Whats New in CorelDraw X6

April 15th, 2012

As a Graphic Designer, I am always looking to Digital Image Software for whats new and the worthiness of the addition purchase or upgrade to the existing one. What is important to me is “what is going to make my life easier and save me time in creating my jobs?” I know in the sublimation business we need to be able to continuously find way to save time and to be more efficient. I have been asked by clients what is new in the CorelDraw X6 and is it worth the additional purchase? Well here is some of the things I have found to be useful and appealing.

New! Shape tools:

The new Smear tool lets you shape an object by pulling extensions or making indents along its outline. The size of the brush nib and the Pressure setting let you control the intensity of the effect, and you can choose between smooth curves or curves with sharp corners. Alternatively, you can use the pressure of your digital pen to determine the intensity of the smear effect.

The new Twirl tool lets you apply twirl effects to objects. The size of the brush nib lets you determine the size of the twirls, and the Rate setting lets you control the speed of the effect. You can also choose either a counterclockwise or a clockwise twirl.

In addition, you can use the new Attract and Repel tools to shape curves by attracting nodes or by pushing nodes away from other nodes in close proximity. To control the shaping effect, you can vary the size of the brush nib and the speed at which the nodes are attracted or repelled.

New & Enhanced! Object Properties docker:

In CorelDRAW X6, the redesigned Object Properties docker now presents only object-dependent formatting options and properties. By grouping all object settings in one location, this time-saving docker helps you fine tune your designs faster than ever before. For example, if you create a rectangle, the Object Properties docker automatically presents outline, fill, and corner formatting options, as well as the rectangle’s properties. If you create a text frame, the docker will instantly display character, paragraph, and frame formatting options, as well as the text frame’s properties.

Enhanced! Hints docker:

The Hints docker now includes a Videos tab, which provides a collection of instructional videos that cover a range of topics, from creating basic shapes and basic object transformations to applying interactive contours and transparencies. This helpful learning docker appears in both CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT and provides context sensitive information on the currently selected tool. This makes it easier for new users to
learn how to use the tools in the toolbox.

Please be sure to check out our website for documentation and videos that are on our PartnerNet sight that provide detailed instructions on how to find and use the new tools mentioned here.

In addition, you will find informative videos for configuring color management by the support team at Condé by visiting Condé TV, the Condé Facebook Page and Condé Twitter. Look for more upcoming videos and informative blog entries to be added for successful sublimation and maintaining your Condé DyeSub System. If there is something that you think would be better said in an instructional video or blog posting, then we look forward to hearing your ideas.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Changing the order of objects

March 18th, 2012

Arranging the order of objects in CorelDraw

If you have ever started a design and decided later that the last object you created or brought into the graphic you really need it to be somewhere in between some other objects within the graphic. If you have spent hours working with that document then you wouldn’t want to spent a lot of time trying to work around the dilemma.

From CorelDraw, you can change the stacking order of objects on a layer or a page by sending objects to the front or back, or behind or in front, of other objects. You can also position objects precisely in the stacking order, as well as reverse the stacking order of multiple objects.

Here is how:

1. Select the object

2. Click “Arrange” from the menu

3. At this point you can arrange “back one’; “forward one”; “all the way to the back”; “all the way to the front”.

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An object cannot be moved to a locked (non-editable) layer; instead, it is moved to the closest normal or editable layer. For example, when you apply the To front of page command, and the topmost layer is locked, the object is moved to the topmost editable layer. Any objects on the locked layer remain in front of the object.

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By default, all objects on the master page appear on top of the objects on other pages.

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An Order command is unavailable if the selected object is already positioned in the specified stacking order. For example, the To front of page command is unavailable if the object is already in front of all the other objects on the page.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Using the Blend Tool in Corel

February 18th, 2012

To blend objects


To	Do the following
Blend along a straight line	In the toolbox, click the Blend tool . Select the first object, and drag over the second object. If you want to reset the blend, press Esc as you drag.
Blend an object along a freehand path	In the toolbox, click the Blend tool. Select the first object. Hold down Alt, and drag to draw a line to the second object.
Fit a blend to a path	In the toolbox, click the Blend tool. Click the blend. Click the Path properties button on the property bar. Click New path. Using the curved arrow, click the path to which you want to fit the blend.
Stretch the blend over an entire path	Select a blend that is already fitted on a path. Click the Miscellaneous blend options button on the property bar, and enable the Blend along full path check box.
Create a compound blend	Using the Blend tool, drag from an object to the start or end object of another blend. In addition, you will find informative videos for configuring color management by the support team at Condé by visiting Condé TV, the Condé Facebook Page and Condé Twitter. Look for more upcoming videos and informative blog entries to be added for successful sublimation and maintaining your Condé DyeSub System. If there is something that you think would be better said in an instructional video or blog posting, then we look forward to hearing your ideas. Senior Technical Consultant, Vicky Waldrop

How to Apply a mesh to an object in CorelDraw

February 17th, 2012

For those who like to create vector images and blend color into and object, I have a great tool for you to learn and have some fun with. The “Mesh Tool in CorelDraw id an awesome way to create colorful drawings and transition color into something very artistic. People will ask how you did it. I use this tool with flowers and for creating a more 3D effect with some graphics. I hope you find this tool as useful as I do. Here is how…

To apply a mesh fill to an object:

Select an object.

In the toolbox, click the Mesh fill tool

Type the number of columns in the top portion of the Grid size box on the property bar.

Type the number of rows in the bottom portion of the Grid size box on the property bar, and press Enter.

Adjust the grid nodes on the object.


You can also
Add an intersection	Click once within a grid, and click the Add intersection button on the property bar.
Add a node	Hold down Shift, and double-click where you want to add the node.
Remove a node or an intersection	Click a node, and click the Delete node(s) button on the property bar.
Shape the mesh fill	Drag a node to a new location.
Remove the mesh fill	Click the Clear mesh button on the property bar.

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If the mesh object contains color, adjusting the intersection nodes of the mesh affects how the colors blend together.

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You can also marquee select or freehand marquee select nodes to shape an entire area of the mesh. To marquee select nodes, choose Rectangular from the Selection mode list box, and drag around the nodes you want to select. To freehand select nodes, choose Freehand from the Selection mode list box, and drag around the nodes you want to select. Holding down Alt while dragging lets you toggle between the Rectangular and Freehand selection mode.

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You can add an intersection by double-clicking in a space, or you can add a single line by double-clicking a line.

To add color to a patch in a mesh fill

Select a mesh-filled object.

In the toolbox, click the Mesh fill tool

Drag a color from the color palette to a patch in the object.


You can also
Color an intersection node in a mesh fill	Click an intersection node, and click a color on the color palette.
Mix a color in a mesh fill	Select part of the mesh, press Ctrl, and click a color on the color palette.

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You can also drag a color from the color palette to an intersection node.

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You can also marquee select or freehand marquee select nodes to apply a color to an entire area of the mesh. To marquee select nodes, choose Rectangular from the Selection mode list box on the property bar, and drag around the nodes you want to select. To freehand select nodes, choose Freehand from the Selection mode list box on the property bar, and drag around the nodes you want to select. Holding down Alt while dragging lets you toggle between the Rectangular and Freehand selection mode.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Creating the perfect Square or Circle in CorelDraw for Template Use

February 4th, 2012

Here at Condé we attempt to provide a template with every product we provide to to our clients. Sometimes it is easier to create a usable shape on your end that will suffice as a workable template. Not only is it workable it can too save you the time of downloading and importing into your CorelDraw document. All you have to have is the radius of the circle or the length and width of the product. Using the template will be as easy as using any of the templates I design here at Condé. In a few brief instructions I can have you drawing the perfect squares and circles for those time when it would be less time consuming than locating and downloading templates that have simple measurements.

Know the sizes of the product by either measuring or as listed on product page at www.conde.com. Once you have noted the accurate size you are ready to draw your template.

1. From your tool bar select the shape that you wish to draw.

2. Press down on your “Ctrl” Key at the keyboard. Place your mouse somewhere over the document (you should see cross hairs (+)), and hold your left mouse key down and drag until you have a visible shape on the document.

3. With the object selected or in the bounding box, go to your menu bar at the top and find the length and width fields and enter the sizes you pulled for the product page or the measurements you got and enter them into the correct fields. For ex: a 6 inch tile will be 6.225 with bleed.

Now you have the perfect square. Keep in mind this works with circles too. All you have to know is the radius. If you want to see a more detailed view of this procedure watch my video on Creating the Perfect Square and circle in CorelDraw and exercise what you learned in your application.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Curving Text in CorelDraw

February 3rd, 2012

Most anyone who has used CorelDraw has had to exercise the software in order to continuously sharpen their skills. Some of the more simple needs from the application can consume a major chunk of time when attempting to design something. Curving text is one of those things that you may not use often but when you need it; you need it! I have a simple method for accomplishing this task from within the application. In this blog entry I will provide a simple instructions using the “envelope” tool to curve text. It is up to you the user to perfect this technique.

Curving Text using the envelope tool:

Curving Text using CorelDraw

1. Choose your font and type.

2. Select the the object using the “pick tool” from the tools menu.

3. With the text selected, in the tools menu select the “envelope” tool (fifth one from the bottom). If you do not see it. Left click over the tool showing and choose if from the drop down menu.

4. Select center node and, hold the left mouse key down and drag to the desired spot. If desired you can use other nodes to create curvature in other place within the font. Swing the arrow to ad an even more wavy graphic.

5. click off the graphic or on the pick tool again to seal the the deal. You can repeat the instruction to make necessary changes.

I used CorelDraw X4 in this demonstration but the technique should work with any version within CorelDraw. I recommend you test the feature and have fun learning to create awesome designs with this tool. There will be a video to come on our Conde TV page that will demonstrate this technique.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Using Felt with Condé Products

February 3rd, 2012

When I am asked how and when felt should be used, I have to include the rules of pressure and the types of products you have to transfer onto. For instance if you are pressing to a textured surface or some other uneven surface like tile or something with an easel on the

Using felt to create a meshing effect

back you cant exactly close the press evenly. So to accomplish an even surface where the top platen touches the sublimatable area, you must have something in between the hard surfaces to create a meshing effect. When this occurs the felt is needed.

With the right amount of pressure applied by the press the product will mesh into the softness of the felt and allow some resistance for the top surface to adjust to the flatness of the top platen. Therefore, creating equal distribution across the sublimatable area.

Felt is most often used on the bottom of the press just above the bottom platen and Teflon sheet. The felt is then applied and cover with protective paper to prevent ink from transferring onto the your reusable products that are more costly if replaced.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Experimenting with various times.

February 3rd, 2012

Often we have calls about what time to use when the Condé instructions call for a window of time (ex:6-8 mins.), The time variation is due to differences in the equipment. I will try to explain what I mean by an equipment variation. Mug presses have have different amps. The higher the amps the hotter the press can get. Low amps can have lower temperatures. This will cause time variations based on the equipment you are using. Thus, causing variations in color or should I say the finished product. I have a simple solution for finding your time based on your press.

Here is How:

From your digital imaging application create four black boxes small enough to fit on one of the products in test. It is always recommended to purchase a couple of additional products for beta testing on your end.

Using one of the additional products you would have purchased for testing, and various times, sublimate one box at a time allow a cooling period between each of the four transfers. For example refer to the image on the right: Cut out each box and transfer each separately using the different instructions within the individual boxes. At the end of the test you will have four black boxes on one product and within those boxes the different instructions your used for press times. After reviewing, determine the better of the four colors and make a note of which one provides the best result. That is your time and instruction!

I also recommend keeping a notebook of any and all instructions so that you can revisit them for future pressings with that particular product. This will save time and we all know time is money. Not to mention the bad product you will eliminate from your “wall of shame”.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

Printing to the ByPass Tray by Default Settings

October 29th, 2011

There are those folks out there that desire to do a sheet feed using only the By-pass tray on the Gx7000 of the GXe3300N Ricoh printers. It is not required or useful for those people who use standard paper sizes on a regular bases but would come in handy for those who are constantly changes paper sizes and for those who use unusual paper sizes or unique papers outside of the ordinary settings.

Purposes:

Generally, those who choose to use the by-pass tray as their default setting will either be be using a variety of paper sizes, a variety of paper types, unique paper settings or strictly the use of large media (ex: 13x 19). It would be to time consuming to use tray one or tray two as their default because of the media types or sizes. It is much easier for these folks to load or sheet feed than to continuously change paper in the tray.

How to:

Defaulting the By-Pass tray is a custom setting from the within the driver. It would be mandatory to create a setting by changing the tray source setting to the “by-pass tray” and saving it that way. here is how…

Go to your printer folder:

start

control panel

printers faxes or devices and printers

Select Media Type and Tray Source (By-Pass)

right click on the Ricoh

left click, “Printing Preferences”

Choosing Custom Settings:

Select Media Type and Tray Source (By-Pass)

Paper Type- Ink Jet Plain Paper

Tray Source- By-pass tray

Click User Settings

Selecting User Settings

Color Settings – Off

Check- Use Error Diffusion

Click the “Misc” tab the check “Print as Bitmap”

click "Misc" tab the click "Print as Bitmap"

Last click on “OK“

Now click on the far right tab “Printer Configuration”

Turn off the "Auto Reduce to Fit..."

: Turn off the “Auto Reduce to Fit…”

Deselect the “Auto Reduce to Fit…”

Name the Custom Setting "Conde ICC By_Pass"

Go back to the “setup” tab and click “Save”

Name the Custom Settings “Condé ICC By-Pass”

In addition…

Now that we’ve defaulted the By-pass tray there is additional information I believe goes hand and hand with defaulting the by-pass tray as the main paper source. If you don’t already know you can create up to 10 unique paper size settings on the Ricoh drivers. If you are sheet feeding the printer due to having to continuously change paper sizes then this will especially be useful information to know and execute.

How to Create Custom Paper Sizes on the Ricoh:(click for Video)

Printer Configuration- Custom Paper Sizes

Go back to “Printer Configuration” and click “Custom Paper Sizes“.

This opens a new Dialog Box:

1. Choose the paper source- By-Pass Tray

2. Give this paper setting a “Name”- for example: Mug11

3. Enter the “Long Edge” size- for example: 9.13

4. Enter the “Short Edge” size- for example: 3.50

5. click “OK“. This will close the Custom Paper dialog box.

"OK" to save and exit

Now it will be in the paper settings list; under “original size” in the list.

Paper Settings-Original Size List

As with this custom paper setting, you can create as many as 9 more unique paper size setting. This is one of the many great features to take advantage of with your sublimation printer. Make your printer work for your needs as much as possible. Save time and energy by creating printer settings that fit with production needs and job planning to get the most out of your printer.

In addition, you will find informative videos for configuring color management by the support team at Condé by visiting Condé TV, Condé Facebook Page and Condé Twitter. Look for more upcoming videos and informative blog entries to be added for successful sublimation and maintaining your Condé DyeSub System. If there is something that you think would be better said in an instructional video or blog posting, then we look forward to hearing your ideas.

Condé Systems, Inc.

Senior Technical Consultant

Vicky Waldrop

Why Do I Have a Red Light on My Printer!?!

October 25th, 2011

Did you know that there is a common place within the print driver that will provide information about errors that generate on your printer? The common name for this place is called the “Status Monitor”. It doesn’t matter the printer, the only change is the terminology that differs in the printing preferences. For instance, the tabs in the print driver dialog box will either say “utility” or ” maintenance”. Second, the status monitor will provide an explanation as to what the error is along with a resolution in resolving the problem.

There are many other features that are available in this menu. Often, we can see the ink levels and weather the printer is “online” or “offline”. It will too tell us if there is a communication error with the computer sending the data to the printer.

To get to the status monitor from your PC:

Click “start”
Click “control panel”
Click “printers or devices”
Right click “printer preferences”
Click “maintenance or utility”
Click “status monitor”

For the Mac:

Click “System Preferences”
Click “printers”
Select the printer model
Click “Printer Queue”
Click “Utility”

Finally, errors that appear in the status monitor are generally hinted by a red light on the printer or the LCD will display a short note with a hot topic of the problem. This is to alert you that the printer has either stalled or is about to stall for some reason or another. The status monitor is like a cheat sheet for a resolve to that error. Don’t get stumped by these fault lights. Make sure you are taking advantage of all the features that the peripheral offers.

Senior Technical Consultant,

Vicky Waldrop

1-800-826-6332

Arranging the order of objects in CorelDraw

To blend objects