Graphics Unleashed

Pick Your Poizin

2009-11-24T01:00:00.019-07:00

Rather than a plain tutorial today, I thought I'd show you how some artwork created in CorelDRAW is used to make some wine extra special. I know that many of you in the United States will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week and that often includes a little bit of wine. In this case, the wine is Poizin. Yes, I spelled that right.

CorelDRAW user and awards shop owner Dennis Wilkerson is featured in today's video. No matter where the artwork originates, it goes into CorelDRAW. He then outputs the artwork via a laser engraver or creates a Rayzist mask for sandblasting. The mask you see in the video was done using the Rayzist film.

In the video, you'll see Dennis apply the mask to the bottle and prep it for sandblasting. Then he'll sandblast a logo onto each bottle by hand. Once the bottles are etched, he paints them "blood red". The last step is to add wax to the top of the bottle. This is just one of the many "niche" markets where CorelDRAW is used. And in this industry, CorelDRAW is the standard!

Hatch Fill

2009-11-23T01:00:00.013-07:00

CorelDRAW includes a wide variety of fills in its arsenal. One type of fill that has been curiously missing is the hatch fill. It is included as part of Corel DESIGNER (download a free trial), but I've asked and Corel intends to keep it there. That means you have to turn to macros if you want the ability to fill objects with hatch fills. Today's macro, HatchFill, does exactly that. When you run the macro, you have several choices to make about the hatch to be created. Adjust the spacing, width of the lines, angle and colors. Best of all, you can download it for free.

Round Turkey

2009-11-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really lucky this year. I get to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Yesterday I joined some friends for an early Thanksgiving dinner. I'm still full of food! Of course I'll celebrate with some other friends on Thursday on Thanksgiving day. What this means is that I get to have a lot of tasty turkey. To commemorate the meals, I thought I'd share some turkey clip art with you. I know, the clip art doesn't taste as good as the real thing. It will definitely get you in the mood for the real thing!

Remember Your Passwords Automatically!

2009-11-21T01:00:00.001-07:00

Do you use the same password on all the Web sites you visit? If not, do your forget many of them? Or do you completely forget the login information? I'm guess all of the above applies to many of us. Unfortunately that is one way that the bad guys get into our accounts. When you forget your information, you have to ask for help and that is frustrating for both you and for the Web site you are wanting to visit.

All of these are reasons to give Roboform a serious look. You create a single master password for Roboform and it protects all of the other passwords. Anytime you visit a site and log in, Roboform will ask if you want to save the information. You can choose to keep it or not. When you visit that page in the future, one click on the Roboform toolbar will fill and submit the login. Of course, this is only available if you have successfully entered the master password at the beginning of your browsing session.

This is really helpful when you need to create a new password for a site. Typically you enter something really basic. Roboform will generate a crazy complex password for you. It is a password so complex that no human would ever remember (or guess) it. Since Roboform saves it for you, you don't have to remember it. And the bad guys will never crack it!

This only touches on how Roboform can both makes your browsing safer and make it easier for you. I would go crazy without it. Download the free trial and give it a spin. I know that you'll love it if you give it a try. Then you'll need to purchase a license. For me, it was money well spent for the time it has saved and the security it provides.

We Give Thanks

2009-11-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I provided you with a link to the 4YEOTHANKS dingbat font as one example of Thanksgiving designs. With the holiday less than a week away, we need another appropriate font to use. We Give Thanks is another dingbat font with some really intricate designs appropriate for the holiday. Now that we have the fonts we need, it is time to start thinking about all the great food to be shared.

Select All Tricks

2009-11-19T01:00:00.001-07:00

When working in CorelDRAW, as well as most any other software, pressing Ctrl + A will select all. By default in CorelDRAW, it select all objects in your drawing. But there are a few tricks you can use to select other things. If a guideline is selected when you press Ctrl + A, it will select all guidelines. If a node is selected, it will select all nodes. Of course this information is included in my CorelDRAW X4 Unleashed book, but I have forgotten it until I was reading one of the chapters today.

Canon 7D DSLR

2009-11-18T01:00:00.002-07:00

It seems like everywhere I go these days, the signs of Christmas are quite evident. So in my next few Hump Day Hardware posts I'm going to talk about some toys that you might want to get yourself as a present. We'll start out with a great new DSLR from Canon, the Canon 7D. The link goes to the version with a 28-135mm lens, but you can also buy it without a lens.

Inside you'll find an 18.0 megapixel CMOS sensor to capture high-resolution photos. So that your shots are clear, there is a 19 point autofocus system. It also can shoot video in HD. For those who like to shoot in low light, you can set the ISO as high as 6400.

If you are in the market for a DSLR, this is definitely a camera that should be on your short list!

Using OpenType Features: Figure Styles

2009-11-17T01:00:00.001-07:00

Today we're going to return to a tutorial teaching you more about fonts. Using OpenType Features: Figure Styles gives you a wonderful description of the different types of figures and ways to use them in Adobe InDesign.

To use special characters like this in CorelDRAW, open the Insert Symbol Character Docker (Ctrl + F11) and navigate to the font of your choice. The bad news is that CorelDRAW just flat out can't access every character in an OpenType font. That means you may not be able to use all of the cool characters described in this tutorial. While I can't give you magic access to these characters, I do encourage you to let Corel know you want the ability to access all characters in an OpenType font. The more they hear about it, the more likely we'll get this problem rectified in the future.

GDG Click-It! Contours and Shadows

2009-11-16T01:00:00.003-07:00

When you are working with Contours in CorelDRAW, the options provided don't give you a choice for the type of corners you want. GDG Click It! Contours & Shadows allows you to choose between rounded and beveled corners. You can also apply a Contour to multiple shapes at the same time instead of being limited to only a single object. This gives you more flexibility and allows you to work faster than the built-in options. On top of that are three different options for adding shadows to objects. That's a lot of great features in one package!

Fashion Graphics Women

2009-11-15T01:00:00.001-07:00

If you design garment graphics, you definitely want to check out YouGraph's Fashion Graphics Women collection. It includes a total of 30 fantastic designs that are ready to use or even to modify. Not sure if it is right for you? Download a free sample and check it out.

Wilcom DecoStudio e1.5

2009-11-14T01:00:00.003-07:00

Not all users are aware of the amazing fashion designs that can be created in CorelDRAW. A really cool product for creating multidecorations is Wilcom DecoStudio e1.5 and now is a great time to give it a look if you haven't already. Why is it a great time? Because Corel is throwing in the DecoStudio PowerPack if you purchase before December 31, 2009!

First, let's go over what you get with Wilcom DecoStudio. I see it as two major components with the first one being CorelDRAW X4. CorelDRAW can be used to design artwork that will be digitized and/or artwork that will be printed on a garment. If you already know how to use CorelDRAW, you won't find that it works any different inside of the DecoStudio package. The other part is Wilcom's contribution and that is the embroidery digitizing software. You can design directly in DecoStudio or you can have your CorelDRAW artwork digitized automatically. Of course you can edit the digitized version after the conversion. When the design is all ready, it can be saved as a stitch file compatible with popular embroidery machines. If you want to see what it can do, visit the DecoStudio page for a video tutorial and more.

For a limited time, Corel is including the DecoStudio Power Pack (a $995 value) for free. So what exactly do you get? I've pasted the information below.

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As a helpful addition to Wilcom DecoStudio e1.5, the DecoStudio PowerPack is for those who want to add a bit more power and control. It is packed full of great tools! DecoStudio PowerPack includes:

Power Lettering Tools
- Team Names
- Letter Spacing
- Stitch Method control
- Vertical Baseline
New! Knife tool - cut whole shapes into separate objects, automatically re-sequencing the objects to avoid trims and cuts
Bonus! 6 month subscription to Wilcom ConceptShare™

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So if you have been thinking about digitizing artwork with CorelDRAW or switching from another flavor of embroidery software to DecoStudio, there couldn't be a better time to do it. You might even find that you can get a discount if you are trading in other embroidery software. Get all the details of Corel's special sale!

4YEOTHANKS Font

2009-11-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

That name is sure a mouthful. Canadian Thanksgiving has already passed and the US version is getting closer every day. That led me to a search for an appropriate font. 4YEOTHANKS is a dingbat font with some cute graphics related to the holiday. If you are hosting a feast at your home, this font is sure to help you make invitations.

Changing Outline Defaults

2009-11-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

A loyal reader recently asked me how to change the default outline to a hairline. Picking the thickness you want is pretty simple. The key is knowing how to change the default outline. With nothing selected in CorelDRAW, bring up the Outline Pen dialog box (just press F12). This will first trigger a dialog asking if you want to change the defaults for Graphic, Artistic Text or Paragraph Text. Make your selection, click OK and you'll get the Outline Pen dialog box. Anything you select will become the new default for the current document. If you wish it to be the default for all new documents, select Tools | Save Settings as Default and it will affect every new file you create.

This is just one of the thousands of information nuggets you'll find in my CorelDRAW X4 Unleashed book. The book may have an up-front cost, but it will deliver so much valuable information that it is an investment in boosting your productivity.

Speaking of business success, I wanted to give a shout out about a really good blog posted by the folks at Geekpreneur called How to Be a Lucky Entrepreneur. At times I have been accused of being lucky in business. Yet I think a large part of it has to do with my attitude and this post gives you some tips on how you can be lucky if you have the right attitude.

CorelDRAW X4 and Color Management Bundles

2009-11-11T09:15:00.001-07:00

Corel has put together several holiday bundles that combine CorelDRAW X4 with tools to help you master the art of color management. There are introductory, advanced and professional bundles available and all of them are at special prices good through November 24, 2009. If you want to get an even better deal, use the coupon code "UNLEASHED12" without the quotes to save an additional 10%! Check out all the bundles now!

Canon VIXIA HF S11 Camcorder

2009-11-11T01:00:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to make a decision on whether I want to include video of myself in future products. If the decision is to include that video, I'll need to get a good camcorder. That has led me on a search for a really good HD camera. If I were to buy today, I'd get the Canon VIXIA HS S11 Camcorder. It can store 6 hours of HD content or 24 hours of SD content using the 64 GB of internal storage.

For those who need more storage space, you can also use SDHC cards to add more. The sensor captures full 1080p (1920x 1080 pixels) for amazing clarity. The one knock on the camera mentioned by reviewers is that the battery only lasts about 90 minutes. I don't see that as a big problem. If you are going to need to shoot for a longer amount of time without the ability to plug in, just buy another battery or two or three. I hope to make my decision in the next month and I'll follow up in a future post if I end up getting this camcorder.

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Last week I wrote about the Linksys WUSB300N-RM Wireless Adapter. A loyal reader asked if the adapter would work with Windows 7 since there were no recent driver updates on the Linksys Web site. I decided to give it a try on my Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit) machine and it worked just fine. So if you were concerned that you couldn't get Windows 7 drivers for this adapter, you don't need to worry any longer.

Urban Myths, CorelDRAW Users and a Tutorial

2009-11-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have a few short messages to go along with the tutorial of the day.

Yesterday I got an e-mail from someone I don't know. I can't only guess it was a loyal reader. Yet it is the type of e-mail that all of us get too often. This particular message was talking about the worst virus ever and suggesting that it be sent to everyone you know to minimize the damage done by the virus. Yet it was nothing but a hoax just like almost every message you get that says "please forward to everyone you know". It took me all of fifteen seconds to do a search on Google and to find numerous Web sites which dispelled the message.

Why am I telling you this story? Because the only way messages like this get stopped is if users stop forwarding them to everyone they know. If you get a message that sounds too good and/or too bad to be true and it is asking you to forward it, please do some research first! If you don't want to do the research, don't forward it!

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I think there are times that we as CorelDRAW users feel bad because we don't use the "industry standard". I'll save my speech on industry standards for another day, because the people who spread that label are misinformed. Anyways, I was as a party hosted by my printer the other day. I was chatting with someone that I knew was one of his customers and it came out that she used CorelDRAW. She was thrilled that she had met someone who knew all about CorelDRAW and could appreciate the smart decision she made to use it.

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Today's tutorial comes from Roy Brewer, an engraving equipment supplier, and it covers some great ways to use the Print Merge facility in CorelDRAW. It is a free video, so enjoy!

eCut for CorelDRAW

2009-11-09T01:00:00.001-07:00

Do you cut vinyl from artwork you've created in CorelDRAW? While some cutters can be driven directly, most of them will benefit by having software to optimize the artwork before sending to the cutter. eCut for CorelDRAW is a new add-on for CorelDRAW that will do just that. It handles nesting, perimeter and area calculations, cost calculations and much more. If you are cutting vinyl, you want to check out this new add-on!

Tribal Turtle

2009-11-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

I've always loved the various Hawaiian images for common animals such as turtles. Today's vector turtle graphic is somewhat of a cross between the Hawaiian symbol and something a bit more tribal. I still haven't quite figured what I can find a use for this cool graphic, but I'm sure it will find a way into a project soon.

BlueScreenView Helps Diagnose the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

2009-11-07T01:00:00.001-07:00

I've been fairly lucky with most of my computers over the past five years. Rarely have I seen the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). For those not familiar with this name, it shows when Windows had a very serious problem. The name comes because the screen is blue with a lot of unintelligible white text. At least normal humans don't understand it.

Unfortunately I've seen 10-15 blue screens of death with my new computer. Some would say it has something to do with running Windows 7. I don't think the fault is truly with Windows 7. Typically the BSOD is caused by a bad driver or something else really low level such an anti-virus utilities. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to pinpoint the problem based solely on the information on the blue screen.

That leads me to NirSoft BlueScreenView (free download at very bottom of the page). It can read the "dump" files created when you get a BSOD error. Admittedly you still have some pretty technical information to decipher, but it is a lot more helpful than the blue screen itself. Since installing BlueScreenView over a week ago, I've only had one BSOD and I think I've solved the problem. My best guess is that it was a combination of a bad driver that has since been updated and a bad desktop gadget that I no longer use.

While the process was a bit frustrating, BlueScreenView definitely gave me enough details that I could hunt down the problem. I think some of the issue was that drivers for Windows 7 were really new and that will resolve itself quickly now that large number of users are moving to Windows 7. If you are getting the dreaded BSOD, get a copy of BlueScreenView and start diagnosing.

Origami Font

2009-11-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated with some of the things created with Origami. Today's font shares a name with the ancient method of folding paper into unique shapes, but doesn't really have anything to do with origami. The characters all do have various lines at 45 degree angles and something that looks like a fold mark, but that is about the only connection. I just think it looks cool and would be perfect for headlines on the right project.

The Many Flavors of EPS Files

2009-11-05T01:00:00.029-07:00

We'll start out today with some tips on working with EPS files and then I'm asking for your help in answering a user's question. The first thing you need to understand about EPS files is that they were never meant to be edited. Read that sentence again. This means if you are able to edit an EPS file, you should consider it a bonus. Many EPS files will flat out fail when you try to edit them. This is not the fault of CorelDRAW, but rather that EPS files were never meant to be edited. Corel has done a good job of allowing us to edit many EPS files and we should be thankful for that.

The next thing to understand is that there are numerous flavors of EPS files. For many years, Adobe Illustrator files were a flavor of EPS. Those files will most likely import into CorelDRAW just fine though effects like gradient fills will be made up of numerous strips. Probably the worst thing I hear from users is when they export a file from CorelDRAW to EPS and then immediately try to re-import the EPS file to test it. Folks, you aren't testing anything! The file could import into CorelDRAW just fine and fail on the other end. Or it could fail to import and work just fine on the other end. If someone is blindly asking for an EPS file, you should ask them how they are planning to use the EPS file. Do they expect it to be editable? If so, you should probably export to a different format like Adobe Illustrator. Are they simply placing the file and printing it? EPS and/or PDF are probably the right choice in this situation but re-importing them won't prove anything to you.

For those who often work with suppliers requesting data, you should really get to know the file formats in depth so that you can supply functional artwork. You also need to fully understand the process on their end since many file formats come in a wide variety of flavors.

A user posted a very interesting question in the Graphics Unleashed Discussion Forums this week. A common type of graphic in the world of screen printing is a football or basketball complete with the texture of the ball. The person asking the question isn't sure how to successfully re-create the texture using spot colors and would love to hear suggestions. With all the screen printers reading this blog, I'm sure there is someone who can help. While visiting the forums, don't hesitate to post your own questions.

Linksys WUSB300N-RM Wireless N USB Adapter

2009-11-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

These days it is pretty common that a new laptop will contain some sort of wireless adapter. Yet that doesn't mean that it supports the latest technology. What about connecting your desktop computer via wireless? In any of those situations, it is a good idea to have a wireless adapter that connects via USB.

Both of the situations ring true for me. My laptop doesn't support 802.11n and it doesn't work very well if it is more than 50 feet from a router. I also have a desktop computer that isn't near an Ethernet port. That led me to a search for USB wireless adapters and I think I found a great mix of a powerful component at a very reasonable price in the Linksys WUSB300N-RM Wireless N USB Adapter. The "RM" in the name stands for refurbished which helps to keep the price down to only $24.99. At that price, I didn't hesitate to get one for both my laptop and desktop. It also could be handy if you have a guest in your office (or your home) who needs to connect to your wireless network. One of my friends always keeps a USB wireless adapter handy for guests in his home.

The Evils of Using JPEG Files

2009-11-03T01:00:00.010-07:00

Not a day goes by without seeing a situation where someone has used a JPEG file in a situation where another format should have been used instead. Today's tutorial, The Evils of Using JPEG Files, goes over many of the reasons why you shouldn't use JPG files. Even if you feel you understand JPEG files, I encourage you to read this tutorial at least once. Yes, JPEG files have their place and I use them regularly. The key is knowing when JPEG is the right choice and when it should be avoided.

Noisia Applications Color Spectrum Pro

2009-11-02T01:00:00.010-07:00

When you are printing something for a client, it can sometimes be tough to match the exact color they desire. Even if you select a specific set of CMYK values or a Pantone color, the output may not be the color wanted by your client. That's where Noisia Applications Color Spectrum Pro will come to the rescue.

Select the color you are trying to match and this macro will generate a series of color swatches near the selected color. If the original color doesn't match, the idea is that one of the nearby colors may do the trick. For those who need an exact color, this macro could be a job saver.

2010 Calendars

2009-11-01T01:00:00.006-07:00

As we get closer to the end of 2009, it becomes more important to get a calendar for 2010. The folks at Xerox have put together some nice 2010 calendars in PDF format that you can download. While you might be able to import the PDF into CorelDRAW for editing, be very careful about how you use the calendars so as not to violate any copyrights. If nothing else, use the calendars to inspire you to create a unique calendar for your customers.