Hello Corel Jedis,

long ago I have thought about what probably the illustration tools of the future could be. Vector graphics are meanwhile on account of her versatility extensively in the use, thus still something will do itself here in changes …

The fact that pixel graphics thereby don't become the outsider, a special kind of maps proves: Procedural textures. What is meanwhile known by 3D designers, is in the pure illustration area still as much as new territory. Briefly explained: Procedural textures are mathematical calculated textures which show very organic patterns; in contrast to geometrical patterns. With these textures clouds, wood- or Noise Effects can be done. (Corel does have that too, yes. But...->)

If these textures are combined, you have shaders (which are absolutely adjustable) which are used for high complex maps like skin or dirty / aged maps. One of the best programs in this area is surely MapZone from Allegorithmic.

But what has that to do with Corel?

Quite simply: the strength of CorelDraw is the strength of vector graphics: minimum memory consumption with maximum efficiency and adjustability. All Draw users know the bitmap fill. Here exists the possibility to develop a lot. Imagine that vector graphics are filled not only with Bitmaps, but also with shaders! Well, I must admit, the Bitmap fills are adjustable up to now also already in a kind of "procedural", but not by hundred percent and not interactively combinable. I have always missed this. Anyone who ever has made a rust-distressed steel plate with MapZone will understand me.

Here a tree structure is used, by the way to connect single textures and effects to shaders; Corel offers only one linear structure.

The only hurdle with the conversion possibly will be the compatibility, but here – Honestly I must say – it’s time for Corel to step out of Adobe’s shadows! (Does anyone know the PShop filter "clouds"? This one IS PROCEDURAL! ;-&)

What do you think about it?

Should Corel develop the texture fillings in the future of CorelDraw?

How much control do you need for textures?

How and where are shaders generally useable? 

Having used procedural shaders in 3D programs, I might be interested in that. I've used the node-based shaders in Lightwave 9, for example.

However, Corel would have to make it easy to use for people who haven't used 3D programs. I tried MapZone, but didn't get very far with it due to the lack of documentation and tutorials and its unintuitive interface. Also, they would have to consider if enough of their customers would be interested in this. I guess this topic might be a first step.

Now that you mention it... I remember CorelDraw 8 once had something like this - it was a separate program that was bundled with the suite (I believe it was called Corel Texture and was originally made by Specular). You could stack layers of procedural textures and adjust the lighting and so on and use them for fills. I'll have to fire up my Draw 8 CD and see if it still works...

Currently, it's possible to use Filter Forge (a node-based Photoshop plug-in) for fills, but first you have to convert the vector shape to a bitmap, and afterwards, the fill is a square and you have to put it inside of a PowerClip. And the fill is a bitmap. Not an elegant solution.

 Yeah, every 3D prog I've worked with (cinema4D, zBrush, Poser, Bryce) has a procedural shader system, but why? And why should corel have it in my opinion? I hope everyone who works with corel does miss it: I saw much vector works in the galleries, but only a few who had used bitmaps in their works. The reason might be the limitation of the bitmap styles. For example: it might be a huge step if it would be possible to add an adjustable blur effect to a generated bitmap, with an alpha mask created through a vector shape! In MapZone it's possible by connecting a couple of nodes. But it does not work with a linear layer system.

I remember Corel Texture. But I have never worked with it. Damn it...;-) But its the same with Corel Rave: it was such a cool program. But Corel erased it from its development list.[:'(][:'(][:'(] Imagine what would be possible with animated texture parameters in Rave!!(And even Flash 8 has a procedurised BitmapData class: the NoiseFilter!)

PixelDust:

Currently, it's possible to use Filter Forge (a node-based Photoshop plug-in) for fills, but first you have to convert the vector shape to a bitmap, and afterwards, the fill is a square and you have to put it inside of a PowerClip. And the fill is a bitmap. Not an elegant solution.

Its an unhappy and time&quality consuming solution. And that can't be the future of limitless texture creation. The limits of fountain fills and meshfills are reached in very close future...

 I have wished since a long time ago for more organic texturing tools. The ones we've got are OK for simple tasks, but representing realism takes a lot of time.