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CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration
and graphics

Artwork: Peter Lütke-Wissing

Graphics & illustration | Image editing| Page layout | Typography

About the trainer

Peter Lütke-Wissing
Peter Lütke-Wissing works as graphic designer and
illustrator for many renowned clients in a wide
range of industries. With a distinctive illustration
style, as well as creative and purposeful ideas, he
relies on CorelDRAW Graphics Suite for his designs.
For many years he has also been working as trainer
for Corel. He provides webinars and on-site
trainings for companies, showcasing how users
can use CorelDRAW Graphics Suite and Painter to
their full potential while, at the same time, being
creative and productive.


Visit the Corel Learning Center

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

Table of contents
01 Areas of illustration: What style suits the project? 4
02 Basics of vector illustration 5
03 Illustrations from templates 6
04 Illustrations from sketches 9
05 Converting traced sketches into vectors 10
06 Combining photos & drawings 12
07 Import and export 13

Imprint
V. i. S. d. P.: Jörg Rieger, Corel GmbH
Layout and typesetting: Michaela Maginot
Copy writer: Peter Knoll
Picture credits/graphics: Peter Lütke-Wissing, Corel,
dreamstime (Photo: Model), Shutterstock (Deer)

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

 4 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

01 | Areas of use of illustration: What style suits the project?

Illustration comes from the Latin word 'illustrare' 1

(illuminate, explain, praise). It refers to a picture that

is added to a text to clarify it, regardless of the form
or specific function of the text.

Illustration is one of the most important forms of

2 3
visual communication: It informs and embellishes,
explains and inspires our imagination. Since the first
drawings humans painted on cave walls, illustration
has played an important role in narrating stories as
well as sharing information.

There is a wide range of different styles. The task of

the illustrator is to choose the style in accordance
4
with the project, including:

Ÿ Scientific illustration
Ÿ Book illustration
Ÿ Commercial illustration
Ÿ Editorial illustration

A glance at the industry shows

Ÿ Explanatory illustration: Chopsticks instructions [1]

Ÿ Realistic illustration: Butterfly [2] 5 6

Ÿ Pet [3]
Ÿ Visionary illustration: Home planning [4]
Ÿ Illustration for a newspaper or magazine [5]
Ÿ Caricature as explanation, for example for a
management consultant [6]

A good illustration should be clear, internationally

comprehensible and preferably work without words.

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 5 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

02 | Basics of vector illustration

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is vector-based graphics
software. All vector objects, such as lines and areas,
are described by mathematical formulas. Whereas
images and photos (pixel graphics) consist of
individual image points, or pixels (picture elements),
that have a certain color.
The drawing of the professor shows you how a
typical vector graphic is built. Open the Objects
docker/inspector by clicking on the Quick Access
button or on Window > Dockers/Inspectors to
view the structure of a complex drawing. Expand the
individual objects by clicking on the small triangles.

The objects are located in layers which are somewhat

like a stack of transparent sheets. Starting with
version 2019, CorelDRAW shows all objects in the
Objects docker in the form of a preview.

By clicking on the eye icon, you can selectively hide

Vektoren Pixel or show layers and individual objects. The eye icons,
Comparing vector vs. pixel: At high magnification, you can see the individual picture as well as the lock and the printer, are only visible
elements of a pixel graphic. A vector graphic, however, always remains sharp.
when you hover over the layer. The closed padlock
CorelDRAW offers a variety protects them from accidental changes; the open
of tools to create vectors.
lock shows that you have access to the objects.

Tip:
The Bezier curves (Bezier tool) are the vector
tool par excellence. Mastering them needs
some practice.

You must close open areas With Bezier curves (Bezier tool), you add a
before you can fill them. tongue to a laughing mouth.

Tip:
Name new layers and groups as soon as you
create them to find your way afterwards.

Replicate, for example, a pear with the anchor points from a screen shot of a simple
shape to practice the functionality of Bezier curves.

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 6 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

03 | Illustrations from templates

Any photo can be the starting point for an illustration,
as in this example the cut out of a deer head created
in Corel PHOTO-PAINT. You will convert the head
using PowerTRACE, a bitmap-to-vector conversion
program that is integrated in CorelDRAW.
Resolution: 300 dpi, color mode: black / white
(1-bit) > OK to simplify the complex drawing. Use
Bitmaps > Outline trace > Line art > OK to
convert the photo into a drawing.

With PowerTRACE, you can easily convert photos into vector drawings.

As of version 2020, CorelDRAW includes PowerTRACE

– a powerful bitmap-to-vector conversion tool. But
older CorelDRAW versions deliver also excellent
results. Choose Object > Convert to Bitmap > The line art results from a simplified photo.

PowerTRACE vectorization: Using the Black-and-white color

mode, convert the deer photo into a drawing that contains only
black and white objects.

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 7 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

On the Settings tab, newly introduced with Once you applied the effect, you can insert the
CorelDRAW 2020, you can remove JPEG artifacts. edited drawing in any shape by using the PowerClip
The upsample mode Illustration provides a flatter in CorelDRAW: Choose the shape, such as a rectangle,
drawing. Using the a triangle or a self-drawn (closed!) shape, by right-
Pointillizer tool, you can clicking and choosing Frame Type > Create Empty
easily transform the activated PowerClip Frame. You can insert your graphic or
vector illustration of the deer. photo into the PowerClip by dragging and dropping
Open the Pointillizer by it onto the newly created PowerClip using the Pick
clicking on the respective tool, or by right-clicking on the object you want to
symbol in the dockers or insert, choosing PowerClip Inside, and immediately
by choosing Effects > clicking on the desired frame. By double-clicking the
Pointillizer. Choose the PowerClip, you can at any time reposition or resize
settings that best suit you, the object within the PowerClip.
such as Density: 30. Confirm
Using the Pointillizer, you can by clicking on Apply.
easily apply a pointillism effect.

Using PowerClip, you can insert objects into any shape. You can adjust the clipping afterwards.

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

 8 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

From the very beginning, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite

includes a particularly large number of templates.
Not all templates are installed to save disk space.
You can choose freely which of the many packs you
want to use and install.

From the Welcome Screen (macOS: Welcome), you

can comfortably download clipart and other content
included in the suite. Note: An internet connection is
required to download content!

The Welcome Screen/ Welcome greets you as soon

as you start CorelDRAW or Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
If one of these programs is already open, you can
access it by choosing
Help > Welcome Screen/
Welcome. Choose Get
More and scroll through
the (sometimes free)
offerings. At the bottom
you will find, for example,
the Earth and Nature pack.
Browse the content through
Corel CONNECT which
opens by clicking on + or ...
in the docker. The collection
Modern Life contains an
airplane, for example.

CorelDRAW's comprehensive clipart

collection contains many different motives. Assign different Color Styles

Drag and drop the jet from the collection into the Copy your work by pressing Ctrl/Command+C
workspace. You can expand Corel templates as and insert it into a new document by pressing
desired. Freevector.com or freepik.com, for example, Ctrl/Command+V. Open the Color Styles docker
are offering suitable photos of cloudy skies. (by clicking on the Quick Access button).

Select the object. The Color Styles are especially Drag and drop the image in this window under
useful if the object requires color variations. Styles and rotate the values with your mouse or
pen on the color wheel.

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 9 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics
04 | Illustrations from sketches
Sketches are the ultimate in vector graphics.
CorelDRAW offers two totally different approaches:
Ÿ Drawing as basis for retracing in vectors
Ÿ Final drawing for converting into vectors
Retracing with vectors
If you prefer to draw with pen and paper, you can
draw your sketch on a traditional sketch block.
Import the sketch into your computer, either as a
photo, or on Windows by scanning it using the File
> Acquire Image > Acquire command; if required,
set up the scanner first.
Note: CorelDRAW adds the new object to a new
layer, possibly with some transparency. Lock this
object as “reference layer” in the Objects docker/
inspector by clicking on the pad lock.
You can comfortably start your drawing on the layer
above and position the objects according to their
order. Choose the order by selecting Object >
Arrange or by right-clicking and choosing Arrange
from the context menu, or by changing the order
in the Objects docker/inspector.
Retrace the lines with vectors.
Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved
In its toolbox, CorelDRAW offers various tools for retracing, including the Bézier tool.
You can draw Bezier curves easily with your mouse.
Other tools are more suitable for a graphics tablet,
such as the Freehand tool. The WACOM Cintiq or
WACOM MobileStudio Pro tablets have proved
themselves especially useful for mobile use.
If the vector object is not closed, select it and close it
with the Close Curve command in the Context menu
bar. You can fill only closed areas with color.
You can adjust all the curves individually with the
help of the Shape tool – for example, by drawing the
handles, shaping Bezier curves, double-clicking to
set anchor points or deleting lines. In the example,
you rebuild first the eye and eyebrow, by creating
the iris first with circle layers.
Tip:
Before you start drawing vectors, you should
set up the fill color and outline. You find those
in the lower menu line.
10 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

05 | Converting traced sketches into vectors

Using a retraced reference image Outline Trace of a retraced reference sketch

Another method also delivers the desired result: Insert a colored area behind it to see if all areas are
First, you create a clean drawing of the preliminary closed. Delete undesired areas, or close open outlines.
sketch using a black felt-tip pen on a transparent
paper. It is equally important that you close all
shapes.
Create a new layer and give it a unique name.
In our example: Scan2.
Scan and import the retraced reference drawing
using File > Acquire Image > Acquire.

To do this, choose Black and White in high

resolution (minimum 300, even better 400 or 600dip)
Alternatively, take a picture of the drawing. In
CorelDRAW, import/place the photo using File >
Import or File > Place (= Ctrl+I/Command+I).
In our example, copy the selected drawing with
Edit > Duplicate or with Ctrl/Command+D. Very much like “paint by numbers”, you can fill areas with colors.

Transform the image into a drawing by using
Bitmaps > Outline Trace. Enlarge the PowerTRACE
window by dragging at its corners.
In the example, choose Low-quality image and set
the Colors on the Colors tab to 2. For the other
settings, move the sliders until you achieve the
perfect result. The optimal settings always depend
on several factors, particularly the subject and the
scanning resolution. Choose Objects > Group >
Ungroup.
For dragging colors from the color bar directly
into the areas, the areas must always be closed.
To obtain highlights and shadows, first place the
face area using Ctrl/Command+C and
Ctrl/Command+V at the same position. Create
transparency with a gradient. Place another area
over a part of it and trim it.

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11 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

You can apply a separate filter to the flowers to obtain an awesome effect.

Click on the object to apply an effect to a vector
object. Open the Properties docker/inspector. Click
the fx button. If you then click on the Add effect
button (the + symbol in the Properties dialog), you
obtain a new effect.
In this example: Blur > Gaussian Blur... Show and
hide the effect by clicking on the eye symbol to
review it. You can apply several effects to an object,
delete them or further fine-tune them.

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

12 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

06 | Combining photos & drawings

CorelDRAW offers useful tools for combining Now you have completed all preparations for your
photos and drawings which is suitable, for example, creations and can start experimenting:
in fashion design. For our example we had to create
an area that adjusts to the shape of the blouse while 01 | Distort colors:
being the container for the design. We can then In the Objects docker, choose the vector
cover this with an area that simulates the creases, container layer in the object list and change, for
light and shadows. example, the color. The “shadow caster” above
realistically simulates structure, creases and
shadow.

02 | Change the filling of the area:

Choose the vector container layer in the object
list and apply designs to the sweater by clicking
on Paint Bucket > Vector Pattern Fill or
Bitmap Pattern Fill. When doing this, it is
worthwhile to change size and direction.

03 | Applying effects:
You can apply different effects to this area. You
could keep the Pattern Fill and apply Properties
> fx > Add effect > Creative > Crystallize.

04 | PowerClip for your own designs:

Show objects and PowerClip frames by clicking
on the eye symbol. You can create PowerClips
from a selected object by choosing Object >
It is easy to apply a combination of pixel and vector graphic effects
check a pattern or design for fashion.
PowerClip > Create Empty PowerClip Frame.
Drag the PowerClip exactly over the model,
The first step consists of importing a cut out from and move it behind the shadow-caster in t
Corel PHOTO-PAINT into CorelDRAW. For difficult he Objects docker PowerClips can always be
cut outs with hairs, PHOTO-PAINT includes the selected. If you ungroup the elements, you
Cut Out Lab in the Image menu. We also must can edit all vectors.
import the sweater cut out. We duplicate it twice.
Using Transparency tool > Multiply, apply a
Transparency of 40 to the copy (this is the creases
and light/shadow area). Convert the other duplicate
with Bitmaps > Outline Trace > Line Art and
2 Colors as solids (this is the container which will
create the simulation as effect or as PowerClip).

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13 CorelDRAW 2020 –
Basics of illustration and graphics

07 | Combining photos & drawings

CorelDRAW offers several import/export options.
There is a special web export feature to output to the
Tip:
web. On Windows, go to File > Export for > Web. Some AI files can cause issues: if special AI
On macOS, choose File > Export to > Web. effects were used, CorelDRAW sometimes
cannot represent them. If you export the AI
You should save your drawings to a PDF/X file to file to an older file version and retry, in some
send them to a service bureau. The format you cases, the problem can be bypassed.
choose, depends on the requirements of the service
bureau. Starting with version 2019, CorelDRAW also
supports PDF/X-4.

On Windows, choose File > Publish to PDF > PDF

preset: PDF/X-4. On macOS, choose File > Export
to > PDF> PDF Preset: PDF/X-4:2010 (CMYK).

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Contact us
For further information and to
download the trial versions please visit
www.coreldraw.com/business

Technical questions:
Peter Knoll, corel@4edition.com

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved