Generating Procedural Textures in CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW features a dedicated procedural texture engine that allows designers to generate dynamic, infinitely customizable surfaces such as stone, wood, clouds, and abstract patterns. This article explains how to locate CorelDRAW's procedural Texture Fill tool, customize the underlying algorithmic parameters, and manipulate the generated textures directly on the canvas for vector artwork.

Step 1: Select Your Object and Access Texture Fill

  1. Select the vector object you want to apply the texture to using the Pick Tool.
  2. Press F11 to open the Edit Fill dialog box, or open the Properties docker (Window > Dockers > Properties) and click the Fill tab.
  3. Select the Texture Fill icon (represented by an organic stone/cloud pattern).

Step 2: Choose a Procedural Texture Library

CorelDRAW organizes its procedural textures into algorithmic sets rather than static image files.

  1. In the Edit Fill window, click the Texture library dropdown menu.
  2. Select a library such as Samples, Styles, or Atmospherics.
  3. Choose a specific base texture from the Texture list (for example, Clouds, Mineral, or Granite).

Step 3: Customize Procedural Parameters

Procedural textures are generated using mathematical values rather than fixed pixels. You can alter every characteristic of the texture within the dialog:

  • Color Inputs: Click the color swatches to define the base, midtone, and highlight colors of the pattern.
  • Density and Softness: Use the numerical sliders to alter the sharpness, grain size, and dispersion of elements within the texture.
  • Texture Resolution: Adjust the resolution setting to control the detail density of the mathematical calculation.
  • Seed/Randomize: Click the Randomize button or manually enter a new number in the Texture number field to generate a new mathematical variation of the same style.
  • Click Preview to view changes, then click OK to apply the texture to your vector shape.

Step 4: Adjust the Texture Interactively

Once applied, you can position and scale the procedural texture on your canvas:

  1. Press G to activate the Interactive Fill Tool.
  2. Interactive handles will appear over your object.
  3. Drag the center node to reposition the texture's origin point.
  4. Drag the outer control handles to rotate, skew, or scale the frequency of the pattern across the object's surface.

Step 5: Preserve Output Quality

Because procedural textures in CorelDRAW render dynamically based on document raster settings:

  1. Navigate to Layout > Document Options.
  2. Select Page Dimensions and ensure your Rendering resolution is set to at least 300 dpi for print output.
  3. If exporting for web or vector-only formats (such as SVG), select the object and navigate to Bitmaps > Convert to Bitmap to permanently freeze the generated procedural state at your desired resolution.