How to Create Custom Text Styles in CorelDRAW

Creating custom text styles in CorelDRAW allows designers to maintain visual consistency across multi-page documents and streamline the formatting process. This guide provides a straightforward walkthrough on defining, saving, applying, and modifying both paragraph and character styles using CorelDRAW's Object Styles docker. By utilizing these tools, you can update text attributes globally with a single click and ensure brand coherence throughout your design projects.

Step 1: Open the Object Styles Docker

Text styles in modern versions of CorelDRAW are managed through the Object Styles docker.

  1. Go to the top menu and select Window > Dockers > Object Styles (or press Ctrl + F5 on Windows).
  2. The Object Styles panel will appear on the right side of your workspace.

Step 2: Choose Your Style Type

CorelDRAW differentiates between two primary types of text styles:

  • Character Style: Governs font family, weight, size, fills, outlines, and character spacing. It applies to selected words or letters regardless of paragraph structure.
  • Paragraph Style: Governs everything in a Character Style plus paragraph-level attributes such as text alignment, tab stops, indents, line spacing, and bullet points.

Step 3: Create a Style from Existing Text

The fastest way to create a custom style is by pulling attributes from text you have already formatted on the canvas.

  1. Select the formatted text using the Pick tool or highlight a section of text with the Text tool.
  2. Right-click the selected text.
  3. Hover over Object Styles in the context menu.
  4. Select Save Style As and choose either New Character Style or New Paragraph Style.
  5. Enter a descriptive name for your style (e.g., "Heading 1" or "Body Copy") in the dialog box and click OK.

Step 4: Create a Style from Scratch via the Docker

You can also define custom properties directly within the docker before typing any text.

  1. In the Object Styles docker, click the New Style icon (the small document icon with a plus sign) located at the bottom-left of the panel.
  2. Select Character Style or Paragraph Style from the dropdown menu.
  3. Rename the style by double-clicking its default name in the list.
  4. Expand the style properties within the docker to configure your preferred font, size, color, spacing, and alignment options.

Step 5: Apply Your Custom Text Style

  1. Use the Text tool to highlight the target text, or select the entire text frame with the Pick tool.
  2. Open the Object Styles docker.
  3. Double-click your custom style name, or drag the style from the docker directly onto the text object.

Step 6: Edit or Update Styles Globally

Modifying a style automatically updates every text element linked to it throughout the document.

  • To edit via the docker: Select the style name in the Object Styles docker, change any font or paragraph property, and the changes will instantly apply to all linked text.
  • To update from the canvas: Format a linked text object on your canvas to your liking, right-click it, go to Object Styles, and select Reapply to Style.

Step 7: Save Styles for Future Documents

To make custom styles available in new CorelDRAW projects:

  1. Click the Import, export, or save defaults button (the arrow/gear icon) at the top of the Object Styles docker.
  2. Select Set as New Document Defaults to apply these styles to every future document you create.
  3. Alternatively, choose Export Style Sheet to save your styles as an external .cdss file that you can share with team members or import into specific files later.