Working With Layout: What You Will Learn

Working with layout
Welcome to CorelDRAW®, a comprehensive vector-based drawing and graphic-design program for

the graphics professional.
In this tutorial, you will create a poster for an imaginary coffee shop. This is what the final layout will
look like:
What you will learn

In this tutorial, you will learn how to
• draw shapes
• add color to objects
• align objects precisely
• select multiple objects
• import images and text
• create, format, and align text
• work with text boxes
• group objects
• use rulers and guidelines
• use keyboard shortcuts
• use the color palette
• use the Dynamic guidelines
• use the Pick tool
• use the Ellipse tool
Page 1 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

Tutorial: Working with layout
• use the Rectangle tool

• use the Text tool
• use the Shaping docker
Creating the background

To begin the project, you will create a new document and set the page properties. Next, you will
create two rectangle shapes for the background and fill them with color. Then, you will use guidelines
to align the rectangles precisely.
To create the rectangles for the background

1 Click File menu ` New to create a new document.
2 Double-click on the page shadow to open the Options dialog box.
3 Make sure the units of measurement are inches, and set the width to 6" and the height to 4".
4 Click the Add page frame button, and click OK.
The page frame creates a rectangle the exact size of the document. When you create the page
frame object, it is selected by default.
5 Click the arrow at the bottom of the color palette to scroll down, and click the Olive color
swatch.
The color palette is located along the right edge of the application window by default. When the
pointer hovers over a color swatch, the name of the color is displayed. Clicking the olive color
swatch changes the color of the background rectangle to olive.
6 Right-click the No color swatch at the top of the color palette to remove the outline from the
rectangle.
7 Double-click the Rectangle tool in the toolbox to create another page frame.
The new page frame is not visible, because it is created below the first frame; however, it is
selected by default, so the actions that follow will apply to the new page frame.
8 Double-click the Fill color swatch on the status bar to open the Uniform fill dialog box.
9 From the Model list box, choose RGB.
10 Type the following values in the RGB boxes:
• In the R box, type 81.
• In the G box, type 50.
• In the B box, type 44.
11 Click OK.
12 Right-click the No color swatch in the color palette to remove the outline.
To align the rectangles

1 If the rulers are not displayed, click View menu ` Rulers.

A check mark next to Rulers indicates that the rulers are displayed.
2 Click on the top ruler and drag down onto the page.
Dragging from the ruler creates a guideline in your drawing that you can use to position the
objects in your layout precisely. When you create the guideline, it displays in red, indicating that
it is selected.
3 On the property bar, type 1 in the Y box , and press Enter.
This action positions the guideline at the 1" mark.
4 Click View menu ` Snap to guidelines.
If there is a check mark next to Snap to guidelines, the command is already active.
5 In the toolbox, click the Pick tool .

6 Click the olive rectangle to select it.
7 Drag the upper-middle handle down until the top of the olive rectangle snaps to the guideline.
Importing images
Now that the background is ready, you will import the coffee cup and the coffee shop logo.
To import the coffee cup

1 Click File menu ` Import.
2 Choose the folder Program files\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 13\Languages\EN\Tutorials\
Sample files.
3 Choose the filename mug.tif.
4 Click Import.
5 Click and drag on the drawing page until the height shown next to the pointer reads 2", and then
release the mouse button.
6 Drag the image up or down until the bottom snaps to the guideline.
7 With the image still selected, hold down Shift and click the brown page frame.
Both the coffee cup and the page frame are now selected.

8 Press the R key to align the image on the right side of the page.
To import the logo

Sample files.
3 Choose the filename logo.cdr.
4 Click Import.
5 Click once on the page to import the logo without resizing it.
6 Drag a guideline from the vertical ruler onto the drawing page.
7 On the property bar, type .25" in the X box , and press Enter to position the
guideline .25 inches from the left edge of the frame.
8 Drag the logo until its left edge snaps to the vertical guideline.
9 With the logo still selected, hold down Shift and click the olive rectangle.
Both the logo and the rectangle are now selected.
10 Press the E key to align the logo vertically within the olive rectangle.

Creating text
First, you will create the main text and align it to the top of the poster. Next, you will create the smaller
text and align it to the coffee cup.
To create the main text

1 Create a horizontal guideline at 3.75".
2 In the toolbox, click the Text tool .

3 Click once on the drawing page, and type the text “What do you take in your coffee?”
4 Click the Pick tool.
5 From the Font list list box on the property bar, choose AvantGarde BK BT Normal.
If you don’t have the AvantGarde BK BT font installed, you can install it or choose another sans
serif font.
6 From the Font size list box on the property bar, choose 18 pt.
7 Click the White color swatch in the color palette.
If you don’t see the White color swatch, scroll up in the color palette. When you click the white
swatch, the text changes to white.
8 Double-click the text to enter text-edit mode.
9 Double-click the word “your” and click the Italic button on the property bar.
10 Click the Pick tool, and drag the text until the top snaps to the 3.75" horizontal guideline and the
left side snaps to the .25" vertical guideline.
To create the small text

1 Click the Text tool, click on the drawing page, and type the text “Only the finest beans (thank
you).”
2 Click the Pick tool, and set the following text properties on the property bar:
• Font: AvantGarde BK BT Normal
• Size: 10 pt

• Type style: Bold

3 Right-click on a ruler, and click Ruler setup in the pop-up menu.
4 Type .125" in the Nudge box, and click OK.
5 Drag the text until the top snaps to the 1" guideline.
6 Press the Down arrow on your keyboard once to nudge the text 1/8" away from the image
above it.
7 With the text still selected, hold down Shift and click the coffee cup.
8 Press the C key to align the text horizontally.
The center of the text is aligned with the center of the coffee cup.
9 Right-click on the brown page frame and drag down diagonally to the text until you see the
pointer change to a text pointer.
10 Release the mouse button and select Copy fill here from the pop-up menu.
The color of the text changes to match the background.
Creating the circles

For additional visual impact, you will create circles of different size and color, and spread them
around the background.

To create the overlapping circles
1 In the toolbox, click the Ellipse tool .

2 Hold down Ctrl and drag on the page to create a circle about .25" in diameter.
As you drag, you can check the property bar or the status bar to monitor the size of the circle.
3 On the color palette, click the 30% Black color swatch.
4 Right-click the No color swatch to remove the outline from the circle.
5 Create another circle about .75" in diameter.
6 Click the Desert Blue color swatch, and right-click the No color swatch.
7 Click View menu ` Dynamic guides.
8 Click the Pick tool.
9 Move the pointer over the lower-left edge of the large circle until you see the word “edge”
appear. Click and drag until the edge of the large circle snaps to the center of the small circle.
The word “center” appears when you reach the center of the small circle.
10 Click Window menu ` Dockers ` Shaping.
11 In the Shaping docker, select Intersect from the drop-down list.
12 Make sure the Source object(s) and Target object(s) boxes are both checked.
13 Click the Intersect with button, and click the small circle.
14 Click the Olive color swatch.
This creates the illusion of the two circles overlapping.
15 Hold down Shift, and click the big circle.

Both circles are now selected.
16 Click Arrange menu ` Group.
Grouping the two circles lets you move them as one object.
17 Click the Pick tool, and drag the circles to where you want to position them on the background.

To create the rest of the circles

1 Click the Ellipse tool and create another circle, slightly smaller than the large circle.
2 Click the Sand color swatch, and right-click the No color swatch.
3 Hold down Ctrl, and click the Black color swatch twice to add some black to the fill.
4 Using the colors you’ve used so far, create more circles and spread them throughout the layout.
Importing text
You will now import the remaining text from a text file. To format and align the text, you will use a text
box.
To import the remaining text

1 Drag from the left ruler to create a vertical guideline that snaps to the left of the coffee cup.
2 Drag from the top ruler to create a horizontal guideline that snaps to the bottom of the logo.
3 Create a vertical guideline at 5.75".
4 Create a horizontal guideline that snaps to the bottom of the smaller text.
5 Press the Down arrow key once to nudge this guideline down.
6 Click the Text tool, and drag down diagonally from the guideline intersection in the middle of the
olive rectangle to the guideline intersection in the lower-right corner of the olive rectangle. The
word “intersection” displays when the pointer hovers over two intersecting guidelines.
This action creates a paragraph text box.
7 On the property bar, set the following text properties:
• Font: Times New Roman Normal
• Size: 8 pt
8 On the property bar, click the Horizontal alignment button , and choose Full justify from
the drop-down list.
9 Click the White color swatch in the color palette.


Sample files.
12 Choose the filename text.txt.
13 Click Import.
14 In the Importing/pasting text dialog box, click the Discard fonts and formatting radio button,
and click OK.
The imported text appears in the text box, with the text properties you have specified.
15 Click View menu ` Guidelines to hide the guidelines.

Your layout is now complete.
From here ...

You can explore CorelDRAW on your own, or you can learn more by completing other
CorelTUTOR™ tutorials.

For more information about the topics and tools discussed in this tutorial, refer to the Help. To access
CorelDRAW Help, click Help menu ` Help topics.
Copyright 2002 - 2005 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks or registered
trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

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Working with layout

Welcome to CorelDRAW®, a comprehensive vector-based drawing and graphic-design program for

What you will learn

Page 1 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

• use the Rectangle tool

Creating the background

To create the rectangles for the background

To align the rectangles

Page 2 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

5 In the toolbox, click the Pick tool .

To import the coffee cup

Page 3 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

To import the logo

Page 4 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

To create the main text

2 In the toolbox, click the Text tool .

To create the small text

Page 5 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

• Type style: Bold

Creating the circles

Page 6 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

To create the overlapping circles

1 In the toolbox, click the Ellipse tool .

15 Hold down Shift, and click the big circle.

Page 7 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

To create the rest of the circles

To import the remaining text

Page 8 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

11 Choose the folder Program files\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 13\Languages\EN\Tutorials\

15 Click View menu ` Guidelines to hide the guidelines.

From here ...

Page 9 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

Page 10 of 10 CorelDRAW tutorial

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