Learning Corel Draw 12

[Ray Mighells]

I'm sure glad I found this group. I've been feeling like a kindergartener going to high school in trying to learn how to manipulate Corel Draw to do what I want. I'm not having any problems with the laser, just setting up the job. I have'nt been able to find how to put a vector line around the perimeter of a pattern. A rose for example. I want to be able to use the rose as an applique. I've been looking for training programs but they are very expensive and I'm not sure they are any better than the Corel tutorials. One is called Smart Draw for $699 and the guy said he would throw in a Digital Art Library. Another is a 2 CD set by John McDaniel for $399 a CASS program for $180 a year (Package deal for both $499). Any input on the value of these offerings will be greatly appreciated. This wheel spinning is making me dizzy.

[Michael McDuffie]

Good Morning Ray,

Head over to Graphics Unleashed (http://www.unleash.com/)

Scroll down to find "list of all tutorials".

You'll find many helpful tips, all for free. They also have stuff you can buy but why?

I have Smart Draw, never found it useful in any way, finally uninstalled it. Not the best $1200 I've ever spent...

I used to have the Corel draw 9 version of this book (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0072231912/ref=pd_sim_b_1/102-5922178-4016105?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155) and really liked it. I see there is a CD-ROM available also.

You also should check out Oberon's (http://oberonplace.com/vba/drawmacros/) stuff.

And finally, check out Radit (http://www.isocalc.com/cooltools/), great for making clock faces.

Michael

[Linda Tetreault]

Ray

I use the CD's by Roy Brewer, here's the link (hope this is OK?)
http://www.ara.org/products/dsp_cat.cfm?prodcatID=13

Great info & the price is right.

Linda

[Joe Pelonio]

I've had two people trained using Corel 12 Unleashed by Foster Coburn.

$39.95

http://www.unleash.com/coreldraw12unleashed/index.asp

[Mark Plotkin]

Ray,

I took a class by John McDaniel and the cd's were included as part of the fee. The class was GREAT and I have used the cd's a lot. There are many questions on this site that are answered in detail on the cd's. I have run many jobs much faster than I would have without the class and cd's. Not cheap but worth the money!
Mark

[Joe Pelonio]

Ray,

I took a class by John McDaniel and the cd's were included as part of the fee. The class was GREAT and I have used the cd's a lot. There are many questions on this site that are answered in detail on the cd's. I have run many jobs much faster than I would have without the class and cd's. Not cheap but worth the money!
Mark
Mark,

I was going to send an employee to that class, but before I did the paperwork I had to fire her for stealing. It was to be held in Portland so I'd have had to pay for her gas and travel time.

I'm glad to hear it's worth it. Did they have it closer to Seattle?

[Bruce Volden]

What I'd like to know is where was all this "stuff" 12 years ago. I had to learn it the hard way~all alone, well except for the 3 hr. class @ the laser dealer!!! Now there are forums everywhere-thank you!! Lucky for me 'tho as I consider myself "brighter" than most, what with 6 years of high school and all );> Bruce

[Joe Pelonio]

What I'd like to know is where was all this "stuff" 12 years ago. I had to learn it the hard way~all alone, well except for the 3 hr. class @ the laser dealer!!! Now there are forums everywhere-thank you!! Lucky for me 'tho as I consider myself "brighter" than most, what with 6 years of high school and all );> Bruce
Hey, quit complaining, at least you got the 3 hours. My laser dealer came by after I got it set up and spent 1/2 hour with training before he left, and he was not exactly a Corel expert.

[Dave Jones]

Bruce, you were obviously ahead of your time. :D

Pioneers do tend to be out there on there own. These days it sounds like lasers are popping up faster than spring flowers. (at least that's how it seems based on posts on a couple of forums)

[Shaddy Dedmore]

Hey, quit complaining, at least you got the 3 hours. My laser dealer came by after I got it set up and spent 1/2 hour with training before he left, and he was not exactly a Corel expert.

Sounds like you're in the Washington area, my training was a lot longer, but with less info, and I had to drive to Centralia to get it. He mostly tried to connect a scanner that didn't have the right driver (and that I didn't have anway, so even he DID hook it up it would have been useless info) then he burned up some thin veneer and said his laser wasn't working right.

ugh

[Mark Plotkin]

Joe,

The Portland Class was the one I attended. I have seen John give some shorter classes in Centrailla, but not the three day version. As I watch the cd's for refresher, it is the "class" only on cd. Some things are better because you can stop, try yourself, go back and watch, then try again. Some of the items on the cd that I see posted on the forum are:
Tiling images, step and repeat, power clipping, variable data, page set up and work place customization. There is a lot more. Again for everyone out there, you have made a big investment in the laser itself, these cd's will bring YOU up to speed to get more out of it, faster. So if time is money, invest in yourself also.

MP

[Dave Fifield]

Ray, I would recommend you get the Corel X3 upgrade. It has an "outline" function built in (under effects>create boundary). Easy. No tutorials necessary.

Dave F.

[Doug McIntyre]

Ray,
You mention that you are unable to cut a vector around a rose. I assume that you are aware that for vector cutting your line width must be .0001" or a hairline (in other words the narrowest width possible) depending on the engraver you have? Usually best to have it another colour as well - red seems to be the standard but it doesn't matter as long as it doesn't conflict with your raster image. It tripped me up when I first got my machine delivered without any training.

[Aaron Koehl]

Ray, I would recommend you get the Corel X3 upgrade. It has an "outline" function built in (under effects>create boundary). Easy. No tutorials necessary.

Dave F.
And, if you don't have X3, you can cheat the easy way:

Arrange > Create object from outline.

Sometimes Corel has a problem with the calculation, so you can do it the hard way. Here is what you can do for vector objects:

1. Group the objects that you want to make an outline around
2. CTRL+D to duplicate them. Set them all to solid fill (optional), no outline. You might want to set your "duplicate offset" to 0,0.
3. WELD all of the duplicated objects together.
3.5 You might need to create some extra shapes to fill in any "holes" in the center of the object, depending on the geometry.
4. Use the CONTOUR palette and create a contour, say .25" (or whatever you need).
5. Right click the contoured object (or Arrange menu) > Break Contour Group Apart.
6. Delete the duplicated objects, leaving just your contour outline and the original.