Create a smoke effect in CorelDraw

Many times I used smoke effect to create an attractive designs, I searched on net about smoke effect for corel, just because I want to find more easy way to create this effect,  but can’t satisfied with other tutorials. So I am inspired to write this tutorial. In this tutorial you will learn how to create a smoky effect in Corel Draw X5.

Final Image :

STEP 1 : Background

Open a new blank document in CorelDraw. Draw a rectangle with RECTANGLE TOOL. Select it and applied black (or any dark color). This is our background.

STEP 2 : Draw lines

Now chose a FREEHAND TOOL and draw a line anywhere like shown in below screenshot. Draw two three more lines.

 

 

STEP 3 : ARTISTIC MEDIA TOOL

Select all lines that you draw in step 2. Chose an ARTISTIC MEDIA TOOL, select category calligraphy and  Chose BRUSHSTROKS both are marked as an arrow in below screenshot.


Your lines are converting into your selected Brushstrokes.

STEP 4 : Applying Color

Now apply any light color on your lines.

STEP 5 : OUTLINE PEN TOOL

Make sure that all lines were selected. Chose OUTLINE PEN TOOL remove outline by clicking on NO OUTLINE.

STEP 6 : Converting Vector in bitmap

Put your lines on our dark background which we made on 1st STEP. In the next step you have to apply blur your lines, but you cant blur vector lines. So we have to convert all lines group object into bitmap. Follow these steps to convert it into bitmap. (Make sure all lines were selected).
TOP MENUBAR > BITMAPS > CONVERT TO BITMAP
You can chose DPI also in coming up next little window. Your Brushed lines are converted into bitmap now.
 

STEP 7 : Blur bitmap image

To create a smoky effect, you have to blur your lines bitmap image. Follow these steps.
TOP MENUBAR > BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR

In coming up next small window, you can set Blur radius, For best result set it around 20.

STEP 8 : Apply Ripple Distort

Now follow these steps to add some ripple effect on your lines bitmap image.
TOP MENUBAR > BITMAPS > DISTORT > RIPPLE

In coming up next small  window Period and amplitude to give a wave effect.
 
Your smoke effect is ready now.
Done !!!
You can use this trick on texts also. You have to Break apart of text and also convert into curve.

 

EXAMPLE :

Modify existing font using Shape Tool.

If you work as a designer many time you need some special fonts or you want modify only one or two letter. As topic says itself you can make your own font in Corel Draw, means you can customize your own font.
Well you can export it also in .TTF (True Type Font) in Corel and install it in windows default FONT directory, but it is very complicated process.  To save your objects in .TTF, you have to define every modified character with alphabets. So why to go with this method if you don’t need it.
In my previously posted tutorials Convert to curves an object  and Break a part artistic text, you already learn some modification of objects using SHAPE TOOL. So now I am going to tell you how to modify font with this TOOL.  

Modified Text Final Image:

STEP 1: TEXT TOOL

Chose a TEXT TOOL. Click anywhere you like and  type some text whatever you like.

STEP 2: TEXT FORMATING

Select Font and Font-size whatever like shown in below picture.

Step 3: Break apart and Converting to curves

Select your whole text and Break artistic text apart.
(See here for more details: Break a part artistic text)
Now your all letter is an object. Select all objects that you want to modify. Convert to curves your selected object.
(See here for more details: Convert to curves an object)
Your all selected objects are now free to manipulation.

STEP 4: Using SHAPE TOOL

Select any letter that you want to modify and chose SHAPE TOOL.
   
Now SHAPE TOOL BAR is enabled as shown in below screenshot. SHAPE TOOL BAR allow you to ADD NODS, DELETE NODS, JOIN TWO NODS, BREAK CURVE, CONVERT TO LINE, CONVER TO CURVE,  CUPS NOD, SMOOTH NOD, SEMETRICAL NOD, and many more….
 

Zoom in to your object till you feel comfort to modify it (Roll-over and Roll-Down your mouse Roller for zoom-in and zoom-out).
To know more about SHAPE TOOL visit my previously posted article “Use of SHAPE TOOL in Corel Draw”.
 
Select all and group it.
Finally you can add some cool Shadow effects to make it more attractive.

Modification:

    

Few Examples:

Use of SHAPE TOOL in CorelDraw

SHAPE TOOL:

If you want to be a good designer, you must be a master in use of SHAPE TOOL. This is a very useful tool to make your own imaginable design.  In this post I am trying to guide you about SHAPE TOOL.

You can use this tool on any object to modify it’s shape, even you can use it on text after convert it to curve. 

SHAPE TOOLBAR:

When you select an object and chose SHAPE TOOL this TOOLBAR will be automatically enabled. Here we have many deferent types SHAPE TOOLS for manipulate an object. Now I am going to introduce almost all tools of SHAPE TOOLBAR. 

• Add Nodes

This tool increase the number of editable line segments in the curve object by adding nodes. see in below screenshot, after selection of second line I just clicked on ADD NODES TOOL and this line have many nodes for manipulate it. Click  one or more times on this tool, depends on how many nodes you want.

• Delete Nodes

This tool reshape the curve object by deleting nodes. Look at below screenshot, If I delete these two nodes which I marked on first line, Shape would be change like second line.

• Join two nodes

This tool join the starting node and the end node of an open path to create a closed object or path. Look at below screenshot, If I delete these two nodes which I marked on first line, Shape would be change like second line.

• Break curve

This tool break a path in the open or closed curve object. Select a nod and clock on this tool, it will break he curve line.

• Convert to line and convert to curve

If your line segment is in curve, “Convert to line” tool convert it into line and if your line segment is in line, “Convert to curve” convert it into curve.

• Cups Node

This tool create a sharp angle in the curve by converting the node to a cups node.

• Smooth Node

This tool will smooth the roundness of the curve by converting the node to a smooth node.

• Symmetrical Node

This tool can apply the same curve shape to both sides of the node.

• Reverse Direction

This tool can Reverse the position of the starting node and the end node.

I hope this article will help you. Please do comments if you like it.

Convert to curves an object in Corel Draw.

Sometimes you face many problems when you play with an objects in Corel Draw. You don’t want default objects like Circle, Rectangle, Polygon  etc… you want your own made shaped object but can’t edit default shape’s objects. Well only one click can help you to converting an objects to curves.

How to convert an object to curve?

To convert an object to curve, select an object with PICK TOOL and follow these steps.
TOP MENUBAR > ARRANGE > CONVERT TO CURVES or CTRL + Q as shown in below screenshot.

 
This will help you to free an object to be manipulated with SHAPE TOOL.  You can also apply this trick on ellipse, an artistic texts and also on certain effects objects like envelops and perspective effects.

Example :

Well I made this object from above rectangle, Can you believe this??? You can made this type of many shapes and use it to create logos, designs, and your own art.

Break a part artistic text in Corel Draw

Well you already learn about TEXT TOOL in my previous tutorials Text reflection effect and Create a shadow effect. Now sometimes you feel that, you want only single word or single letter. In this tutorial you will learn How to break apart of text. Yes, Corel Draw can break it.

STEP 1: TEXT TOOL

Firstly, if you have any sentence (or you create it yourself like below picture) in text format.

STEP 2: Break apart (CTRL + K)

Now select whole sentence and follow these steps.
TOP MENUBAR > ARRANGE > BREAK ARTISTIC TEXT APART
Done…
 
Yes now you can see your whole sentence was break apart with single word. You can select any word now.
 
If you select a word and repeat step 2 again you can break a word with a single letter.


You can use this trick many times during your creation and make your work easy.

Highlighting bridal’s jewelry using Photopaint.

Many times you saw in wedding photo album, an artist made a photo of bride which is exposed only bride’s jewelries, and you surprised that how he do black and white photo with colored jewelry. Jewelry companies were also used this method for advertising.  Well, the basic advantage is that your eyes always concentrate on colored things, so your subconscious mind attract only on  jewelries.  yes Corel Photopaint can do this, I am going to post my own made trick to do this thing. After this tutorial you lost your surprise from your mind because anyone can do this who know some basic knowledge of Image manipulation.  

Final Image:

 

 

STEP 1 :

Well first of all we need color and black and white both images so  for our convenience make a duplicate copy of bride’s Image.

STEP 2: Opening Files

Open both Images in Corel Photopaint. These will open in two separate windows.

STEP 3: Convert colored image into grayscale.

Now maximize any one image. To convert your colored Image into Grayscale, follow these steps.

TOP MENUBAR > IMAGE > Convert to > Grayscale(16 bit)

 

STEP 4: Masking

With the help of RECTANGLE MASK TOOL masked on whole picture as shown in be below screenshot.

STEP 5: Create an Object

Now you have to create an object from this image so follow these step.

TOP MENUBAR > OBJECT > CREATE > OBJECT: COPY SELECTION or press CTRL + UPARROW.

You can see your whole image is now as an object.

 

 

STEP 6: Copy and Paste Object.

Now copy this object to clipboard, I mean to say press CTRL + C. Open our another colored photo’s window and paste that grayscale object on it. Now your grayscale object over on colored image, make sure both images are perfectly matched with each other (Don’t worry when you paste it they matched perfectly).

 

 

 

STEP 7: Erase grayscale image’s jewelry part

Now here in this step you will find that surprise trick. Select EREASER TOOL from left side TOOL BAR, and carefully erase grayscale image’s jewelry part only. You can zoom in your image for more perfection. For Zoom in and Zoom out Roll-over and Roll-down your mouse Roller.

 

 

STEP 8: Saving

Export your work in .JPG format.

Done!!!

 

Final Image:

See the difference between original edited image in below screenshot.

 

If you found this tutorial is useful for you, please do comments.