Fountain fill = thousands of lines??

[Sherry2006]

I am using Corel Draw 10 (old, I no lol). Ive been using it for the past 3 years at the company i'm at now. Ive noticed that some of the files (ones that were created by the previous graphic artist) open strange. For example, if there was a circle with a regular fountain-fill effect from black to red, the fill is broken down into THOUSANDS of tiny lines. each line is one solid color, but no two lines are the same color because the circle fades from black to red. Not all images are like this; as a matter of fact ive never had a file do this when I create/save it. Was it a certain setting the previous graphic artist might have applied to the image to do this? Or is it a problem with Corel?
Thanks!

[neato]

When an EPS file is created, gradient fills turn into a multitude of solid objects. My guess is the designer before was designing in another program and importing EPS files into Corel.

[Tony McD]

Hi Sherry.....Phillip is right on.

If this is a file you will use occasionally, you can fix it in Corel and it will stay fixed.

Open the file in Corel, and recreate the circle over top of the original broken gradient.
Delete all the broken parts, and add the gradient to your new circle. Save the file
as a Corel file.
The file will be right when you open it next time.

[Jackpine]

I use x3 but this will work in 10 also. Make a shape (circle, square ect.) a bit larger than your vector. Create the gradient in that shape and convert it to a bitmap. I use RGB 150 full print size. Then power clip it into your vector and you will have a smooth printing gradient. Works for me every time.

[54warrior]

Originally Posted by Jackpine

I use x3 but this will work in 10 also. Make a shape (circle, square ect.) a bit larger than your vector. Create the gradient in that shape and convert it to a bitmap. I use RGB 150 full print size. Then power clip it into your vector and you will have a smooth printing gradient. Works for me every time.

Can someone please explain 'power clip' for me?

[jhilldesigns]

it takes a vector shape in corel and clips a bitmap into it, making an "alpha channel" of sorts...its easier if you change the default option to not "always center image in power clip"
in tools - options - workspace - edit

[signmeup]

Originally Posted by Jackpine

I use x3 but this will work in 10 also. Make a shape (circle, square ect.) a bit larger than your vector. Create the gradient in that shape and convert it to a bitmap. I use RGB 150 full print size. Then power clip it into your vector and you will have a smooth printing gradient. Works for me every time.

I never thought of that. That will be a big help when I send my corel files to my printer who uses Illustrator. No more "million circles" for gradients. Thanks.

[bob]

Originally Posted by jhilldesigns

it takes a vector shape in corel and clips a bitmap into it...

Not just a bitmap, any object or group can be the subject of a power clip.