How to Create Custom Arrowheads in CorelDRAW

Creating custom arrowheads in CorelDRAW allows you to expand your design toolkit beyond the standard presets and apply unique, tailored endpoints to any line or curve. This guide walks you through the complete process of designing a custom vector shape, defining it as a reusable arrowhead, and applying it to your line segments within the workspace.

Step 1: Design the Vector Shape

  1. Select your preferred drawing tool, such as the Pen, Bézier, or basic shape tools.
  2. Draw the shape you want to use as an arrowhead. For best results, design the shape pointing to the right, as CorelDRAW uses horizontal right-facing orientation by default.
  3. If your design consists of multiple shapes, select all of them and click Weld on the Property Bar (or go to Object > Shaping > Weld) to combine them into a single, closed curve object.
  4. Add any desired fill color or outline properties to the shape.

Step 2: Convert the Shape into an Arrowhead

  1. Use the Pick tool to select the completed shape.
  2. Navigate to the top menu and select Tools > Create > Arrowhead.
  3. A dialog box will appear displaying your shape with a bounding box and a crosshair.
  4. Click and drag the crosshair to set the attachment point. This point determines exactly where the line connects to your custom arrowhead. Typically, this is placed at the base or center-left of the shape.
  5. Click OK to save the shape to CorelDRAW’s arrowhead library.

Step 3: Apply the Custom Arrowhead to a Line

  1. Select the Freehand tool (F5) or Pen tool and draw a line on your canvas.
  2. Ensure the line is selected with the Pick tool.
  3. Open the Outline Pen dialog by pressing F12, or locate the arrowhead options directly on the Property Bar at the top of the screen.
  4. Click the dropdown menu for either the Start Arrowhead or End Arrowhead.
  5. Scroll to the bottom of the preset list. Your newly created arrowhead will appear as the last entry.
  6. Select it to apply it to your line.

Tips for Managing Custom Arrowheads

  • Scaling: Arrowheads scale proportionally with the line's outline width. If an arrowhead appears too large or small, adjust your line width or use the Options > Attributes button inside the Outline Pen dialog to fine-tune the arrowhead's size and positioning offset.
  • Storage: Custom arrowheads are saved in CorelDRAW's user profile settings, making them available across different documents on your machine.