Corel DESIGNER Help | Drawing calligraphic, pressure-sensitive, and preset lines

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Drawing calligraphic, pressure-sensitive, and preset lines

Corel DESIGNER 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 appear as closed shapes drawn with a pencil. You can control the thickness of a calligraphic line by changing the angle of the line that you draw in relation to a specified calligraphic angle. For example, when the line that 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.

By using either a mouse or a pressure-sensitive pen and graphics tablet, you can create pressure-sensitive lines that vary in thickness. 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.

An image drawn by using two different linear pattern lines: calligraphic lines (left), and flat preset lines (right).

You can use preset lines to create thick strokes of various shapes.After you draw a calligraphic or preset line, you can apply a fill to it. For information about applying fills, see Filling objects.

To draw a calligraphic line

In the toolbox, click the Linear pattern tools button, and then click the Calligraphic tool

Type a value in the Calligraphic angle box on the property bar.

Drag until the line is the shape you want.


You can also
Set the width of the line	Type a value in the Stroke width box on the property bar.
Smooth the edges of the line	Type a value in the Freehand smoothing box on the property bar.
Apply transformations to line thickness when scaling	Click the Scale stroke with object button on the property bar.
Hide the bounding box for drawing	Click the Bounding box button on the property bar.

The width you set is the maximum line width. The angle of the line you draw in relation to the calligraphic angle determines the line’s actual width.

You can also access calligraphic lines by clicking Effects

Linear patterns and specifying the settings that you want in the Linear patterns docker.

To draw a pressure-sensitive line

In the toolbox, click the Linear pattern tools button, and then click the Pressure tool

If you are using the mouse, press the Up arrow or Down arrow to simulate changes in pen pressure, which change the width of the line.

Drag until the line is the shape you want.


You can also
Set the width of the line	Type a value in the Stroke width box on the property bar.
Smooth the edges of the line	Type a value in the Freehand smoothing box on the property bar.
Apply transformations to line thickness when scaling	Click the Scale stroke with object button on the property bar.
Hide the bounding box for drawing	Click the Bounding box button on the property bar.

The width you set represents the line’s maximum width. The amount of pressure that you apply determines the line’s actual width.

To draw a preset line

In the toolbox, click the Linear pattern tools button, and click the Linear pattern preset tool

Choose a line shape from the Preset stroke list box on the property bar.

Drag until the line is the shape you want.


You can also
Set the width of the line	Type a value in the Stroke width box on the property bar.
Smooth the edges of the line	Type a value in the Freehand smoothing box on the property bar.
Apply transformations to line thickness when scaling	Click the Scale stroke with object button on the property bar.
Hide the bounding box for drawing	Click the Bounding box button on the property bar.

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