How do I postscript fill this design in Coreldraw?

[John Bion]

Hi, I hope this post is in the correct place, I'm not sure if it should be in the CD 'tips'? Moderators, please move if necisary.
I am a CorelDraw novice and am lost for what is probably a simple solution.
How do I use the postscript fills (fish scale) in a celtic type drawing done in coreldraw, I attach my somewhat pathetic drawing. I can only get it to fill original enclosed shapes and not the shapes I have on this design. 258472
Thanks in advance.
Regards, John

PS: I forgot to mention that I am using Corel Draw X6

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

John, You have made a good start. Depending upon which version of Corel you are using, you may or may not have some tools available to you. If you zoom in on your drawing, you will see there are some gaps in the lines. This will create problems when trying to fill. Because of the curves, you will want to add the fish scale in different sections so you can change the direction of the scale. The easiest method will be to use the SmartFill tool to create a new section that you can then add the postscript fill into. But... until you close the gaps in your graphic, you will find the SmartFill tool will not work as well as you want it to. :-)

[Jacob Peacock]

I'm not sure why but I can't seem to open your file. My suggestion is to make sure your path is a closed path.My guess is your path is still open somewhere you can't see and the fill won't show up until you close it.

To close it, just click on the object and click the close curve button (for me it is two buttons to the left of the outline width rolldown box) in the Property Bar near the top.

EDIT: It looks like Mike could open your file and it seems the problem is a bit more complicated and my solution won't be of much use for ya.

[John Bion]

Dear Mike and Jacob,Thanks for your replies, I will go have a look at the gaps. Mike, what do you mean by 'creating a new section that you can add the post-fill script into'?, do you mean creating separate identical shapes that are then filled and placed back into the design? Thanks again.
Kind Regards,
John

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

Turn on Hints in your Corel. In X6, go to Help, Hints. Now select your SmartFill tool. Click on Learn more in the Help link in your Hints docker. Once you start playing around with the SmartFill tool, it will open up all sorts of design possibilities. :cool: (In answer to your question, you will be creating new, separate shapes that can be filled with different patterns. That way, you can rotate your pattern to flow along with the snake's curves. This is a good learning experience for you working on that graphic. It has all sorts of challenges that will help you accomplish all sorts of future designs!)

[Mike Null]

John

When you post a Corel file please save it back to an earlier version first. Save it to version 11 for example.

[Nathan Shaffer]

John,
You did better than I could have on drawing your Lochness Knot. Would you mind I used it?

Just an idea on how to help create closed curves.

I opened your file up and went to "Arrange" - Break Curve apart, this broke the entire image into smaller segments. You can them create closed curves by copying each segment and create a closed curve different segments. Attached a color coded example.

The image on the Right is broken up in to line segments. I Hit "CTRL C" then "CTRL V" (copy/paste) Then moved a line segment in the "X" postion I placed "+400" behind the current value. Therefore moving the segment over. Then I broke the line near where the other line would intersect. Then select both lines using "shift" and using the join command "CTRL L". Then repeat till you have created a closed curve. Then move the closed curve at -200 from the current position.

Respectively,
Nathan

[Bert Kemp]

John

When you post a Corel file please save it back to an earlier version first. Save it to version 11 for example.I cant open this it just comes up a blank page.

[John Bion]

Mike Chance and Nathan,
thank you for your helpful replies, will be giving it another go this morning, I appreciate the time you put into helping me. Nathan, since you are in the US, there would be no harm in your using the design if it is of any use to you, although I honestly think that the shapes need working on, they just do not look 'right' yet. It would be more awkward if you were in the UK and competing against me.

Mike Null, Bert and Jacob,
thank you for your replies. How do I change the file to an older version of CD to post in future? I had a look at the 'save as' but did not see an older version there. I will gladly change in future if you could help me with this.

Thank you all and kind regards,
John

[Jacob Peacock]

Do a Save As and you'll see a roll down box in the bottom right corner (if you're using windows 7) that says Version. Here you can select how far back you want your file's version to go (IE: What version of Corel do you want to be able to open it). I'd choose 11 as most people don't have versions much older than that.

[John Bion]

Jacob, Thanks for this, I blinked and wondered how I missed that before!
now attached.
Regards,
John
258757

[Nathan Shaffer]

John,
No problem on helping you out. I love to figure out solutions to problems that is what helps us grow into experts in our fields. Thank you for letting me use your work. Just to let you know if I where in the UK, my focus would be fellow military members, not the population around the base.

Cheers,
Nathan