LESSON 7
CREATING AND FORMATTING TEXT DOCUMENTS
STRUCTURE 7.0
OBJECTIVES
7.1
INTRODUCTION
7.2
TEXT TOOL OVERVIEW 7.2.1 7.2.2 7.2.3
ARTISTIC TEXT PARAGRAPH TEXT FORMAT TEXT
7.3
ADDING ARTISTIC TEXT
7.4
ADDING PARAGRAPH TEXT
7.5
EXERCISES ON FORMATTING TEXT
7.6
ASSIGNMENTS 7.6.1 7.6.2
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS HOME ASSIGNMENTS
7.7
SUMMING UP
7.8
POSSIBLE ANSWER TO SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS
7.9
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
7.10
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED FURTHER READING
7.11
GLOSSARY
7. ADDING AND FORMATTING TEXT One of the strongest features of CorelDraw is its text capabilities, and this would be the main concern of the present unit. Before learning to stylize text and apply different effects to it, which we will be dealing with in the next lesson in detail, we will look at the basic formatting of text and its overview in CorelDraw in the following Lesson. Then in last Lesson of this unit, we shall learn to make a library of our own designs which can be used further by every user of Corel Draw.
7.0
Objectives After going through this Lesson, you should be able to • • •
7.1
Use text tool and text properties options in CorelDRAW. Create artistic Text. Create paragraph Text.
Introduction
When we come across some logos, posters etc., we notice that the text in these designs is generally stylized and artistic in nature. Designers create different styles of formats of text and stylize them in an eye-catching manner. CorelDraw offers some very good tools and features to create such text and add different effects to it.
7.2
Text Tool Overview In CorelDraw, there are two types of text. They are Artistic text and Paragraph
text. 7.2.1 Artistic Text Artistic text is used for short passages and when you need total flexibility to stylize text. With the Pick Tool selected, Artistic text is like any object. Choose Text Tool. Click on the workspace where you wish your text to start. Type your text.
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7.2.2 Paragraph Text Paragraph text creates a mini word processor in your document. Although stylizing text is easier with Artistic text, Paragraph text provides automatic wrapping to new lines, unlimited text capacity, columns and the ability to link text areas together. Choose Text Tool. Click and drag to create a text area. You can Type your text in this area. Click and drag on the workspace adds paragraph text.
The text can be formatted to include various features viz., bold, italics, underline, fonts of choice etc., from the Text menu on Property Bar. This offers one click access to many text features for efficient editing and stylizing.
Text menu on the Property Bar
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7.2.3 Format Text Choose Text, Format Text to open the Format Text window. This is a one-stop place for nearly every text function in CorelDraw. When there are several formatting tasks to perform on the same text, this option is often the most efficient method.
Format Text window in Text menu
7.3
Adding Artistic Text In this section, we will consider adding Artistic text.
Placing text - Click on the Text Tool in the Toolbar. Click where the text, a cursor appears on the page at that point.
Placing text
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Choosing font
Choosing font - Click on the Font list fly-out. Move mouse over font names to see a sample. Click to select, font name appears in the Font list window. Choose font size from Font Size list. Entering text - Type some text. After typing, selection handles will appear around the text. Note the cursor inside the handles, it indicates that this text is active. Press ‘Enter’ key to create a new line. Artistic text does not automatically wrap text. For large text passages, use Paragraph Text method.
Placing text
Entering text
Changing text properties - Click inside text at the required place to edit. Select one or more letters or words to apply changes. Required changes can be applied to the selected text from the Text menu.
5 Changing text properties
Working with text as an object
Working with text as an object - When Artistic text is selected by the Pick tool, it is like any other CorelDraw object.
7.4
Adding Paragraph Text This section will deal with adding paragraph text.
Placing text - Click on the Text tool in the toolbar. Click and drag to define the area where text is to be placed. Entering text - Type your text. Paragraph text will wrap automatically when it reaches the edge of the bounding box. Press ‘Enter’ key to start a new paragraph.
Self-check Questions 1. What do you mean by text wrap? 2. Fill in the blanks: a. The text becomes an _______ when selected using Pick tool. b. Font colour is changed by _____ click on the colour while its outline is done so by ______click. c. Text appear to originate from _______ when the text is aligned ______. Increasing text area size -Type more text than the box can hold. Notice how the symbol at the center bottom of the text area changes to an arrow, indicating hidden text. To increase text area size, click on the arrow and drag down. The width and height of the text area can be adjusted using selection handles.
Increasing text area size
The paragraph text also becomes an object when selected using Pick tool and the text cursor is inactive. 6
Activity 1. Write a small paragraph text and then change its style now perform the exercises given below on your text.
7.5
Exercises on Formatting Text
7.5.1 Changing text case 1. Select the text. 2. Click Text, Change case. 3. Enable one of the following options: • Sentence case capitalizes the initial letter of the first word in each sentence • Lowercase makes all text lowercase • Uppercase makes all text uppercase • Title case capitalizes the initial letter of each word • Toggle case reverses the case; all uppercase letters become lowercase and all lowercase letters become uppercase 7.5.2 Resizing text 1. Specify the amount by which to resize text, click Tools 2. In the list of categories, click Text, and type a value in the keyboard text increment box. 3. To change the default unit of measure, choose a unit from the Default text units list box. 4. To increase the size of text, select the text using the Text tool, hold down Ctrl Key and press 8 on the number pad. 5. To decrease the size of text, select the text using the Text tool, hold down Ctrl Key and press 2 on the number pad. 7.5.3 Font color Select text by selecting text as an object, highlighting part of the text or selecting one character. Click on the desired fill color in the color palette. All the text, a portion of text or one character will be affected according to the selection.
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7.5.4 Font outline Select text by selecting text as an object, highlighting part of the text or selecting one character. Right click on the desired outline color in the color palette. All the text, a portion of text or one character will be affected according to the selection.
7.5.5 Aligning Artistic Text Align Text in Same Object: Click and drag on the vertical ruler to place a guide near the center of your page. Choose the Text Tool and click along the guide to place the cursor. Choose Text, Format, or CTRL T to open the Text Format window. Choose Align and click on Center. Type some text. Note how the word balances around the guideline. The spot where the mouse is clicked to start the text forms the axis for text placement. Repeat, but choose Right align. Note how all the characters are placed to the left of the guideline.
Select Separate Text Objects: It is common to have several different areas of Artistic Text that are to be aligned. This is accomplished in the same way as any other objects are aligned. Choose the Pick Tool and hold SHIFT key down while clicking on all objects to be aligned. All objects will align to the last item selected, so choose the one that is in the correct position last.
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Open Align Window and choose alignment: Choose Arrange, Align and Distribute from the Main Menu to open the Align and Distribute window. Choose Align Left, Center or Right for this example. The alignment can be previewed by clicking on the Preview button at the bottom of this window. Click OK. In this sample, the Headline was chosen last, so all other objects align to the left position of the headline. 7.5.6 Aligning Paragraph Text Choose the Pick Tool from the toolbox and select the block of paragraph text to justify or align. Choose Text menu, Format Text. Click on Center. The result can be previewed by clicking on the Preview button at the bottom of the window. 7.5.7 Aligning text within an object Add some artistic text or open previously created artistic text file. Select the text object, from ‘Arrange’ menu select ‘Break Apart’ option. Selection order of objects is important while aligning them since it is based on the last object selected. 1. Select the text in the top line. Check the Status Bar to ensure the presence of text. 2. Hold down the Shift key. Select the next line of the text. The Status Bar should read that you have two objects. 3. Release the Shift key. 4. Two or more objects must be selected. Go to the Arrange menu and select Align and distribute. Select both the Center options. Selecting the Center of the Page option, then deselecting it accomplishes the same thing. Click OK. This will place the text in the center of the boxes. 5. Repeat these steps to align the rest of the text with the boxes as needed. Remember to select the text first. 6. Save (Ctrl+S). 7.5.8 To add text along a path 1. Draw some arbitrary path i.e., open / closed (straight / curved lines or shapes) using drawing tools. 2. Select a path using the Pick tool. 3. Click Text Fit text to path. 4. Type along the path. Note: If the text is fitted to a closed path, the text is centered along the path. If the text is fitted to an open path, the text flows from the point of insertion. Text cannot be fit to the path of another text object.
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Tip:
Text can be fit to a path by clicking the Text tool, and pointing to a path. When the pointer changes to a Fit to path pointer, click where the text has to begin, and type.
7.5.9 To fit text to a path 1. Draw a path. 2. Select a text object using the Pick tool. 3. Click Text, Fit text to path. The pointer changes to a thick, black arrow. 4. Click on the path. The text gets aligned along the path.
7.5.10 To draw a predefined shape 1. Open the Perfect Shapes flyout, and click one of the following tools: • • • • •
Basic shapes Arrows shapes Flowchart shapes Star shapes Callout shapes
2. Open Perfect Shapes picker on the property bar, and click a shape. 3. Drag in the drawing window until the shape is the desired size. 7.5.11 To add text to a predefined shape 1. Click the Text tool. 2. Position the cursor inside the shape's outline until it changes to a text cursor box. 3. Type and format the font inside the shape.
7.6
Assignments
7.6.1 Class assignment Write your name on the Corel page and perform the following actions on them:(a) Change text colour (b) Add Text to a path (c) Put text in a shape
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7.6.2 Home Assignment i)
7.7
Make a visiting / executive card using artistic text firstly on a drawing sheet using colours of your own choice. Add different formats to the contents of the card. Now make it in Corel draw using the functions you have learnt.
Summing Up
In Lesson 7 we have learnt how to add artistic and paragraph texts in CorelDraw, apply some basic formatting and changing text properties. In the exercises section some other techniques viz., aligning text along a path, adding text to a predefined shape etc., have been dealt with. This overview will help in understanding detailed formatting in the following lesson.
7.8
Possible Answers Self-check Questions
1. Text wrap means grouping of text being written as a single Unit or object. 2. Fill in the blanks: a. object b. Left, Right c. Center, centrally
7.9
Terminal Questions
1.
Does text wrap automatically in artistic text?
2.
How do you make text an object?
3.
What do you mean by text frame?
7.10 References and Suggested Further Reading Help Menu & Tutorials of CorelDraw
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7.11 Glossary
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1.
Wrap Enclose
2.
Aligning Making stick to a position
3.
Font The Calligraphic style