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Corel Painter X
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Corel Painter X (Painter 10)

From Sue Chastain,
Your Guide to Graphics Software.
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The Bottom Line

If your talents lean toward the artistic, Corel Painter is a must-have tool for maximum creative expression in a digital environment. Version 10 brings native support to Intel-based Macs, as well as Windows Vista support and more improvements to speed, stability, and performance. Several new creative tools also make their debut, including a new category of brush variants, called RealBristle, which gives the artist fine control over brush behavior to realistically duplicate real-world paint brushes.

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Pros
  • Immense variety of natural media tools to realistically simulate traditional media.
  • 300+ page, spiral-bound User Guide and downloadable video tutorials ease the learning curve.
  • Continued improvement to speed, stability, and compatibility.
  • Universal Binary for Intel Macs and Windows Vista support.
  • Windows and Mac versions provided on one disc.
Cons
  • Steep learning curve for artists unfamiliar with graphics software.
  • Some interface elements are cumbersome (for example, small dialog boxes without auto-preview).
  • The user interface look and feel is outdated and cluttered.

Description

  • Corel Painter is the ultimate natural media painting software for Windows and Macintosh.

  • Combines standard image editing and enhancement tools with natural media and non-traditional tools.

  • Paint and draw with chalk, pastels, watercolors, oils, crayons, pencils, felt pens, ink, and more.

  • Work with over 400 brushes; customize or create your own with total control over brush properties.

  • Strokes mix and blend with textures and other media on the canvas just like traditional media.

  • Scripts can record and play back your activities for automating work or creating movies.

  • Includes features for photo enhancement, Web graphics creation, optimization, and animation.

  • Offers vector drawing tools & shapes, text creation, color management, and customizable workspace.

  • Photoshop compatibility allows users to move files seamlessly between Painter and Photoshop.

  • Supports layer sets, alpha channels, selections, layer masks, blend modes, grids, tracing mode.

Guide Review - Corel Painter X (Painter 10)

Corel Painter is like a well-stocked artist's studio, without the mess. With textured surfaces, brushes, and tools, you can mimic painting and drawing with chalk, pastels, watercolors, oils, crayons, pencil, felt pens, ink, and more. Painter also offers non-traditional tools such as image hose, pattern pens, cloners, and special effects. While its strong point is its artistic toolset, Painter also offers features for photo enhancement, Web graphics creation, animation, and working with text.

Version 10 brings native support to Intel-based Macs, as well as Windows Vista support and more improvements to speed, stability, and performance. Several new creative tools also make their debut, including a new category of brush variants, called RealBristle, which gives the artist fine control over brush behavior to realistically duplicate real-world paint brushes. See the full review for more of the new features.

Alone or as a companion to Photoshop, Painter brings the maximum in artistic possibilities to digital artists and creative professionals. Keep in mind that you'll need a to get the most satisfaction out of Painter.

Rather than try to explain all that you can do with Painter, it's easier if I can show you! Have a look through the gallery of Corel Painter digital art created by our members.

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