The applications and features described in this tutorial require CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 or newer to be installed.
The three new shaping commands available since CorelDRAW X3 enable
you to apply corner effects to vector paths, eliminating what would
otherwise be a time-consuming manual operation. You can now instantly
apply fillet, scallop, and chamfer shaping commands to create curved,
reverse-curved, or beveled effects at specified distances across an
entire path or at the node level. These time-saving shortcuts will
enable you to create a variety of complex effects for object corners,
such as the one shown below.
In this optical illusion of an intertwining and overlapping path, a
series of rectangular shapes were used as the framework for a
continuous closed-outline object. The outline was thickened and
converted to an object. Then, fillet and scallop commands were applied
to specific corners (shown below). The overlapping illusion was created
by using carefully placed white rectangles. Let's take a look at a few
more practical examples and explore how these different effects can be
applied in other common tasks.
Fillet for curved corner effects
The filleted corner effect applies uniform and concentric roundness
around a point at a specific radius, enabling you to convert a sharp
corner to a rounded corner. The filleted corner is a common design
effect. In the example shown below, an optical illusion is created by
rounding one or more corners of a carefully placed series of
rectangles. To create the illusion of bent wire or tubing, specific
corners were filleted with values either equal to, or half of, the
width of the rectangles. A white outline was then applied to visually
separate the brown-filled shapes.
In the example shown below, the outline shape of a cactus was
created from combined rectangular outlines. The welded rectangles were
broken apart at the base and a simple thick outline was applied. The
outer corners of the cactus branches were rounded by using the fillet
command, which creates the effect much faster and more accurately than
simply combining rectangles with rounded corners.
Scallop for reverse rounded corners
The scalloped corner effect instantly applies concentric
reverse-rounded corners to objects that result in a seashell-like
effect, which is essentially the opposite of the filleted effect. Like
the fillet command, the scallop command can be applied at specific
radius values. Although not as commonly used as the rounded corners,
the scallop effect is equally as useful in eliminating the time
required to manually create similar effects. In the example shown
below, certain objects in this arrangement were given scalloped corner
effects along with alternating bitmap fills to create a wood pattern
tile.
A closer examination (shown below) shows the shaping effect at the corners of the tile.
In another example of scalloped corners, this matted photo uses
scalloped corner effects to frame a photo subject. To create the cutout
shape, the rotated square in the center was combined with a larger
rectangle. The drop shadow applied to a duplicate object simulates the
depth between the matte and the photo surface, while a copy of the
original scalloped corner square was enlarged and outlined to emphasize
the cutout shape.
Chamfer for flat corners
The chamfered corner effect applies a simple bevel concentrically
around a point at a distance, enabling you to convert a sharp corner to
a flattened corner. The chamfered corner is perhaps the most versatile
in drawing, enabling you to quickly convert sharp corners to precise
and uniformly angled corners with a single click.
In the example shown below, the teeth of a mechanical gear were
created from a simple star shape. Using the Polygon tool, a 2-inch
square, 20-point star outline with a sharpness of 53 was created and
converted to curves. A chamfer shaping command set to a distance of 0.2
inches was applied to instantly bevel all corners on the object. By
varying the object size, points, sharpness, and chamfer distance, you
can use this same technique to quickly create any gear shape.
How corner effects work
As mentioned earlier, fillet, scallop, and chamfer effects enable you
to apply rounded, reverse-rounded, or flat effects (respectively) to
the angled corners on an open or closed path. You can apply the effects
at specific distances (shown below).
The effects are applied using the familiar docker interface (shown
below), much like the trim, weld, and intersect shaping commands. To
open the docker, choose Windows > Dockers >
Fillet/Scallop/Chamfer. This simple docker includes an Operation list
box to choose the effect style, a field to specify the Distance or
radius, and an Apply button
.
If you're new to applying docker effects, you can get your feet wet with corner effects by following these simple steps:
- Use the Pick tool to select an object. Choose a simple
object comprised of straight line segments, such as a rectangle
converted to curves or straight line segments comprising an open or
closed path created with the Bezier tool.
- If it isn't already open, choose Window > Dockers > Fillet/Scallop/Chamfer to access the corner effects.
- Choose a style from the Operation list box, type a radius or distance value (shown below), and click the Apply button.
- That's it, you're done. Notice the corner effect
you selected is applied to all points where corner nodes joining
straight lines exist on your object (shown below).
Using the above steps applies the effect you selected across the
entire shape. There is, however, a second method you can use to apply a
more localized effect to specific points on your shape. This will
enable you to selectively apply corner effects without affecting all
corners at once. Here's how to do it:
- Use the Shape tool to create a simple object comprised of straight line segments fashioned into an open or closed path.
- Click
to choose one of the path nodes or Shift-click to select multiple nodes
on the object to make a node selection (shown below).
- On the Fillet/Scallop/Chamfer docker, choose a
style from the Operation list box, type a radius or distance value, and
click the Apply button (shown below).
- Your effect is applied (shown below). Notice that this time the effect was applied only to the corner node(s) you selected.
There are some considerations you'll want to keep in mind as you
apply your corner effects. These include things such as the usual
object suitability, practical limitations, and alert dialog boxes you
may encounter as you become more familiar with the
Fillet/Scallop/Chamfer commands. Here are a few guidelines you may wish
to follow before applying your corner effects:
- Size matters (really) - If the distance or radius value
you're attempting to apply to your object is larger than the object
corner(s) can accommodate, the effect will not be applied. Instead,
CorelDRAW will display a warning dialog box (shown below) enabling you
to proceed with the compatible corner effects only, or decline the
command.
- Use only straight segments - Corner effects can only be
applied to corners joined by straight line segments. This means that if
you attempt to apply a corner effect to an ellipse-shaped object or a
shape involving curved segments, the corners involving the curve
segments will not be involved in the effect.
- Curve paths only please - Although the
terminology may be confusing to vector-drawing newcomers, a curve path
is simply a series of nodes joined by line segments that have no
dynamic effects applied. Corner effects can only be applied to
undistorted open or closed vector curve paths, which means that objects
with distortions applied with the Interactive Distortion or Interactive
Envelope tools and dynamic objects created with the Rectangle, Star,
Perfect Shape, Artistic Media, or Text tools are ineligible unless
first converted to curves. If you attempt to apply a corner effect to
an object created with one of these tools, CorelDRAW will display a
friendly reminder (shown below) enabling you to automatically convert
the object or decline the command. You can easily convert any object to
curves by right-clicking the object and choosing Convert to Curves from
the pop-up menu, by choosing Arrange > Convert to Curves, or by
using the Ctrl+Q shortcut.
- Control objects are compatible - You can apply corner
effects to objects acting as control objects that have had effects
applied with existing dynamic effect tools ¾ such as Interactive Blend,
Interactive Contour, Interactive Drop Shadow, and Interactive Extrude
tools. Provided, of course, that the objects are curve objects (or can
easily be converted to curves).
- Corner effects are not dynamic - Corner
effects applied with the Fillet/Scallop/Chamfer docker are not dynamic,
which means you cannot edit the properties of a corner shape once it
has been applied.
- Sticky docker values - CorelDRAW stores the
last-used distance or radius value for each corner effects in the
docker as the default. This means as you switch between corner effect
styles, the values may change. It may be worthwhile to re-check your
values before clicking the Apply button.
Like other invaluable effects in CorelDRAW, the new fillet, scallop,
and chamfer shaping commands help you to solve common drawing
challenges without compromising accuracy. Now that you've explored the
possibilities, I'm sure you'll agree that working yourself into a
corner doesn't get much better than this.
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