CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6 Guidebook

Chapter 13: Sign Making | 173

done, click the Stop editing contents

button on the screen or right-click the

bitmap, and choose Finish editing this

level.

The PowerClip effect lets you trim a bitmap so that it fits
within the border of your sign.

Align and Distribute dialog box

CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT

Proper alignment of text and graphic elements
is key to the design of any sign, billboard, or car
wrap. The Align and distribute dialog box
can help you align objects to a page, align
objects to other objects, or distribute multiple
objects evenly at a fixed distance.

Give it a try

1 Select two or more objects to align.

2 Do one of the following:

• In CorelDRAW, click Arrange Align and distribute Align and
  distribute.


• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, click Object Arrange Align and distribute.

3 In the Arrange and distribute dialog
box, click the Align tab.

4 Choose options for aligning the objects.

In CorelDRAW, you can use the following

keyboard shortcuts to align the selected

objects:

• C to align the centers vertically


• E to align the centers horizontally


• T to align the top of the objects


• B to align the bottom of the objects


• L to align the left edge of the objects


• R to align the right edge of the objects


• P to center the objects on the page

Contour tool

CorelDRAW

It is common to apply special effects to text

characters or objects in a sign to make them

stand out from the background or from other

objects.

You can add a contour to text or objects in your

design by using the Contour tool. The

Contour tool creates a three-dimensional (3D)

effect by creating a series of concentric curves

that progress to the inside or outside of an

object or text.

Give it a try

1 Select an object or text.

2 In the toolbox, click the Contour tool.

3 On the property bar, adjust the size and

color of the contour to be applied.

4 In the Contour offset box, type a value for

the distance between contour lines.

At first, try setting a very small offset

distance (for example, 0.01").

5 On the property bar, click one of the

following buttons to specify how you

would like the contour to be applied to the

object: To c e n t e r, Inside contour, or

Outside contour.