Part 1. Creating a diagonal stripe tile
There are a number of different ways such a tile can be created, but I found
this method to be the easiest to follow for tutorial purposes.
1.
Create a new image:
24bit RGB, white background, 32x32 pixels (dpi is irrelevant here).
To make it easier to create our initial stripe, change the Zoom level on
the Toolbar to 300%, then drag on the corner of the new image window and
expand the window about an inch past the image boundary.
2.
Draw the first line:
change the paint colour to red, then select the Line tool (L or the highlighted
icon in the Rectangle tool flyout)
change the Propertybar setting to:
Shape width = 16; Transparency = 0; Paint mode = normal; Shape joints =
Butt; Anti-Alising = Off; Render to object = On;
place your curosr as close as possible to the top RH corner of the image,
hold down the CTRL key and drag a line to the lower LD corner.
Holding down the CTRL key while dragging lines, constrains the angle of
the line to 45 degree intervals;
align the line object to the centre of the document (Object/Arrange/Align
and Distribute, To centre of document.
3. Duplicate
then combine:
with the line object selected, duplicate it (CTRL+D);
now there are three objects: the white background and two line objects;
select one line object and combine it with the background (CTRL+DnArrow); |
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4.Offset the background object:
select the background object;
apply an Offset Effect (Effects/Distort/Offset) with both Horizontal and
Vertical Shifts set to 50% and Undefined Areas = Wrap Around;
press OK.
5. Combine and save:
combine all objects together (CTRL+SHIFT+DnArrow) and save the image as
a .cpt file.
If you want to find the file easily later when you see it as a Bitmap Fill,
save it in the default Bitmap Fill folder that Corel uses: GraphicsX/Custom/Tiles
(X = your version of Corel Suite); suggested filename = red_stripe.cpt
This completes the construction of the diagonale stripe tile. |
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Part 2. Creating the Displacement Map and mask base
This effect relies on the use of a displacement map, specifically created
for the text involved. If you want to repaeat the effect later on different
text or object, you will need to recreate the displacement map for the specific
text or object involved.
1. Create a new image:
24bitRGB, 100% Black background, 500x300 pixel at 300 dpi.
2.
Create text:
change the paint colour to white, then select the text tool and create some
text;
use a thick rounded font and a size that uses much of the image area;
centre the text to the document;
create a mask (CTRL+M) and save this mask to Disk (as a FILE, not
as a channel);
save as a .cpt file to a favourite location;
suggested filename = candy_mask.cpt; |
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remove the mask (CTRL+SHIFT+R) then combine the text object with the background
(CTRL+DnArrow);
now you have a background with the centered text on it;
apply a Gaussian Blur (Effect/Blur/Gaussian Blur) using a radius of 3.
3. Save the image as Displacement Map:
Oddly, Corel uses PCX images as Displacement Maps, although many image format
can be used successfully.
To make it easy to use this map later, save the image as a .pcx file in
Corel's default Displacement Map folder: GraphicsX/Custom/Displace (X =
your version of Corel);
suggested filename = candy_text_displace.pcx
Part 3. Creating the Candy text effect
As mentioned earlier, the displacement map used is specific for the text
used and the mask saved from the text shape. For different text or object,
you will need to recreate the saved mask and displacement map each time.
1. Create a new image:
24bitRGB, White background, 500x300 pixels at 300dpi (note: image has
the same dimension and resolution of the map, that's important)
2. Create a new object:
Object/create/new object or use the icon on the bottom of the Object Docker;
select the Fill (Bucket) Tool, then chose the Bitmap Fill type from the
Propertybar;
click the Edit fill icon on the Propertybar to display the Bitmap fill dialogue
box;
click the Load botton, locate and open the red_stripe fill you saved earlier;
use the default setting for Bitmap fills: use original size, with all other
options set to 0;
click OK to set this fill as the Bitmapfill type, click OK again;
now click anywhere inside the image to fill the new white object with this
fill. |
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3. Apply the Displacement Map:
ensure the stripe filled object is selected;
apply the displacement map as follow:
from the menu choose Effect/Distort/Displace to display the Displacement
Map dialogue box; click the folder icon to the right of the map filename,
locate and open the displacement map you saved earlier;
adjust the setting to Stretch to Fit and scale value (in this example)
horizontal = 12 and vertical = 0;
(you could use different settings here, depending on the desired effect);
press OK.
4. Load the saved mask:
use Mask/Load/Load from Disk, locate and open the mask you saved earlier;
click the cursor anywhere in your image to load the mask at the default
position (0,0)
(note: if dimension and resolution are different this passage is impossible!) |
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the way the mask loads will depend on the current Mask Mode setting (in
this case additive)
if the Mask Marquee is visible your image look like the one below (left) |
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5.Create the object:
use CTRL+SHIFT+I or Mask/Invert to invert the mask or use the icon (at right)
select any Mask tool on the tools bar, then press Del (this removes the
area of the object enclosed in the inverted mask, if you don't select a
mask tool first, the mask will be deleted instead of the object, just Undo,
if you do this!);
the red stripe may look a little chunky after the displacement; if so, you
can apply this optional steps: invert the mask again so only the text shape
is surrounded then apply a very light Gaussian blur (say, radius = 0,8)
and then remove the mask (CTRL+SHIFT+R). |
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6.Apply a 3D Texture and a drop shadow:
a 3D Texture or Effect will make the text look much better;
make sure the text shaped object is still selected then use Effect/Texture/Plastic;
the setting I used here: Highlight = 95; Depth = 7; Smoothness = 90; Light
Direction = 315; LightColour = white;
click OKapply a mild drop shadow. |
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| from a tutorial by David Mutch (http://www.visionary-voyager.com.au/corel/photopaint) |
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