Martin JørgensenCorel Painter 2017 digital painting software is created by artists, for artists. Download a free 30-day trial here.
Painter is developed by Corel, which has delivered well-designed and useful creative software for years, including CorelDRAW.
Painter is a unique application because it isn’t primarily meant for photo retouching. It’s built for creating digital artwork. One of the big benefits of working digitally is that mistakes aren’t permanent, and you can draw using templates and guides if you’re not very experienced with traditional art.
What sets it apart
As mentioned, Painter differs significantly from other image editors, which is a major advantage and makes it stand out. You start by creating a canvas in the size you want. From there, you’re free to use a wide range of tools to bring your artwork to life.
Tools
With Painter you get a comprehensive set of tools for digital art. You’ll quickly find familiar basics like the paint bucket, text, selection tools, and more.
To elevate your work, Painter also includes many advanced options. For example, its brush engine lets you choose from watercolor, chalk, acrylic, and many other realistic media. Each tool includes detailed subpanels for fine-tuning how your strokes draw and paint.
The image above shows examples of coloring tools and acrylic brush settings. Every painting tool offers extensive options, so you won’t be missing the features you need.
Artwork
With such a deep program, you can create an array of different artworks across genres. For example: photo art, fine art, manga & comics, concept art, and illustrations.
All of the images above were created in Painter. No matter which art style inspires you, you can jump in. You’re not limited, and you can mix styles freely to create unique works with your own personal touch.
Complex yet simple
Because Painter is feature-rich with many advanced options, it can feel overwhelming at first—especially if you’ve never worked with digital art before and aren’t sure where to begin.
Fortunately, Painter has a great community that has produced plenty of tutorial videos and guides to help you, no matter how ambitious your project is. You can find user-made tutorials on YouTube—just search for your specific question and pick the video that fits your needs.
Corel has also created a large library of free tutorials on its YouTube channel, which you can visit using this link.
Design and ease of use
Painter’s interface is fairly intuitive, especially considering how many features it offers. Core tools are right where you expect them, and many advanced options are tucked into subpanels so they don’t get in the way of everyday tasks. That said, because Painter is so deep, it’s hard to make the interface ultra-minimal. If you enable lots of panels and tools, the workspace can look a little busy.
This clear layout also improves usability, letting you quickly find what you need and discover extra features as you navigate. If you get stuck, Corel’s tutorials and community videos show you exactly where to find things and how to use them.
Only limited by imagination
The most remarkable thing about Painter is how different the results can be. Imagine sitting in front of a canvas with every pencil, colored pencil, 1, and color available. With so many options, only your imagination limits what you can create. Painter gives you that same freedom: all the tools and colors are right in front of you, with unlimited use. Paint freehand or let the software assist to streamline your workflow.
The artwork above was created in Painter.
Other image software
There are many types of image software, each built for different tasks. As we’ve established, Painter is designed for creating art. If that’s not quite what you’re after, here are a couple of alternatives with different focuses.
CorelDRAW is built for image editing and layout work such as newsletters, ads, and more. This software is also developed by Corel and pairs well with Painter. CorelDRAW is user-friendly and includes a variety of templates you can use for inspiration or to speed up your work.
Paint.NET is a free alternative. Paint.NET is simple and can easily handle the most basic image editing tasks. It’s ideal for beginners who want a clean interface and straightforward toolbars.
Painter conclusion
Painter is a well-crafted piece of software limited only by the user’s imagination. The wealth of tutorials makes it approachable for both beginners and enthusiasts. Even though it’s feature-rich with a vast toolkit, anyone can get started with a bit of patience and a willingness to learn.
All in all, Painter is an excellent choice if you want to create digital art.
