Popular in consumer advertising and packaging, Quick Response, or QR, codes give smartphone users quick access to a brand’s website which can offer additional product information. You can choose what information to include in the QR code, such a URL, email address, phone numbers, SMS, Contact, Calendar event, or Geo Location.
What can QR codes do for you?
- Increase awareness for your design, brand, company or unique product
- Disseminate important information to a fan base or loyal customers
- Promote a special deal or other savings benefit
- Provide a wide-reaching way to share design tips, unveil a new illustration technique or showcase your portfolio
- Expand your content or message with a QR code to direct readers to additional information, content, designs and more
What are some examples of cool QR codes?
Take a look at some of these well-known brands and see their clever and powerful use of QR codes. Add any combination of creativity, color, style and flair to get your message recognized and scanned. With a little design savvy, CorelDRAW, and your imagination, the creative combinations are endless!
Creating a QR Code
To insert a QR code, click Object > Insert QR Code
In the Object Properties docker, you can choose from a list of options from the QR code type list box.
Once you have entered in a valid QR code [i.e. URL, Email, Etc] you can use the controls to customize the code.
The smaller squares within the QR code are called pixels. The larger squares in the corners, and the smaller squares with a border inside, are called markers.
Once you have finished customized your QR Code style you can save that style form so you can use it for other projects. Simply click on the style indicator, beside the QR code header, and clock on New Style From.
Visual effects in QR code can add an artistic look but may be considered errors by QR code readers. You can use the error correction settings, to minimize the possibility of errors when scanning the QR code. Higher correction levels duplicate more of the information, increasing the chance that it will be read.
After formatting the QR code, you can validate it to make sure that it can be read by QR code readers. To do so, simply click the Validate button in the Object Properties docker. Once it has been validated, you will see a pop-up message containing the QR code information.
Now that you have customized the QR code you can add it to a logo. Click: File > Import, and choose the file you want to insert. Place the logo in the center of the QR code.
Once the logo is placed, you will need to validate the QR code to make sure it can be read. If it does not validate correctly, it may be because there are too many of the pixels [in the logo] covering the QR code. In this case, try making the logo smaller and click validate again.
There is another method for validating QR codes that can be used to validate non-QR objects or QR codes that have not been created in CorelDraw. If it cannot be validated on the Object Properties docker it can be validated a different way. Go to Object > Validate Barcode. Then draw the marquee around the bitmap object [or logo] to validate. Once validated you can copy the URL to your clipboard.
