CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW is a design software used at __Space.URI for the Vinyl Cutter and Laser Pro. CorelDRAW is a complex software so here are some instructions and tips for designing in CorelDRAW.

Convert to Bitmap

It converts the image to the color depth indicated by the bit number.

• Black and White (1-Bit): each pixel is either black or white

16 Colors (4-Bit): The image will be entirely comprised of up to 16 different colors Grayscale (8-bit): The image will be entirely comprised only gray colors RGB Color (24-Bit): The image is comprised of RGB colors (near full color spectrum) CMYK Color (32-bit): The image is comprised of CMYK colors (near full color spectrum)

Black and White (1-Bit)

Black and White bitmap is the most commonly used bitmap for the Vinyl Cutter and Laser Pro. Not not all images convert as easily as is liked. Images that have light colors in it will be erased with the bitmap conversion. This is when the image must be edited (in CorelDRAW) before converting to a bitmap. Bitmaps -> Mode -> Grayscale (8-bit) Now that everything in the image is “gray” to some degree, the brightness and contrast settings can be played with until the Black and White bitmap is to your liking. Effects -> Adjust -> Brightness/ Contrast/ Intensity, or Contrast Enhancement

Trace Bitmap

The “trace” indicates where the Vinyl Cutter with cut or where the Laser Pro will make a vector cut. The image must first be converted to a bitmap. Trace Type: Centerline trace: will attempt to trace the center of the image. This works if the image is already comprised of thin lines. You can’t really trace the center of a square or a face. Outline trace: The line appears between any different colors because it is tracing the outline of the bitmap. This is generally used for a Black and White (1-Bit), so the outline of the image is traced. Types of Images: play around with these settings and see which looks best (Logo is a good default) Trace Settings: Detail: How much detail is kept from the original image Smoothing: How smooth or rounded the trace lines are Corner Smoothing: How smooth or rounded the corners lines are

Check Trace: Press F12 Color: A bright color that will stand out against black Width: Hairline, Points The colored line is where the Cut/Etch will be made