03 - What's new part 2 of 2
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In X6 there is a new tool bar called the [Layout Toolbar].
This toolbar helps work with text. Learn more in upcoming projects.
Selecting [Z] on the keyboard zoom into this area.
We can now insert placeholder text into a text frame.
[Right Click] & choose [Insert Placeholder text].
The text comes from a file saved into 'My Documents'.
[Baseline Grid] is also new to X6. Go to [View] [Grid] & select.
[Baseline Grid] is used to align text within text frames.
Right click on text frame & choose [Align to Baseline Grid]
the text aligns to the grid.
Do the same with each text frame
to perfectly align text layouts.
[Power Clipping] has been improved.
Select this frame, right click,
then choose [Frame Type] [Create Empty Powerclip Frame].
An X appears inside the Powerclip frame.
I can then select an image such as this one, or an object,
and place it inside the Powerclip frame.
Now select the Powerclip,
a new [Powerclip Toolbar] appears, choose from.
Select Powerclip contents to move, extract contents
or various options to fit the contents to frame.
Also new to X6, are [Alignment guides].
With [Alignment Guides] turned on, this Powerclip
Displays the alignment guides as I move it
helping align to the other objects in the design;
the edge of page or object, etc.
Once aligned, release the object for perfect placement.
It is now possible to add page numbers.
Go to [Layout] [Insert Page Number],
choose [On All Pages].
Change color, font type & size etc.
Manually reposition wherever required.
E.G. place to the far right side,
& it will appear on every page in that location.
If placed center, it will appear center on every page.
learn more about page layout by
reviewing the videos called 'Working with Page Layout'.
X6 ships with a number of Open Type fonts.
Here are a few of the highly regarded typefaces.
For this demonstration, select Gabriola.
The best way to work with type is using the improved [Object Docker]
Go to [Window] [Dockers] & the [Object Properties Docker].
This new section highlights if a typeface has Open Type features.
There are greyed out features,
and for this typeface there are some active features.
E.G. turn on 'Stylistic Set', & I choose a feature,
notice the effect applied to the typeface.
For an alternate method, double click on the text for the 'Text tool'
select characters to affect & a little arrow appears.
Click the arrow to see a visual display
of Open Type features available for the selected text.
Working with Open Type is very easy.
Generally, Open Type features are used by professionals,
and CorelDRAW X6 makes it very easy.
There is a new docker called the [Object Styles Docker]
Go to [Window] [Dockers] & [Object Styles].
A style is a group of formatting attributes that defines the properties of an object.
E.G. click the + alongside 'Styles',
Choose any of the properties to create a style.
E.G. create a 'Fill' style.
From the docker adjust the fill style.
use a fountain fill, pattern fill, texture etc.
After defining the parameters of the style,
Select one or more objects & apply.
To select objects based on the styles that have been applied.
Right click & choose [Select Objects Using this Style].
It is also possible to create Style Sets.
A Style Set is a collection of styles that defines the appearance of an object.
E.G. click + to create a new style set.
From the flyout choose properties to be part of the style set.
You can choose more than one.
Click [Outline], then choose [Fill]
to build up the attributes of this style set.
Its easy to change colors or outline properties.
Now select an object & click apply.
Adopt properties from an object.
Right click on the style set & choose [Copy Properties From],
E.G. copy the gradient fill, then
Select an object & [Apply to Selected].
It’s easy to build up a number of styles
and apply the styles in your design.
Using the same method as with the logo,
copying the properties of text is also possible.
Right click the style set, then [Copy Properties From] & click on text.
The docker updates with character information including typeface,
fill, outline, etc.
Characters have their own fill & outline settings
& objects have their own settings also.
Now select the other text & click [Apply],
the text updates with the same attributes.
Default object properties can also be set here for any
of the objects types created during design.
After creating object styles & or defaults,
They can be exported as a style sheet for import later
or passing on to another designer.
These settings can also be set as new document defaults
for use in every newly created document.
There is also another new docker found in the [Tools Menu]
called the [Color Styles docker].
There are two sections to this docker.
The top section creates a color style
which can be used to create a harmony.
Select an object & drag onto the harmony area,
The colors from the object are placed in a folder
to create a harmony set of colors.
Click [OK].
Select the harmony folder to activate the 'Harmony Editor'.
The editor does many things, e.g. rotate through colors,
the colors change in harmony,
offering alternate color combinations.
Select any color & move any color node
to a different location in the 'Harmony Editor' for different looks.
Deselect when finished and then
rotate through different color combinations.
This is a great way to create alternative color ideas.
Select an object then double click on a color well
to apply that color to the object.
Now that object will change in harmony with the other colors.
Drag & drop the color grey to this upper area,
then select the left object & right click on the grey to apply a grey outline,
then repeat the same process with the object on the right.
Rotating no longer affects the grey outlines,
as they are not part of the harmony set.
However, the grey can be independently changed
so that both objects update.
As you can see, the new [color Styles docker]
provides complete control over colorizing vector images.
Color styles can be exported as a style sheet
or saved as 'New Document Defaults'.
