Halftones in CorelDRAW 10/11

**jlharris42** · 22 July 2006, 01:41 AM

Hello all. I am trying to find some help on creating halftones in CorelDRAW 10/11. I have been doing basic artwork and re-creations (what I call them) for some time, and I would like learn how to create print ready halftones for silk-screening. I have no formal education in graphic design (finishing English and History now), so everything I have learned up to this point has been from reading and trial/error.

So far, I have been only able to create uniform halftones using the PS Fill (circle grid) option and also fade them using transparency tool. What I want to learn how to create is a graduating halftone (larger to smaller) that will move out from objects, text, etc. which is usable for screen printing (something like a graduating halftone dropshadow). I am not looking to create award winning graphics, but simply, halftoning for production silk-screening onto shirts. I have searched all over and read several things but cannot seem to find what I really need. All help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jeremy

**sallybode** · 22 July 2006, 03:05 AM

There is a vignetting tool in DRAW for halftones that is quite useful, it is under Bitmaps/Creative/Vignettes. You should also check out Bitmaps/Creative/Frames.

In addition, clever use of the drop shadow tool with setting the object to 100% transparent does not make its shadow transparent. So you can build a transparent vignette frame with a vector and feather it with a drop shadow. If you want your vignette to be white, then you'd set the drop shadow color to white. There are several adjustments to note on drop shadows, Inside, Middle, Outside and Average, and then there are the types of transparencies, linear, etc. I don't know them all by heart. But you can play with them and get some rather interesting effects.

You might find the discussion in this thread to be of use to you:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=20767

**jlharris42** · 22 July 2006, 04:09 AM

Thank you for the info sally. The vignette tool covers part of the appearance that I am trying to create.

The other design I am trying to create is what I'm calling a graduated halftone fill(?). When I create an ellipse, I use a circle grid PS fill with parameters of: Frequency@25; Line Width 1 & 2@0; Gray 1 @ 100; and Gray 2 @ 0. This gives me an ellipse with a halftone look, which is close to what I am trying to create. Ultimately, what I want is my halftone dots to decrease in size as they move out to the edge of the fill from the center, giving the appearance of the fade from the vignette tool. After this is created, a logo or clipart will be placed in the center of the halftone creation. Is there a way to create something like this. If it would help, I will see if I can post a picture of some artwork I had created for a client by a designer.

**Mike Bailey** · 22 July 2006, 11:48 PM

Does CD 10 still have PhotoPaint?
I stopped upgrading at CD 7. Photopaint 7 has a filter in the effects menu, color transform, halftone, that might do the trick.

The attached circle is filled with a fountain fill, then the effect applied to it in Photopaint.

**sallybode** · 23 July 2006, 01:20 AM

Yes, I agree with Mike because if you are after a halftone dot effect, it might be the best way.

But if you are after a more perfect dot, a vector effect might work for you but it is compatible with Xara, not DRAW called Raster.exe.

The way it works is you start with a bitmap image and via the Windows Clipboard copy and paste into it, and it traces it for you into halftone dots. It is a free little utility by Dmitry, and very cool.

It is available here:

http://xaraxtv.at.tut.by/downloads.htm

Of course you can save in Xara as .ai or .pdf and bring it into DRAW and I think also as a .cmx.

If you are after a graduated dot, you could start with the blend tool when you have what you want, rotate and duplicate with the Transform docker. You may need to break the blend, ungroup and regroup as a whole if it balks as doing this. If the purpose is to have no dot in the middle, then you may want to begin your dot pattern further out, just drag your rotation point to where it give you the effect you need.

**Marked47** · 19 December 2006, 10:11 AM

in X3/PhotoPaint, convert to B&W(1 bit) has settings that could help produce what you are looking for...

**Marked47** · 19 December 2006, 08:05 PM

OK...bit more detail on suggested method: create fountain fill in greyscale for your intended halftone area, convert to bitmap (may want to coulour mask/delete background at this stage>Image>Convert to Black&White(1bit){halftone option has many parameters for dot shape and scale}>import back into draw.

I haven't used 10 or 11 for a long time, but have used this method in X3, and I think 12 has same functions

**Grafixman** · 20 December 2006, 12:16 AM

I think it is possible to get Dmitry's Raster exe. results pasted in Draw. I had managed to copy and paste the vector result to Corel Draw 11.
Converting to Black and White will also work, but be sure to get a high enough resolution for your bitmap or it will be very jagged because there is no anti-aliasing involved.
Tried it again just to make sure. Yes, you can paste the result of Dmitry's Raster into draw. Use Edit/Paste Special and choose Picture (Enhanced Metafile). Just be warned that the result involves a huge amount of grouped circles so Draw might slow down on a slow computer.