An Introduction to CorelDRAW! Version 4.0

The paragraph tool is used to create a text box or frame into which you can place paragraph text. Paragraph text is not limited to the 250 characters that artistic text is. Paragraph text can be hyphenated, justified, placed into column s and so on. Paragraph text cannot be manipulated with the same range of effects that it's artistic text counterpart can be. Essentially paragraph text acts and feels like the text you create in a word processor.. You can type the text while in CorelDraw! or import text from your favourite word processor. The latter method is recommended for long passages since CorelDraw! does not have features normally associated with word processors. The text frame, shown on the right, can be treated like any other object. It can be moved, rotated, stretched and sized. You will learn how to manipulate the frame using the Pick Tool.

To use paragraph text click and hold on the text tool until the fly-out menu appears. Then select by clicking on the paragraph text tool which is the one in the middle of the fly-out menu. Place the cursor on the editing page where you want the top left corner of your paragraph frame to appear. Click and hold the left button. Drag the cursor down and to the right to a point approximately where the right corner of the paragraph will be. Don't worry about accuracy here. You can resize the frame as often as you want. Remember, its an object. A box will appear similar to the one shown above (without the text of course). There will be a thin vertical cursor in the box. This is where any text you enter into the box will appear.

Make sure the text box is selected. The frame must be surrounded by eight small squares to indicate that it is selected. If not, read ahead in the Pick Tool section to find out how to select the paragraph frame. You can now enter text into the paragraph frame.

You can also select how text will appear within the frame. Two pop-up menus can be summoned to help you do this. In the previous section, examine the text roll-up. Just above the word "Apply" are two boxes. The one on the left says "Frame " while the one on the right says "Paragraph". The frame selection presents the pop-up menu shown below. It allows you select the number of columns of text that will appear in the frame and the gutter width. The gutter width is the space that separates the columns.

The "paragraph" selection (shown below) in the text roll-up offers considerable control over spacing, tabs, indents and bullets (see illustration at top of next page). You can also choose from several alignment options. Changes to fonts must be made from the text roll-up described in the previous section.

There is also a way to import text into a paragraph frame from your favourite word processor. Make sure your paragraph frame is selected. Then, under the File selection in the menu you will notice one option named "Import". Clicking on this selection will produce a pop-up menu. In the bottom left corner is a section entitled "List files of type". If you select this you'll see a small roll-up menu which you can scroll by using the slide bar along the right side of this menu until you see your favourite word processor listed. Click on this entry. Then identify the file you wish to import and select "OK".

9. The Pick Tool

The Pick Tool selects objects which can then be moved to a new location, stretched to a new size, rotated about, copied or even deleted. To select an object click on the Pick Tool. It should appear darker than the other tools in the tool bar. Then move the cursor directly over a line or feature within the object you wish to select. Click the left button on the mouse.

When an object is selected by the Pick Tool it is surrounded by eight black squares like the picture shown on the left. These are called handles. To change the size of the object place the cursor on any of the four handles in the corners; click and hold; then drag the mouse away from the object to make the object larger or into the object to make it smaller. Similarly, you can stretch the object in the horizontal by clicking on one of the handles on either side of the object. Finally, you can stretch the object's height by clicking the handles directly above or below the object.

You can move the object by placing the cursor directly over any line that is part of the object; click and hold the left button on the mouse and drag the object to it's new location. Release the button when you are satisfied with the approximate location. Use nudge (the arrow keys on the keyboard) to "fine tune" the final position of the object.

To copy the object, that is, to leave the original in it's place and make a duplicate of the object in a new location on the editing or display page, follow the same instructions as when you moved the object but press the mouse's right button as you drag the object to it's new location. Both buttons are now pressed. Once there, release the left button first followed by the right button. A copy of the object is now at the new location.

To delete an object simply select it and press the "delete" key on the keyboard. If you change your mind and want it back (i.e. UnDelete) click on Edit and select "Undo". You can set up to ten levels of undo in Preferences but the default is five.

If you click twice in rapid succession on an object it will be surrounded by arcs terminated with arrows. Clicking directly over any of these handles will allow you to rotate and skew the object in the direction of the arc relative to the object. Try it! The circle in the centre of the object controls the perspective. If you drag the circle off in one direction and then stretch or rotate you will add the illusion of depth to the object.

10. The Zoom Tool

The zoom tool can be used to enlarge or reduce your view of the drawing. It doesn't change the size of the drawing itself, only your current view of it. It can also be used to reset the drawing back to page size (use the icon that looks like a page). My own preference is to use the right mouse button to zoom in and out since it is faster. So, I won't say anything else about the zoom tool. But, you can always play with it and figure out which way you prefer.

11. The Outline Tool

When you click on the Outline tool a fly-out menu will appear similar to the one shown below. This tool is used to change the thickness and colour of lines.

The first tool, the one that looks like a pen nib will present a menu that will allow you to change pen colours, widths, the shape of the pen nib (for those who want to create some calligraphic effects), place various arrowheads on one or both ends of the line and a host of other effects. Remember the comments made about setting defaults. If you make changes to the outline with no objects selected then the changes you make here will become defaults. In other words, all the lines you make from now on will reflect the options you select now!

One other icon, the third icon will eliminate an outline from an object. This seems confusing at first but a thick letter can be filled with one colour or pattern while the outline of the letter is in another, undesired colour.

The other icons are yours to explore. Some are obvious as to what they do, others will require a little experimentation. Don't forget the help icon for on-line help.

12. The Fill Tool.

Filling in objects can result in some of the more spectacular displays that CorelDraw! can provide. This is one option you want to play with since there is an endless variety of fill effects t hat you can achieve.

Selecting the Fill Tool will present you with a fly-out menu similar to the one shown above. The pie-like icon allows you to select a colour for a uniform or solid fill. You could also use the colour bar for this as well. Graded fills, which are far more impressive, are created with the second icon. A "roll-up" menu like the one shown on the left will appear once this icon is selected. A n example of a fill is shown in the star symbol next to it.

At this point select a symbol from the symbol library (see section 8.1). Use the Pick Tool to select it. Next, select the fill tool and click on the second icon. This will produce the roll-up shown above.

To the left of the "bricks" which I'll call the "sample swatch" in the fill roll-up shown above, are four icons that appear the same as in the fly-out menu shown above. I personally find the roll-up is more versatile than the fly-out to work with the various fills. The top-most icon will allow you to create graded fills including a neat circular one. If you click on it, three icons will appear just above the word "Tile". Click on each of these and watch what happens to the sample swatch.

The second "checker-board" icon will place a black and white bitmapped pattern on the sample swatch. If you click on the small grey triangle in the bottom right corner of the sample swatch you'll be presented with a selection of patterns to choose from. A scroll bar on the right of this pattern selection window will permit you to scroll through the complete set of patterns. Double clicking on any of these patterns will select it and display it on the sample swatch.

Click on the third icon (the diagonal line with the arrows on either end). Then click on the sample swatch. You'll get to choose from yet another selection of patterns however these are in colour. Not obvious, but significant, is that these patterns are vector images. This means they can be edited by CorelDraw!

The fourth icon or symbol selects the "fractal" fill. This one's real cool! When you click on this you'll get two selection bars to choose from. Click on the arrows next to them. You'll see the patterns previewed in the sample swatch. When you find the pattern you want select "Apply". The object currently selected will be filled with that pattern.

13. The Pencil Tool.

Clicking on the Pencil Tool will produce a fly-out menu similar to the one shown on the left. similar to the one shown on the left. If you select the left-most icon, known as the free hand-pencil, you will be allowed to draw freehand lines in the colour and width defined by the outline tool. As long as the left button on the mouse is pressed a line will follow the course that the cursor traces across the editing or drawing window. A click on the left button will join the current cursor's position from the last point the left button was clicked with a straight line. The problem with the freehand pencil is that you have very little control over the line. It appears jerky and jagged.

The second icon in the fly-out menu selects a BÉZIER pencil which address the problems encountered with the freehand pencil. Bézier curves are defined by four points. Two define the coordinates of the beginning and end of the line. The other two define the location of control points that determine the angle and size of the curve of the line. The Bézier pencil gives you control over these last two points.

To use the bézier pencil, click on the second icon from the left in the fly-out menu. Click on the editing screen where you want to place the starting point of your line. Now put the cursor down on the screen where you want the end point of the line to be and click the left button. DO NOT RELEASE THE BUTTON. Slide the cursor over and watch what happens. A dashed blue line with one of it's endpoints will follow your mouse but the bezier line will change shape! As long as you keep the left button pressed you can move the control point around changing the shape of your line. Play with it. When you're done, release the left button. Your bézier line is done. Now the good part! The end point of this line you just created becomes th e start point for the next line. Go ahead! Click and hold somewhere else. Drag the cursor and you see this next bézier line change shape and angle.

The last three icons will create parallel lines in either the vertical, horizontal or at an angle.

14. The Shape Tool.

CorelDraw! provides many tools for creating objects but there must also be some provision for editing your objects. This is the role of the Shape Tool. Clicking on the shape tool and then selecting an object will provide you with a view of the nodes that make up your object (see illustration on the left). The node that is currently selected for editing will be shown with a black square or handle. Other nodes will be marked with a white handle or square. You can move the current handle or point by clicking on the handle and holding the left button down; dragging the point to it's new location and then releasing the handle when you release the left button. You can delete this point by pressing the Delete key on the keyboard. Don't forget the UNDO key (EDIT from the menu bar followed by UNDO) if you change your mind and want it back.

The bézier control points are also available to edit. They appear as small black rectangles or handles, on the ends of dashed blue lines. Simply click on the small black handles and move them about as you did when creating bézier lines until you get the effect you want. If you don't like the effect then UNDO it.

You can also add new nodes by double-clicking (two rapid clicks of the left button) at any point on a line. A circular dot will appear at this point. Then select the + icon from the edit drop-down menu that will appear on the screen. The circular dot will change to a small black square or node.

Many other editing capabilities are also available.

15. Special Effects

15.1 Fitting Text to a Curve

A common special effect is to fit text to a curve. Two things are necessary; text and a curve. Once these two ingredients have been created, use the Pick Tool to select one of them. Then, hold the SHIFT key down on the keyboard and with the Pick Tool select the other object (either the text or the curve, whichever hasn't been selected yet). You'll note that the six black handles or rectangles will surround both the text and the curve. This means that both the curve and the text are NOW one object.

Select TEXT from the menu and click on "Fit Text To Path". A drop-down menu will appear similar to the one shown on the previous page. The four options from top to bottom allow you to 1) specify how the text will curve around the outline, 2) whether the text will appear above, below or directly over the line that makes up the outline, 3) whether the text will appear above, below or to the right or left of the outline and 4) whether the text will be inside or outside of the outline.

Once you have chosen your options select "Apply" and the effect will take place.

If you want to delete the outline of the curve you just fitted the text to, then ensure the text and the curve are selected as the current object (black squares around it), click on "Arrange" in the menu and select "Break apart". The text and the curve are now separate objects. Select the curve and delete it. The text stays in it's curved shape but the curve is gone!

If you select EDIT while you're in the "Fit Text to Path" roll-up you will be shown a dialogue box that asks you to select "Horizontal Offset" and "Distance from Path". The first option allows you t o slide the text either to the right with a positive horizontal offset, or to the left with a negative horizontal offset. Setting positive distances from the path will move the text a specific distance above the line while negative values insert the text a specific distance inside the line. Don't be afraid to try as many options as you can. If you don't like it, UNDO it. If you can't figure it out, use the HELP button.

15.2 Blends

Blends like the one shown on the left can provide startling effects to your graphics. This particular one starts with an ellipse at the top and blends through a 100 step curve until it forms a rectangle at the bottom. Blending is easy.

First select two shapes. They can even be symbols or clipart. Position the shapes at different places and make them different sizes. Use the Pick Tool to select one of the shapes. Then, hold the SHIFT key down and select the other shape. Both should now be enclosed by those familiar eight small black squares called handles. Choose EFFECTS from the menu. Then select the Blend Roll-Up. The roll-up is pictured on the right. Steps refers to the number of images that will appear between the two end points. The rotation defines the curvature of each image as it steps through the blend. If you want to loop around, click on "Loop". Once your options are selected then click on Apply.

You can also select rainbow to vary the colour of each step or if you want you can select a colour or a shade of grey to do a solid fill of each of the steps in the blend.

15.3 Extrusions.

Extrusions give an object a three dimensional effect. To create an extrusion, select an object with the Pick Tool. Then click on EFFECTS followed by EXTRUDE. A drop down menu similar to the one shown on the left will appear. Also notice that a small dark X will appear next to your selected object and that there is a three-dimensional effect drawn in blue behind your object.

In the Extrude roll-up click on the up-arrow in the small box to the right of the word "Depth". Hold down on the mouse until the number gets quite large, about 75, before you release the button. You'll notice that the three-dimensional effect in blue appears to drop back as the depth increases. Now place the cursor over the small, black X and click and hold. Drag the X slowly about on the screen. The blue lines will follow the black X. When you get tired of this release the button.

Select the pie-shaped icon from the Extrude roll-up menu. From the three selections that now appear in the Extrude roll-up select "Shade". Click on "From". A colour selection grid will appear. Select any colour. Do the same thing with the "To" select ion. Pick a different colour. Once you're done click on "Apply". Neat huh!

Try playing with the other two icons that appear in the Extrude roll-up. They control the intensity and direction from which a "light source" illuminates the image as well as the reflectivity of your object.

15.4 Envelopes

Envelopes refer to the process where text is stretched and shaped so as to fit inside an irregular shape or polygon. The illustration below shows one such envelope effect. You can select from a wide variety of pre-defined envelopes or you can reshape the predefined envelope to whatever you want. There is even a way to take custom made objects and make envelopes out of them.

Envelopes work best on large text, the larger the better. To create an envelope perform the following;

1) Use the Text Tool to create a line of text on the drawing page.

2) Select the text (which is considered an object now) using the Pick Tool. The text will now be surrounded by eight small black squares.

 

3) Select "Effects" from the menu followed by "Envelope Roll-Up". A roll-up similar to the one shown above will appear on the screen.

 

4) Select "Add Preset" from the Envelope roll-up menu. A small pop-up menu will appear with a number of pre-defined shapes. Choose one of these shapes. You can scroll up or down through these shapes by using the slide-bar on the right side of the pop-up menu. You choose the shape by clicking on it causing it to be enclosed by a dark black border.

 

5) The envelope shape you select will immediately surround the text that you have selected as an object. The envelope is shown as a dashed red outline. White handles will appear at various points along the envelope.

 

6) You can click on any of these white handles and you will see those familiar bezier handles appear which allow you to drag and shape the envelope.

 

7) After you are satisfied with the shape of the envelope click on Apply. If you don't like it you can undo (EDIT, UNDO) or Reset the Envelope from the Envelope Roll-up.

15.5 PowerLines.

At first glance , Power Lines are a curious way to draw lines in CorelDraw! Nothing changes after a second, third and a few more glances as well. The best way for me to describe power lines is to think in terms of calligraphy where the artist uses the pen to vary the thickness of the line as it drawn across the page.

To use this effect, select "Power Lines" from the Effects menu. A roll-up similar to the one shown on the left will appear. You have three options which you can vary to create the effects you would like. These can be custom made and saved or you can select from a series of preset pens. You can control the "flow of ink", the width of the line and even the way the ink would spread on the page as it dries. Once you have made your selections you can switch to the pencil tool. You can draw in free-hand style or bézier mode. Either way it will take some practice to predict the way your power line will react. But that's the fun of it.

16. Saving and Exporting

You spent a lot of time creating these great artistic effects. Don't forget to save them. To save the image as a CorelDraw! file simply select "File" and "Save" or "Save As". The Save As option is used when you w ant to change the name of the file and still keep the old one.

If you're thinking about using these images in your favourite word processor then you need to export the graphic as one of the two file types discussed at the beginning of this course, that is, you are going to save it as a bitmapped or a vector image. Chances are good that your word processor will NOT read in Corel's CDR format (which is vector based). Encapsulated Postscript is the best but is useless if you don't have a Post Script printer. Computer Graphics Metafiles (CGM) are usually a safe bet for the rest of us but I've frequently been disappointed with grey shading. Exporting bitmapped images such as PCX or BMP is reasonably safe but don't expect shades and fills to come out well. Corel's rendition of WordPerfect Graphics (WPG) which is a bitmapped format doesn't produce good results. You can also use Window's clipboard to transfer graphics to other Windows programs.

17. Getting the Drawing Back

The next time you use CorelDraw! you may want to continue working on an incomplete drawing. If you saved the image as a CorelDraw! file (with a CDR extension) you can retrieve it by clicking on "File" in the menu and then on "Open". Select your file from the dialogue menu that will appear. Alternatively, if your drawing was one of the last four you used it will appear at the bottom of the "File" drop-down menu. Simply double-click on the file name if it appears here.

If the file was saved in another format, i.e. bitmapped or whatever, then you need to select the import option that will appear under the "File" menu. CorelDraw! will not automatically determine the file type. You must explicitly inform it from the drop-down menu that will appear in the bottom left corner of the import menu.

Glossary

Autotrace:

The ability of CorelDRAW to trace imported bitmap images, the result being lines and curves that can be edited.

 

Bitmap:

Also referred to as a raster image these are stored as a matrix of dots. The dots have an attribute assigned to them such as grey level, colour, or a thematic value such as population. You cannot edit bitmaps in CorelDraw! Use CorelPHOTO-PAINT, PCPAINT, etc.

 

Blend:

Generating a number of objects "in between" two selected objects. Used to create smooth transitions of colour and shade. Choose it from the Effects menu.

 

Clip art:

Images available either commercially or in the public domain that can be imported into applications and edited or used as-is. They may be bitmapped or vector based.

 

Clipboard:

An area or memory set aside by Windows for storing one copy of the video screen at a time. The contents of the clip board can be transferred to other Windows applications.

 

Defaults:

You can set object fill and outline defaults by making selections from their flyout menus or dialogue boxes with no object selected. Use the same principle when setting text. New CorelDraw! images start up using the settings you used in your last session.

 

Editing Window:

This includes both the printable page and the area surrounding it. The editing window can be used as a scratch-pad area in which objects are created then moved onto the drawing page when complete.

 

Envelope:

A frame with handles that can be dragged to reshape an object. Choose from four envelopes under the Effects menu.

 

Extrude:

The ability of Draw to render an object three dimensionally. Choose it from the Effects menu.

 

Font:

A collection of type characters of similar design. A font "family" would include italic and bold variations.

 

Fountain Fill:

Also called a graduated fill. A fill that is not consistent in colour or density but changes gradually from one part of a filled object to another.

 

Guidelines:

Non-printing guides you create by dragging from the rulers onto the editing window, Use in conjunction with Snap To Guidelines under the Display menu.

 

Node:

The beginning and endpoint of a line or curve segment. Also refers to the eight handles on the corners and midpoints of objects and to the point where grid lines cross.

 

Nudge:

The ability to move an object a user-definable amount by pressing the arrow keys on the keyboard. Define the Nudge value in the Preferences dialogue box under the Special menu.

 

Paragraph Text:

A way of working with text blocks up to 4,000 characters long.

 

Patterns:

You can fill objects with existing or user-definable bitmap or vector fill patterns. Choose from the Fill menu.

 

Pen:

The shape of the pen determines how object outlines will be drawn. Define this by choosing the pen nib icon from the Outline tool flyout menu.

 

Pixel:

The smallest "picture element", or dot, visible on the screen.

 

Point:

A unit of measurement used to describe type sizes, in which roughly 72 points equal an inch, and 12 points equal a pica. Draw can create type sizes from .7 to 2,160 points, including fractional sizes.

 

Snap to Object:

The ability to snap the current pointer location to parts of objects on the page. This is useful for alignment. Enable with the Display menu.

 

Status Line:

An area below the menu bar that displays information about the currently selected object, node or control point and any transformation in progress. Enable the status line with the Display menu.

Bibliography

CorelDraw! Version 4 is the newest release of this fine graphic software. As such, I have not had the opportunity to examine the literature that describe how to use this product. Two books that I have used describe version 3. There are however, enough significant new features in version 4 that an older manual will not satisfy some of your questions. Keep this in mind if you're buying manuals. Make sure they cover version 4.

Dickman, C. et al., 1993, Mastering Corel Draw 3, Peachpit Press, Berkely, California. A new release is due any day now covering version 4. This book follows a hands-on tutorial approach and can satisfy even the most demanding user. It also covers the other programs in the Corel family. The version 4 release promises to be as good as this one.

 

Merrin, Robin, 1993, CorelDRAW, Quick and Easy, Sybex, San Francisco. This book offers a visual introduction to CorelDraw version 3. It is colourful and easy to read but covers only the rudiments of CorelDraw. For many readers this may be enough. Some of the other members of the Corel family are described including PhotoPaint, CorelShow and CorelChart.

Where To Get Additional HELP!

Don't forget the ON-LINE HELP feature that is part of CorelDraw! It should answer most of your questions.

 

The HELP DESK in Computing Services is available during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Call extension 4440. If you're in the Computer Centre the Help Desk is in Room 108.