Need a helpful critique

[Gregg Vaughn]

I am trying to teach myself the art of working with layers in Corel Draw X3
(what I call layers, it might be something else). Any input from those of you who have developed your skills above mine (pretty much everyone would be my guess!) would be appreciated.

What I am trying to do is create an image (a badge in this case) that allows easy change of the gray scale background to go from glass to wood, etc.

78741

[Scott Shepherd]

Gregg, that's a toughy for me. I'm not well versed in Corel either, but I opened it and played with it for about 15 minutes and it should be really simple, but it looks like the way it was drawn creates some of the problems. My first try was to pull all the white out and put it on a separate layer. Then it'd be easy to highlight all those and change them with one click.

That didn't work because the white is on many different levels. In some cases, it's stacked on top of the back color, and in some cases, it's stacked higher than that. So doing that, means anything above it isn't going to show.

I think simplifying the drawing some might help. For example, where the latern is hung near the top, if you move the latern, you see the white going out in a sunburst type pattern. My guess (and it's purely a guess) is that if you use the shape tools and cutout the area where the latern sits, then you'll have an opening there for the latern graphic to fit in. Then you'll have no white behind it, which means if you do group all the white and move it forward, then it won't overlap on that brown from the latern.

I see it as needing to clean up the details of the drawing, so that you can in fact, move it all to it's own layer so you can manipulate it any way you like.

Having said all of that, I'm sure someone with Corel knowledge will post "You just click on the ________ button and you're done". Wish I could be that guy, but I'm like you, one who has to fight through things to make it work.

[Scott Shepherd]

Here's what I mean in the sample attached.

I smart filled all the rays and then deleted the originals, which makes the rays not interfere with anything else when you change their colors (or layers).

Move the objects around on the one I did and you'll see their shape.

Make any sense? Also, I think there is some duplication of objects, which makes it act funny when you do something because you think you changed something, yet it doesn't look changed. No big deal, but something to be aware of (or either I copied it twice in the same spot, which is possible).

[Gregg Vaughn]

Thanks Steve ... I got to thinking about your comments and went back and broke the whole project down into "layers" by the color each layer would be, or could be. I reassembled the project, and now it seems to make more sense, at least with colors. I'm still not sure of how you create with layers, but I think I'm getting closer.

Thanks for your help .... here is my last assembly.

[Larry Bratton]

Gregg:
Create a new layer by clicking on the little page icon at the bottom of the object manager. Then, go back to your first layer (in object manager). Select all the objects and hit Cntrl C. Then select Layer 2 and hit Cntl V. You now have the same graphic on two independent layers. If you want to change the colors or whatever in Layer 2 then your free to do so. If you only want to engrave that layer, then click on the little eye symbol in Layer 1. That turns Layer 1 off and your using Layer 2. Is this what you wanted to know?

[Gregg Vaughn]

Thanks Larry, that was news to me, but makes sense. What started my playing with layering was vectorizing images in Corel X3 withe the trace function, then ungrouping them and looking at how Corel made them into vector images. With that I played with creating images in that manner from the get-go. I'm trying to understand the concept of layers and how to best create images for lasering.

[Larry Bratton]

Thanks Larry, that was news to me, but makes sense. What started my playing with layering was vectorizing images in Corel X3 withe the trace function, then ungrouping them and looking at how Corel made them into vector images. With that I played with creating images in that manner from the get-go. I'm trying to understand the concept of layers and how to best create images for lasering.
Greg:
The idea behind layers is to be able to create different elements of a graphic, independently and then merge them together as one. So, if you wanted to have that badge with say different shades of grey for various laser applications, then simply duplicate one of them on a new layer, then change what you want to change. It is not necessary to merge them. When you print to the laser, just turn off the ones you don't want to send for lasering.
I use Photoshop for bitmaps and it is HUGE on using layers as non-destructive means of editing your original graphic without actually doing any harm to it. The Corel products have the similar capabilities. I am beginning to see more and more "interface" between Corel and Adobe products also. If you'll notice X3 will import Photoshop format files and also creates PDFs(that being an Adobe product.) I got a copy of Corel Painter X today and it supports a lot of Photoshop related things. On a Mac, it even supports Photoshop plugins. I reckon this is subject for another time, but it's interesting to note.
Good luck.

[Gregg Vaughn]

Thanks Larry .... I'm starting to understand the concept develop some of the skills necessary to work with it. I appreciate the help and advice!

[Larry Bratton]

Thanks Larry .... I'm starting to understand the concept develop some of the skills necessary to work with it. I appreciate the help and advice!
Greg:
Your welcome. Have fun working with it.