Introduction to Corel Painter

A Dynamic Natural-Media Painting Program for Artists and Designers

Oct 20, 2009

Corel Painter is a truly unique application that allows users to create natural media compositions in a digital format utilizing various media, styles and techniques.

Like most graphic design software on the market today, Corel Painter is configured with menus, palettes and toolbars intended for application within a document window. What sets this program apart from the others is its vast array of configurability. While the leading graphic applications are geared more towards photo imaging and vector illustration, Corel Painter is specifically designed to accurately replicate natural media onscreen, as it would appear on paper, canvas or press board.

Textures and Weaves

Painter IX has over 20 different surface textures to choose from including papers for charcoal, pastels and watercolors, gessoed and linen canvas, pebble and hot pressboard, fabrics and wood grains. Each texture can be adjusted for scale, contrast and brightness, which will reflect how color, media and brush strokes are displayed on them. Patterns, weaves, gradients, looks and nozzles allow for an abundance of backgrounds that can be applied, adjusted or created from scratch to enhance your artwork.

Brushes and Colors

There are over 30 brush categories that can be utilized, each with numerous preset variants. Acrylics, oils, watercolors, pencils, palette knives and much more can be adjusted for dab type, stroke, size, bristle and more to give the user precise control.

The brush tracking preference lets you adjust the scale and power of the brush velocity and pressure to best simulate the movement of a brush, pencil or pen in your hand. While a mouse can be used create a design, a pad and stylus provide excellent control; and Corel Painter is fully Wacom compatible.

The Mixer palette is by far the most versatile, allowing the user to mix two or more colors to create a variety of hues, shades and tints as though working from a real palette.

Artistic Effects

Corel Painter also provides a number of effects that can be utilized throughout your project. In addition to standard effects such as drop shadows and overlays, the Cloning option allows for images to be quickly reproduced using any artistic style. The Tracing Paper option lets you trace an image onto a canvas and the Esoterica option will auto clone an image even in Van Gogh style. Another equally impressive effect is the Impasto Layer, which allows your brushes to create depth within your painting. Lastly the Image Hose lets you paint with an array of different images instead of color.

Text and Shapes

Editable text can also be applied in Corel Painter with a complete range of adjustments and effects. The text tool creates single text layers that can be converted to masked layers, shapes or dropped onto the canvas. Vector images are also supported in Corel Painter and can be created, altered and filled using the shape and pen tools or importing them from Adobe Illustrator. There is also complete support for images created in Adobe Photoshop.

Learning Curve

Corel Painter offers an amazing amount of control for an artist or designer to utilize and while many of the options and features may appear complicated, Corel offers plenty of free tutorials and videos that will efficiently walk you through the Painter essentials that this powerful application provides.

The copyright of the article Introduction to Corel Painter in Graphic Design Software is owned by David Katski. Permission to republish Introduction to Corel Painter in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.