| |
| |
Technical Library: Creating Partially Vector Cut Text
Outlines
One
of the requests for Technical Library articles that we
get most often is "how do you create those
cool text outlines on sample pieces?" Most often
you see it on our photo frames, but we also use the technique
for bookmarks, greeting cards, and many other applications.
To the right you can see a picture frame mat we created
using a combination of text engraving and cutting. For
this article we will use this sample to show you how
easily you can create a mat using a few easy steps in
CorelDRAW. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
1) |
Create a box the size of the photo area you want to cut
out. Next, type the name you want to use in your
mat and line it up at the bottom of the box so
that it is half in the box and half out. Set the
text and box to a black outline with no fill.
Create a copy of this image. One will be used to create the top section of the
letters that will be cut out, and the other image will be used to create the
bottom section of the letters that will be engraved.
|
|
 |
| |
2)
|
To
differentiate between the images we will be using
to create cut lines and engraving lines, we turned
the "cut" image red. Give the text in the
red image no fill and set the outline to hairline width.
On
the black "engraved" image, change the
line width to a thickness above hairline width so that
it will be engraved instead of cut. |
|
|
| |
3)
|
Next we want to open the Shaping window. From Arrange
on the menu bar, choose, Shaping, then Shaping
again to open the window shown at the right. Choose
Trim
from the drop-down box. Make sure there are no check
marks
next to Source Object(s) and Target
Objects.
|
|
|
| |
4)
|
On your red copy of the box and text, click
first on the text, click the Trim button
in the Shaping window, then click on the box.
Your
red image should now look like the image to the right. |
|
|
| |
5)
|
On
your black copy of the image, click on just the box
outline and bring it to the front by clicking "Shift" + "Page
Up".
Click
on the box and give it a white fill and outline,
so it looks like the image at the right. Group the
white box with the black name by clicking on both and
clicking "Ctrl + G". |
|
|
| |
6) |
Select
the red image and click "Shift + Page Up" to
bring it to the front of the page. Next, select both
the red image and black image. With both images selected,
type a "T", which will line up the top of the
images, then type a "L" which will line up
the left side of the images. Now your image should look
like the picture to the right. |
|
|
| |
7) |
Draw
another box around the entire image so that you can
cut the outter line of the picture frame mat, and you're
done!
Send your new image to the laser as a combined job
and you will be able to cut out the top of your inset
name, while engraving the bottom portion of it, creating
a unique, personalized picture frame mat! |
|
|
| |
8) |
You can use this technique to create many different customized products. Try
it for yourself on a variety of materials and see how this will truly make
your products stand out! |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
