How to Apply Two-Color Pattern Fills in CorelDRAW

This guide explains how to apply and customize two-color pattern fills in CorelDRAW. You will learn how to select an object, open the fill settings, choose from existing two-color bitmap patterns, modify the foreground and background colors, and adjust the pattern's size, rotation, and alignment directly on your canvas.

Step 1: Select Your Object

  1. Open your CorelDRAW document.
  2. Choose the Pick tool from the toolbox on the left.
  3. Click the vector object or closed path you want to fill.

Step 2: Open the Fill Settings

You can access the fill options through either of the following methods:

  • Interactive Fill Tool: Press G on your keyboard or select the Interactive Fill icon from the toolbox.
  • Edit Fill Dialog: Press F11 or double-click the Fill swatch in the bottom-right corner of the status bar.
  • Properties Docker: Go to Window > Dockers > Properties (or press Alt + Enter) and select the Fill tab.

Step 3: Choose the Two-Color Pattern Fill

  1. In the property bar at the top (or within the Edit Fill dialog / Properties docker), locate the fill type buttons.
  2. Click the Two-color pattern fill icon (represented by a repeating two-tone pattern tile).
  3. The selected object will immediately update with the default pattern.

Step 4: Customize the Pattern and Colors

  1. Change the Pattern: Open the Fill picker dropdown to browse the built-in library of two-color designs, such as bricks, weaves, dots, and stripes. Click any thumbnail to apply it.
  2. Set the Foreground Color: Click the Front color swatch to choose the color of the pattern’s primary shapes.
  3. Set the Background Color: Click the Back color swatch to change the color behind the pattern shapes.
  4. Make the Background Transparent: If you only want the pattern artwork without an opaque backdrop, set the background color to No Fill or reduce its opacity to 0%.

Step 5: Adjust Size, Tiling, and Angle

When using the Interactive Fill tool (G), adjustment handles appear directly over the object:

  • Move the Center: Click and drag the center handle to reposition where the pattern begins.
  • Resize and Scale: Drag the outer corner handle inward or outward to change the size (tiling frequency) of the pattern.
  • Rotate or Skew: Click and rotate the handle around the center point to angle the pattern.
  • Numeric Precision: To set exact dimensions, enter numeric values for tile width, height, and angle in the Property Bar or Properties docker.