Note: The article below is an early release of Tom Anzai's
CorelWORLD '99 presentation
on October 4, 1999 entitled Understanding Fills and Outlines and is
derived from various sections of the Anzai! Inc. Corel-approved training manuals
for CorelDRAW (www.anzai.com). The seminar is
part of the First Looks stream at the conference and is designed for novice to
intermediate DRAW 8/9 users.
Since its inception, DRAW was always tough to beat when it came to fills, and
to some degree, its outline possibilities. Now in version 8/9 DRAW has even
more to offer, some options of which are buried deep within particular dialog
boxes and dockers or require magical mouse clicks. Whether your drawings are
for offset, fancy, web graphics, or custom purposes, this session will discuss
when and how to use the right type of color and outline for your drawings.
We will investigate the following topics:
The world of WYSIMWYG
Working with color palettes and dockers
Applying uniform colors
Choosing fancy fills
Copying fills and outlines
Using the Scrapbook
Nifty new 9'er nuances (Artistic Media tool, turning outlines into objects, and Mesh fills)
The World of WYSIMWYG (What You See Is Maybe What You Get)
If you've used DRAW since version 7 or earlier, you may have noticed that the
on-screen color palette in version 8 and 9 is not as vibrant. For example,
cyan looks like a darker shade of blue, green looks a tad muddy, magenta
looks like a dull rose shade, and so on. The reason for this change lurks
in the Global Color Management settings within the Options dialog box.
Version 8 and 9 were the first versions to activate Calibrate colors for
display. Go ahead, check it out yourself by following these steps:
In DRAW, create a new document and select Tools | Options. The Options
dialog box is displayed.
Click the + sign beside Global to expand its categories.
Click Color Management and observe that the Calibrate colors for display option is checked.
Figure 1: The well-hidden Calibrate colors for display option.
This option enables accurate on-screen colors based on your monitor's color profile. Say what?
Each piece of computer equipment you use to create a drawing has a specific range
of colors it can reproduce. This is referred to as a device gamut. A monitor
displays a different range of colors, or color gamut, than the color gamut that
is reproduced on a printing press. This means that your drawing might include
colors that appear properly on your monitor but can't be reproduced on paper.
Different monitors, scanners, printers, and other types of equipment all have
slightly different color gamuts. Different color gamuts can occur even between
similar models of equipment from the same manufacturer.
The process of calibrating your monitor and changing its profile as well as your
other computer equipment deserves a seminar of its own and will not be discussed
in this presentation. Since colors that you see are affected by numerous variables
such as the quality of your equipment, ambient light, printed paper, and
temperature it becomes a guessing-game no matter how much calibration you perform.
For now, it's up to you to decide the following:
If you are planning to design a drawing for prepress or high-end color
printing, leave the Calibrate colors for display checked, or
For any other reason, uncheck Calibrate colors for display
Just remember, what looks good on your screen may or may not be the end result
when you print the drawing. Thus, the acronym WYSIMWYG (What You See Is Maybe What You Get).
Choosing a Color Using the On-screen Color Palette
The quickest way to choose a color is by using the on-screen Color Palette.
But hold on! You must decide what type of color model you will need for your
drawing. Will that be the default DRAW palette, Internet browser
(MS Explorer, Netscape), Pantone, TRUMATCH, or a custom palette?
Figure 2: Choose a color palette, any color palette.
To change the color palette, do one of the following:
In DRAW 9, select Window, Color Palettes (Note: Choosing different
palettes adds multiple on-screen palettes to the right side of the screen)
In DRAW 8, select View, Color Palette (Note: You will see a subset of the
choices in Figure 2 above)
Exercise: Tips and Tricks for Assigning Fills and Outlines
Once you have chosen the desired palette for your drawing, you can continue
to add color to your objects by using the following methods:
To choose the fill or outline colors of an object try the following:
Draw a rectangle anywhere on the page.
To thicken the outline, click on the Outline tool in the Toolbox and
click on the 8 Point Outline button.
Figure 3: The 8 Point Outline button in the Outline tool flyout.
Experiment with the following:
Click a color in the on-screen Color Palette to change the fill color.
Right-click a color in the on-screen Color Palette to change the outline color.
Now observe the Status Bar information to confirm your fill and outline properties.
Your outline, in particular, should have changed from the default black to the
color you right-clicked on in the on-screen Color Palette.
To choose a neighboring tint of a fill color try the following:
Select the rectangle.
Click on blue in the Color Palette.
Hold down on blue in the Color Palette. A grid of neighboring colors appears.
Point to a different shade of blue and release the mouse button.
To augment the current fill or outline colors of an object try the following:
Select the rectangle.
Experiment with the following:
Hold down Ctrl, and click a color in the on-screen Color Palette to add
roughly 10% of that color to the fill. Repeat as desired.
Hold down Ctrl, and right-click a color in the on-screen Color Palette
to add roughly 10% of that color to the outline. Repeat as desired.
Observe the Status Bar for the component colors of the fill. Each Ctrl-click
progressively adds more ink components dependent on the color on which you clicked.
Tips on Color Palettes and Dockers
You can also change the fill or outline color of an object by dragging
the color swatch from the on-screen Color Palette to the outline or fill of the object.
You can also augment the current fill or outline color of an object by
holding down Ctrl and dragging the color swatch from the on-screen Color
Palette to the outline or fill of the object.
Select Window | Dockers | Color (or in DRAW 9 click the Color Docker Window
button in the Fill flyout) to activate the Color Docker and apply any color for
the selected object's fill or outline (DRAW 9 only)
The limitation with selecting colors by simply clicking on the Color Palette
is evident when you need precision or exactness when choosing a color. Trying
to find, say, Pantone 3272 in the on-screen Color Palette will take you a few
clicks and scrolls. Thus, the necessity for the Outline/Fill Color dialog box.
Applying Uniform Colors
Whether you are applying solid uniform fills or outlines, the same dialog box is
used. You can select either the Outline Color Dialog button or the Fill Color Dialog button.
Figure 4: The Outline Color Dialog in the Outline tool flyout.
Figure 5: The Fill Color Dialog in the Fill tool flyout.
Either way, you'll see the same dialog box as follows:
Figure 6: The DRAW 9 Outline Color/Uniform Fill dialog box.
Each tab at the top represents the following:
Models-The color models offer a visual representation of the full spectrum
of colors. You can change the color by clicking a new color or typing component
values associated with the color model. For example, when you use the CMYK model
you can type in the exact (C)yan, (M)agenta, (Y)ellow, and Blac(K) components.
Mixers-You can choose between choosing a color by blending or by using color
harmonies. To choose between blending and harmonies, do one of the following:
In DRAW 9, click the Mixers tab in the Uniform Fill dialog box. Click
Options | Mixers followed by either Color Blend or Color Harmonies.
Figure 7: Click Options to choose between Color Blend or Color Harmonies.
In DRAW 8, hold down on the Mixers button at the top of the Uniform Fill
dialog box and select either Color Blend or Color Harmonies.
The color blender allows you to combine colors and displays a grid of colors
that it creates from the four base colors you select. Color harmonies are
most useful when you're selecting several colors for a project and you want
to make sure that the colors you choose look well together. Color harmonies
work by superimposing a shape, such as a rectangle or a triangle, over a color
wheel. You can rotate the superimposed shape by dragging the black spot on the
shape around the wheel. The colors at each corner are always complementary,
contrasting, or harmonious, depending on the shape you select. To change the
superimposed shape, do one of the following:
Drag one of the white circles around the superimposed shape (DRAW 9 only)
Select a preset shape in the Hues list
Exercise: Experimenting With Mixers and Hues
Create a new document in DRAW.
Draw a circle and apply any color using the on-screen Color Palette.
Duplicate the circle by pressing Ctrl+D three times. You should have a
total of four circles.
Move the circles so that they are not overlapping one another.
Select the first circle and click on the Fill tool in the Toolbox
followed by the Fill Color Dialog button from the flyout.
Figure 8: The Fill Color Dialog button in the Fill tool flyout.
Click on the Mixers tab.
Do one of the following:
In DRAW 9, click Options | Mixers | Color Harmonies.
In DRAW 8, hold down on the Mixers button at the top of the Uniform Fill
dialog box and select Color Harmonies.
In the Hues list, select Complement.
Click one of the lower complementary colors below the color wheel.
Click OK. The new color that complements the original color is applied to the circle.
Select another circle in the drawing.
Double-click the Fill box in the right hand side of the Status Bar.
(Note: This is a version 8/9 shortcut to activate the current fill's dialog
box, in this case the Uniform Fill dialog box.)
Click on the Mixers tab.
In the Hues list, select Triangle 1.
Experiment with the different options in the Variation list.
Select a different color below the color wheel.
Click OK. The new color is applied to the circle.
Select the other circles in the drawing and apply a different color
using the color harmonies in the Mixers tab.
Close and do not save the document.
Fixed Palettes-This tab in the Outline Color/Uniform Fill dialog box
lists third-party manufacturers such as Pantone that are designed to be used
with a color swatch book. A swatch book is a collection of color samples that
shows exactly what each color looks like when printed much like paint chips
that are available at your local paint store. Fixed palettes provide the best
method of applying color when dealing with offset printers since the ink
mixture at the printing press replicates what you see in the swatch book.
Swatch books are available at most art supply stores or directly from a
swatch book manufacturer.
Most offset applications require you to chose between Pantone Matching System
Coated or Uncoated paper for spot printing typically four colors or less and
Pantone Process Color System for process (CMYK) printing of more than four colors.
Custom Palettes-This tab in the Outline Color/Uniform Fill dialog box
lists collections of colors you have chosen to save as a color palette file
(.CPL extension).You have the ability to copy a color swatch by dragging a
color swatch from any palette into your custom palettes. There is no limit
to the number of custom palettes you can create
Exercise: Assigning Pantone Colors
Create a new document in DRAW.
Draw a rectangle.
Activate the Uniform Fill Color dialog box (shortcut: double-click the
Fill box in the Status Bar).
Click on the Fixed Palettes tab.
In the Palette list, select Pantone Matching System - uncoated. We'll
assume that we will be offset printing to normal bond paper that is not
coated with a varnish finish.
Click the down arrow in the Name list.
Type 3272. We'll assume that you have referred to the PMS uncoated
swatch book to match this particular aqua green color.
Click OK. The color is applied to the object.
Observe that the Status Bar lists the Pantone fill color.
With the rectangle still selected, thicken the outline by clicking on
the 8 Point Outline button in the Outline tool flyout.
Figure 9: The 8 Point Outline button in the Outline tool flyout.
Activate the Outline Color dialog box (shortcut: double-click the Outline
box in the Status Bar).
Click on the Fixed Palettes tab.
Choose Pantone Matching System - uncoated 2592 and click OK. The outline
color matches a purple color.
Close and do not save the document.
Choosing Fancy Fills
One of the strengths of DRAW is its capabilities of filling closed objects and
text with fancy fills. Instead of using solid, uniform colors you can use the
following special fills:
Fountain fill
Pattern fills
Texture fill
Postscript fill
Exercise: Experimenting With Fancy Fills
To experiment with various fancy fills try the following:
Create a new document in DRAW and draw a big circle on the page.
Right-click on the X (no outline) button at the top of the on-screen
Color Palette to remove the thin, black outline around the circle's perimeter.
Click on Fill tool and click on the Fountain Fill button in the flyout.
The Fountain Fill dialog box appears.
Figure 10: The Fountain Fill button in the Fill flyout.
In the Type list select Radial.
Click on the From color box and choose a Red color.
Click on the To color box and choose a Yellow color.
Slide the Mid-point slider to 20 to produce more yellow in the fill.
Place the cursor in the center area of the preview window at the top right
of the dialog box and drag to a corner to offset the center point.
Click OK. The fountain fill is applied to the circle.
With the circle still selected, double click on the Fill: Fountain box
in the Status Bar. This is a shortcut to edit the current fill.
Experiment with the directional buttons to the right side of the From and To boxes.
Click on the counter-clockwise and clockwise buttons to change the fountain blend colors
Click the down arrow in the Presets box and select Circular - Orange 01
to choose a pre-made radial fountain fill.
Click OK. The fountain fill is applied to the circle.
Draw a rectangle anywhere on the drawing page.
Click on the Fill tool in the toolbox. The Fill tool flyout appears.
Click on the Texture Fill button.
Figure 11: The Texture Fill button in the Fill flyout.
Choose Disco Nightmare from the Texture list and observe the preview. (Note: If
you're using DRAW 8, select any texture from the list.)
Click OK when finished. The texture fill is applied.
With the rectangle still selected, reactivate the Texture Fill dialog box.
Shortcut: double click on the Fill box in the Status Bar.
In the Texture library list at the top left corner, scroll up and choose Samples.
Scroll down the Texture list and select Pizzazz mineral.
Keep clicking Preview to select the desired textured look. Progressively
clicking on Preview causes different textures to be displayed.
Click OK.
Draw another rectangle anywhere on the page.
Select the Fill tool in the toolbox.
Click on the Pattern Fill button.
Figure 12: The Pattern Fill button in the Fill flyout.
Click the down arrow to the right of the preview window and scroll down.
Click on a pattern of your choice. Enter 0.5 inches in the Width and Height box.
Click OK. The pattern fill is applied to the rectangle.
Experiment by applying a different pattern fill to the rectangle.
E.g., 2-color, full color, or bitmap.
Double click on the Rectangle tool. To create a background rectangle.
Experiment with any fill of your choice in the Fill tool flyout.
Size the rectangle if necessary. E.g., fountain fill, pattern fill, texture fill.
Choose the type, options, color blend, and presets as desired.
Click OK.
Save the document as Fill & outline sample on your system. We will use
this document in the next exercise.
Tips for Copying Fills and Outlines
To copy fills and outlines, you can use the following methods:
Select the object to which you want to copy the properties. Select
Edit | Copy Properties From. Check one or more of the options (Outline Pen,
Outline Color, Fill, Text Properties). Click OK. The cursor changes to a
large arrow. Click the object that contains the properties you want to copy.
Right-drag the object that contains the properties from which you want
to copy to the desired object. Select either Copy Fill Here, Copy Outline Here,
Copy All Properties.
In DRAW 9 (only), select the Eyedropper tool in the Toolbox and click on
the object that contains the properties from which you want to copy. Hold
Shift and click on either the object's outline or fill area to which you want to copy.
To experiment with the copy methods listed above, experiment using any of the
object in your drawing. Try to copy the fill from the circle to one of the rectangles.
Using the Scrapbook
The Scrapbook is a docker that provides drag and drop access to the folders
that store a collection of preset fills and outlines. This hidden gem allows
you to playback a script similar to a word processing macro in order to fill
any object with a wide assortment of special fills. By storing a fill or
outline, you won't have to re-create it every time you want to use it.
To store a favorite fill and outline to the scrapbook:
Do one of the following:
In DRAW 9, select Tools | Scrapbook | Favorite Fills and Outlines.
In DRAW 8, select View | Scrapbook | Favorite Fills and Outlines.
Access the folder in which you want to save the fill or outline.
Using the Pick tool, drag the object that has the fill or outline you
want and drop it on the Scrapbook. The Save A Favorite dialog box appears.
Enable or disable the check boxes provided to indicate the fill and
outline properties you want to save with the favorite.
Click OK to add the file to the Scrapbook.
To apply a favorite fill or outline to an object:
In the Favorite Fills and Outlines Scrapbook, open the folder that
contains the fill or outline you want to apply.
Do one of the following:
Drag the fill's or outline's icon and drop it on the object to which you want to apply it.
With the object selected, double click on the favorite fill or outline.
Exercise: Saving Fills in the Scrapbook
Using the Fill & outline sample document, activate the Favorite
Fills and Outlines docker by doing one of the following:
In DRAW 9, select Tools | Scrapbook | Favorite Fills and Outlines.
In DRAW 8, select View | Scrapbook | Favorite Fills and Outlines.
Double click the Fills folder, then double click the Fountain folder. This
folder contains the fountain fill samples.
Select the circle in the drawing. In the next step, we will copy its
fill properties into the Scrapbook.
Drag the circle into a blank area of the Favorite Fills and Outlines
docker. The Save a Favorite dialog box appears.
Observe the dialog box options. You can specify what properties of the object to save.
Click OK. The fill is added to the docker.
Right-click on the new fill icon in the docker (e.g., Fill1). A Pop-Up menu appears.
Select Rename.
Type My custom and press [Enter]. The icon temporarily loses its thumbnail.
Right-click on the My custom icon in the docker.
Select Create Thumbnail to change the thumbnail.
Drag the My custom icon from the docker onto the rectangle in the drawing.
In a few moments, the My custom fill is applied.
Draw another circle anywhere on the page and experiment by dragging any
other fill from the docker to this new object.
Close the Favorite Fills and Outlines docker.
Close the file and do not save the changes.
Nifty New 9'er Nuances
Drawing with the Artistic Media Tool
The Artistic Media tool lets you draw or apply curves that look like
strokes from a calligraphic or a pressure sensitive pen. The Artistic
Media tool has five modes:
Preset mode: draws curves that change thickness based on preset line
shapes you can choose from a list.
Brush mode: applies text or shapes to the curve when you draw it.
Object sprayer mode: applies a series of images to a curve when you draw it.
Calligraphic mode: draws curves that change thickness based on the direction
of the curve. This creates an effect similar to that of a calligraphic pen.
Pressure-sensitive mode: draws curves that change thickness based on
feedback from a pressure-sensitive pen or a keyboard.
To select the Artistic Media tool:
Click and hold down on the Freehand tool in the toolbox.
Click on the Artistic Media tool.
You can select the type of Artistic Media stroke you want to use by
clicking the appropriate button on the Property Bar. Or, you can
activate the Effects, Artistic Media docker.
Exercise
In this exercise, we will attempt to draw a stem and petals of a rose using
the Artistic Media tool.
Create a new document in DRAW. At this point, you can either attempt to
freehand draw the red flower part of the rose (as illustrated in Figure 14)
or ignore and continue with the steps below to draw only the stem and petals.
Click and hold down on the Freehand tool in the toolbox (fourth tool from top).
Select the Artistic Media tool.
Figure 13: The location of the Artistic Media tool in the Freehand tool flyout.
Observe the Property Bar options. Notice the mode icons and related options.
Select Effects | Artistic Media. Instead of working with the options in the
Property Bar, you can use this docker to see all the mode options together.
Draw a winding curve by dragging downwards. Do not be concerned with the
width at this time.
Figure 14: Draw a winding curve to represent a stem.
Click the fifth preset in the docker. Note: If the docker does not
properly display the presets, exit and restart DRAW.
Figure 15: Choose the fifth curve (thick-to-thin) preset in the docker.
Enter 0.25 inches in the Artistic Media Tool Width box of the Property Bar.
To reduce the width of the curve.
Choose green from the Color Palette.
Select Arrange, Order, To Back to send the curve to the back.
Select the Shape tool in the toolbox.
Click on the stem's curve and drag to reshape as desired.
Select the Artistic Media tool from the toolbox.
Drag a curve through the stem about two inches long.
Figure 16: Draw a short curve through the stem to represent pedals.
Enter 0.5 inches in the Artistic Media Tool Width box of the Property Bar
to increase the width of the curve.
Apply the second Preset from the Default Strokes list of the docker.
Figure 17: Click on the second curve (rounded-end, thick-thin-thick) preset in the docker.
Color the curve green and send it behind the stem by selecting Arrange, Order, To Back.
Use the Rectangle tool in the Toolbox and draw a rectangle almost as big as
the drawing page about 1/4 inch within the page borders.
Select the Artistic Media tool from the toolbox.
Click on the rectangle to select it with the Artistic Media tool.
Enter 0.25 inches in the Artistic Media Tool Width box of the Property Bar
to reduce the width of the curve.
Scroll down the Default Strokes list in the docker and click on a brush preset
of your choice from the docker to apply a brush effect to the rectangle.
Click the Artistic Media brush icon on any empty, unused area of the drawing
to deselect all objects.
Draw a horizontal line below the rose's stem within the rectangle. Length
and straightness do not matter.
Scroll down the Default Strokes list in the docker and select the Grass
object sprayer preset from the docker.
Figure 18: Click on the grass object sprayer from the docker.
In the right side of the Property Bar, enter 0.1 inches in the
Spacing of Objects box to decrease the spacing between grass clumps.
Figure 19: Enter a smaller value in the Spacing of Objects box in the Property Bar.
Close the Artistic Media docker.
Figure 20: The final result.
Close and do not save the document.
Turning Outlines into Objects
Finally, a feature that a handful of loyal DRAW users wanted implemented
into the program has now been implemented into version 9. You can convert
an outline to an object that lets you apply a fill to an outline. When
you use thick outlines, the fill can continue through to the outer edge
of the object, including the outline. When an outline is converted, it
acquires all the properties of any object.
To convert an outline to an object
Select the object that contains the outline with the Pick tool.
Click Arrange | Convert Outline To Object.
Once the outline becomes an object, you can now apply any of the special
fills (fountain, texture, pattern) to it. Remember to group the outline
object to the fill if you want both objects to move and size together.
Mesh Fills
One of the more intriguing new version 9 features is the Mesh Fill tool.
Using a mesh object lets you create unique effects by implementing blended
colors within specific areas of the image. You can define the mesh object
by specifying a grid and its intersecting points to create unique effects.
Using the node editing features of DRAW you can also modify the node type,
reduce the number of nodes, or add and remove nodes from the mesh object.
Once you have altered the grid and its nodes, you can add color into each section.
To add color to an intersection node in a mesh object:
Click the Interactive Fill tool in the Toolbox (sixth tool from bottom)
and click the Interactive Mesh Fill tool in the flyout.
Figure 21: The Interactive Mesh Fill tool.
Enter a grid size in the Property Bar.
Using the shape cursor, adjust the nodes in the grid to create the desired mesh.
Click either on an intersection node or within a grid section.
Click a color from the Color Palette.
To mix a color in a mesh object:
Use the Interactive Mesh Fill tool and Ctrl-click a color from the Color Palette.
Repeat on other colors as necessary.
Figure 22: Sample usage of Interactive Mesh Fill tool.
This tool requires some practice and experimentation to master. However, what used
to take hours in previous DRAW releases with the use of blends and contours can
now be done in a matter of minutes. A great feature for graphic artists who want
to simulate directional light sources and color shading.
