Technical Library: Placing Text on a Path

Have you ever had that engraving job that would have looked even better if you could have just curved the text around the photograph, or been able to have the text along a line you drew?

Well, it’s possible in a few easy steps in CorelDRAW! Follow the directions below to see how you can master this technique.


	1)	Let's start by creating a circle. Use the Ellipse Tool (circled in red on the toolbar) and draw any size circle for our example.

	2)	Next, select the Text Tool on the toolbar and line up the cursor with the circle. Depending on how close you place the cursor to the circle, you will see it change shape. Cursor 1 is the standard text cursor and will produce text anywhere on the page. Cursor 2 appears when the cursor is right on top of the circle. Clicking the mouse with this cursor showing will place typed text onto the page of the circle. Cursor 3 appears when the cursor is moved just to the inside of the circle and is the Paragraph Text Tool. When you click on the mouse with this cursor showing, hte text will conform to the inside of the circle.

	3)	Once you have your text in place, you can use all of the standard tools available for editing text, as well as manipulating the fitted text. Use the Text Tool to select just the text, and change the font, size, kern or any other editing that you would normally do to the text.

	4)	Selecting both the circle and the text allows you to use the Fit Text to Path menu tools. These give you more control over the placement of the text around the curve.

	5)	When we zoom-in to the Toolbar, you can see each of the tools and how they will affect your text below. Preset list of text formats: This list allows you to save your formatting when you're happy with how you've placed it on your path. Text Orientation: Changes how the text is oriented to the curve - do you want the letters to slant out as they go around the circle, or to stay upright? Vertical Placement: Adjusting the vertical placement allows you to choose if you want your text to follow above the path, below the path, or through the center of it. Distance from Path: Type in how far above or below the path you want your text to appear. Horizontal Offset: Type in a precise measurement for how far around the path you want to move the text. Place On Other Side of Curve: Click this button to move your text to the other side of the curve, while mirroring the text.

	6)	You can also adjust where the text is along the curve by selecting it with your Pick Tool. Click on the red box that appears next to the text and drag it along the curve to where you want it placed.

	7)	That's all there is to it! Now you can try it out - use the path of a piece of clipart, or draw a shape and create your own text along a path.

Site Map