OutLines

Just need to make sure this is actually what is happening.

If I was to have a circle drawn with a "line" and this line is "4pt" in width. Now if I put an "Outline" around this circle with another "4pt" line, coreldraw places that outline with the "center" of the outline on the outside edge of the circle, thus making the combined width of both now "6pt" because 2pt's of the width of the outline is actually under the circle line.

This is why I ask. I design artwork for t-shirt and everytime I have place an outline around my image and sent it off to the printer it always comes back with my outline being about half of what I expected it to be.

Is this correct? 

Thanks David

  • We need to clarify a few things before answering, because you are describing more than a simple circle here.

    David M. Camp said:
    If I was to have a circle drawn with a "line" and this line is "4pt" in width.

    If I assume it was drawn in Coreldraw rather than imported from somewhere else, then the 4pt line will consist of 2pt inside the circle and 2pt outside the circumference of the circle :

    But ,,, if you fill the circle -- then you have two choices. You can choose the outline to be in front or behind your fill.

    The default is for the outline to be in front in which case the whole 4pt is visible but some of your fill is hidden, so that it seems to be 4pt smaller than it was drawn :

    But there is an option in the outline pen properties (F12) to put the outline behind the fill, in which case you see all of the fill but it hides half of the outline.

    David M. Camp said:
    Now if I put an "Outline" around this circle with another "4pt" line,

    This is the bit I need to ask, because there are several possible ways of doing that.

    1. Convert the outline of your circle to an object, or
    2. Create a contour.
    3. Draw a second circle for the new outline (in which case the answer depends entirely on how big you choose to make the second circle).

    I think you are probably doing no 1 here. In that case, your "old" outline becomes a fill and can accept a new outline.

    If that new outline is 4pt and is set to be behind the first outline (the green area, which is now a fill), then 2pt of it (shown in blue) will be visible on both sides of the green, inside and out

    But if that new outline is in front of it, then it will entirely hide the original outline, so you will see what looks like a single 8 point outline ...

    • You have explained this very well. I want to thank you for your help.

       

      I have a much better understanding of how this works and what I need to do.

      Once again Thank You

      David

      • harryLondon said:

        But ,,, if you fill the circle -- then you have two choices. You can choose the outline to be in front or behind your fill. If you choose the fill to be behind, then you see only 2pt of the outline, because the fill hides the inner 2pt that is inside and behind the fill.

        Or you can choose the fill to be in front, in which case the whole 4pt is visible but your fill seems to be 4pt smaller.

         

        Isn't there a problem with this description? If a fill is behind the outline (the first example cited), the user sees the entire outline - not just half of it - because...the fill is behind, and therefore not occluding any part of, the outline.

        On the other hand, if a fill is in front of an outline (second example cited), then part of the outline is in fact hidden from view because the fill is in front of it...on top of it, essentially.

        I think the problem is that in each example described, the operative noun should be "outline," not "fill." 

        i.e. "If you choose the OUTLINE to be behind, then you see only 2pt of the outline, because the fill hides the inner 2pt that is inside and behind the fill."

        and

        "Or you can choose the OUTLINE to be in front, in which case the whole 4pt is visible but your fill seems to be 4pt smaller."

        The graphics here are really good, but I think the descriptions are not accurate.

        Am I missing something?

        • Bill -- well spotted.

          Sometimes the fingers don't say what the brain is thinking, but the eyes only see what the brain thought. It takes a fresh pair of eyes to see the error.

          I've edited the original post to describe the default (outline in front) first and swapped the illustrations accordinglingly. I think its correct now.

           

           

           

          • it was not about, if the outline would be visible either in half or in whole. I really needed to know how much more was add to the "Diameter" of the circle.

             

            Thanks to everyone, I now can figure this out.

            DAvid

            • harryLondon said:

              Sometimes the fingers don't say what the brain is thinking, but the eyes only see what the brain thought. It takes a fresh pair of eyes to see the error.

              I've edited the original post to describe the default (outline in front) first and swapped the illustrations accordinglingly. I think its correct now.

               

              From the moment I read your original response, I knew it was nothing more than non-communicating fingers, eyes, and brain. You are a dependable and highly-valued source of advice in these forums. Thank you for many ways you make a difference.