Adding Links to Paragraph Text

1. In CorelDRAW, go to Window > Toolbars > Internet.

   

2. The Internet toolbar should pop up.

   

3. Select the text you want to add a link to.

   

4. In the Internet toolbar, make sure Link is selected, and besides that, type your link.

   

5. If your text has been linked, it should be underlined and blue.

   

   Tip: You can change the color of the text freely. Your text will still be linked.

6. To remove the link from the text, you must delete the linked text and rewrite it.

Automatically Adding Links to Creative Text

CorelDRAW should automatically hyperlink any web address you add via Creative text. However, if this feature is not turned on, follow these steps.

1. Go to Tools > Options > CorelDRAW.

   

2. In the “Options window”, click on Text then QuickCorrect.

   

3. Make sure to have the Automatically create hyperlinks when typing web addresses checked.

   

Manually Adding Links to Creative Text

If you want to add a link to text that does not resemble a web address, here is how you can do it.

1. Go to Window > Dockers > Sources.

   

2. With the text selected, click on the New Link icon.

   

3. Type in the web address you want to link to.

   

4. Select the type of your web address from the drop menu, and the link will automatically be added.

   

5. To delete the link from the Creative text, first select the text. In the same “Sources” window, click on the link and press Delete on your keyboard.

Setting Up Your Document

1. Business cards tend to be rectangle-shaped, so the first thing to do is flip your page to a Landscape position.

   

2. Then resize the page to 88.9 mm x 50.9 mm, which is the standard size of most business cards.

   

Creating a Design

Before you start creating your business card in CorelDRAW, it is a good idea to have a sketch drawn on paper. This makes the process a lot easier. Here is a simple business card design you can create in CorelDRAW.

1. First, use the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle.

   

2. Adjust the width and height of the rectangle to be the same as the business card, 88.9 mm x 50.9 mm.

   

3. With the rectangle selected, press P on your keyboard (Shift + P on Mac). This will bring the rectangle to the center of the page.

   

4. Select the rectangle, and right-click on one of the colors from the color palette. Right-clicking on any color will color the selected object. To get rid of the black outline, left-click on the white square on top of the palette. Left-clicking on any color will outline the object with that color.

   

5. Make two rectangles of 44.45 mm x 25.45 mm with the Rectangle tool.

   

6. Place them on the bigger rectangle, as shown in the picture below. You can recolor them any way you want.

   

7. Click on the Ellipse tool, and draw a circle in the middle.

   

8. Adjust the width and height to be 32 mm x 39 mm. Color the ellipse however you want, and center it.

   

Adding Text

1. Click on the Text tool to add text.

   

2. Click anywhere while the Text tool is selected to write. You will have all the text formatting options in the “Property bar”.

   

Import Your Logo

No business card is complete without a company logo.

1. To import a logo, go to File > Import.

   

2. Locate the file, and click on Import. The import file should be a PNG.

   

3. When the logo is imported, place it wherever you want on the business card, and you’re done!

Printing Your Business Card

Business cards are most commonly printed on 14 or 16-point cardstock. This is the go-to industry standard for most businesses, as this paper is a bit thicker and more durable than your basic printer paper.

1. When you finish the business card, go to File > Print Preview.

   

2. Then, go to Settings > General.

   

3. Click on the Settings icon next to your chosen Printer.

   

4. Click on Advanced.

   

5. Choose the appropriate Paper Size (depending on your printer). In this case, we will choose the A4 format. Then, click on OK.

   

6. Click on the Imposition Layout Tool.

   

7. Then add as many copies that can fit on the chosen paper size with the “Property bar” options.

   

8. After that, go to File > Print, and the print should start.

   

Method #1: Use Inkscape

Inkscape is a free program that allows you to view and edit CDR files.

1. Go to InkScape.org, and download the program.

   

2. Once the program is installed, go to File > Open.

   

3. Locate the CDR file you wish to open and click on Open.

   

4. Then select the page you wish to open and click on OK.

   

Method #2: Use BitRecover

BitRecover is a free program perfect for viewing CDR files, although it doesn’t allow you to edit them.

1. Go to BitRecover.com and download the program.

   

2. The program should download quite fast. Once you install it, you can view your CDR files quickly.
3. To do this, open the BitRecover program, and go to File > Open.

   

4. Find the file you wish to open. Select it, and click on Open.

   

5. When the file opens, you will be able to scroll through the pages on the left side.

   

Method #3: Open the CDR file online

Different online apps allow you to open CDR files, such as GroupDocs. This is a free online app through which you can view, save as PDF, and print CDR files. But you cannot edit them.

1. Go to GroupDocs.app.

   

2. Click on the white square, and locate your CDR file. Then click on OK.

   

3. You can view all the pages of your .cdr file. If you want to print your document, click on the Print icon.

   

4. Adjust your printing settings, and click on Print.

   

5. You can also download the PDF version of your CDR file. To do this, click on Download PDF.

   

6. Choose where you wish to save the PDF download, and click on Save.

   

1. Click on the Eraser tool from the toolbox on the left.

   

2. In the “Property bar” on top, there will be a couple of Eraser tool options you can play around with. You can change the shape and size of your eraser. You can also adjust its proportions and even tilt it.

   

3. To use the Eraser tool, left-click and drag the eraser over the objects you wish to erase.

   

4. You can also erase in a straight line. With the Eraser tool selected, click once where you want the eraser to start, then click where you want the eraser to end. This will erase everything between those two points.

   

5. You can also pick a specific object to erase without affecting objects around it. Click on the Eraser tool, then left-click on the object you wish to alter. This way, only the selected object can be erased with the Eraser tool, while other objects will not be affected.

   

1. When creating a project that you wish to print afterward in CorelDRAW, make sure that you pay attention to the size of your page. The Page size should be the same as your printing paper.

   

2. You can also specify the custom Width and Height of your page.

   

3. CorelDRAW is created so that it only prints the objects that are within the Page size you specified. That page will have a grey outline.

   

   Tip: When creating projects in the program, you are able to draw outside of the Page size, but only what is inside the page will actually be printed.

5. Press Ctrl + P on your keyboard to open the printing properties. There you will be able to specify your printing options, such as choosing your printer, print range, number of copies, color, layout, etc.

   

6. You can click on the Print Preview to see how your project will be printed.

   

7. To exit the Print Preview, go to File > Close Print Preview.

   

8. If you are happy with how the Print Preview looked, close the preview and click Print. If your printer is connected properly, the printing should start.

   

1. Click on the Ellipse tool in the toolbar and draw a circle. Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) to draw a perfect circle.

   

2. Click on the Text tool, and then on the circle’s edge. This will make your text follow that edge.

   

3. Type your text, and format it however you want from the options in the Property bar.

   

4. To rotate your text and adjust its positioning, left-click on the text and move it around.

   

5. To delete just the circle (while leaving the text), left-click on the circle once to select it all, and then left-click on it again to select the circle alone. Then press Delete on your keyboard.

   

1. Open CorelDRAW and use the Text tool to write your text.

   

2. To format your text, select it with the Pick tool and use the options in the Property bar. You can choose whichever font and size you want.

   

3. You can color your text by clicking on the color from the palette on the right side. Left-clicking on a color will color the text, while right-clicking a color will give the text an outline of that color.

   

4. Once you are happy with your text, select the Extrude option in the toolbar.

   

5. Click and drag your text in any direction to create a simple 3D effect.

   

6. You will have additional extrude options in the “Property bar”. First, choose the Extrusion type you like the most.

   

7. Adjust the extrusion depth with the Depth option in the Property bar.

   

8. Extrusion rotation allows you to rotate the extrusion. When you click on Extrusion rotation, you will get a red number 3 logo. Click on the 3 and rotate it. This will automatically rotate your text. To undo all rotational changes, click on the undo icon below the 3.

   

9. If you want the extrusion to be a different color, click on the Extrusion color tool.

   

   Use Object Fill will color both the text and the extrusion the same color.

   

   Use Solid Color will color the extruded part of the text with a solid color.

   

   Use Color Shading will give the extruded part a gradient from one color to the other.

   

10. Extrusion bevels allow you to create beveled edges on your 3D text. Beveled edges can add a 3D effect to your text by making the edges seem sloped (cut at an angle). You can also select the Show bevel only option to only see the bevel you made.

    

11. Lighting lets you apply light effects to your extruded area. To apply the light, you will have to choose one of the three lighting options and adjust the strength of the light.

    

12. To remove any extrusions of your text, click on Clear Extrude.

    

Creating the Outline

To make a unique label, you can combine a couple of basic shapes to get a completely new one. In this example, we will combine a curved rectangle with a hexagon to get the perfect outline for our label.

1. Open CorelDRAW, Create a New Document and turn it to a Landscape orientation from the top menu bar.

   

2. Draw a rectangle with the Rectangle tool. You can specify the width and height of the rectangle in the Property bar. In this case, the rectangle is 130 x 56 mm.

   

3. To make the edges of the rectangle curved, adjust the Corner radius. Here, we put 100 mm.

   

4. Click on the Polygon tool, draw a polygon, and place it in the center of the rectangle. In our example, the Polygon should be 87 x 128 mm, and have six sides.

   

5. Select both objects with the Pick tool, and click on Weld. This will combine the two objects into one.

   

6. Select your new object and press Ctrl + C, then Ctrl + V to copy/paste it in place.
7. Then select the copy of the object, and resize it by moving the small black squares while holding Shift.

   

8. Create another rectangle (110 x 43 mm), adjust the Corner radius to 118 mm, and place it in the center.

   

Coloring the Label

1. Click on the Smart Fill tool.

   

2. While Smart Fill is selected, click on the different closed curves of your object. This should make them all the same color.

   

3. To recolor those objects, click on the object you want to recolor with the Pick tool, choose any color from the color palette, and left-click on that color.

   

   Note: Left-clicking a color will color the closed object, while right-clicking a color will color the outline of that object.

Adding Text to Your Label

1. Click on the Text tool.

   

2. Type your text and format it to your liking using the options in the Property bar.

   

   Note: After you are done with your project that consists of more than one object, it is always a good idea to group the objects. Select the objects and press Ctrl + G (CMD + G on Mac) on your keyboard. Grouped objects are easier to move around.

Using the property bar

1. Select the object or image that you wish to flip.
2. In the “Property bar” click on Mirror horizontally. This will flip any image, object, or text you have selected horizontally. Select Mirror vertically if you want to flip the image or object vertically.

   

Using CTRL and drag

1. The second method also requires you to start by selecting the image or object.
2. While holding CTRL on your keyboard, click on the midpoint on one of the sides of the selected object/image.

   

3. Then, simply drag the midpoint to the other side of the picture while still holding CTRL, and the object/image should flip.

   

Starting and converting your sketch into a vector drawing

1. Open Corel, and select Create a New Document.
2. Import your sketch into CorelDRAW. You can do this by going to File > Import. The file should be any file type imported into CorelDRAW, such as AI, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, CPT, CDR, PCX, PDF, TIFF, etc.

   

3. Locate the file on your PC and click on Import.

   

4. Once the sketch is imported, you can transform it into a vector drawing. The main difference between the vector and the original sketch is that the vector copy allows you to manipulate individual lines in the picture. Pressing Ctrl + U on the keyboard makes all the objects in the vector drawing “ungrouped”.If you prefer not to automatically convert it into a vector drawing, you can skip to the next section, which shows you how to draw over the sketch manually.

   

5. To transform your imported sketch into a vector drawing, there are various options you can choose. This will depend on the complexity of the picture. If the image is simple, as it should be for most logos, you can use the Trace Bitmap options in the “Property Bar”.

   

   Trace Bitmap > Outline Trace > Line Art worked great in this case.

   

   After clicking on Line Art, you will be given a new window where you can adjust the outline settings. These settings allow you to configure the number of details, line smoothing, and corner smoothness. You can also remove the background from the traced picture. As you adjust these settings, you will see them change in the Preview.

   

   Keep in mind that the Trace Bitmap option will create a vector copy on top of your picture.

   

   You can automatically delete the original picture by clicking on Delete original in the PowerTRACE window.

   

   Note: You can select any number of objects in CorelDRAW, and if you press Ctrl + G on your keyboard while they are selected, you can group those objects. This allows you to move all those objects simultaneously without selecting them each time individually.

   

6. If the vector image doesn’t look accurate enough, you can go back to Trace Bitmap > Outline Trace > Line Art.
   In the Image type drop-list, you can select different tracing options. Each option will give a unique outline to your sketch. You will also get to see the preview of your settings. Thus you can see in real-time the most appropriate option for your drawing. In the Image type, select different trace options.

Drawing over your sketch in CorelDRAW

If you prefer not to convert your sketch into a vector automatically, you can use the Freehand tool to draw the picture yourself.

1. Start by selecting the Freehand tool and roughly outlining the image.

   

   The easiest way to do this is to create a straight outline and curve it later. You can click once, let go, and click somewhere else to create a straight line with the Freehand tool.

   Note: It does not have to look perfect, as you are just creating nodes that you will later manipulate to get the outcome you want.

   Once you have a rough outline, click on the Shape Tool, and select all the nodes.

   

2.  Then right-click on the line, and select To Curve.

   

3. This will allow you to manipulate the lines and curve them however you want. You have to click and drag the line you wish to curve.

   

4. You can also use other tools such as the Rectangle, Ellipse, and Polygon tools if you need those particular shapes.

   

Adding a frame for the logo

1. In this case, we will use the Rectangle tool to add the frame for the logo text. You can create a rectangle and adjust it to fit the picture.Create a rectangle and adjust its size by clicking and dragging the black squares surrounding it.

Coloring in our logo

1. Next, we will add color to our drawing. In CorelDRAW, you can add color to closed objects using the Interactive Fill or Smart Fill tool.For example, click on the Interactive Fill tool, the object you wish to color, and the preferred color.

   

   To use the Smart Fill tool, click on the Smart Fill option and then on the object you wish to color. This will copy and paste your object shape on top and give it color.

   

   You can also select the closed curves/object and left-click on any color from the color palette to color them.

   Note: coloring objects in CorelDRAW is only possible when the objects are closed.

   

2. To change the outline’s color only, select the object and right-click on any color from the Color Palette on the right. You can also adjust the thickness of the outline in the “Property bar” above.

   

Changing object order

1. Next, you should change the order of the objects in your drawing. For example, to bring the rectangle behind the cat in our logo, select the rectangle and press Ctrl + Page Down on your keyboard until the rectangle goes behind the cat.

   

Adding text

1. Select the Text tool and select where you want your text displayed.

   
2. Write down the text of your logo. Then, click on the text box, and use the text formatting options at the top to change the font family, size, weight, etc.

   

Exporting your logo

1. After you are satisfied with the logo you’ve created, export your file by going to File > Export.

   

2. Choose your file type. We recommend selecting the PNG file type as it allows you to keep your background transparent, while other file types will make your background a solid color. Next, choose where you wish to save the file, and click on Export.

   

3. It’s also good practice to save your CorelDRAW file, so you can change it in the future if needed. After exporting your picture, go to File > Save and ensure that CDR file type is selected. Choose where you wish to save your file, then click on Save.