Corel Graphics Suite

Drawing lines

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CorelDRAW lets you draw all kinds of different lines, from curved or straight lines to calligraphic lines. You can create a line that is drawn as you drag the mouse. You can create segments that are straight and curved in the same line. You can draw straight or curved segments and then add one node at a time. You can also draw a curve by specifying width and height.

You can draw a curved line by specifying its width (left), specifying its height (center), and clicking the page (right).

Some lines have nodes and control points that you can manipulate to shape lines as you draw. For information about node types, see "Working with curve objects" on page 101.

You can draw multi-segment lines using the Bézier tool, by clicking each time you want the line to change direction.

You can draw curves using the Bezier tool, by dragging the control points at the ends of the Bezier curve.

CorelDRAW also lets you simulate the effect of a calligraphic pen when you draw lines. Calligraphic lines vary in thickness according to the direction of the line and the angle of the pen nib. By default, calligraphic lines display as closed shapes drawn with a pencil. You can control the thickness of a calligraphic line by changing the angle of the line you draw in relation to the calligraphic angle you choose. For example, when the line you draw is perpendicular to the calligraphic angle, the line is at the maximum thickness specified by the pen width. Lines drawn at the calligraphic angle, however, have little or no thickness.

A calligraphic pen allows you to draw lines of various thicknesses.

CorelDRAW lets you create pressure-sensitive lines which vary in thickness. You can create this effect using the mouse or a pressure-sensitive pen and graphics tablet. Both methods result in lines with curved edges and varying widths along a path. For information about using a pressure-sensitive pen on a graphics tablet, see the manufacturer's instructions.

A flower drawn by using three different artistic media lines: calligraphic lines (left), pressure-sensitive lines (center), and the lineflatpreset line (right).

CorelDRAW provides preset lines that let you create thick strokes in a variety of shapes. After you draw a calligraphic or preset line, you can apply a fill to it as you would to any other object. For information about applying fills, see "Filling objects" on page 141.