STEP 6. Using the Selector Tool, drag two guidelines over the card as shown on the left. Because guidelines do not show over filled objects (like our rectangle), you might want to turn off the fill for the moment.

There are several ways to apply object and line fills in Xara. The simplest method is to click on one of the colors on the screen palette, click with the LEFT mouse button to apply a fill to text or any object, or to click on the color with the RIGHT mouse button to apply line color. To specify a fill or line weight of none, click on the cross-hatched box (shown here) that is just to the left of the screen palette. Clicking the LEFT mouse button on the cross-hatched square removes the fill (which is what we need to do to the card rectangle). Clicking the RIGHT mouse button removes the line fill (which we do NOT want to do just yet.)

 
STEP 7. Using the Pen Tool (on the main tool bar) draw a line that begins about 1/8" from the top and extends to about 1/8" from the bottom. The Pen Tool has two functions: You can simply click line segments by clicking the beginning and ending points for the line, or you can create true Bezier curves by dragging the line segments. If you're not familiar with Bezier curves I strongly suggest that this may not be the time to learn. Besides using the Shape Editor Tool, (it's just below the Pen Tool) you can curve any straight line, rubber band fashion, by simply pulling on it.

Select the Text Tool and click it on the second guideline, about 1/2" from the top. Key in your text. Mine is fictitious by the way, so don't bother calling.


Xara has excellent type controls that are easy to use as well. Highlight all your text by dragging the Text Tool over it. Increase the Line Spacing (shown here) to 120.0%. The bottom two text entry windows are for Tracking and Kerning.

Is this beginning to make sense? Good! Save your work and take another eye break.

 
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©1998 Gary W. Priester
This lesson may not be copied, altered, republished or distributed in any type of media without the express written permission of the author.