Format an Area

An area in Draw can be an object or a selected region on the page. As an example open a new drawing and then add a 3D square to the page. While the object is highlighted choose Format / Area. When the dialog box opens you will see a lot of options are available, more than for the page format. There are 7 tabs available to help configure your object to make it look like you want.

The first tab is the Area tab and here you find your 5 options that we saw for the page format; None, Color, Gradient, Hatching and Bitmap.

The second tab is the Shadow tab for the object you have highlighted. You must choose “Use Shadow” and then you can position the shadow and regulate the distance from the object that the shadow will extend. The color and transparency of the shadow are also options.

The Transparency tab provides many options for manipulating the transparency of the object. You can choose a percentage of transparency for the object or you can choose a gradient. When you choose gradient you are able to determine the type of gradient with the pull down menu for type which includes Radial, Linear, Axial, Ellipsoid, Quadratic and Square. Then you have the option of changing the X and Y axis by altering the percentage. The angle can be altered as well as creating a border and using start and end values. Don't worry if this is overwhelming for options because the preview on the right of the page will help you make the right decision.

 The Colors tab gives you access to creating your own colors or choosing RGB or CMYK. The Standard table is provided as a starting place.

By choosing Edit you re able to edit the colors or create your own.

Each of the default gradients can be manipulated by choosing the Gradient tab.

Each of the default gradients can be manipulated by choosing the Gradient tab.

The same options that you had with transparency are available with gradients. As you modify a gradient you can save and reuse it.

Hatching options are available via the Hatching tab. Here you can alter the spacing and angle of the lines used for hatching. By using the Angle selector, either the degrees or using the chart provided, the default hatching can be changed and saved as a new style. Line color and type are also options. The preview window will help you determine which options will fit with your project.

The Bitmap tab allows you to not only modify current bitmaps but actually create your own. If you were creating your own bitmap you would choose a Foreground and Background color. In the example here red has been chosen as a background and yellow as the foreground. By adding dots into the preview window the bitmap changes. You can then save the bitmap for future use. You also have the option to import bitmaps and then rebuild them for your own use.