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Playing with Blends

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Playing with Blends

Author: CorelDRAW Master: Ariel Garaza Diaz (/graphics/authors/32/Ariel+Garaza+Diaz)
(http://learn.corel.com/)
Difficulty:

The Blend tool is one of the oldest and most useful features of CorelDRAW. Blending objects means transforming one object into
another, following a progression of shapes and colors. In this tutorial, Ariel Diaz explores some of the possibilities.
You will learn about:
Blending vector shapes to create transitions
Using blends to simulate 3D effects
How to use "map nodes" to shape your blends in the way you want
Want to see what's new in CorelDRAW? You can download your FREE 30-day trial here (http://www.coreldraw.com/us/free-trials/?
itrkid=DCCDGSTRY) or take advantage of our special offers (http://www.coreldraw.com/us/product/graphic-design-software/?
itrkid=DCCDGSBUY) today!
(https://twitter.com/share?url=http://learn.corel.com/graphics/tutorials/view/509/Playing-with-Blends&text=Check out this
awesome video tutorial on Playing with Blends at the Discovery Center)

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Written Tutorial

TheBlendtoolisoneoftheoldestandmostusefulfeaturesofCorelDRAW.Blendingobjectsmeans
transformingoneobjectintoanother,followingaprogressionofshapesandcolors.Buttheresultsareveryinteresting.
1.Drawastraightline,andchoosehairline(onthePropiertyBarorpressF12foroutlinepropierties)

2.Drawasecondline.Youcanduplicateprevious,withtheleftmousebuttonwhilemoving,orpressingthe+key
onthenumerickeypadandmovingtheline,orCopy/paste(Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V),orDuplicate(Ctrl+D).Then,setwidth
to2points(onthePropiertyBarorpressF12foroutlinepropierties)

3.TaketheInteractiveBlendTool,ontheEffectstoolsflyout.Then,dragthetoolfromonelinetotheother(the
orderisnotrelevantatthispoint).Theresultshouldbeagradientoflines.

4.Changethecolorofeachline(leftclickontheColorPalette).Nowitwasagradientofcolorsandwidth.

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5.OnthePropiertyBarchangethenumberofthesteps.Themoresteps,themoreanobjectwillmeltintheother.

6.YoucanBlendalotofvectorshapes,includingtext,forcreateattractivetransitions.Forexample,drawanStar
andaPolygon,andfillwithdifferentcolors.

7.Then,dragtheBlendtoolfromoneobjettoanother.Chooselesssteps(accordingtheobjectssize)toseehow
Blendworks.

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8.Blendalsoallowstosimulate3Deffectseasily.Forexample,blendathinlinewithathickline...orjusttwo
rectangleswithroundedcorners.

9.Ifyouusetwoshapes,suchasathinandathickcircle,youcancreateamazingresultstoo.

10.TheBlendisreallymadefromonenodetoother.Then,iftheBlenddontfollwthedirectionyouwant,youcan
choosethenodesyouwanttohaverelationship,onthePropiertybar,selectMapNodesthenselectthetwonodes
(oneoneachshape)withtheblackarrow.

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11.MapNodesallowstocreatesmoothresultsandmoreperfectBlends,sinceyouhavemorecontrolofthe
results.

12.Letshavesomefunwithblends.Drawasquare(holsCtrlwhiledragwiththerectangletool),thenchange
outlinecolor(ieBlue).Makeaduplicate(clickonthe+keyoftheNumericKeypadorcopy/paste),thenchangethe
colorofthenewsquare(ietoCyan).
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Now,selectbothsquaresandgotoEffectd/Blend,thatwillopentheBlendDocker.ClickontheApplybutton
withoutchangeanythingfromdefaultvalues.Yes,youdidntnoticeanychange.Thatsright,sincebothobjectshad
thesamesizeandarealigned.butnow,selectonlyoneofthesquaresandrotateit180(onthepropiertybar).
Althoughitssupposedthatrotate180asquareshouldntchangeit,itchangesthedirectionoftheblend8since
changethepositionofthenodes).

Yes,youdidntnoticeanychange.Thatsright,sincebothobjectshadthesamesizeandarealigned.butnow,
selectonlyoneofthesquaresandrotateit180(onthepropiertybar).Althoughitssupposedthatrotate180a
squareshouldntchangeit,itchangesthedirectionoftheblend8sincechangethepositionofthenodes).

13.SelectagainthesamesquareandchooseMirrorHorizontally.

Now,alwaysselectingthesamesquare,changerotationto270.

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And,alwaysselectingthesamesquare,chooseMirrorHorizontallyagain.

Now,selecttheBlendgroup.OntheBlenddocker,changeBlenddirectionto180andactivateloop,thenckick
ontheApplybutton.

Selectthesamesquareagainandchangerotationto180.Yes,wehaveacirclenow!

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14.SelecttheBlendgroupagain,andgototheBlenddocker.Changeblendobjectsto100steps(bydefaultis
20)andblenddirectionto360,thenpressApply.

Differentvalueswillcreatedifferentresults.Andstillwehaveonlytwosquares.

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15.Untilnow,weareusingbothsquaresatthesamesize,butwhathappensifthesizeisnotthesame?Change
valuesto50stepsand360withloop,thenApply.Later,selectoneofthesquaresandenlargeorreduceit.

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16.Doyouwanttoseeanexampleusinganothershape?,ok,letsuseaEllipse(F7),theusetheShapetool(F10)
forcreateanarc.Oneagain,letsduplicate(suingthe+keyofnumerickeypadorcopy/paste),thenchangecolors
forbetteridentifyeachobject.

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Choosing150stepsand360withLoop,wewillhave...adonut!

ChangingBlenddirectionto180theresultisverydifferent

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Rotating,mirroringormovingoneoftheobjectscreatesnewshapesandeffects.

Theonlylimitisourimagination.

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