Create St. Patrick's Day Graphics Yourself

       While searching for something with St Patrick's Day graphics I came across one of my tutorials from 2016. And it's a shame that a tutorial not to be published and to be hidden somewhere.
      The interface of Corel Draw has changed a bit, but the principle is the same, that applies not only to Corel Draw but to other vector programs. So here is that old tutorial.

    Open a new document, choose the size for the letter-size page size (11 x 8.5 inches) landscape orientation.
Different programs coll the same thing with different names.  As I remembered Adobe Illustration coll is Art Board size or something like that.
   Type some text, for example '' Happy St. Patrick's Day'', choose the font and align text to the middle of the page. In Corel Draw, simply press the ''P'' key to center any object in the center of the page.

    If you click on the second arrow on the left side, you will be able to stretch the text. In this case, that means that you can add an extra space between letters ( horizontally ) and between text lines ( vertically ).

    Click on the little arrow. That is a ''pick tool'' or ''selection tool'' and convert the text to the curve ( path). As I already said different programs coll the same things with different names. I usually use the keyboard shortcuts CTRL + Q, but you can also choose from the dropdown '' object to curve'' ( object to a path). And change the color of your curve. I chose green.
 

   Now, we are going to create a shape around the curve. First, I'll use the contour tool from the left side and then I'll decide how big the shape will be. When you choose some tool from the left side that automatically opens the appropriate menu on top of your drawing. You can try different things with the contours, colors, wide, ... even copy contour style from object to object.

  Now we get something like a cloud behind the text. To break apart the contour from the main shape of words press CTRL+K. Also, change the color of the new cloud shape in a little darker green color than the text.

    Now, we have two shapes. The main words and the cloud behind them.  I reduced the size of the cloud shape to 90%, and double click on it to get the arrows for curve transformations. With corner arrows, you can rotate the curve and with arrows in the middle, you can skew the shape up and down, to the left or to the right.

    I prepared a polka dot pattern and placed it inside the darker green cloud curve. For that, I used a great Corel Draw tool with the name '' Power Clip''. I know for sure that Inkscape does not have such a powerful tool, but have something similar called  ''clipping mask''.

Now you have a ''Happy St. Patrick's Day'' words and polka dot cloud. Select one by one layer and duplicate them ( in Corel Draw simply click on ''+'' key).  Move them one layer behind (  and a little to the right and down. Double click on each copy of the layers to get the transformations arrows to play a little bit and get the ''shadow'' you want.

When you click on the patterned cloud you will see the toolbox with tools for editing the power clip frame. If you want to change something on the pattern, choose the option to open and edit.
I do not have to say that the Power Clip is my favorite Corel Draw tool. You can also have a power clip inside a power clip. Really great tool.

And we have almost done. Add some decorative elements and you have cute St. Patrick's Day graphics for your printables.

Thank you for reading this tutorial!
You can also download the free graphics from this tutorial here!

FREE DOWNLOAD

What to know where the next tutorial will be published?