Canadian company Corel presented its first vector graphics editor in 1989 - CorelDraw 1.x was released for Windows 2.x and 3.0 operating systems. Until today, it has undergone many different changes, has become available not only for Windows, but also for other operating systems, and has also acquired a whole set of additional utilities. The Corel Graphics Suite includes the Corel PhotoPaint photo editor, the Corel RAVE animation application, the raster to vector graphics program Corel Trace (later integrated with Corel Draw) and the Corel Capture screen capture tool. What is a vector editor and why exactly CorelDraw has become so in demand and popular among designers?
Vector and raster editors
Inexperienced users often ask themselves how raster graphics differ from vector graphics. However, the answer lies on the surface - if the raster image consists of color points called pixels, then vector graphics involve creating an image from lines and curves described by mathematical objects - vectors. The raster editor, therefore, is perfect for working with photographs and other pixel images; a vector editor, such as the graphics program CorelDraw, is suitable for creating logos, working with maps and drawings.
Latest versions of CorelDraw
The latest versions of the popular Corel Graphics Suite are the X6 and X7 releases. Why are designers in no hurry to abandon the X6 version? The fact is that the program CorelDraw X6 is suitable for both the latest updates to Windows, and for versions of XP and Vista. The release of X7 is practically no different from the previous one, however, it is suitable only for the "seven" and "eight", which, of course, is not convenient for every user. The most important and undeniable advantage of the new versions is the trace function built into the graphical editor itself, that is, the conversion of raster graphics into vector graphics. This feature is indispensable for engineers working with drawings, which often have to be scanned and modified in a vector editor.
Corel Connect and other radical changes
Starting with version X5, the Corel Graphics suite includes the Corel Connect tool - a full-screen browser that allows you to search for the necessary data on your computer and on the local network, as well as synchronized with Corel PhotoPaint and CorelDraw. Versions of the program before X5 were much more difficult in terms of the presence in the package of more utilities with poorly established interaction. Also, starting with the “X” releases, Corel Trace is no longer a standalone program and is embedded in CorelDraw. Packages began to include instructional videos that greatly simplify the task not only for novice users, but also more or less experienced graphics enthusiasts.
Interface CorelDraw X6
At first glance, in the latest updates, the CorelDraw program itself has not changed in any way - the tools, the work area and the color palette remain the same as in the old versions. The textures and patterns for filling remained the same, a set of standard forms and operations for working with them were also not processed. Of course, for an experienced user of older versions, such stability is a big plus, as getting used to radical changes is not always easy. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the ease of use of the editor has increased significantly due to synchronization with other products of the CorelDraw Graphics Suite.
Before starting work in CorelDraw, any of the latest versions should study the principle of working with vector graphics, for example, by watching video tutorials. Each time you click on a previously unused function, CorelDraw prudently displays help windows that contain a link to the tutorial. However, for experienced users, such a “concern” is only a burden - the help tabs are quite voluminous and significantly occupy the workspace, and closing them repeatedly takes up valuable time.
However, despite such minor shortcomings, CorelDraw is certainly a leader in its field, giving odds to other vector graphics software in terms of ease of use and wide functionality. The raster editor Corel PhotoPaint, which allows you to edit photos and other pixel images, is intuitive and convenient for anyone, even the most inexperienced user. It will be a nice addition for owners of Corel Graphics Suite.
However, it must be remembered that the acquisition of "pirated" software is monitored by Corel - when you try to use crack versions of the editor, after a while it goes into view mode and stops responding to user requests. Corel Graphics Suite is a software package that you should invest in for the sake of comfortable and productive work on your favorite business.