Learning Corel Draw

[John Lifer]

Ok, so I'm starting to learn to use Corel Draw. Will be used for a developing items for the Laser.
Not at all just laser engraving pictures which a lot of the youtube videos focus on.
Is there a specific site that is best in you guy's opinion that helped you pick up learning this software the best?
How about a manual? Going to purchase the OEM book, I'd expect they cover a lot in almost 700 pages.
But is there another that is better?

Thanks for your opinions!
John

[Tony Lenkic]

John,

Mike Clarke of Trotec Canada has some great tips on Corel Draw.
Check out his web site......................www.engrave.ca

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

Many people say the Lynda.com website tutorials for everything are terrific.

I've used Corel Draw for about 20+ years, and am only self-taught. There are probably huindreds of features I've never noticed, but the 'trial and error' method of learning tends to suit me - and when all else fails the 'help' file usually helps!
But I did attend a seminar at a sign show once, and it was an eye-opener, so I'd suggest a video course perhaps, would be a useful start.

Different methods of learning suit different people differently.
I also tend to feel you can never have too many reference books - which is why I have a few for Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, and Dreamweaver -but none for Corel - I didn't find I needed it!

All the best with your learning curve!

[Mike Null]

I am also a 20 year CD guy. I tried classes and felt they were a waste. Youtube is your friend. I particularly like a fellow by the name of Alex Galvez. google him on Youtube. He has most of the tutorials you'll need.

http://www.coreldrawtips.com/videos-all

[John Lifer]

Thanks guys. I've been doing as much video as I can. But the one thing about Video is remembering what you saw.
When something is very complicated or detailed, it's hard to keep track and there is no easy reference. That's why books are nice....
Ive found used x7 reference for under $20, can't beat that.

[Jeanette Brewer]

You'll find some very helpful laser-specific Corel videos on our Youtube channel here --> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCipwFSiWyEBpbair2qtsgSg

[Gerald Johs]

Good information everyone. I'm in the process of learning Corel Draw to. I've saved all the links.

Gerald

[John Lifer]

You'll find some very helpful laser-specific Corel videos on our Youtube channel here --> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCipwFSiWyEBpbair2qtsgSg
Thank you,
It looks like you guys have some classes every few months. Are they open to general public?

[Kev Williams]

My BIL has Corel tutorials on how to do stuff-- good learning tools I guess, but the slow pace of the 'teaching' is excruciatingly hard to watch. I watched about 5 minutes of something about color transitions one day, and I swear, half of those minutes was spent moving. the. mouse. from. the. work. area. to. the. tab...click. the. tab... talk talk talk... click. on. the. menu. selection...then. move. the. mouse. back. to. the. graphic. to. edit. talk talk talk... click. on. the...

AGGHHHH!!!!!! I'd rather listen to a steel garden rake being dragged across a dirty plate glass window....

That was the one and only 'video' I've ever watched.

My advice? Don't be afraid to explore. Especially in the "Window" tab. There's more stuff in there that has no business being in there... Just my opinion, but most of that stuff would make more sense in "Tools" tab...

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

*^^^* *Like* !

Yes, I've watched many Youtube videos which were 15-25 minutes that could competently be condensed into 5 minutes with less dilly-dallying...

It's a bit like some guitar tutorials for a complex piece of fingerpicking or a lead solo - and the tutorial teacher starts off slowly, one finger at a time, to explain the shape of every chord, and 10 minutes later thinks about starting the actual tutorial... :)

[John Kleiber]

Youtube is the way to go for me to learn Corel... I just type in Corel version and some key terms to find a Corel help tutorial.

[John Blazy]

I bought Corel 7 and tried several times to self learn it, and went back to my QCAD program. Too complex - can't even connect lines. I'm sure I've overlooked something simple, but QCAD (2D) was so intuitive and simplified. Of course, I generally only cut with my laser, not engrave complex signs and graphics. If I need to engrave, I use the engrave within LaserCut 5.3.

Not knocking Corel at all. For me, its kindof like buying the full featured Adobe Photoshop when you only need to layer, size, adjust contrast and add text to your photos using the dumbed down software that came with your camera. QCAD is kindof like that, except that there hasn't been one time that I haven't been able to make a complex drawing using it.

[Mayo Pardo]

I like the Corel Draw videos Doug Green makes - they're usually 5 to 10 minutes and right to the point.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DougGreenAustin

[Jeanette Brewer]

Thank you,
It looks like you guys have some classes every few months. Are they open to general public?

Absolutely! I don't know if it's "legal" to post a link to our calendar here but if you go to our website engravingconcepts.com and click on Events, you'll see the schedule there.

Alternatively, we took the monthly Corel Basics session and put it in webinar format. If you go to our youtube channel & search for "corel basics", you'll find the webinar broken up into 8 parts. If you have any trouble finding that, just email me jeanette at engravingconcepts dot com and I'll send you the links.

[David Somers]

John,

Have you used a vector graphics program before, other than Corel of course?
If yes, the concepts are all the same, just the terminology and the actual specific steps change, And terms dont change that much between one program and another. A node is a node. So you should be able to cross over more easily and wont need to slog through hours of video to pick it up, except for specific tasks.
You will also find that for what we tend to do on a laser there are relatively few parts of Corel we actually use.

Everyone....perhaps we could list off the most used components we make use of to help John and others narrow down what they need to learn, at least to start? Also....I was going to suggest we put this thread in the Corel sticky, but I just noticed it is gone? Or did I imagine that? <grin>

Basic vector drawing tools. Circle, square, polygons, lines both straight and curved, etc.
How to edit nodes and the porton of your drawing they effect. Also, how to convert a node from one type or function to another.
Understanding objects and layers.
Understanding combining objects, and also combining, welding, intersecting, etc. Ways of making two objects interact with each other. And aligning objects with something else.
Understanding fill and outlines and line thickness. Also how color interacts with your laser software, which I assume is RDWorks or something similar?

Any other really helpful features in Corel everyone uses?

Mind you, this is all vector stuff. I do use bitmaps in corel for tracing purposes and to change a bit map from one color system to another, or to reduce it to gray scale or B&W prior to some operation. Everything I listed above is Vector related though.

Dave

[John Lifer]

I've used Corel, illustrator and other drawing programs, but never got good at their use. If I'm going to make this work, I've got to really learn Coreldraw. And anything else that looks to be good.
I've been going thru the videos by Alex and they are short and decent. I think each either taught me something or reinforced what I know. Just a hundred more....
I think it would be great to see you guys put in a file a group of most used items for laser use. I know that is asking a lot, but we are all learning.

[Bert Kemp]

group, ungroup, convert to curves, break text apart, wire frame. combine, weld.mirror, invert, post scrip fill.unfill,virtual delete tool, B spline

[John Lifer]

Thanks Bert, I've got about a third of those, will keep learning!

[David Somers]

Bert!

Spline Lucy! Spline!

<grin>

By the way....Didnt we have a whole sticky dedicated to Corel not that long ago? Or do I need to go see a brain doc for an exam?

[Bert Kemp]

yep at top of page under engraving from sticky links you will find corel tips:D


Bert!

Spline Lucy! Spline!

<grin>

By the way....Didnt we have a whole sticky dedicated to Corel not that long ago? Or do I need to go see a brain doc for an exam?

[David Somers]

Phew! I am not losing my mind, such as it is. It got nested under another sticky!

Thanks Bert!!

[Jeffrey Dewing]

Before I got my Speedy 300 I learned Corel from Linda,com. It was nice because I could pause it go into my corel and do it, then go back to the lesson. Worked for me...

[John Lifer]

Yeah, I know that site has a lot of elearning. But I'll do the Free Youtube, etc. first and then maybe try them if I need to. I've got a lot of time till the laser gets here, and so far a lot of free time not working......