By Digital Output Staff
Corel Corporation empowers more than 90 million knowledge workers to be creative, productive, and accomplish their goals across platforms and geographies. In an environment that never stands still, it helps customers define and achieve success.
Corel makes the tools, processes, and spaces that drive people and teams to constantly improve. Connecting the dots between today and tomorrow, its software provides flexibility to pivot and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
Above: A new color wheel and interactive range control makes adjusting hue and saturation within a selection more precise.
Corel and Collaboration
Corel launched CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 in March. The software has been in development for over a year. Shortly after the 2020 launch, a global pandemic occurred—pushing people to work in disparate locations with an immediate need for easy collaboration. While Corel already knew collaboration was a key component in its next version of the software, COVID-19 accelerated that need and refocused the engineering team.
“We did give more attention to collaboration since the pandemic happened. However, we probably would have gotten to the same point but not as fast,” admits John Falsetto, senior director of products – CorelDRAW and productivity, Corel.
For example, its CorelDRAW.app, an online graphic design application (app) available via web browser and now for Apple iPad, allows collaboration between clients and colleagues to gather real-time feedback from one or many reviewers. Live comments and annotations from one or many contributors instantly appear within the CorelDRAW design file.
An intuitive new project dashboard simplifies storing, organizing, and sharing cloud files. It acts as a collaboration hub by containing all cloud drawings and in a click displays a preview, the number of comments and team members, and project status. The dashboard also allows sharing of designs directly from CorelDRAW 2021 without opening each file.
CorelDRAW.app is now available through Microsoft Teams. Users can sign into their Microsoft 365 corporate user account and create new designs in a meeting or revise and review designs in real time.
The main idea is to offer the ability to create more efficiently. “Create compelling designs how you want and where you want,” says Falsetto.
New Features
Drawing, layout, and image editing tools all experienced a revision in this latest suite update.
Perspective Drawing is a new drawing tool. Draw objects or illustrated scenes in perspective. Choose from a one-, two-, or` three-point perspective; draw or add on to an existing group of objects on a share perspective plane; and move and edit objects freely without loosing perspective.
For layout tools, a new Pages docker/inspector is introduced. It lists all of the pages in the design for easy management and navigation. Each has a scalable thumbnail preview and reordering pages is easy. In a click, change from single page or use the new Multipage view, which allows users to see, manage, and edit all of a project’s digital assets in one view. Objects can be moved across the page, allowing designs to be compared side by side. This feature is ideal for multi-asset campaigns.
Under image editing tools, image adjustments received an upgrade. In Corel PHOTO-PAINT a new Adjustments docker/inspector provides quick access to most frequently used filters. This allows users to apply critical image adjustments, non-destructively, in real time, and in context.
Also under image editing, the Replace Color filter is redesigned. Enhancements to existing features include the power to edit images with greater control during color replacement. A powerful new color wheel and interactive range control makes adjusting hue and saturation within a selection more precise.
Right to Choice
Corel is all about choice. It offers flexible, affordable purchasing options. Depending on the user’s preference they can subscribe to a full suite of professional graphic design apps or choose a perpetual license to own the software outright.
Similarly, the software is designed to be used on Windows or Mac—built from the ground up for both platforms. For Mac users, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 includes performance upgrades like Apple Silicon Support and customizable keyboard shortcuts.
If on the go, CorelDRAW is available as a vector illustration and graphic design iPad app or online graphic design via web browser app, CorelDRAW.app. A new touch-optimized user experience expands what’s possible on mobile and tablets.
Has it All
The newest version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is focused on ease of sharing and collaboration, across PC and Mac whether desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. For graphics and creative professionals, production professionals, and occasional graphics users in business, CorelDRAW has it all.
Apr2021, Digital Output
