the parameters to customize the texture as required.

There are two ways to do this:
 Click the preview button to randomly change the unlocked
parameters. You lock and unlock parameters by clicking the
lock icon next to it.
 Enter a value in the text box next to the parameter name to
change the numeric parameters. To change a color parameter,
click on the color button and select a new one form the pop-up
palette. Click the more button if you want to create a color or
choose it by name. To see the effect the parameters have on
the texture, click the preview button.

4. Choose OK.

From the Fill Roll-Up window:

1. If the roll-up is not displayed, click on the Fill tool in the fill
tool menu.

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 2. Select the object you want to fill.
3. Click the texture button.
4. From the upper list box, choose the library containing the
texture you want.
5. Do one of the following:
 Clicking the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the
preview box to display a list of textures. Click on the
texture you want and choose OK.
 Click on the name of the texture in the list below the
preview box.

6. Click the Apply button.

Creating Special Effects.

The Effects menu contains some of CorelDRAW’s most powerful
commands for manipulating objects.

A unique feature of these commands, when applied to text, is the

ability of edit the text without disturbing the effect you’ve created.
In the case of blend and extrude, you can edit the original objects—
for example, change their outlines and fills—and have CorelDRAW
automatically adjust the blend or extrusion.

Perspective
You can create one and two-point perspective views of an object by
dragging handles on a special bounding box.

Envelope
Imagine the way an image drawn on a sheet of rubber distorts
when you pull on its edges. You get the same effect in CorelDRAW
by applying an envelope to an object and dragging its handles.
Envelopes are useful when you want to mold text to fit the contours
of a particular shape.

Blend
The blend command blends the shape and color of one object with
those of another through a series of intermediate objects. You can
use blend to create airbrush effects and highlights or to create
evenly spaced copies between two identical objects. You can even
blend along a path.

Extrude
The extrude command projects surfaces from an object to give it a
three-dimensional appearance. The object and surfaces form a

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 61

dynamic group that responds collectively to any commands or
operations you apply to the extrusion.
Controls in the extrusion Roll-up window allow you to manipulate
the extrusion in several ways. For example, you can specify a
parallel or perspective extrusion, rotate the extrusion in the three-
dimensional space, and shade the surfaces to simulate the effect of
light striking the extrusion.

Contour
Contouring an object produces a series of concentric shapes that
give an object a sense of depth. Cartographers use a similar
drawing technique to depict changes in elevation on a
topographical map.

PowerLines
PowerLInes let you mimic the style of more traditional drawing
tools like paintbrushes, calligraphic pens and wood etching tools.
The PowerLInes Roll-up gives you access to several preset
Powerlines plus controls for creating your own.

Adding perspective to an object

You can add perspective to an individual or a group of objects

To add perspective to an object:

1. Select the object.
2. Choose Add Perspective from the Effects menu.

The shape tool becomes selected and a bounding box with four
handles appears around the object.

Drag the handles to achieve the desired perspective as

follows:
 For one-point perspective drag either horizontally or
vertically.
 To constrain the handle’s motion to one of these axes, hold
down the CTRL key while dragging.
 Holding down the CTRL and SHIFT keys moves opposing
handles the same amount in the same or opposite directions.
 For two-point perspectives, drag on a diagonal toward the
center of the object.

NOTE: As you drag, vanishing points represented by Xs appear.

You can drag these to change the object’s perspective.

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 3. Release the mouse button to redraw the object in its new
perspectives.

Shaping an object with an envelope

Envelopes allow you to distort the shape of an object or group of
objects. When applied to paragraph text, they allow you to shape
the frame and have the text flow around other objects on the page.

To shape an object with an envelope:

1. Select the object you want to reshape.
2. Choose Envelope Roll-up from the effects menu.
3. Do one of the following:
 Click the Add New button to put a basic, rectangular
envelope around the object.
 Click the Add Preset button to display a selection of
preset envelopes. Click the one you want to use.

The shape tool becomes selected and a bounding box with handles
appears around the object.

4. Select the editing mode you want to use by clicking the

appropriate button (they’re located below the Create from
button).
5. Select one of the handles and drag it in the desired direction.
The handles move differently depending on the editing mode.

 With the first three editing modes, the side handles move in
single direction while the corner handles move in two
directions.
 With the fourth mode, the handles move freely. They also have
control points that you can move to fine tune the shape of the
object.

By holding down the CTRL and/or SHIFT keys, you can move
opposing handles the same amount in the same or opposite
directions.

6. Drag other handles until the envelope is shaped the way you
want.

If you are not getting the results you want with one mode, you can
click the Reset Envelope button and use a different mode. You can
also select a different mapping mode from the list below the editing
mode buttons.

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 7. Click the Apply button to fit the object to the envelope.

Blending two objects

The blend command blends two objects through a series of
intermediate shapes. You can blend different line thicknesses, an
open path with a closed one, and similar or dissimilar fills. When
you blend objects with dissimilar fills, CorelDRAW fills the
intermediate shapes as follows:

Object Fill Intermediate Shapes

No fill in one object no fill
Uniform fill with fountain blend from uniform fill to
fountain
Uniform fill with pattern uniform fill
Radial fountains to Linear fountain radial fountain
Conical fountains to Linear fountain Conical fountain
Conical fountains to Radial fountain Fountain in start object
Custom fountains in both objects Blends to and from
colors in start object
Same fountain type in both objects fountain
Pattern in one object only other object’s fill
Pattern in both objects start objects pattern
Bitmap texture in one object only other object’s fill
Same bitmap texture style in both objects blends textures
Different bitmap texture styles start object’s texture
Spot color with process color process color
Two different spot colors process color

To blend two objects:

1. Select the two objects you want to blend.
2. Choose blend Roll-up from the Effects menu.
3. In the text entry box below steps, type or select the number of
intermediate shapes you want CorelDRAW to create.

To specify how colors are blended to the following:

1. Click on the color wheel icon.
2. Click on Rainbow if you want CorelDRAW to blend using the
widest range of colors possible.
3. The colors used will be those along the arc on the color wheel.
Choose the Direction buttons to blend using colors opposite to
those along the arc.

To specify which nodes CorelDRAW uses as the start nodes

do the following:

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1. Click the half-disk button then on the Map Nodes button. The
mouse pointer changes and nodes appear on one of the objects.
2. Click on the node you want as this object’s start node.
3. When the arrow flips over, click on the node you want as the
other object’s start node.

Selecting different combinations of nodes can produce very

different results when blending dissimilar shapes.

4. Click on the Apply button.

Blending objects along the path

You can blend two objects and then fit the blend to any path. The
path and the blend become a dynamically-linked group, which
means you can edit the path and have CorelDRAW automatically
adjust the blend.

To blend objects along the path:

1. Blend the two objects.
2. Click on the path button.
3. Click New path.
4. Click on the path you want to blend along.
5. Do any of the following optional steps:
 Choose Full path if you want the blend to extend the full
length of the path. Otherwise the blend will attach itself to
the closest point on the path.

NOTE: You can also adjust where the blend begins and ends by
selecting the top or bottom object and dragging it along the path.
 Choose rotate All if you want to rotate the blend along a
curved path.
 Choose spacing from the list box at the top of the roll-up and
type or select the amount of spacing you want between the
intermediate shapes.

6. Click on the Apply button.

Extruding and object

The Extrude command projects surfaces from an object to give it a
three-dimensional appearance.
Choosing the Extrude command displays the Extrude Roll-Up and
applies a default wireframe extrusion to the selected object. You
can drag the X control to adjust the depth and direction of the
extrusion, or use the numeric controls in the roll-up. Other controls
in the roll-up let you:

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 65

  Specify a parallel or perspective extrusion
 Rotate the extrusion
 Change the color of the extruded surfaces
 Apply a light source to enhance the 3-D effect.

To extrude an object:
1. Select the object you want to extrude.
2. Choose Extrude from the Effects menu.
3. Select the type of extrusion you want from the list box. The
terms “front” and “back” refer to the position of the extruded
surfaces with respect to the object.
4. To set the depth of the extruded surfaces do one of the following:
5. For perspective extrusions, type or select values in the Depth
box. (available for perspective extrusions only).
6. For parallel extrusions, click the Edit button, and drag the X that
appears on the screen.

To specify the direction of the extrusion do one of the

following:
1. Click the edit button, and drag the X that appears on the screen.
2. Click and type or select values in the text boxes.
3. Click the Apply button.

To rotate an extrusion:
1. Click the rotation button.
2. Do one of the following:
 Click the arrow buttons to rotate the extrusion in the
direction you want.
 Click on the text boxes icon and type or select values in the
text boxes.

3. To see a wireframe of the extrusion as it’s being rotated, choose

the Edit button.

When the extrusion is in the position you want, click the Apply
button.

4. To return the extrusion to its original position, click the X button.

To change the color of the extruded surfaces:

1. Click the color button.
2. Do one of the following:
 To fill the surfaces with a solid color, click solid. Next, click
the color button and then the color you want to use.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 66

  To fill the surfaces with a graduated color, choose Shade To
Back. Next, click the From and To color buttons and then
the colors you want to use.

3. Click the Apply button.

To color the surfaces the same as the object, click Use Object Fill.

To apply a light source:

1. Click the light button.
2. Click the On/Off box to turn the light source on.

The sphere represents the extrusion, while the X represents the

light source.

3. Move the light source by clicking where lines on the wireframe

box intersect.

You can adjust the intensity of the light source by dragging the
slide control.

4. Click the Apply button.

To color the surfaces the same as the object, choose Use Object
Fill.

Contouring an object
Contouring an object produces a series of concentric shapes
radiating toward or away from the object’s center. If the object is
filled with a uniform color, then CorelDRAW will fill the shapes with
colors between it and another color you specify. The same applies
to the object’s outline. If the object is filled with another type of fill,
for example, a fountain, then that fill will be used to fill all the
shapes.

To contour an object:
1. Select the object you want to contour.
2. Choose contour from the Effects menu.
3. Specify the direction you want the shapes to radiate by clicking
To Center, Inside or Outside.
4. Do one of the following:
 In the Offset box, enter the distance you want between the
intermediate shapes.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 67

  In the Steps box, enter the number of shapes you want
CorelDRAW to create. (This option is dimmed if To Center
is selected)

NOTE: With Inside selected, the Offset value will take precedence
over the steps value. This means if Offset is set too high,
CorelDRAW may reach the middle of the object before it can create
the number of steps specified.

5. Click on the pen and the fill button to display a palette of colors
you can blend the object’s outline and fill with.

NOTE: The Object must have a uniform color outline and/or fill for
your selections to have any effect.

6. Click the color you want or choose More to display another

dialog box where you can create your own colors and select them
by name.
7. Click the Apply button.

Drawing PowerLines.
Lines you draw with the Pencil tool are usually the same width
from start to finish. With the PowerLines feature, you can draw
variable width lines that give your artwork a hand-drawn look.
CorelDRAW comes with a number of preset PowerLines which
simulate the strokes paintbrushes and calligraphic pens produce.
You can modify the presets to create your own PowerLines and save
them for use later.

To draw a PowerLine:
1. Choose PowerLines Roll-Up from the Effects menu.
2. From the Presets list box, click on the PowerLine you want to
use.

The preview box shows the basic line shape the selected PowerLine
produces.

3. Do any of the following:

 In the Max Width box, specify how wide you want the line
to be at its widest point.
 Click on the nib icon to display controls for adjusting the
shape and thickness of the PowerLine’s nib. You can make
the adjustments by dragging a representation of the nib in
the preview box. Or , you can click on the text box icon and
specify numeric values.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 68

  In the intensity box, type the percentage by which you want
to increase/decrease in the width along its entire length.
 Click the half disk icon to adjust the following:

Speed increase or decrease to produce a corresponding

increase/decrease in the width of the line at points
where it changes direction. The sharper the change
in direction, the more pronounced the effect.

Spread increase when speed is greater than zero to

produce a smoother line.

Ink flow increase to produce a line with more “coverage”.

Decrease to cause the line to “dry up” as it gets
thinner.

Scale with image maintains the proportions of the PowerLine

when it’s scaled.

4. Select the Pencil tool and drag to draw your line.

Introduction to Graphics Design: CorelDraw 69