Operation Manual

170 | Corel DESIGNER X7 User Guide
Joining multiple line segments can be the starting point for a more complex drawing.
Before you can manipulate an object’s nodes, you must select them. When working with curve objects, you can select individual, multiple, or
all of the object’s nodes. Selecting multiple nodes lets you shape different parts of an object simultaneously.
When you add nodes, you increase the number of segments, and therefore the amount of control you have over the shape of the object.
You can also remove nodes to simplify an object’s shape.
When you create an object, it is made up of one or multiple paths. If you are working on an open object, such as a freehand curve, you can
join its start and end nodes. When you join the start and end nodes, the two nodes are pulled together to create a closed object. You can
add color to the inside of closed paths that you create. For information on applying fills, see “Filling objects” on page 301. If the paths
consist of multiple subpaths, you can break the paths apart to extract a subpath. For information on breaking paths apart, see “Cropping,
splitting, and erasing objects” on page 175.
After you create a curve object, you can align its nodes horizontally or vertically.
You can change the nodes on a curve object to one of four types: cusp, smooth, symmetrical, or line. Cusp nodes make the node’s
intersecting line take on the shape of a corner or point when you adjust the position of the node’s control points. Smooth nodes make the
node’s intersecting line take on the shape of a curve. Each control point can be shortened or lengthened independently, giving you smaller
or larger angles to work with. Symmetrical nodes make the node’s intersecting line take on the shape of a curve as well as intersect the node
at exactly the same angle. Line nodes let you shape objects by changing the shape of their segments. You can make a curve segment straight
or a straight segment curved.
You can also change the direction of a segment by reversing the position of its start and end nodes. The effect is visible only when the ends
of a segment are different from each other.
You can also shape objects by stretching, scaling, rotating, and skewing their nodes. For example, you can scale the corner nodes of a curve
object to enlarge the curve object proportionally. Stretching, on the other hand, elongates a curve object so that its shape is distorted. All or
parts of a curve object can be rotated in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction. You can reposition a node by specifying its coordinates.
You can also skew nodes to shape a curve object.
To convert objects to curve objects
1 Select the object.
2
Click Object Convert to curves.
You can convert artistic text to curves so that you can shape individual characters.
To join curves
1
Using the Pick tool , hold down Shift, and select each object.