Assignment #7 - Using a Graphics Package - Corel Draw

Set April 1 - due April 15

The purpose of this exercise is to show you how easy it is to create several kinds of illustrations using a graphics package; in this case we will be using CorelDraw.

The difference between this package and PSI-plot is that in Corel Draw you can manipulate either freehand or imported graphics packages using a wide range of tools. PSI-plot is limited to present a fixed number of graphical options for prescribed data.

Clearly one might take many months to learn such a package in details. Here you will have only a few hours to get acquainted with some of the basic features of Corel Draw.

1. Simple Shapes

Start Corel Draw, open a new graph (File/New/Document).

Q1: What are the menus and tool bars that appear?

Note the 'pick' tool defined by a short arrow at the top of the vertical toolbar. This tool enables you to choose and manipulate objects in the window. It should be clicked whenever you wish to select and position new elements for your graphic image.A single [LC] will normally bring up the objects `re-size handles'. A second [LC] will bring up the `rotate handles' with which you can drag and rotate the image.

Reproduce the shapes and text exactly as in Figure 1, using the tools down the left hand side of the window and one or two of the roll ups. Proceed as follows:

(A) Start with the rectangle. Drag it to 6" wide by 1" inch high. Use the Align and Distribute roll-up to center the image horizontally on the page. Make a grey fill. Label inside using the text tool (letter `A') using Arial typeface, regular font, size 48.

(B) Make a circle using the ellipse tool (hold down the Ctrl key), with a diameter of 2". Use Edit/Duplicate to make a second identical circle; drag it to the side and make it smaller using a corner handle. Duplicate the second circle to make a third smaller circle as shown. Use the Align and Distribute roll-up to line up the 3 circles with a hypothetical horizontal line at the base.

Q2: How do you select all 3 circles at once?

Color the three circles red, white and blue. Using the Arrange/Order command, move the white circle to the back.

(C) Using the Arrange/Group command, make the 3 circles a single object, duplicate it and then rotate and re-position the duplicate object tot he right of the original, as shown.

(D) Using the Freehand Tool (the crayon tip with the squiggly line underneath), make a connected triangle. To do this, click once to set the starting vertex and then double click the second vertex to complete one line and start the second, repeat for the third vertex and then complete the triangle with a single click on the first vertex. If you have succeeded, the triangle may be filled with a color (e.g. yellow). Using the Outline Tool, click on the Pen Nib to open the Outline Pen dialog box. Change the line type to dashed and the thickness to 0.05". Then use a fountain fill, the Fill Tool at the bottom of the vertical toolbar in the shape of a bucket, to fill the triangle from yellow to green using a fountain fill.

Label the plot; the finished result should resemble Figure 1.

2. Bezier Curves

A Bezier curve is a curve defined by a mathematical formula such that the curvature is associated with a set of nodes. Each node has two handles associated with it that can be dragged by the mouse to vary the curvature, and hence the shape, of the curve.

For each stage, label your curves as in Figure 2.

(A) Using the Freehand Tool make a St. Louis Arch by double clicking each node (except the first and last) twice. Using the Outline Tool, make the thickness exactly 0.1".

(B) Now start a second arch using a diagonal line from bottom left to top right (B1), making sure there are no intermediate nodes. Select this line and click on the Shape Tool; note the mouse pointer changes to a larger arrowhead with no tail. Double click on the topmost node and the Node Edit menu should appear. Select the icon with the curve and two handles, the two handles should appear on the diagonal line. Now drag the two handles until the line has been bent into a half-arch shape (B2). Now select the half arch and use the Arrange/Transform/Scale and Mirror command to bring up the Scale and Mirror roll up. Select scale 100% and horizontal mirror, Apply to Duplicate. The half arch will now appear as a mirror image; position this to form a complete Arch (B3).

Q3: What is the difference between B3 and A?

Finally, duplicate the Arch and copy to a free area. Using the Shape Tool, modify the central nodes until you have changed the single arch into a Double Arch. Go and get a hamburger; when you return, you can try the final exercise.

3. Reproducing a Geological Cartoon

Copy the file ex7.jpg from the course Web page to your home directory. You will use this as the basis for your own figure. The idea is for you to copy this graphic as closely as you can (and time permits) in outline, color and text, using the abilities of Corel Draw.

There are two different approaches to creating a new figure:

(a) Start from scratch, opening a new graphic and copying the paper printout of the original as closely as you can.

(b) Using the original as a template, trace over the graphic with new lines, fills and text. The original can be deleted behind the new graph you create, and then restored with the Edit/Undo command as you proceed.

Hand in your answers and the three sheets for Figures 1, 2 and 3.

End of Assignment 7.