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Thread: Learning Corel Draw

  1. #1
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    Learning Corel Draw

    Ok, so I'm starting to learn to use Corel Draw. Will be used for a developing items for the Laser.
    Not at all just laser engraving pictures which a lot of the youtube videos focus on.
    Is there a specific site that is best in you guy's opinion that helped you pick up learning this software the best?
    How about a manual? Going to purchase the OEM book, I'd expect they cover a lot in almost 700 pages.
    But is there another that is better?

    Thanks for your opinions!
    John
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    John,

    Mike Clarke of Trotec Canada has some great tips on Corel Draw.
    Check out his web site......................www.engrave.ca
    Trotec Speedy 300 - 60w, with Quatro CSA-626 fume extraction
    Xenetech 1625 x2,
    New Hermes TX pantograph, CG4 cutter grinder
    Brady Globalmark2 label printer,
    Assortment of custom tooling , shears & punches, heat bender.
    Software: Xenetech XOT, Corel X3, Bartender label software

  3. #3
    Many people say the Lynda.com website tutorials for everything are terrific.

    I've used Corel Draw for about 20+ years, and am only self-taught. There are probably huindreds of features I've never noticed, but the 'trial and error' method of learning tends to suit me - and when all else fails the 'help' file usually helps!
    But I did attend a seminar at a sign show once, and it was an eye-opener, so I'd suggest a video course perhaps, would be a useful start.

    Different methods of learning suit different people differently.
    I also tend to feel you can never have too many reference books - which is why I have a few for Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, and Dreamweaver -but none for Corel - I didn't find I needed it!

    All the best with your learning curve!
    Best wishes,
    Ian



    ULS M-300, 55w made 2002 with rotary. Goldenlaser 130 watt, 1300x700 made 2011.
    Flat bed 2500x1300 150/90watt 2 tube laser, 2018 model.
    Esab router, 1989, 4.5 x 2.0 m, conv. to Tekcel, and modded a 2nd time.
    HP L260-60". Roland PNC-1410. Mimaki GC-130 SU.
    Screenprinting carousel 6x4 and 7x4 ft 1-arm bandit vac table.
    Corel Draw X3, Illy, Indesign & Photoshop CS2 & CS5, Enroute 4
    Pencil, paper, paintbrush, airbrush & dagger-liners & assorted other stuff.

  4. #4
    I am also a 20 year CD guy. I tried classes and felt they were a waste. Youtube is your friend. I particularly like a fellow by the name of Alex Galvez. google him on Youtube. He has most of the tutorials you'll need.

    http://www.coreldrawtips.com/videos-all
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  5. #5
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    Thanks guys. I've been doing as much video as I can. But the one thing about Video is remembering what you saw.
    When something is very complicated or detailed, it's hard to keep track and there is no easy reference. That's why books are nice....
    Ive found used x7 reference for under $20, can't beat that.
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  6. #6
    You'll find some very helpful laser-specific Corel videos on our Youtube channel here --> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCip...EBpbair2qtsgSg
    Jeanette Brewer
    Engraving Concepts

  7. #7
    Good information everyone. I'm in the process of learning Corel Draw to. I've saved all the links.

    Gerald

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeanette Brewer View Post
    You'll find some very helpful laser-specific Corel videos on our Youtube channel here --> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCip...EBpbair2qtsgSg
    Thank you,
    It looks like you guys have some classes every few months. Are they open to general public?
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  9. #9
    My BIL has Corel tutorials on how to do stuff-- good learning tools I guess, but the slow pace of the 'teaching' is excruciatingly hard to watch. I watched about 5 minutes of something about color transitions one day, and I swear, half of those minutes was spent moving. the. mouse. from. the. work. area. to. the. tab...click. the. tab... talk talk talk... click. on. the. menu. selection...then. move. the. mouse. back. to. the. graphic. to. edit. talk talk talk... click. on. the...

    AGGHHHH!!!!!! I'd rather listen to a steel garden rake being dragged across a dirty plate glass window....

    That was the one and only 'video' I've ever watched.

    My advice? Don't be afraid to explore. Especially in the "Window" tab. There's more stuff in there that has no business being in there... Just my opinion, but most of that stuff would make more sense in "Tools" tab...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  10. #10
    *^^^* *Like* !

    Yes, I've watched many Youtube videos which were 15-25 minutes that could competently be condensed into 5 minutes with less dilly-dallying...

    It's a bit like some guitar tutorials for a complex piece of fingerpicking or a lead solo - and the tutorial teacher starts off slowly, one finger at a time, to explain the shape of every chord, and 10 minutes later thinks about starting the actual tutorial...
    Best wishes,
    Ian



    ULS M-300, 55w made 2002 with rotary. Goldenlaser 130 watt, 1300x700 made 2011.
    Flat bed 2500x1300 150/90watt 2 tube laser, 2018 model.
    Esab router, 1989, 4.5 x 2.0 m, conv. to Tekcel, and modded a 2nd time.
    HP L260-60". Roland PNC-1410. Mimaki GC-130 SU.
    Screenprinting carousel 6x4 and 7x4 ft 1-arm bandit vac table.
    Corel Draw X3, Illy, Indesign & Photoshop CS2 & CS5, Enroute 4
    Pencil, paper, paintbrush, airbrush & dagger-liners & assorted other stuff.

  11. #11
    Youtube is the way to go for me to learn Corel... I just type in Corel version and some key terms to find a Corel help tutorial.
    Red Bolt Laser Engraving
    Houston, Texas

  12. #12
    I bought Corel 7 and tried several times to self learn it, and went back to my QCAD program. Too complex - can't even connect lines. I'm sure I've overlooked something simple, but QCAD (2D) was so intuitive and simplified. Of course, I generally only cut with my laser, not engrave complex signs and graphics. If I need to engrave, I use the engrave within LaserCut 5.3.

    Not knocking Corel at all. For me, its kindof like buying the full featured Adobe Photoshop when you only need to layer, size, adjust contrast and add text to your photos using the dumbed down software that came with your camera. QCAD is kindof like that, except that there hasn't been one time that I haven't been able to make a complex drawing using it.
    john.blazy_dichrolam_llc
    Delta Unisaw, Rabbit QX-80-1290 80W Laser, 5 x 12 ft laminating ovens, Powermax 22/44, Accuspray guns, Covington diamond lap and the usual assortment of cool toys / tools.

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    I like the Corel Draw videos Doug Green makes - they're usually 5 to 10 minutes and right to the point.
    https://www.youtube.com/user/DougGreenAustin
    Materials Conversion Specialist
    I take perfectly good large pieces of stuff & turn them into smaller pieces having dubious value

    LASER: Trotec Speedy 300 30 Watt, CNC: Shopbot PRT, Vinyl Cutter: Summa Sign Pro T750
    Old School: a tool box full of brand new sign painting brushes from the 60's


  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by John Lifer View Post
    Thank you,
    It looks like you guys have some classes every few months. Are they open to general public?
    Absolutely! I don't know if it's "legal" to post a link to our calendar here but if you go to our website engravingconcepts.com and click on Events, you'll see the schedule there.

    Alternatively, we took the monthly Corel Basics session and put it in webinar format. If you go to our youtube channel & search for "corel basics", you'll find the webinar broken up into 8 parts. If you have any trouble finding that, just email me jeanette at engravingconcepts dot com and I'll send you the links.
    Jeanette Brewer
    Engraving Concepts

  15. #15
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    John,

    Have you used a vector graphics program before, other than Corel of course?
    If yes, the concepts are all the same, just the terminology and the actual specific steps change, And terms dont change that much between one program and another. A node is a node. So you should be able to cross over more easily and wont need to slog through hours of video to pick it up, except for specific tasks.
    You will also find that for what we tend to do on a laser there are relatively few parts of Corel we actually use.

    Everyone....perhaps we could list off the most used components we make use of to help John and others narrow down what they need to learn, at least to start? Also....I was going to suggest we put this thread in the Corel sticky, but I just noticed it is gone? Or did I imagine that? <grin>

    Basic vector drawing tools. Circle, square, polygons, lines both straight and curved, etc.
    How to edit nodes and the porton of your drawing they effect. Also, how to convert a node from one type or function to another.
    Understanding objects and layers.
    Understanding combining objects, and also combining, welding, intersecting, etc. Ways of making two objects interact with each other. And aligning objects with something else.
    Understanding fill and outlines and line thickness. Also how color interacts with your laser software, which I assume is RDWorks or something similar?

    Any other really helpful features in Corel everyone uses?

    Mind you, this is all vector stuff. I do use bitmaps in corel for tracing purposes and to change a bit map from one color system to another, or to reduce it to gray scale or B&W prior to some operation. Everything I listed above is Vector related though.

    Dave
    900x600 80watt EFR Tube laser from Liaocheng Ray Fine Tech LTD. Also a 900x600 2.5kw spindle CNC from Ray Fine. And my main tool, a well used and loved Jet 1642 Woodlathe with an outboard toolrest that helps me work from 36 inch diameters down to reallllllly tiny stuff.

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