How to Create Donut Shapes in CorelDRAW

Creating a donut or hollow circular vector shape in CorelDRAW is a fundamental technique used for logos, icons, and illustrations. This guide explains the fastest and most precise methods to achieve this effect, focusing on drawing concentric circles and using CorelDRAW's Boolean operations—such as the Combine command and the Shaping tools—to cut a hole through the center of an object.

Method 1: Using the Combine Command (Fastest)

The Combine command converts two overlapping objects into a single curve object with transparent overlapping areas, making it the most efficient way to create a donut shape.

  1. Draw the Outer Circle: Select the Ellipse tool (shortcut: F7) from the toolbox. Hold down the Ctrl key, then click and drag on the canvas to draw a perfect circle.
  2. Draw the Inner Circle: While holding Ctrl, draw a second, smaller circle. Alternatively, select the original circle, hold Shift, drag any corner selection handle inward to scale it uniformly, and right-click before releasing the left mouse button to create an inner duplicate.
  3. Align the Circles: If you drew the circles separately, select both objects using the Pick tool. Press C on your keyboard to center them horizontally, then press E to center them vertically.
  4. Combine the Shapes: With both concentric circles selected, go to the top menu and select Object > Combine (or press Ctrl + L). You can also click the Combine icon on the Property Bar.
  5. Add Color: Click any color swatch in the Color Palette. The outer ring will fill with color, leaving the center hollow and transparent.

Method 2: Using the Trim or Shaping Tools

If you want to permanently cut the inner shape out of the outer shape, the Shaping tools provide a clean vector cutout.

  1. Create and Center Your Circles: Follow the steps above to create two centered concentric circles.
  2. Select the Objects: Use the Pick tool to select both circles.
  3. Apply Back Minus Front: Look at the Property Bar at the top of the workspace. Click the Back Minus Front button (or Front Minus Back, depending on which circle is on top in the object stacking order).
  4. Alternative - Use Trim: Alternatively, select the smaller circle first, hold Shift, and select the larger circle. On the Property Bar, click Trim. Once trimmed, select the smaller center circle and press Delete.

Method 3: Using the Contour Tool

The Contour tool is ideal if you need a donut shape with a precisely measured ring thickness.

  1. Draw a Circle: Use the Ellipse tool while holding Ctrl to draw your base circle.
  2. Apply Contour: Select the Contour tool from the toolbox (found under the drop-down menu with the Shadow tool).
  3. Set the Offset: On the Property Bar, choose Inside contour, set the step count to 1, and enter the exact contour offset value (the desired thickness of the ring).
  4. Break Apart and Combine: Right-click the contour group and choose Break Contour Apart (shortcut: Ctrl + K). Select both resulting circles and press Ctrl + L to combine them into a hollow donut shape.