In this part you will learn how to select and use basic tools, how to define outlines and fills, and how to use some fundamentals of object-based drawing.

The CorelDRAW window simulates a desktop with a page in the center. Above the page is a row of menus for selecting commands, plus rulers and bars that provide information as you work. Down the left side of the screen are the nine tools used to draw and manipulate objects on the page. The major components of the interface are described here.

1. The Title Bar shows the name and path of the current file.
2. The Menu Bar allows access to the program's drop-down menus when you click on the item's name.
3. The Status Line shows the current mode and information about the currently selected object.
4. The Toolbox contains the basic drawings and manipulation tools used to create drawings. You click on the icon to change the mouse pointer into the desired tool.
5. The Tool fly-out menus provide access to several additional options that open when you click on their icons.
6. The Rulers are used for precise measurement of an object on the page.
7. The Work Area and Page are used for drawing and manipulating objects. This is a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) display of your drawing. The orientation and size of the area within the page border will vary, based on the page settings found under the File menu.
8. Object handles are little boxes that appear on the edges of the currently selected object. You can use handles to size and stretch an object.
9. A roll-up menu is a selection box that gives access to the options for the Text tool and certain special effects in the work area without having to use the regular menu bar. One of the menus is shown full size, the other is reduced to a little bar using the minimize button at its top right.
10. On-Screen Palette is a strip of predefined colors and gray scale tones that can be clicked on to set a solid fill quickly.
11. The Page Counter appears only when you have more than one page in drawings file and is used to move from one page to another.
12. Windows Scroll Bars are used for moving the area displayed in the active Window.

Drop-Down Menus

CorelDRAW has ten drop-down menus located above the ruler or the status bar. The Edit, Effects, Text, and Arrange menus give access to drawing commands and special effects. The File, Layout, and View menus are used to open and save drawings, import files created in other applications, add or modify pages, and customize CorelDRAW's operation. The Tools window gives the user added functionality if needed. The Window menu lets the user shift and view other files within the program. The Help menu provides access to the online help features. To open a menu you can either click on its name or use a keyboard shortcut. Shortcuts work when you hold down the Alt key and press the key that matches the underlined letter in the menu's name. To select an option once the menu is open, press the underlined letter, but don't hold down the Alt key.

Fly-out Menus

Clicking on icons in the Toolbox opens fly-out menus. When the menu is visible you can click on an option to activate it or open its dialog box.

Dialog Boxes

Many options are set using dialog boxes. This allows CorelDRAW's interface to be uncluttered but still gives quick access to settings and commands. Although the number of variations may seem complex to new users, a little practice makes working with them second nature.

Roll-up Menus

Roll-up menus are special menus that can be left on-screen while you work and are used to modify objects without having to use the normal dialog boxes. They are like mini-tool boxes.

CorelDRAW offers several ways to perform most commands. The mouse, hot-keys, keyboards shortcuts, roll-up menu, or dialog box can all get the job done. Use whichever works best, but be open to changing methods as your skills improve. Looking for shortcuts and hot-keys for the commands you use the most often can really speed your work.

The Toolbox

Pick Tool

Shape Tool, also contains Knife and Eraser Tool

Freehand Tool, also contains the Bezier Tool

Vertical, also Horizontal, Slanted, Angular Dimension Tool, Callout & Connector Line Tool also included

Rectangle Tool

Ellipse Tool

Polygon Tool, Spiral Tool, & Graph Paper Tool

Artistic Text Tool, also contains Paragraph Text Tool

Outline Tool has 10 different options for Outlines plus two roll up menus for the Pen and the Color

Fill Tool has 10 different options for Filling in any object, plus two roll up menus for color and Special Fill

Before you begin your first foray into the practical side of CorelDRAW, have a quick look at the Toolbox and the various tools in it. It would be a good idea to get acquainted with them before you actually start.