Welcome To Tutorial Info

This tutorial will demonstrate how you can create a Cracked Text effect. I used Corel DRAW! 8.0 for Windows for this technique. Some things may be done differently with other versions.

One of the things that's so cool about vector drawing programs is that certain effects that would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to re-create in a paint program are so easy to accomplish with a drawing program.

This next effect, "cracked text", is no exception. This wouldn't be easy to do in a paint program but you can follow along and get this one done in just minutes with Corel DRAW!

To get started, open a new file and use the Text Tool to enter some text. I entered the word "Cracked" in 100 point using Arial Black (see figure 8.1).

You might want to zoom-in a little to work on the image. To do so, just select the Zoom Tool and click on the image workspace until the text fills the screen.

Select the Eraser Tool. It's in the second space from the top of the toolbar. If you don't see it hold the mouse down for a moment until the flyout menu appears.

Use the up or down arrows to adjust the size of the tool. How big or small should it be? Why just the right size for the cracks, of course. All kidding aside, it really depends on the size of your text and how big you'd like the cracks to be. With the 100 point text that I used I set the tool to 0.05 inches.

Now click-and-drag the tool over the text in short jagged moves so that it breaks up the letters (see figure 8.2).

Continue until you've created cracks in all of the letters (see figure 8.3).

Now, here's where the cool tricks that Corel DRAW can do come in!

Choose Effects, Extrude.

In the Extrude dialog box set the Depth to 5 and click Apply.

Choose the Lighting icon and click on at least one light. Place it where you'd like the light to come from. I chose the upper-right corner.

Click on the Rotational icon and position the text the way you want it appear.

My final image can be seen in figure 8.4.

Have some fun with this. You might even want to try it on images other than text.