It appears many of you use CorelDRAW, and this may be an easy question for those of you with experience, but unfortunately I don't have any. Sign software, such as Flexisign, offers many shapes in addition to the usual rectangle, polygon, and oval. These are really pretty handy for a lot of sign layouts. Since Corel really only has the basic shapes, what's everyone doing for the others. The clip art didn't seem to be a good alternative. Thanks
Posted by Jeffrey Vrstal (Member # 2271) on :
Many of those shapes can come from CDs that have shapes in .ai or any number of other formats. If you have some other sign program, you can use those shapes or design your own... export them to .ai or whatever and then import them into corel. You can also draw them from scratch in corel. You'll get the hang of it.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
apparently....you dont know anything about corel....as for shapes circles, ovals, squares and regtangles are on the tool bar to the left in corel 7. newer versions have more choices. back to 7..and later versions all have a box up on the header with a star in it...click on it and it opens the symbols tool box.....now if you cant find the shape you want in there...it dont exist. it has boxes, balloons, boarders, stars, animals etc etc etc..it goes on ....only diff from flexi you click on the box with a star and in flexi its in the left hand tool box...but if you want it there in corel....you can make a selection box for them in the tool bar...bottom line...corel is everything any sign program is(most sign programs have copied theirs after corel) and much more...for about 80% less then any sign program...only drawback with corel..."its got a 3-4 year learing curve." once you learn it....you can zip thru stuff like you wouldnt belive!!!!
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Yes. I think me and OP are from the same corelschool. Ive used ver. 3, 6, 9 and 10.
Corel has everything in it. And then there are hundreds of plugins you can find to do even more. I must have at least 30 plug ins for corel. There are so many tutorial sites on the web for corel. I couldn't even begin to list them.
Then you go out and get a used copy of co cut pro and you will really be happy. I really like Corel because you don't need a dongle key to make it run. You can go anywhere, and design something and then go back to da shop and finish up.
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
As an experienced Coreldraw user I simply don't understand the question.
I can / use / import / create / modify / manipulate / any 'shape' I want (vector or bitmap) with a staggering array of tools / plugins / shorcuts ... I simply haven't found the limits.
Every other design program I own falls far short as a total package ( I own signlab 5.0 and Illustrator 8.0). I have found Corel to be one of the easiest packages to learn, the learning curve hasn't been particularly steep but it has been long, only because there is SO MUCH to learn.
[ May 03, 2002, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: TransLab ]
Posted by Bill Cosharek (Member # 1274) on :
If you're looking to create unique shapes in Corel, one way is to make a bunch of different shapes, select all & arrange centered both ways. Then apply a weld. That'll give you an unlimited supply of shapes for your use.
I should add that objects don't have to be centered for it to work - just overlapped. The "weld" tool & the "trim" tool work well for creating shapes. Save what you like in a directory of its own & compile your own supply for future use.
[ May 04, 2002, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Bill Cosharek ]
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
someone sent me an eamil..stating i came on to strong with the sentence "apperently you dont know anything about corel." was not ment in any other context then what it says....nothing personel or said in a dirogatory manner......and as i said in the other post....corel takes a long time to learn, ive been using it since version 3 in 93...and i still am amazed when i discover something new corel will do!!!!(and i dont know all i should know)
Posted by Chuck Brigermann (Member # 2933) on :
I really didn't care much for the "apparently I don't know much about Corel", whatever the intent. I do know that the symbols (star) tab on the toolbar brings up the symbols docker window. All that this displays are the symbols that are available within the fonts on the system. I also know how to spell border.
I realize the capabilities of Corel are many, and that things can be imported, designed, etc. However, the shape tools in Flexisign are quick, easy, and the produce professional outlines/borders specifically for sign making. All I wanted to know was if there is a plugin or a simple way of accomplishing the same thing in Corel.
Posted by Bill Cosharek (Member # 1274) on :
Chuck,
Check out SignTools by Asigns on the Merchants page. Just saw maybe what you're searching for at their website. I know that SignTools is a plugin for Corel.
[ May 04, 2002, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: Bill Cosharek ]
Posted by Roy Somers (Member # 403) on :
"It appears many of you use CorelDRAW, and this may be an easy question for those of you with experience, but unfortunately I don't have any"
"Since Corel really only has the basic shapes, what's everyone doing for the others"
It appears that many of us with experience make our BORDERS. Or maybe we buy an expensive sign program that has BORDERS included in the program. Or maybe we buy a cd like Butler gold or similar that has BORDERS on it. Hope this helps.
P.S. I use options 1 and 2. I hope to use 3 soon, after seeing the new Broadway Collection. Gee, do you think Golden Era would make a package deal if you bought all three disks??
[ May 04, 2002, 10:59 PM: Message edited by: Roy Somers ]
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
my Corel has about 3 or 4 pages of borders in the book to pick from.. never had to make one up.. In fact theres so much extra stuff in corel i think i could mix match cut paste and make anything i wanted ,, if i had too..
[ May 05, 2002, 12:18 AM: Message edited by: Curtis hammond ]
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
chuck...the use of the word "apparently"..was as was stated from my viewpoint! and the way you axed the ? led me to think you were not aware of all the different shapes in the symbols directory. you can customize the left hand tool bar in corel to have the same type of box flexi has...for shapes...but corel will open the symbol dir. for you ......and like i said before corel will do any thing other sign programs do....just need to know the work arounds to get the same thing. and i can spel board-ers...borders....and i been spellin since 1950...1st grade.....wait till you get old..wipersnapper!!!!hehehehehe
[ May 05, 2002, 01:30 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
Posted by Chuck Brigermann (Member # 2933) on :
Thanks for all the help. The suggestions about combining shapes and about looking for additional objects outside of Corel were great. As I eluded to in the original question, I wasn't really satisfied with the Corel shapes & clipart from a sign blank standpoint. Reinventing the wheel also seemed pointless, I figured something must be out there.
I found a great source right within Letterville. Vector Art offers a huge amount of purely sign related shapes and art right on the Roland Web site. You can purchase them all, or you can buy them for $1. each, as needed. The display is professional, and I found ornamental and classic borders contained just what I was looking for. At the price of $1. each I can hardly justify designing them myself, and you get 5 for free by putting your name on Roland's e-mail list.
As for being a young whippersnapper, I was also in the first grade in 1950. The difference is I stayed awake.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
HAHAHAHAHHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHHHHA........me too
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
apparently you missed recess and social studies........but iam glad you got what you needed.....
