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Create Boundary tool in CorelDRAW X3 and X4

May 9th, 2008 Val Posted in CorelDRAW |

There is a little known tool hidden in the Effects menu of CorelDRAW X3 and X4. Let’s take a look at a couple of uses for this tool to get a good introduction to it.

First, I’ll draw a couple of shapes with some outlines.

Now prior to X3, in order to get a single outline around all three shapes and keep the shapes, I’d have to make a duplicate of the shape group, weld them together, and use the outline from the new shape. In X3 and X4, I simply select the group (it doesn’t have to be grouped), Click Effects/Create Boundary, and there is a new shape created as an outline around the shapes. Then you can set the color and thickness as you would any object.

You can even move that object and/or fill it with another color if you want.

Some folks find this boundary object great for laser work and cutting. Another artistic use for the tool is with text.

Here’s a piece of text in the Planet Benson 2 font.

Now, to make things interesting, I’m going to apply a thick outline applied behind the fill.

Next, I’ll go to Arrange/Convert Outline to Object. This will let us delete it easily when we’re done with it and ensure that the boundary goes where we want it - outside the outline.

Finally, I select the text and the new outline object and go to Effects/Create Boundary and apply a boundary around the whole thing, giving it a 2.5 pt outline width.

The very last step is to delete that red outline object for a very interesting, but somewhat cleaner effect.

Have fun!

Val P.