Thursday Tip: Insert Symbol Character Docker

There has been confusion about this Docker since Corel introduced Symbols in CorelDRAW 12. Many users still think of Symbols as the simple graphics contained in symbol fonts. To bring up the Docker, press Ctrl + F11. Not only will you see symbol fonts listed, but every single font available to CorelDRAW. Just yesterday I needed to insert the bullet character and couldn't remember the keystroke for the character. I just brought up the Docker and dragged it into the block of text.

Some users don't want to see all fonts. They just want the symbol fonts. Not a problem. Just right-click directly on the font name at the top of the Docker and you'll get a pop-up menu showing which type of fonts are included. Uncheck the two "Fonts" choices and you'll be left seeing only the symbol fonts.

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Origins of the Peace Sign

I was reading National Geographic recently and came across the story of how the logo for the peace symbol originated. It was a bit of a surprise since I don't read it to get stories about graphic design.

After doing a bit more research, I realized the logo celebrated its 50th birthday this year. The logo was originally created in 1958 by Gerald Holtom for the Center for Nuclear Disarmament. Look at the diagram at right to see how the elements were developed. It is based on the letters N and D in the Semaphore alphabet. Note that the Semaphore font is supplied with CorelDRAW and was used to create the diagram at right. Each of the semaphore characters were simplified to give the two pie pieces. Those pieces were then combined to give the final logo that we all know so well. More details can be found on the happybirthdaypeace.com Web site.

I think this is a great example of how an artist thought outside the box a bit. Rather than using the letters in a Latin alphabet, he chose a symbol font and then simplified it greatly. In Britain the logo is commonly known as the disarmament symbol, but many of us outside Britain simply call it the peace symbol. Now you know how it was created. Hopefully this gives you some ideas for logo design!

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