CAREFUL UPGRADING YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM

When you're contemplating upgrading your operating system you must first check all your application software (Corel, Illustrator, Publisher etc) to make certain the software will work with the new operating system. Otherwise you may be forced to upgrade your applications and it could cost you several hundred dollars. So check first!!

Thumbnail View

As of Windows Vista and Window 7, the Microsoft Windows Explorer no longer displays thumbnails image previews of EMF (Enhanced Metafile) and WMF (Windows Metafile) vector graphic images. Thanks to our member (Tony), this Windows Explorer plug-in restores this capability.

https://code.google.com/p/emfplugin/

FITTING TEXT TO A CURVE OR PATH--lessons to help

Here's a lesson for Corel Draw. It will take some practice but is fairly straight forward.

LESSON

Here's one for Adobe Illustrator

LESSON

And here's one for Serif Draw. Scroll down to text on path.

LESSON

As mentioned, with a little practice you'll be able to master these special tools when trying to put text on or in various shapes. Good luck with the lessons.

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THE SALTIRE

symbol of industry

The term is from Middle English sautire, which is from Middle French saultoir or saulter to jump, or from Latin saltare.

In the days of old the Saltire was made of the height of man and was driven full of pinnes (metal pegs), the use whereof was to scale the low walls of towns.

From this interpretation, the Saltire was bestowed upon one who was successful in accomplishing such a military mission.

The Saltire is also known as St. Andrew's cross as according to legend is that shape because the apostle Andrew petitioned the Roman authorities who had sentenced him to death not to crucify him on the same shape of cross as Christ, and this was granted.

St. Andrew is Scotland's patron saint and the Saltire is today its flag and national symbol; from this interpretation the Saltire is in recognition of Scotland, its patron saint, faith and resolution.

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THE GREAT BUSTARD

symbolic of the hunt

A type of wild turkey aggressively hunted for its meat with the aid of greyhounds. The great or bearded bustard is the largest game bird in Europe weighing upwards of 25 lbs. and a metre tall.

It inhabits the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, and was formerly common in Great Britain. An ancient emblem of Hungary and is symbolic of the hunt, and said to be betoken on one of noble prominence and grace.

SHIPS

an early symbol of the church

They symbolize some notable expedition by sea, by which the first bearer had become famous. The single-mast Galley and the Lymphad or Lymphiad seem to be the most prevalent.  If a ship is borne without a mast it is said to denote tragedy at sea.

The ship was also an early symbol of the church as a place where the voyagers of faith could gather and sail over the rough areas of life to the good destination God had for them. Other cultures believed the ship was like a planet or star revolving around its centre, it is the earth and the image of life. Man is navigating the ship as a symbol of life, determining both its centre and its course.

Counterchanging-LESSON

The Power Clip tool places a selected object inside another object. The object that is inserted into another object is placed in what Corel DRAW calls a container. The source for the container can be an object, or artistic text (but not paragraph text).

The Power Clip tool does change the size of either the container object or the target object. So if you copy a large object into a small one, it will get cropped to fit the size of the target object. If you copy a small object into a large object, it will not fill the target object completely.

First step:

1-Import a five pointed star

2- Ungroup the Star-color it yellow/gold

3-Draw a box a little bigger then the star and color it RED

4- Click once on the Box

5- Click on “Effects” then “Powerclip” then “place inside container”; your cursor will change to a large black arrow. Point the arrow and click on the star with the tip of the arrow.

You have now put the box into the star (the container).

6-Click once on the star

7-Click on “Effects”, then “Powerclip”, then “Edit Contents”

8-Position your black box to where it covers half the star, stretching so the black box extends slightly over the star outline.

9-Click on “effects”, then “Powerclip”, then “Finish Editing”

You now have created a counterchanged star (Also known as a star per pale)

If you want to undo the counterchange, click on the image then click on Effects/Powerclip/Extract.

The Power Clip command is unique to Corel Draw and is one of the main reasons Corel Draw is the preferred program for Heraldry Professionals. There are other software applications that can accomplish this effect. Those members with Illustrator, Serif, Freehand and the like are welcome to submit a short tutorial for everyone's benefit. Please email the office if you wish to help out.

Know of other Free graphic software programs? Please let us know so that we can post it for other members to take advantage of.

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