Corel Painter - 16 - Magazine, Art, Digital Painting, Drawing, Draw, 2d

Ofcial
Ofcial Corel Painter TM Magazine
Create
digital art
today!
Understand Painters tools

Learn to draw from scratch
Quick start guide on the CD
Official Magazine
Issue sixteen
Expert tips
Plan your
composition
Essential skills for creating

strong focal points
Art skills
Understand
perspective
Over
50
Use perspective tricks to

give your landscapes depth
pages olfs
tutoria
Create the cover!
Turn photos into
Visit us online www.paintermagazine.co.uk
sketches
FREE CD
INSIDE
PC and Mac
Learn to apply contour lines and then build up

shading to create a pencil masterpiece page 28
TEXTURES | STOCK PHOTOS | TUTORIAL RESOURCE FILES
Paint like
Brush primer
See how Painter Xs RealBristle

brushes can re-create Renoir
Discover how the Eraser brushes

can create lush artwork
001_OPM_16 colour.indd 1
Realistic rain
We reveal the tricks to adding
a splash of rain to your art
ISSUE SIXTEEN
ISSN 1753-3155
6.00
16
771753 315000
www.paintermagazine.com
2/4/08 12:14:34
Welcome
This is THE magazine for anyone wanting to further their
Corel Painter skills or learn how to become a better artist
Brush Primer:
Erasers
Erase your way to a

masterpiece with these
much-ignored variants
Pg 46
Paint like:
Renoir
Take a look at the
Impressionist-style
painting, The Umbrellas
Pg 52
Art study:
Rain
We show you how to
create realistic rain in
your paintings
ISSUE SIXTEEN
Pg 34
Theres no denying that

painting landscapes and
objects can be an intensely
rewarding experience, but
they do sometimes run the
risk of being viewed as lifeless.
Its incredible how adding
a person or two in a scene can transform it
into something that viewers can interact with,
rather than merely observe. And the good news
is that you havent got to be a maestro when it
comes to life drawing; our quick guide on page
66 reveals how joining a few triangles and
circles can result in some simple igures to liven
up your artwork. You havent even got to draw a
face! But if you would like a go at a portrait, turn
to page 28 where one reader shares how she
created a sketched masterpiece.
If youre just starting out with painting, our
feature this issue is a must. Susi Lawson walks
through how to plan a painting; from playing
with composition, through to assembling
reference photos and onto the inished article.
Be sure to let us know if it helps your creations.
Enjoy your painting!
Visit our website!

If you find that the magazine isnt enough to satisfy your Corel
Painter appetite, you can always visit our website. Pop on over to
www.paintermagazine.co.uk and register as a user. Once this is
out of the way, explore the pages and enjoy great content such as:
Downloadable resources
Online galleries to share your work
Special forum for meeting other Corel Painter users
Jo Cole, Editor in Chief

jo.cole@imagine-publishing.co.uk
003_OPM_16_welcome.indd 5
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NEWS EVENTS
RESOURCES
LETTERS WEBSITES
INFO FORUM
Fontplay.com includes not only free

fonts but also a substantial archive of
high quality, high-resolution images to
use freely in your artistic endeavours
10,000 free photos

and counting
Fontplay.com its not just for fonts
RESOURCES
Unusually, Fontplay.
com photos can be
used in commercial
projects. Having no
entrepreneurial bones
in my body, I added
free commercial use to
the images, explains
founder Dennis Hill
riginally a resource for free

fonts, Fontplay.com began
modestly. But interest soon
grew when founder Dennis Hill
added his favourite photographs.
Newly interested in photography,
Hill started using his own photos as
backgrounds, then added the photos to
the site for free for anyone to use them.
Eventually it worked into more of a
forum to share my hobby of photography,
explains Hill. I started taking photos
when I was taking a Photoshop class, and I
couldnt ind many images that didnt have
a lot of strings attached to using them. And
I wasnt organised enough to keep track of
Terms of Use for the images I found.
Initially aimed at students, teachers,
hobbyists and enthusiasts, the free photo
section now attracts tens of thousands of
visitors each month.
Photos are available to download in

different sizes and resolutions by simply
clicking on an image, waiting for it to
load, and saving it to your desktop. An A-Z
listing gives some idea of whats on offer,
and the main page gives details of recent
updates. Hill is assisted by a group of
friends who offer their own photos for free
in the same spirit of sharing.
With over 10,000 images currently
available, theres certain to be something
for everyone, from landscapes and nature
to wonderful textures and grafiti art.
Fontplay.com also contains beautiful public
domain antique illustrations and greetings
cards, scanned lovingly at 300dpi.
With new photos added weekly,
sometimes daily, Fontplay.com is a vibrant
online resource worth visiting regularly.
If I ever get to where I know what Im
doing, I may charge for photos. But since I
hate reading instructions, I may never get

to that point, laughs Hill.
All Fontplay.com images may be used by
anyone for any artistic endeavour, personal
or commercial use, without having to give
credit or a link. Visit www.fontplay.com/
freephoto and start downloading!
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TUTORIALS
In short
A passion for pencils
Creative happenings from

around the world
Blog offers drawing tutorials and video guides

orn in El Salvador and now living in
Canada, Lisandro Pea maintains a
blog (www.onlypencil.com/blog)
where he shares his enthusiasm for drawing,
nature and animals. Using the humble pencil
as his medium of choice, Pea offers a range of
simple tutorials and tips including creating
realistic hair, eyes, teeth and animals. Over
two detailed pages the tutorials offer a stepby-step approach to reproducing realisticlooking images, as well as information on
pencils used to achieve each look. A section
devoted to tools of the trade offers further
insight and advice on a range of devices for
making your mark. Links to YouTube and
Facebook offer the bonus of watching Pea
draw before your eyes, and you can visit his
eBay and Etsy shops to buy prints.
TIPS & ADVICE
Where theres
a Will
Website offers masterly painting
tips and techniques
professional artist since

1965, the website of
William Whitaker (www.
williamwhitaker.com) contains some
stunning examples of his paintings.
Among the portrait, still life and
landscape work, visitors can also
view some insightful examples of his
techniques, including fascinating workin-progress shots. Although working
primarily with oil on canvas, the tips
and advice will apply to anyone trying to
replicate natural media faithfully with
Corel Painter. Accompanied by detailed
descriptions, you can also take a peak
into Whitakers wonderful home studio
complete with a classic Barclay easel
and inspirational banjos.
Notes And tips
OnlyPencil.com
offers a range
of free tutorials
devoted to the
art of drawing
with a pencil,
as well as links
to video guides
Illustrator Nate Owens offers a range

of tips on his website, covering digital
drawing and painting in Corel Painter.
As well as step-by-step guides, you can
watch a number of QuickTime movie
files. Although these were done on
the computer, the procedure would
be the same if you were working with
pencil, paper and paint, explains
Owens. More at www.nateowens.
com/howto_tips/HowTo.htm
Graphics.com
Get a great start

with Finalcrit
PORTFOLIO
Since launching in
April 2007, Finalcrit
has attracted talent
from around the
world with the offer
of free professionallooking online
portfolios
Create, update and showcase your

free online portfolio
romoted as the easy way to search
and view the latest design and creative
talents, Finalcrit (www.nalcrit.com)
offers free online portfolios with a professional
sheen. The Flash-based portfolio builder is fast,
easy and attractive to the eye, with a choice of
customisable colourful frames to showcase your
work. No code or web experience is required,
and you can upload up to 100 images along
with a bio, work experience and contact details.
It offers serious designers, practitioners and
other creatives the opportunity to present their
work in a sophisticated surrounding. Its more
of a Facebook than a MySpace, enthuses Henry
Westcott, one of hundreds of regular users. The
range of creative talent on show is reassuringly
varied, so newbies shouldnt feel intimidated.
And as a bonus you can browse a range of
industry jobs.
Billed as a news portal for all things

graphics, from print to web, Graphics.
com also includes a wealth of tips,
tutorials and reviews. Among the
highlights are free Corel Painter
tutorials from artist, author and digital
painting expert Cher
Threinen-Pendarvis. A useful directory
includes links to more free and
commercial resources, including stock
images, fonts, tips and tutorials.
Nice rack
With dozens of categories to choose
from, PhotoRack (www.photorack.
net) offers thousands of free images
for you to download and use in your
creative projects. A great slideshow
function lets you view a category
hands-free at your leisure, and a Hotlist
reveals the highest rated and most
downloaded images. Although the
images arent the highest res weve
seen, the choice and range is excellent.
MAY
17 of
OPM on sale!
22 Issue
William Whitakers site includes some insightful
painting demonstrations and techniques,
including a stunning oil on canvas portraits
Its time to go and collect the latest

issue of this very magazine! Highlights
include a ink and wash tutorial, a guide
to Acrylic brushes and a look at recreating Grant Woods iconic view of
the American landscape.
11
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Welcome to the part of the magazine where you can com
and share your thoughts on anything you fancy!
Send your
letters to...
Ofcial Corel Painter
Magazine, Imagine
Publishing, Richmond
House, 33 Richmond
Hill, Bournemouth,
Dorset BH2 6EZ, UK
If youd prefer to contact
us via email, send your
message to opm@
imagine-publishing.
co.uk
Production explanation
I was interested to see you advertise your

eMag and book, but was wondering what
the difference was between them. And do I
need Painter X for the tutorials?
Peter McMurphy
Our Digital Painting bookazine can be thought

of as a best of. It contains material from the
first 11 issues and is perfect for anyone who
is looking to get started with Painter or who
just wants a glossy compendium of creative

projects. It is the same size as the magazine,
with full colour throughout. The eMag is a
digital version of the first 12 issues of the
magazine. The interactive DVD holds PDFs of
every page in those first 12 issues, presented
exactly as they were originally (except any
advertising is taken out). This means you
have a digital copy that you can keep on
your computer to call upon whenever you
need. Its perfect for anyone who missed
out on an earlier issue or who wants to
keep their magazines nice and pristine. The
bookazine can be found in branches of WH
Smiths, Borders and Barnes and Noble or
can be ordered from our online shop. The
eMag can only be ordered online, at www.
imagineshop.co.uk.
Underneath the layers
Ive bought a few different computer

magazines and one thing Ive noticed is
that they generally include layered iles
on their discs. I ind this very useful and
wondered why you didnt do the same.
Henry Ralphe
The main reason why we dont include final

artwork in its layered format is because of size.
For an image to be the size and resolution we
need to be printed in the magazine, it needs
a hefty amount of disc space. As an example,
the layered file of Charlene Chuas Ukiyo
tutorial in issue 12 came in at 70MB. Bearing
Our eMag or Digital Painting

bookazine is the perfect
collectors item
Featured gallery
A lot of Painter artists will routinely drop their layers

in order to have more manageable files
in mind we only have just under 600MB to

play with, you can see that wed soon end up
with a disc that just had a few files! The other
reason is that many Painter artists will regularly
drop their layers or some wont bother using
layers at all. We obviously mark up in a tutorial
if a new layer is needed and if its an image
that relies on layer order to work, well include
that on the disc. Would it help if we provided
screenshots of what the Layers palette looked
like? Let us know.
Full Moon
Floribunda
Our favourite readers gallery this month
Gerry de Wit
http://www.paintermagazine.
co.uk/user/gw0625
Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Gerry
has uploaded 160 images to his gallery,
although that was at the time of writing
and were sure its gone up since then!
With such a large portfolio, its no
surprise to learn that Gerry irts with all
sorts of artistic styles and subjects. We
are particular fans of his still life images,
especially his Floribunda image (see
middle right).
To see what else Gerry has been
painting, head over to his gallery today!
Langs Beach
Gerry de Wit
Gerry de Wit
12
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Paint Shop Pro

Photo mag!
Our regular challenge is a chance to win a years subscription to

the magazine
If you use Corels Paint Shop Pro to edit

images before using Painter, you might
be interested in the new magazine we are
launching. The Ofcial Corel Paint Shop Pro
Photo Magazine is a project-based title that
looks at all aspects of the program. Each issue
will have special guides to taking a type of
photography, in addition to plenty of tutorials
on how to improve your shots in Paint Shop
Pro Photo. The creative tutorials will show
how to have fun in the program and produce
digital art.
The rst issue will be on sale the 22 May,
and will be available in newsagents or from
our online shop (www.imagineshop.co.uk).
If you have any ideas for tutorials that youd
like to see in the magazine, simply pay a visit
to our special forum
www.ofcialpspp.com/forum
Challenge query
Id like to enter your readers challenge

but cant email it in. Is there a ile size for
an attachment and do they have to be a
certain resolution? Plus, can I enter more
than once and can I use my own bits of
artwork?
Iris Hamilton
Hello Iris. There is indeed an attachment

file size its 2MB. So with this in mind, its
probably best to keep your images as JPEGs.
You can set them at whatever resolution you
like, and if its impossible to make your entry
less than 2MB, you can always post it. You can
enter as many times as you like and as long as
you use at least one of the supplied images,
you can incorporate your own artwork.
Just as an aside, there was a bit of a mix-up
with dates in challenge number 7. As a result,
we have elected to have two winners for that
challenge, and will have longer deadlines to
avoid this in the future.
Picture Stall
Gerry de Wit
012-013_OPM_016_letters.indd 13
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3/4/08 09:54:26
All original artwork by Steve James
Interview Steve James
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WEBSITE
JOB TITLE
CLIENTS
www.fridayeve.com
Sr. Production Artist
Eat Sleep Play, SCEA Incognito Studio, Perpetual Entertainment,
Gearbox Software, Vivendi Universal Games
An interview with
Steve James
Steve Jamess day job is working in the video games industry, but at night he loves
to produce striking paintings using Corel Painter. Nick Spence meets him
teve James has been working
in the video games industry
since 1999 as a texture and
concept artist. He received a
BFA in Illustration from Brigham Young
University, where he studied traditional
painting techniques.
He now works primarily on his
computer using Corel Painter, and he
maintains a busy blog where many of
his digital paintings can be seen. He is
currently employed at Eat Sleep Play,
and has previously worked at Sonys
Incognito studio. His projects include the
video games: Warhawk, Twisted Metal
and Advent Rising. He is represented by
Shannon Associates.
We caught up with Steve to discover
how he applies Corel Painter to create his
recognisable, sketchy style.
[LEFT]
Abraham Lincoln
A study of Abraham
Lincoln taken from Steve
Jamess FridayEve blog,
which is sometimes
updated daily with
new work, particularly
portraits and more
fantasy-based images.
How would you best describe your work?

I have been working in video games for
the past nine years as a production artist.
My tasks change, based on the project in
hand. During pre-production I spend most
of my time concepting characters and
environments, and creating artwork that
will describe the look and feel of the game.
As the project moves forward I create
the texture maps that will go on the 3D
models. I get to do a little of everything,
from painting a characters textures to the
rocks and dirt, and anything else you may
ind in the levels.
And what role does Corel Painter play in

your work?
I use Painter to get the ideas from my head
onto the computer. I use it exclusively
when doing concept art. You cant beat
Painters brush speed and blending, even
at larger sizes. Painters Color Wheel
picker is a far better way of selecting
colour compared to other software. I
started using Painter with version 5 at
university; at that time using a computer
to create artwork was still a kind of novel
concept. The art department had a couple
of computers stuck in a small closet, and
you would have to sign up for a chance
to use one for a couple of hours. I would
go to the computers at odd hours just
to be able to use the software for longer
periods of time.
of work. After ive years I realised I had

nothing of my own to show for it. While
I had a major inluence of the projects I
had worked on, my art skills suffered. In
my head I had the idea that if someone
was not paying me to create artwork it
was not worth doing. At that point I had a
change in attitude and decided to create
in my own time. I started doing daily
sketches on forums and worked into the
habit of painting daily, instead of playing
games or watching TV. My blog acts as a
refrigerator door to hang up my artwork
its a place to experiment and just have
fun making pictures.
Is developing character concepts and

working for the games industry your
major source of income?
I work full-time at a game studio, and
with the commute it pretty much ills my
day. I enjoy making games, but it is nice
to be able to spend a few hours each night
painting just for fun.
How does this help you develop as

an artist?
I ind a great deal of enjoyment in my
personal projects. Its interesting to see
how my processes and methods have
changed over the years. I had periods of
time when I would play with black and
white, or incorporate 3D models into
the paintings. By far, I have learned the
most from doing the portraits. I feel I
have just scratched the surface of what
there is to know.
Do your blogs (www.fridayeve.com/

wordpress) images reect some more
personal work?
The blog is entirely made up of personal
work. When I irst started making games I
rarely did any drawing or painting outside
Many of your images look sketched do

you work entirely digitally?
My work is entirely digital. I usually
begin by sketching on the computer. In
fact, I am more comfortable drawing on
the computer than with a pencil I miss
15
3/4/08 10:00:00
The Little Match Girl

This was based on the famed
Hans Christian Andersen
fairy tale. Steve James
created this evocative image
for an online community site
for artists
Beauty Beast
Steve Jamess Chinese spin
on Madame Gabrielle de
Villeneuves, Beauty And
The Beast, first published
in 1740. Painted for another
Illustration Friday challenge
layers and undo far too much. Painter

does allow for a worklow that is similar
to a traditional approach. Most of the
time, instead of creating a line drawing, I
will block in the major forms with a
big brush.
And can you briey tell us about your
setup and how you work?
I use a Windows machine I built a few
years ago, with a 6 x 11 Wacom tablet. My
workspace is not that exciting I spend
most of the time just looking at the screen
unless my cat decides it wants to sit on
my tablet. I use Painter for just about
everything. After I am inished I will
check the colours and save it for the web
in Photoshop.
What are your favourite tools to use in
Corel Painter?
My favourite brush is the Cover brush
from Painter 5.5. It is similar to the
Scratchboard tool, but with a little more
sensitivity to pressure with size and
opacity. Its my go-to brush for sketching
and roughing out shapes. I really like the
Artists Oils in Painter you can get some
16
3/4/08 10:00:24
Tranchefeuxs website is divided into

various categories, including concept
designs, academic drawing, fine art,
illustrations, cartoons and hyperrealistic
work. The website includes a collection
of tutorials showing the creative process
from drawings to finished paintings
Phobia
Another example
of his after hours
artistic activities,
creating work for an
online blog
Although trained in
traditional painting
techniques, Steve James
now works primarily on the
computer. He lives in Lehi,
Utah, with his wife and their
crazy cat
Ive learned a great deal about face structure

and expression by working from a reference
cool blending and colour effects with
the paint that is on the canvas. The two
Artists Oils brushes I use are the Clumpy
brush and the Oil Palette Knife, I ind
that I can do just about every thing I
want with these brushes. I also like to
use the Digital Airbrush for tinting, as
well as the Variable Spatter Airbrush for
creating textures.
Some images are looser than others. How
do you decide which ones to develop and
add detail to?
Most of the images on my blog are just
studies. I like to experiment with how just
a few simple strokes can create the form.
Everything I do at work has to be pixel
perfect, so its a nice break to just play
with the colours on my studies. Having
said that, I do feel it is time to start
creating more inished pieces in my
free time.
Do you use photographic reference for

your portraits?
I have been working from photos for head
studies the past couple of years. For a long
time I just made up characters from my
head, but they tended to all look the same.
Its been a long time since I had access
to a model to paint from, and its just not
practical for these quick digital studies.
There is a popular stigma against people
using reference, but you can also see they
should have used it. Ive learned a great
deal about face structure and expression
by working from a reference.
How do you ensure they dont look like
youve simply run a lter over a snap?
Photographs have bad colour. You can tell
if someone has used a ilter or used colour
directly from a photo. Sure, the colour
looks ine in the context of the photo,
but usually there is a loss of colour in the
Head Study 15, an

example
of Steve Jamess
portraits. Ive lea wonderful
rned a great
deal about face
structur
expressions worki e and
ng from
reference, expla
ins James
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3/4/08 10:00:44
Steve James or
iginally made
up his own fac
es as a basis
for his portrait
studies, but
now uses phot
o reference
to avoid them
all looking
the same
shadow areas. I distance myself from my

photo by creating my own colour and
expressing texture with tools that could
not be mistaken for a painterly ilter. I
dont want my paintings to look like a
photo. If thats the look I was going for, it
would be better to just use the photo.
Finally, your website includes several
sports shoe concepts for Nike etc. Why
the interest in shoes?
I have been a runner for a very long time,
and the only equipment you need is a
good pair of running shoes. I am always
on a quest to ind the perfect ones! I
worked at a shoe store to pay my way
through school, but didnt consider it
work because I liked doing it so much. I
have thought about designing shoes for a
living, but worry that doing it would take
the magic out of it. I enjoy looking at the
designs and innovations they make with
shoes, and it always gives you something
to look forward to.
I dont want my paintings to

look like a photo. If thats the
look I was going for, it would be
better to just use the photo
Ahab
Steve James created this image
of Captain Ahab for the online
Illustration Friday competition,
a weekly creative outlet and
participatory art exhibit for
illustrators and artists of all
skill levels
18
3/4/08 10:01:06
Feature
How to plan a painting
Artist insight
How to plan a
020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 20
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Takin g the photos

P la n n in g the com p os
i tion
dy
G e ttin g r ea
to c lon e
Before you start

throwing digital
paint on your
canvas, follow Susi
Lawsons guide
to planning the
image and enjoy
better results
nless you are blessed with a
natural ability to draw and paint
whatever is in your imagination,
photos will play a large part
in the creative process. But just because
you are using a photo, it doesnt mean you
cant plan beforehand or try out digital
sketches to make sure your painting is the
best it can be. In this lesson were going to
learn how to go about acquiring that great
picture. We are not going to take the lazy
way out and scour the internet for free
stock photography, were going to put on
our hiking shoes and head to the country!
All you need is a decent digital camera
to capture your vision of what will make
a beautiful work of art. If youre not a
professional photographer and feel a little
uncomfortable in this area then this is the
time to cast aside your inhibitions and get
away from the computer for a bit. This
article will give you the information you
need to stretch your legs and your digital
camera IQ!
I will be taking along the Canon 1D MkIII
and a Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS telephoto.
This lens provides a great range for
zooming in and out. I also will bring my
Canon 24-105 f/4L IS in case I want a good
wide-angle shot.
Let me stress that you can use a point
and shoot with a good zoom for this task
as well, so can still enjoy the fresh air and
excitement of taking your own reference
photos to use as the basis of some great art.
Weve included three photos on the disc
for you to see how and why we changed
what we did. The ile Landscape 2 was
the main inspiration, but Landscape 3 is
used, too.
21
3/4/08 15:09:01
Feature
Choosing a
composition
As I approached the scene I knew right away that I wanted the little weathered shack
to be the focal point and the stark winter trees to be the backdrop, but I also knew
that the scene needed more, such as leading lines that help bring the composition
together and add more interest to the overall scene. There are actually several such
elements in this scene, and the way we frame the image in the viewinder is essential
to a successful composition. Even though cropping and such can be done in software,
its best to get the composition as pleasing as possible in the camera. In these
samples, you will see what is included and why.
Location: Ceres,
Virginia USA
Portrait
This scenes composition works

because I have placed the cabin
in the lower left, and the lines
of the farm truck path lead the
eye from the tree line straight
to the cabin.
Landscape
Taking the photo

Choose the time of day with care early
morning or late afternoon is best
For this shoot we are going to a beautiful valley in the Blue Ridge
Mountains of Virginia in a little farming community called Ceres.
The back roads of this area are illed with the charm of old
abandoned farmhouses and weathered cabins of days gone by,
and they make for a great element of interest in a landscape shot.
We will be shooting from a hill and aiming the camera at a scene
about a mile away, so thats why the telephoto lens is essential in
capturing a variety of shots. It is always good to vary the shots from
close to far, and from portrait to landscape mode, to enable you to
have plenty of variety to play with and choose from, when you get
back to the computer.
When shooting landscapes its best to arrive either after sunrise
or just before sunset to catch the best light. But dont let this be a
hard and fast rule, as you may never ind the time to take pictures!
These shots were all taken in the late afternoon around 6.30 to
7.30pm, so it was getting close to sunset. This light gives the long
low shadows and pleasing warm light which makes for interesting
scenes. (My good friend and budding photographer, Denise
Romano, came along and shot the location pictures of me in action).
This area of Ceres is my favourite spot. The little cabin

with the sloping landscape and tree lines make for a great
composition. I have taken pictures of this scene in every
season. Its now coming to the end of winter here, so the
colours are not at all vibrant. But we can improve the image
during the painting phase. When taking photos, try standing
in different positions for a variety of viewpoints. Dont be
afraid to squat down, or even take something to stand on!
This image has beautiful lines

that lead the eye all over, and
yet it comes to rest on the
cabin. Notice the diagonal
triangular shape of the fence
coming from the left corner
and uniting with the tree upper
line complemented by the S
curve of the truck line.
Close-up
Here I capture a closer view of

the cabin using my zoom at
200 and walking to the right
side. Notice the converging
diagonal lines of the landscape
connecting all the elements.
22
3/4/08 15:09:49
Portrait
Sketch it out
The Rule of Thirds works on the theory that if you place points of interest in the
intersections of nine equal squares (or close to them), your photo becomes more
balanced. Our eyes usually go to one of the intersection points naturally, so the
Rule of Thirds works with this natural way of seeing. Here are some doodles to
show how this has worked in our photo.
This composition is pleasing because the cabin is

not in the middle of the image, and all lines lead
your eye around the image, but back to the cabin.
Landscape
2
Notice, once again, the focal point of the
image is not in the center yet the eye is
guided by the adjoining lines all leading
back to the cabin.
Close-up
Landscapes do not have to be horizontal.

Notice in Portrait Mode, the leading lines
work just as well for a pleasing composition.
Painters
composition tools
If you dont fancy drawing out compositions,

you can use Painter Xs tools. The best are
Divine Proportion (Canvas>Compositions>
Show Divine Proportions) or the Layout Grid
(Canvas>Compositions>Show Layout Grid).
These grids appear over your scene and
can be modiied to suit your needs. Move
them around and then crop the image to the
desired composition.
23
3/4/08 15:11:55
Feature
Prepping
the final photo
Its easy to make a photo bend to your needs. I like the photo I have chosen
(Landscape 2), but it could do with some more height. The Resize Canvas tool will
add some empty canvas to the bottom. I will also use the Straight Clone brush to add
elements from another image and get the perfect scene for my vision.
The final artwork
Turn your creation into a masterpiece with a

little help from Corel Painter
Now that we have the pictures taken and the composition worked
out, its time to take our favourite scene into Corel Painter and
make this into a painting worthy of framing! I know right away
that I want to add more colours to those winter trees and bring in
some depth and light in the shadows, and just generally add some
life to the landscape.
HERES HOW
the grass
01 Painting
For the grass I chose

the Oil>Round Camel
brush for its smooth
soft quality. Paint over
all the large areas left
to right, taking care
not to paint over the
tyre tracks.
01 Close-up
To resize the canvas, go

to Canvas/Resize and add 500 pixels
to the bottom of the image as shown.
02 Cloning
To clone the foreground

area of another image into the
empty canvas area you just created, choose
the Brush tool and select your Clone brush
using the Straight Cloner.
Start your clone source in the left corner of the

rst image you want to copy, then move your
cursor or stylus to the empty canvas and paint
the new foreground onto the white area. Now
close Landscape 3 as we no longer need it,
and use the same Clone tool to eliminate the
distracting pole in the foreground by using the
grass beside it. Clean up any other debris using
this method.
Colour controls
Before we paint our landscape we need
to prepare it with simple tools. Now that
we have the composition and elements
we want to include, we can boost the
colours and darken the tyre tracks that
add human interest to this weathered
3
03
and otherwise lonely landscape. The

tracks tell the viewer that theres life on
the farm. Increasing the saturation will
reveal colours that werent apparent
before and help you decide where you
want to go with your painting.
Now lets use the Fine Sponge brush at

50% Opacity, and brush the tops of the trees using an up and down
motion for a really pretty effect that works well for this area.
Adding
more tree
07
colour
Burn tool Since the truck path in
this landscape is an essential part of

the composition, lets make it stand out even
more by using the Burn tool and going over
this area to really emphasise it, as shown. You
will nd this tool in the Photo brushes.
04 Painting the tree tops
04 Adjust the colours
Now lets
adjust the colours by going to
Effects>Tonal Control>Adjust Color, and add
more saturation to the landscape to liven it up.
By using the
Regular Sponge brush
and deselecting Use
Clone Color, I can add
some bright yellow to
the top of the trees to
suggest the sunlight.
24
3/4/08 15:12:11
Things to
remember
Be prepared
for the shoot
Its always good to
have at least two
lenses to choose from.
If you can bring along
a second camera with
a wide-angle lens, and
one with a telephoto,
you will be ready for
anything and wont
have to worry about
changing lenses.
02
Painting the tracks Now I zoomed in using the same brush, and
I painted over the tyre tracks following the lines of the tracks with my
brush, while adjusting to the curves so as not to smudge them away.
03 Blending shadows
Still using the Camel Oil brush, zoom in and

paint over the blue shadows and areas between the trees, taking
care not to rake across the trees. Dont worry about any small twigs and suchlike in theses areas.
sponging
05 Keep
Continue using this

sponging method on
all the trees, using more
pressure at the tops and
less in the limb area,
because you want to
try to preserve the tree
trunks and limb areas as
much as possible. Zoom
in where you need to.
06 Tree limbs
The tree branches add

interest to the painting, but using the
Acrylic Capture brush and painting over them by
following the lines with a Small Tip brush makes
them less stark, and makes them blend in more
with the rest of the painting.
Cautious and
courteous
The best place to find
beautiful scenery
is usually in remote
areas of the country
that you discover by
just driving around
and stopping when
something catches
your eye. This is how
I found the Kidd
Farm featured in this
tutorial. However,
when you are on
private property its
always best to call or
knock on the door
and ask permission
to be there. Not only
is this courteous,
but also safe, as you
never know when
someone might have
a watchdog, or just
not be too friendly
towards strangers!
Dont get
too caught
up in rules
Glazing
in ground
09
shadows
08 Adding shadow colour
Again,
using the Regular Sponge brush, I will
now add dark purple to the shadow area of the
trees to add some depth.
To add
more colours I chose the
Oil Glazing brush, and
added some soft violet
shadows to the ground.
Be sure that Use Clone
Color is deselected.
The rules of
composition are good
to learn as a guide,
but dont let it stand
in your way if your
scene doesnt fit this
rule. Be creative and
follow your own heart
you are the artist
and the ultimate rulemaker or breaker of
your own work!
25
3/4/08 15:12:38
Feature
Finishing touches
Paint the cabin, add a fence and brighten up the overall scene
11 Add a fence
10 Paint the cabin
Using Clone Color and the Acrylic Capture brush,

paint over the entire cabin taking care to follow the natural lines of
the roof and boards.
Theres a fence in
the left foreground that
adds to the composition,
so I dened it more by
painting over it with
dark brown using the
Acrylic Opaque Round
brush. The last thing I
always do is pump up the
brightness and contrast
of my painting by using
Effects>Tonal Control>
Brightness, Contrast and
Adjust to get the most
pleasing result.
FINAL CLONED PAIN TING
THE LAST THING I ALWAYS DO IS

PUMP UP THE BRIGHTNESS AND
CONTRAST OF MY PAINTING
26
3/4/08 15:13:01
Tutorial Turn photos into sketches
Original photo
28
028-032-OPM_16-pencil.indd 28
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Tutorial
Turn photos into sketches

In this tutorial we will show you how to create a sketchy style pencil drawing, using a photo
and just four brushes in Painter
Tutorial info
Artist
Jill Garl
Time needed
1.5 hours
Skill level
Beginner
On the CD
Start and final

photos
ainter is an awesome program to use for creating

this sketchy style pencil drawing. Whether you start
out with a photograph or draw your image freehand,
the steps outlined in this tutorial will help you to
successfully achieve this look.
This style is perfect for drawing people. With its simplistic
beauty, you will be able to create a portrait that has emotion
and personality. By drawing just a few strokes for the
background, the focus will be concentrated on the subject.
Using much more detail and shading in the face, compared
to the luid lines in the hair and clothes, is another way to
have the focus be on the mood, the expression and the
uniqueness of the subject.
There is very little blending or smudging involved here,

the contour lines are the basis for this style of art. Your initial
pencil lines will become an intricate part of your drawing. Its
a beautiful thing to look at your drawing and realise youre
looking at a part of yourself in the expression of those lines.
You will learn how to use the Conte brush, along with the
Chalk brush and pencils. The Soft Cloner, Eraser, Quick Clone
and Equalizer are just a few features you will learn in this
tutorial. It is so exciting to watch your subject come to life in
front of you, using these brushes, features and techniques.
You may ind yourself looking through the photographs
you already have in a new way to choose one to use for an
expressive new pencil drawing!
Preparation
Start by preparing your chosen photograph
01
03 Set colour for the background
Prepare photograph for drawing
Before you begin creating your drawing,

you will want to prepare the photograph. We
start with desaturating the image. To do this, go
to Effects>Tonal Control>Adjust Color. Slide the
Saturation bar all the way to the left. Click OK. This
will desaturate your photograph.
02 Brighten up
In order to really see the highlight and shadow

areas when you are shading, bumping up the Contrast after you
desaturate is an important step. A good way to do this is to use the Equalizer.
Go to Effects>Tonal Control>Equalize. Slide the Brightness control from left to
right to adjust. Now click OK.
In this step we will set the Background

Paper colour. First choose the colour you want to
use from the Color Wheel. For our example we
have used an ivory colour. Next, go to Canvas>Set
Paper Color. You will not see anything happen to
your image at this point, but your paper colour will
show up in the next step.
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3/4/08 15:14:54
Clone and sketch

Get ready to trace, draw and blend
04 Quick Clone image
Now clone
the image and get ready to draw! Go
to File>Quick Clone. A duplicate of your image
will open up, with tracing paper covering it in the
colour you chose from step three. This will happen
all in one step! You can toggle the tracing paper on
and off by clicking the Tracing Paper icon.
05 Sketch outline
Trace over the image using the tracing paper and

the Cover Pencil variant. Keep in mind that a lot of these lines will
become part of your nal drawing. Keep your lines nice and uid. You can
always use the Eraser tool, or Ctrl/Cmd+A, to clean up or repeat any lines you
want to redo. Angling your paper may help while you are drawing.
06 Draw features on the face
Zoom
in very close to the face. Trace over the
features with a lighter touch. Using the Cover
Pencil, or Number 2 Pencil, outline the eyebrow
area, pupils, irises, eyelashes, etc. Make sure your
lines are accurate, as this will be the step that
identies the subjects likeness.
Interactive
save
Save your photograph
with a new name after
you make changes,
such as desaturating
and Equalizing. Once
you have saved,
you can click off the
original photograph.
Your original will
remain untouched.
The new saved version
will be the one you
are working on with
the tracing paper. It is
also a good idea to use
the Interactive Save
feature as you go,
saving each step.
07
Zoom out and check sketch Check your sketch with the tracing
paper off. Make any adjustments you feel are necessary, and will
benet your sketch. Erase any areas that need cleaning up. Redraw any areas
you feel could be better at this time.
08 Adding shadows
Begin to add in some shadows. With the

tracing paper on, and using the Conte brush, brush over the shadow
areas that you see. The creases around the nose, under the eyes and under the
bottom lip are common areas. Take advantage of the pressure sensitivity in
your stylus, create heavy and light opacities of colour.
of colour
09 Swatch
Turn your tracing

paper on and off to
check your progress.
Make a swatch of the
colour you are using,
just in case your colour
becomes altered. Even
though you are only
using a grey tone to
draw with, there are
many different grey
tones available!
10 Blending in your shadows
At this point we will begin to blend

in the shadows. Using the Soft Blender Stump brush, blend the
shadow areas. Go in the natural direction of the areas you are working in for
example, round out your shadows around the nose and under the bottom lip.
Think of this step as moulding your subjects face.
30
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Face the details
For this stage we

have the original and the drawing open
side by side on screen; we can see the detail in the
eyes much better this way. Darken the pupil and
ll in the irises with the Conte brush. Now blend
with the Stump blender, using a tiny brush size. Go
over the eyes with the Eraser tool to bring out the
catch lights, and watch your subject come alive!
12
Hands and arms Next, we will work
on the hands and arms. Using the same

technique as in the face, brush on your shadow
colour and blend with the Stump blender. Shadow
and blend around the knuckles, edges of the
hands and arms, and into the darkened areas of
the photograph.
13 Clothes detail
For this step we used

the Square Chalk brush. With a loose, free
motion, stroke on colour inside the lines. Dont
worry if you go outside the lines, as long as your
strokes have a nice uid feel then this will just add
to your drawing. Avoid the urge to ll up all the
outlined space. Let the lines that you created in
step ve become part of the drawing.
The Rotate Page tool

is extremely useful in
positioning your page
on an angle that works
best for you. The page
may be rotated in
a complete circle in
either direction. You
may move the paper
on its side or upside
down to check your
composition. The
Rotate Page tool is
located in the toolbox
as a flyout, next to
the Move tool (it looks
like a rounded arrow).
You just grab onto
your page and turn
it in any direction.
Remember to return
back to the Brush icon
to continue using the
brushes. When you
want to bring your
page upright, choose
the Rotate Page tool
again and click on
your drawing. It will
straighten right up.
11 Working on the eyes
Tutorial
Rotate Page
Eyes and ears, and mouth and nose
on
the hair
15 Working
14 Jewellery Detail
Details, like the rings

in this example, are drawn freestyle. They
are drawn using the Cover Pencil, or Number 2
Pencil, using a very small size brush. The necklace
is drawn using the Conte and Chalk brush to ll in
colour. The highlights are brought back with the
Eraser tool, similar to the eyes.
The
hair is another step
that will really bring the
subject to life. Sketch
in the hair with a long,
sweeping motion using
the Conte brush. Varying
the opacity of colour
helps the hair to look
natural and adds depth.
Again, your original lines
will show through, giving
the hair a nice sketchy,
loose style. Leave some
areas untouched to
create the highlights.
Fade tool
16 Preparing to work on the background
We are now ready to

add some background strokes. Create a duplicate of the drawing on
the screen; go to File>Clone. You can now click off the original. You should
have two windows open, the clone of and the clone of clone. Check your
Clone Source to make sure a check mark is next to the Clone of, as this will be
your new Clone Source.
The Fade tool is a great option

for when you feel you overdid a
step with too much saturation,
and want to bring the colour or
contrast down some. Also, its a
good way to judge how far you
may want to go with colour. First,
deliberately over-saturate the
colour in an area. Then go to your
Fade tool and fade to the desired
amount. To use the Fade tool,
after you have performed your
step and want to fade it, go to
Edit>Fade. A window will open
with a slide bar, where you can
fade the last action performed by
a percentage. Click OK.
31
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Finish it in style
Complete your masterpiece!
17 Background strokes
Using the
Square Chalk brush, brush over some
background areas near your subject, in an angled
motion. We sampled a colour from the hair in this
example, for the background strokes. If you want
to come back into the strokes from the outside
edges, just sample the background colour, which
is ivory in this example, and brush the new strokes.
18 Soft Clone image back
Zoom into the area where you sketched

the background strokes. With your Soft Cloner brush set at 100%,
brush over the areas you want to bring back (in this example its the arm). The
Soft Cloner brush is a tool that tends to spread out a little bit, so be careful not
to use too large of a brush. Remember, you can always Ctrl/Cmd+Z and try
again, it doesnt have to perfect rst time.
19 Finishing up your drawing
Thats
it, your drawing is complete! For the nal
step you can play with the Equalizer to get more,
or less, contrast. Also, consider warming up your
drawing in Photoshop for an alternative look.
Sketchy summary How to create a sketchy style pencil drawing

Although we have left the clone
command for the shading of this
image, the use of a source photos
means the technique is accessible
to even very nervous artists. The
loose style allows you to get away
with unconfident lines!
HIGHLIGHT AREAS
If you keep some areas of your
sketch without colour it will
indicate highlights. This allows
your chosen background
colour to become the
highlights. In this example the
effect is most evident in the
hair and clothes, helping to
bring your drawing to life!
BACKGROUND
Keep the background
simple to bring the
focus to your subject.
Just a few strokes in
the background will
help to bring your
subject forward and
create depth
BLENDING
Do not over blend in the
clothes or hair area. Let
the beauty of the line and
brushwork show through.
Most of your blending will be
in the shadows on the face,
arms and hands
ERASER TOOL
Use the Eraser tool to create
the catch lights in the eyes
and lips. This tool is also used
to create highlights in the
rings and the necklace
CONTOUR LINES
Keep your lines free, loose and
deliberate when drawing out your
initial sketch, as these lines will become
an intricate part of your drawing. Have
your lines vary from thick and thin for
more interest and realism
32
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Primer Erasers
BRUSH CATEGORY
Erasers
If you thought erasers were only good

for rubbing out mistakes, take a look at
these much ignored variants and erase
your way to a masterpiece!
PRIMER
s a traditional artist, when

drawing, you would not have
relied only on your drawing
media to make a picture.
You would also have made great use of
erasers particularly when using media
such as charcoal, chalk or pastels. When
using Corel Painter, we tend to rely on
other correction techniques, such as
unlimited Undo. But Painter has erasers
too, and their usefulness is not limited
to simply rubbing out mistakes. By
establishing your drawing in very
dark tones, you can actually paint
with erasers, subtly lightening
tones already laid down to create
midtones and highlights.
Painter features a group of 25
eraser variants, which range from
hard-edged erasers through to soft
erasers. Youll also ind a number of
Bleach erasers which gently lighten
tones. Youll see the full range of erasers
opposite, and weve created an image by
using them.
If, like many Painter users, youve
passed the erasers by without a second
glance, take another look at these
powerful painting tools, and experience
the act of drawing and painting by
removing areas rather than adding them.
In terms of erasers, less is deinitely more!
BLEACH ERASERS
Here, one of the Bleach eraser
variants was used at very low
opacity. These Bleach variants
slowly bleach the existing colour
beneath, and can be useful to
introduce not only lighter tones,
but colour, which appears as the
existing colour is slowly bleached
revealing new colour notes
from within the colour itself.
HARD EDGES
The Hard erasers are especially useful
for creating hard edges to your
erased areas, which can help to give
your subject form and outline. Also,
Hard erasers are great for adding
gestural, calligraphic lines to your
work creating texture and interest.
How erasers work
Erase on layers
Use a floating layer for your initial painting
Its always best to do
your initial painting on a
floating layer, with a filled
Canvas layer below it. This
means that when you start
to erase you are erasing
to transparency. You can
then easily change the
colour or tint of the erased
areas simply by filling the
Canvas layer with another
colour or tone.
All erasers are pressure-driven

Each type of eraser works in its own unique way,
and this depends on the particular subcategory
of the variant. Straightforward Eraser variants,
such as the Erase All Hard variant, will erase the
colour beneath down to the paper colour, just
as an artists eraser normally would. The Bleach
variants will gradually erase to white by lightening
the colour beneath. The Darkener variants
gradually increase the colour density, building
to black. All of the Eraser variants are pressuredriven, their effect increasing in line with the
pressure applied to your stylus.
34
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Primer
Eraser brushes
Get to know your tools
Erasers
ADDING DARKER AREAS

Here you can see the result
of scribbling with one of the
Darkening erasers. Where with
normal erasers youre drawing
with gradually lighter tones,
the Darkening variants darken
existing tones within the
painting resulting in effective
darker calligraphic lines.
1 Pixel Eraser
Flat Eraser
Block Eraser 10
Gentle Bleach 7, 10
Block Eraser 20
Pointed Bleach 7, 15
Darkener
Pointed Eraser 7, 15
Erase All Hard
Rectangular Eraser 10, 20
Erase All Soft
Tapered Bleach 10, 20, 30
Eraser
Tapered Darkener 10, 20, 30
Flat Darkener
Tapered Eraser 10, 20, 30
SOFT ERASERS
For gently lifting darker tones out of an
area, try using one of the Soft erasers
at very low opacity. Remember, erasers
can be very powerful, so you are much
better using them at a low opacity
value so you can gently and gradually
pull up lighter tones in your painting.
Erasers that darken!

Darken existing paint instead of removing it
Of course, were all used to an eraser
removing paint back to the canvas
or paper, but Painter comes with a
number of erasers that actually darken
existing paint rather than removing it.
The subcategory of these erasers is set
to Soft Paint Thickener in the Variants
properties. These erasers can be used
to add darker detail to your image.
Again, its best to use them at a low
opacity value, so that you can build
tones gradually and subtly.
35
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Tutorial Creating with distance
Creating with distance

Lets explore some of the most powerful ways to create a sense of distance in a
painting while on a leisurely walk through the woods
36
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Jeff Johnson
Time needed
2 hours
Skill level
Intermediate
On the CD
Resource files
ne of the most enjoyable things about

learning the craft of picture-making
is adding to your set of tools and
techniques to solve paintings biggest
problem: creating a sense of three-dimensional
depth on a two-dimensional surface. This is
of paramount importance when it comes to
landscape painting, and artists have built up a
long list of ways to achieve it. The main four we
used here are overlapping, distinct planes, linear
perspective and atmospheric perspective. These
are wonderful, time-tested techniques that have
been in use for generations. In fact, this whole
effort is a straightforward piece of painting,
with few bells and whistles required that are not
available to our natural-media cousins other
than some simple layer management. The only
tools we will use are the Digital Airbrush, the Soft
Blender Stump and the default Eraser.
Foremost in the toolbox is perhaps the
simplest method available that of overlapping
objects. If you overlap two objects, the mind will
immediately assume that the one being obscured
is behind the other. Almost half the work is already
done. This little painting literally starts at the sky,
and works up to the very front in a long series of
overlapping objects.
Next is a neat little trick that helps create
a distinct foreground, middle ground and
background. Alternating light and shadow on
each layer to create very distinct borders between
them is an excellent way to trick the eye into
seeing them as separate planes in space. Whereas
Rembrandt and his ilk might have started with a
foreground in shadow, well begin our little jaunt
emerging almost directly into the morning sun,
walk through some chilly shadow, and end up back
in the glorious warm morning sun again.
Linear perspective is a powerful tool to employ
in creating depth, because the mind interprets the
path towards a vanishing point as a traverse into
the distance. The combination of a nice leading
line (a line the eye can follow into and through the
picture) with linear perspective is doubly useful,
and our little footpath accomplishes this dual
objective smartly.
One technique thats great fun is atmospheric
perspective. The theory is that the more space
there is between viewer and object, the colour
and shape of objects change. One change is that
the object gets lighter in value and cooler in
colour, and the other is that details merge into
one another and then all but disappear. If theres
a fair amount of moisture in the air, this effect is
increased. The conditions we chose here were
a hazy morning with yellowish light, which its
the objective nicely. It allows us to paint our
background with simple, broad strokes and forgo
details almost until we get to the foreground.
Imagine Publishing Ltd

No unauthorised copying or distribution
Artist
Tutorial
Tutorial info
37
3/4/08 10:16:05
Different values
Build up your painting with values and blends
step
forward
02 One
01 The sky is the limit
The sky is rst painted with a very pale yellow

using the Digital Airbrush (which will be our main brush throughout).
Next come the furthest trees using the lightest, coolest and least saturated
colours. At this stage very little detail is best, with soft edges and the furthest
objects nearly blending into the sky.
Put your
details and
colours
where they
are needed
Nothing flattens a
picture faster than
a uniform treatment
of details. Its pretty
difficult to direct
the eye around the
picture if everything
is in competition with
everything else. The
same goes for colour,
but the effect is
greater. Put a patch of
bright colour next to
a nice but drab detail,
and the colour more
than holds its share
of the eyes attention.
For these reasons you
need to plan where
such elements are
to go, because the
eye will naturally go
there as well. The
background, for
instance, would not
drop off in space as
effectively if too many
details were included,
or if the colours were
too intense.
03 Taking the next plane out
We
are already done with the background,
and are moving closer quite fast. Now block in
mid-tones for the middle ground on a separate
layer. Very basic drawing is used to suggest a
couple of rolling hills covered with bluebells and
crowned with a row of scrub trees on either side.
Notice how the trees create nice lines of linear
perspective to enhance the sense of depth.
06
Still with the Digital

Airbrush, add some
trees that are nearer.
This is accomplished
by making them less
blue and a little darker
in value. A few more
small details can begin
to reveal themselves.
Use a couple of values
very near one another
to model a bit of volume
into the foliage.
04 Rounding things out
Build volume
in the trees with some lighter values. Its
still too early to focus on details, and simple strokes
with a low opacity Airbrush, combined with the
Soft Blender Stump are all that are required. The
trees on the left are emerging into the light as they
recede into the background, while only the tops
of the trees on the right are catching any light,
throwing the entire middle ground into shadow.
Mixed greens To add interest to the middle ground, some
patches of grass and green cover are added among the bluebells.
Since we are getting closer, well use warmer shades of green.
05 Rounder still
Now for some of the

darker values. Use a couple of them to
build shadows and more volume. Work in a truer
(less blue) green to the closest trees. Keep within
the general lighting scheme darkest values will
be used for the closest trees, with the majority of
the trees on the right in deep shadow.
07 Around the hill
Next, well quickly paint in some lighter values

with directional strokes. Vary the blues a bit with violets and light
purples. Now blend things together with the Soft Blender Stump. Start to add
details such as grass strands, and a slight highlight on the crown of the hills.
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3/4/08 10:24:36
Eye-catching
A pair of
small saplings alongside the trail are
a nice way to draw attention to it. Keep things
simple, as there will be time later to sharpen
details as needed. A little lighter value at the base
of the saplings is all thats needed to catch the eye.
09 Were here
Now open up a third and

nal layer for the foreground. Establish
the gentle slope of the nearest hill using mid-tones
of a warmer bluish-violet, and suggest the path
by using warm, yellowish mid-tones for the grass
that lines it.
After painting in a nice

mid-tone for the sandy path, begin to
model in a couple of lighter values to the shoulder
of the hill. In this scheme the leading edge of the
hill is going to be used to draw a sharp distinction
between the foreground and the middle ground,
with emphasis added by throwing the closest part
of the hill in some shadow.
11 A little shade
After blending in
the highlights as before,
start adding darker
values to the shadows
in the near foreground.
This frames the centre of
the picture, and provides
a strong visual clue as
to a succession of value
changes that lead back
into space. Note the
greenery thats lining the
path is roughly painted
at this point, because
layers of detail and
blending will be used
to build up realism and
textural variation next.
13 Little things add up
This screenshot
highlights a couple of little moves that
are helpful in creating maximum distance. Use
a slightly larger brush for the dabs as you work
closer, to reinforce scale.
It can be useful to
work things like
branches and leaves
on a separate layer,
yet too many layers
can throw a spanner
in the workflow. The
method to employ is
pretty simple: open
up a layer above the
one youre working
on, add the element(s)
desired, alter them
as needed, and select
the two layers to be
merged by holding
down the Shift key and
clicking on both layers
in the Layers palette
(this works with
multiple layers). Now
go to the Layers pulldown menu (located
in the menu bar) and
select Group. Once the
layers are grouped
together, go back to
the Layers menu and
select Collapse.
08 Details to draw the eye
10 Rounder
Tutorial
Managing
layers
Draw attention by using extra details
12 Details, details
Now start building

a bit of texture and detail. The sense of
depth is enhanced greatly by diminishing details
in the distance, so the foreground is the place to
build up most of the textures and details. Note
that simple dabs of varied hues and values can be
rapidly applied, then blended together with a light
touch of the stump. Fast and easy!
14 Branching out
This is the point at which painting on a separate

layer will come in very handy. Open a layer above the foreground
layer, and block in the shapes of the trees and saplings using the darkest tone
to be applied to them. Since youre working on a layer, its possible to amend
any contours and edges with the Eraser.
15 Cast shadows
Once the tree

silhouettes are established, its time to
paint the shadows the trees cast. By sampling
appropriate colours taken from the foreground
shadows, loosely paint in the shadows.
39
3/4/08 10:17:06
Final details
Light, shadow and the finer details
Lead em by
the nose
The object of this
painting is to get the
viewer to follow the
footpath through
the picture. This was
accomplished via a
host of devilish means!
For instance, scientists
inform us that we of
the Western world
enter a picture via the
lower left-hand corner,
so the path begins
there. It is not too
wide, or the entrance
would dominate the
scene and make it
hard to get beyond
it. The path itself is
an exercise in linear
perspective, with its
single vanishing point.
It moves up and down a
varied landscape and is
surrounded by details
that add interest to the
journey. It disappears
tantalisingly close
to the lighted
background, which is
purposefully hidden
at its base so as to be
more intriguing and
alluring. Finally, look
down that path and
count the succession
of groupings of three
items (or shapes)
a rhythm which the
subconscious picks
up and adds to the
overall flow.
20
16 Painting light on the trees
After merging the tree layer to the

foreground (remember that the part of the trees above the hill can still
be modied with the Eraser), begin applying lighter values. Pay attention to
maintaining a consistent light source, and make good use of the Soft Blender
Stump in the process. Use warm yellowish colours to really bring them forward.
18 Now for the birch
Repeat the last two steps for the birch saplings

lining the path. Its a useful trick to leave the very base a bit darker,
because this both follows nature and helps to draw a contrast between the
trunks and the ground.
Layers of leaves For the next round of
leaf-making, open up a Darken layer (so

as not to obscure the branches yet), while painting
in the leaves of the larger trees. We began with a
pass of lighter leaves (in the sun) and went back
to put in some darker leaves (in shadow), keeping
true to form regarding overlapping layers.
21 Closing in
17 Barking up the tree
After the rst pass of modelling and

blending, go back and begin painting in more highlights, textures and
contours to the larger trees. This time, be careful not to obscure these details
too much with excessive blending.
19 Leave-ening
Now for the foliage. Start drawing in the leaves of the

various trees as single strokes. As were now in the foreground, its
time to enrich the area with the greatest amount of detail in the whole picture.
Now start nalising the details a bit. Take a Basic Eraser

set to 100% Opacity and varied in size to suit, and sharpen up the
contours of the branches as needed. Once the shapes are right, reduce the
Opacity of the eraser to 20%, enlarge it a good deal, and lightly brush over the
thinnest branches to soften them a bit and plant them within the atmosphere
of the rest of the scene.
22 Wrap it up
Now all thats left is to work

the entire canvas a bit, making necessary
alterations and cleaning things up. A few rounds
of adding layers of highlights, details and blending
are about all that is needed. We decided we
would like to make one of the trees a bit wider,
and since the layers were separated out it only
took a minute or so to do.
40
3/4/08 10:22:59
The ingredients needed for building up depth
Tutorial
Distance 101
SOFT, COOL AND LIGHT

Contrast between the three elds is helpful in
creating a sense of distance. Picking the right
kind of lighting can increase that contrast a
good deal, greatly enhancing the sense of
distance. This piece was conceived as being
awash in morning light, with a light haze.
With these conditions, by the time we get to
the background, the entire scene is awash in
reected light and everything is dramatically
lighter than the foreground objects. Anything
but the vaguest details blend into masses of
light, cool colour with soft edges which will
serve to really set this layer apart from the
sharper focus of the layers to come. In addition,
this layer begins building up rhythms of form,
and is suggestive of the overall topography and
make-up of the woods. In this case, just a few
tree types were employed which in general
is good practice, as its far easier to manage
placement and rhythm.
Back groun d
Mid groun d
Foregroun d
EARLY MORNING SHADOW
FRONT AND CENTRE
The middle ground in this scheme is in shadow, which helps set it apart very
distinctly from the soft, light background and the bright leading edge of the slope in
the foreground. It is placed a fair bit higher than the foreground plane, which serves
to enhance the illusion of distance in space. Pictorial alchemists are aware of this
trick of perception, and use it to great effect.
Linear perspective is a strong element of this layer. The footpath snakes its way
through the gentle slopes, towards an implied vanishing point. The lines of shrubs
on either side work in the same fashion. Details begin to emerge here and there
most of them placed strategically to draw interest to various parts of the picture.
The strong leading line of the path begins in the lower left-hand corner, directing the
journey through the picture. The far edge of the slope is bathed in bright light, which
sets the entire plane off quite sharply from the middle ground. The majority of details
and textures in the picture are on this layer, a nod to atmospheric perspective. In the
same vein, the warmest, brightest and most saturated colours are in the foreground
as well. The small saplings are added to draw sharp contrast with the tall trees in
the background a powerful tool of scale relationships that serves to drive home
the distance between the two sets of objects. Finally, the dark foliage of the trees
combines with the shadows in the near foreground to effectively frame the path.
41
3/4/08 10:18:16
Feature focus Clone from HDR images
Clone from
HDR images
How HDR and Tone Mapping can bring a
whole new look to your cloned paintings
FEATURE
FOCUS
ur eyes are pretty good at seeing

detail in shadows and in very
bright areas. They do this by
switching from one area to
another, and swiftly adjusting to the light
or dark (they cant see the detail in shadows
and highlights simultaneously). Cameras do
rather worse than our eyes, and this means
that many photos lack the detail that was
actually present.
This has implications for us colour-cloners.
If we want to see more detail in a photo we
need a way to reveal and present the detail
in the scene. This is where the techniques
known as Higher Dynamic Range (HDR)
image creation and Tone Mapping can
come in useful.
We are going to look at how an HDR
photo can easily be produced and
Tone Mapped. Dont be put off by the
intimidating terminology, the process
we will use is quite straightforward.
A Tone Mapped image is not
better than a photo straight out of
the camera it just presents its scene
in a different way. The real fun of HDR
and Tone Mapping is the variety of
effects they offer. You can use the trial
Photomatix Pro version 2.5.4 if you have
Windows XP, or the Photomatix Pro 3.00 Beta
12 RC if you are using Vista. The software is
included on the accompanying CD, or it can be
downloaded from www.hdrsoft.com. Mac
versions are also available.
THE HDR CLONE This side of

the image is the clone version of the
HDR photo. You can clearly see the
improvements made. The shadows and
highlights are far more interesting and
inviting, and the colours are brighter
HDR and Tone Mapping the basics

How it works
Getting ready
Setting up your camera and taking the picture
First we create a blended, composite image (HDR image)

using three photos exposed separately for the highlights,
mid-lights (normal), and lowlights of a scene. This HDR
image will not display correctly on our monitors, so we
need to process it so that we can see the extra detail
from the three exposures. This processing is called
Tone Mapping. When we Tone Map there are a number
of parameters we can adjust, and they can have a big
impact on the image (we cover these on the next page).
Finally, we need to save the Tone Mapped image in a file
format that Painter can read. For this we use the 8bit Tif
option. Thats it, were ready to paint!
Take three photos with a wide range of exposures:

under-exposed, normal, and over-exposed. Set up the
camera to take the photos using Automatic Exposure
Bracketing (AEB) with gaps of two stops between photos.
If you have them, use a sturdy tripod and cable release
(or remote shutter release) to ensure there is no camera
shake. Set the camera to Aperture Priority (you need
to keep the depth of field the same across the images)
and use as slow an ISO setting as you can. Also set your
camera to take photos continuously so that a single
depression of your shutter will take all three exposures in
one burst. If you cant do this, just take the photos singly.
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BACKGROUND DETAIL Look at the
Tweak the settings

Feature focus
background on this side of the cloned

original and see how it compares with
the HDR half. Theres nowhere near as
much detail or texture, making the
non-HDR clone seem very dull
Get the most from Photomatix

The default settings often work well, but it is a good idea to know a little
about the effects that adjustments will achieve. First we look at the main
settings for the creation of the HDR image, then at the Tone Mappings
two processing methods: Details Enhancer and Tone Compression.
Remember that many of these functions are available in other programs.
HDR settings
01 Generate
BRIGHTER COLOURS Here you can
clearly see the benet of working with

the HDR technique. The colours in this
vase are much stronger on the left (the
HDR version). This has meant a greater
tonal range, and therefore more interest
for the viewers eyes. Notice how it also
brings out more detail in the blue areas
The software
Which software to use?
For this feature we are using Photomatix Pro. But there are a
number of programs which can give us HDR, or other blended
images. Some of these programs also provide easy routes to
Tone Mapped images, and there are still others that provide
some of the effects of Tone Mapping without using blended or
composite images. For example, Photomatix, Dynamic Photo
HDR, and Photoshop CS2 and CS3 cover both HDR creation,
exposure merging and Tone Mapping though the dedicated
programs give good results easier. CS2 and CS3s Highlights/
Shadows filter can give something of the look of a Tone Mapped
image to a single, unblended image as does a powerful,
separate program called LucisArt.
Clone from HDR images
HARSH SHADOWS While strong

shadows are ne for charcoal, if you want a
thick and juicy effect, the HDR method will
give a greater range of tones (and therefore
smooth things out)
Leave Align Source

Images ticked though
alignment should not
be a problem if you are
using a tripod and AEB.
No need to tick Attempt
to reduce ghosting
artefacts, unless you
have something
in-motion in your image.
Leave Take tone curve of
color prole selected.
Mapping,
Details Enhancer
02 Tone
The
Details Enhancer method produces
often dreamlike, images. Strength
controls the strength of contrast
enhancements (to bring out detail).
Light Smoothing smoothes light
variations higher values help to
reduce halos. Luminosity compresses
the tonal range more boosts
shadow detail and brightness. White
Point and Black Point determine the
maximum and minimum values of the
tones. Gamma adjusts the mid-tone.
Colour adjustments affect the colour
temperature of the nal image. Micro
adjustments affect how far details are
accentuated. Shadows and Highlights
Smoothing, and Shadows Clipping,
reduce contrast enhancement in
shadows and highlights, and how
much the shadows range is clipped.
Mapping Tone
Compressor
03 Tone
Broadly,
Tone Compression works on the
whole image and produces an image
closer to a straight-out-of-the-camera
photo. The two adjusters that may
be unfamiliar are Tonal Range and
Contrast Adaptation. The former
controls how the HDR images tonal
range is compressed in the Tonal
Mapping process. The latter sets how
much the contrast is adapted to the
intensity of the pixel values. However,
in practice, the parameters that seem
to have the most intuitive and useful
effect are Brightness, White and Black
Points, (colour) Temperature and
(colour) Saturation.
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3/4/08 16:07:30
Feature focus Clone from HDR images
FEATURE
FOCUS
Creating an HDR image

Adjust sliders and values to perfect your image
We are going to
produce a composite
HDR image from
three exposures,
Tone Map it, then
get it ready for Color
Cloning. We will use
Photomatix Pro, but
there are a number
of programs that
you could use. We
will use the Details
Enhancer and the
Tone Compressor
methods of Tone
Mapping so that
we will have both
available to us in
Painter, and you will
be able to see what
each method can do.
01 Generating the HDR image
We
open up Photomatix Pro and select
Generate HDR Image from the Windows Shortcut
options box (that appears automatically). We could
use Exposure Blending to produce a composite
image and process it, but this time we will create
an HDR composite.
02 Creating the HDR image
The
Generate HDR Image appears, and we
use the Browse function to nd the three different
exposed images we are going to combine. We will
use three les, which you can nd on the CD. Once
the three images appear in the boxs window,
click OK.
the HDR processing

options
03 Selecting
We need to set the options

for the HDR process. We leave Align source
images selected (it is by default). We dont need
to select Ghosting Reduction because there is no
movement in our scene. Leave Take tone curve of
color prole selected. Click OK.
Checking
the HDR
04
image
You will see

the unprocessed HDR
image next. This cannot
be displayed properly by
standard monitors, so
dont be alarmed by the
look of it. You can get
an idea of how the Tone
Mapped image will look
by moving the cursor
over the large image and
watching the little box
window (top-left). Save
this as an HDR (RGBE) le
using Save As under File.
If you are unhappy with a
Tone Mapped image you
can just open the RGBE
le and start the Tone
Mapping process again.
Now click Tone Mapping.
05
Changing the default Tone

Mapping settings A Tone Mapped
image will appear. This uses the default settings,

that include Details Enhancer. You can use the
Tone Compressor method, which can be selected
using one of the top tabs. However, for this
exercise we will use the Details Enhancer.
Strength and Color

Saturation
06 Changing
These settings are

self-explanatory; Strength increases the contrast
enhancement and Color Saturation affects the
intensity of colour hue. There is no correct setting,
you can experiment with Strength until you like
what you see. For this exercise, increase the
Strength to 65 and Color Saturation to 63.
Why HDR? more detail
more colour
Capture more detail
Reveal more colour in your painting
Although painters often simplify their subject to achieve a loose

style, and to focus the viewers eye on focal points, bringing out
detail is effective too. Detailed portraits with the subject in a
particularly relevant context (work, home, sport, etc) can be more
telling than portraits with generic backgrounds. See Andrew
Wyeths work to marvel at how detail can be used to simultaneously
reveal, with great clarity, the look and personality of a subject. And
create a mood. Similarly, high detail can really enhance subjects
whose interest flows from their specifics, as much as from their
overall look. So if your thing is painting cars or aeroplanes, or you
are a keen gardener to whom plant accuracy is important, an HDR
Tone Mapped starting photo may be just the thing for you.
A common visual characteristic of Tone

Mapped images is the more subtle colouring
they have. This is because of the wider
tonal range. The colour range is wider and
more apparent because we are getting
colour from the parts of an image that
usually appear to be devoid of colour: heavy
shadows and highlights. If you want some
ideas for just how powerful an HDR image
can be, have a look at the landscapes in the
Photomatix website gallery. Tone Mapping
can really bring colours to life.
44
3/4/08 16:08:15
Light Smoothing determines how

Photomatix controls differences of light across the
image. A setting of -2 will give the most sharpness,
and may tend towards halos around light areas,
while +2 gives a natural look. We want a little more
focus, so we go for -1. Luminosity affects shadow
detail. Set this to 3.
The
White Point and Black Point settings
control overall contrast in the image, and the
Gamma controls overall brightness. Moving the
slider to the right increases contrast across the
image. You can experiment with these too, but for
now make the value for White Point 0.559%, and
for Black Point 1.672%. Set Gamma to 0.81.
09 Color settings
The Temperature
sets the warmth or coolness of the
overall colour. The Saturation Highlights and
Saturation Shadows effect the colour intensity in
the highlights and shadows. We want to get the
look of warm sunlight, so set the Temperature to 1.
Leave Saturation Shadows at 0, and set Saturation
Highlights to 2.
If your camera has

these facilities (many
do now) take your three
exposures using the
Automatic Exposure
Bracketing (AEB)
function in Continuous
Shooting mode, so
that one continued
press of the Shutter
button takes the three
different exposures
(-2EV apart) in a burst.
This helps to ensure the
images are aligned.
Clone from HDR images
07 Light Smoothing and Luminosity 08 Setting the Tone parameters
Feature focus
Automatic
Exposure
Bracketing
Change the setting

Play around with the settings and prepare to paint
11 Shadows/Highlights settings
10
Micro settings Micro-contrast
determines how far details are

accentuated, and Micro-smoothing sets how the
Micro-contrast changes are smoothed. We will set
Micro-contrast to -2, and Micro-smoothing to 18.
Highlights Smoothing reduces contrast,

increases the highlights, and is useful for
preventing white highlights turning grey. It also
reduces some halos round objects. Set a value of
47 for this. Shadows Smoothing reduces contrast
increases in the shadows. Set a Value of 57 here.
Shadows Clipping is helpful for cutting out noise in
dark areas. Set it to 22.
12 Applying the settings and saving the image
We are now
ready to apply the settings, and to do this we use Process. The
processing will take a few minutes. You will then have the Tone Mapped
image, which is nearly ready to take into Painter. When the nished image
appears we save it. Go to File>Save As and select .tif<TIFF 8-bit> as the le
type. Open Painter and the image le. Start painting!
subtle values
and a different world
Achieve a greater tonal range
Create dreamlike images
Many photos make poor and uninspiring

starting points for paintings because they
exhibit too many solid, dark shadows and
blown highlights. Tone Mapped pictures can
give you smoother, more gentle transitions
from dark to light, and vice-versa. They can
help the eye to flow around the image, and
achieve a more balanced composition. This
approach, used in black and white after
desaturating your Tone Mapped image, can
make for very attractive pencil simulations.
Its well worth having a go.
Many people who see Tone Mapped images do not need to analyse
their wider values or increased details to find them attractive and
intriguing. Tone Mapped images are immediately recognisable as
such. They have a very distinctive look; an otherworldliness that is
immediately familiar, but difficult to describe. The view they offer
is dreamlike, sometimes surrealistic and fantastic. They show you
elements of a scene you did not know were there, and reveal a level
of detail in the everyday, which can change and heighten the way we
perceive it. The images show how much we miss day-to-day, even if
we take photographs. In this way they give us, not only a fascinating
way to paint our world, but a spur to our imagination to maybe try
painting in a different way and experiment more.
45
3/4/08 16:09:01
Tutorial Paint like Renoir
Paint like: Renoir
We take a closer look at one of Auguste Renoirs paintings and try to learn more about the most
characteristic Impressionist-style features
Tutorial info
Artist
Joanna Michalack
Time needed
3 hours
Skill level
Intermediate
On the CD
Sketch and final

image
hy shouldnt art be
pretty? There are enough
unpleasant things in the
world.
Renoirs paintings are notable for their
vibrant light and saturated colour, most
often focusing on people in intimate and
candid compositions. The female nude
was one of his primary subjects, which he
would not inish until it was as realistic as
possible. In characteristic Impressionist
style, Renoir suggested the details of a
scene through freely brushed touches of
colour, so that his igures softly fuse with
one another and their surroundings.
In the late 1860s, through the practice
of painting light and water in the open
air, he and his friend Claude Monet
discovered that the colour of shadows is
neither brown or black, but the relected
colour of the objects surrounding them.
The works of his early maturity were
typically Impressionist snapshots of real
life, full of sparkling colour and light. By
the mid-1880s, however, he had broken
with the movement to apply a more
disciplined, formal technique to portraits

and igure paintings particularly of
women, such as The Bathers, which was
created during 1884-87. It was a trip
to Italy in 1881, when he saw works by
Raphael and other Renaissance masters,
that convinced him that he was on the
wrong path. For the next few years he
painted in a more severe style, in an
attempt to return to classicism. This is
sometimes called his Ingres period or
dry period, as he concentrated on his
drawing and emphasised the outlines
of igures.
In a painting such as The Umbrellas,
featured in this tutorial, Renoirs change
in practice is evident. The painting was
begun around 1881, before the trip
to Italy, and the right-hand side of the
canvas betrays a luffy handling that is
characteristic of his work at this time.
The work was inished some four years

later, and the much tighter, structured
and linear approach differentiates the lefthand side of the painting.
After 1890 Renoir changed direction
again, returning to the use of thinly
brushed colour as in his earlier work.
From this period onward he concentrated
especially on monumental nudes and
domestic scenes, ine examples of which
are Two Girls At The Piano, 1892, and Les
Baigneuses, 1918-19. The latter painting is
the most typical and successful of Renoirs
late, abundantly leshed, nudes.
A proliic artist, he made several
thousand paintings. The warm sensuality
of Renoirs style made his paintings some
of the most well-known works in the
history of art.
For more information on Renoir and his
work go to www.renoir.org.yu.
In characteristic Impressionist style, Renoir suggested

details through freely brushed touches of colour
Sparkling colour
Freely brushed touches
Softly fusing
The Impressionists style mixes vibrant light

and saturated colours to create the illusion of
movement and transitory moments
Renoir, in his Impressionistic phase, painted with characteristic freely

brushed touches of colour the outlines are dissolved and the figures merge
with the backgrounds, as is the case with the lady behind the girl
In Renoirs dry period, the outlines of figures

are more precisely defined, and the form is
more constant
46
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Tutorial
Paint like Renoir
47
3/4/08 11:45:28
Sketch and colour

Sketch a copy and start painting
Online
galleries
If youre looking
for good-quality
reproductions of
great masters and
artists overall, you
certainly need to visit
Art Renewal Center at
www.artrenewal.org.
Its a great source of
art thats still growing.
a
copy
01 Making
We chose
a fragment from the
Impressionistic side of
the painting (the righthand side) to work on.
When you make a copy
it is important to get
the proportions of the
painting right. The best
way is to draw a basic
sketch over a le of the
original its much faster
than having to draw it
from scratch.
03 Colour palette
We created a colour
palette on a separate layer. Because the
colours will strongly blend with each other its
better to use some bright and clear hues too (you
can also nd these on the CD).
02 Sketch
We made a loose sketch with

the Fine Point Pen (FPP) here. Because
of the specic style it is not necessary to worry
about details its just about getting the overall
composition. (You can nd the sketch on the CD.)
04 Colour map
On a layer under the

sketch we lled in the basic colours with
the FPP again, creating something like a colour
map, which we will later add shading and more
hues to.
05 RealBristle Brushes
For most of
the painting we used Real Oils Short and
a bit of Real Round. They imitate actual painting
brushes well and work similarly to a real brush,
which means youll add a new layer of colour with
every stroke and the colours will blend when you
paint with one continuous stroke.
Shortcuts
You can use these
shortcuts to save time
and make your work
easier: Ctrl/Cmd+Alt
Colour picker,
Ctrl/Cmd+Z Undo,
Holding Space (you
can move the image
freely with your pen
or mouse),
[ & ] resizing brush.
06 Starting to paint
Now we can start the actual painting. We

added the rst colours (on a new layer above the sketch) with
Real Oils Short (Opacity between 30% and 50%, and even higher when we
wanted a stronger tone).
07 The background
We then turned our attention to the gures in

the background. They are not very detailed or dened, which means
we can paint more freely. To paint the darker parts or some visible details we
set the brush to higher Opacity, or used the FPP and Grainy Water.
48
3/4/08 11:45:56
The mans coat shows more

Impressionistic features so we had to use many colours and paint
with shorter strokes. We also started to work on the big umbrella in the middle.
Its obviously more difcult to copy an

Impressionist painting than a picture with precisely dened shapes
and lines. You need to pay particular attention to brush strokes their
directions, strength and pressure. These features decide the specics of the
painting style. Here it is downwards strokes.
it works
as a whole
10 How
It
is good to take a break
from time to time and
look at your picture from
a distance. It helps to see
how it works as a whole.
Working on a small area
means that you dont
see the entire painting,
so it is easy to overlook
things. We can also
check if the details are
visible enough because
we have to remember
that most of them will
disappear after resizing.
It makes things much

easier if you create
your own brush set
with the brushes you
use most often. This
way you dont have
to look through the
whole brush list every
time you change tools.
You just need to drag
the brush symbol
on the free space in
Painter and a window
will be created
automatically. You can
add more brushes to
this personal set later
on and control the size
of the little window.
Now you will have all
your favourite tools
always at hand.
Paint like Renoir
08 The man on the right side
09 Stroke features
Tutorial
Custom
brush
palette
11 Painting the dress
First we need to
dene the shape of the sleeve, which is the
most recognisable part of the womans dress. We
used the FPP and a brighter colour that will later be
blended with the darker background.
Blending and detail

Make textures look realistic
12 Blending
We switch now to Real Oils

Short and try to distort the lines to make
them less visible but still present. We also add
more colour with the FPP, and blend it softly with
Oils Short set to very low Opacity.
13 Colour detail
When were more or

less satised with the blending, we ll the
shape with more hues and many short strokes.
Even if not clearly dened, the fabric has to look
soft, like velvet.
14 Decoration
We will come back to the sleeve later to add more

details and change or x anything thats not quite right. Now we
move to the decorative piece. We add some spots, starting with the darker
colours and nishing with the brightest ones. Here we used the FPP and
Grainy Water (on very low Opacity).
49
3/4/08 11:46:37
Finishing details
Faces, hats and hair details that complete your painting
Merging
layers
If you create many
layers your computer
might slow down.
To avoid this, merge
layers from time to
time (try to keep
three layers at
most background,
lineart and the actual
painting). If you are
still unsure when
overpainting your
previous work to
correct it, you can
save your picture in a
separate file keeping
all the layers, so you
can always go back.
15 Filling the free space
Because we cut out only a fragment of the

painting, we had to remove the basket, which the girl on the left side is
holding. It would have been a bit distracting for the composition if we had left
it. So now we have to paint the missing part of one of the dresses. But what to
do with all the remaining space?
17 The womans face
The richly dressed

woman with the big umbrella is the centre
of the scene, so she draws our attention at rst
glimpse. Her face is very bright, the features more
sketched than painted. We still use Oils Short, with
help from the FPP and Soft Blender.
16 Lovely little brush strokes
After some struggling we decided

to leave it empty, because this way we could paint more of the most
characteristic features in Renoirs style. The actual painting here is made of
many short brush strokes that blend several colours with each other. We try to
show it on the dress and ground, using Real Oils Short again.
18 Another sleeve
Well probably come back to change some details

on the womans face, but for now we move to the two little girls in
the foreground. We added bits of blue, grey and yellow to the green basic
colour of the older girls sleeve. We use the same method as when painting the
womans sleeve.
19 The white hat
This is the brightest

spot in the picture. We used the FPP to
dene the colours, adding different shades from
our colour palette. It looks very messy now.
little
girl
22 The
20 ... that isnt white
We continue to
work on the hat using Oils Short to blend
the colours and soften the edges. At the end we
repaint the brightest elements to make them more
visible and dened.
21 Redhead
After painting the older girls

face we nish her red hair. We used the
brightest reds and oranges from our palette to
mark the brightest parts, and yellows to paint in
the highlights.
Now we
can nally move to the
girl with the hoop. We
painted the basic colours
for her before, so now
we just need to add the
details. Shes the most
colourful and detailed
part of the painting.
50
3/4/08 11:47:00
Tutorial
Trees
Paint Renoir-style trees
Because we chose only a part of the painting for this exercise we
couldnt include the trees on the left-hand side. However, we think
they are still worth mentioning, so heres a short tutorial.
Paint like Renoir
23 Redrawing lines
First we need to
redraw the lines from the sketch to
dene her features. We draw it on a layer over
the painting while hiding the other layers. We will
merge it with the rest later on.
25 What draws our attention?
Now
we blend the colours with Oils Short,
and at the very end add some highlights with
the FPP. At the same time we work on her face,
concentrating mostly on her lively eyes. At the end
we will go back and x anything that still needs
work, as this will be more visible then.
24 Basic colours
Because of the amount

of details, we add the basic colours again
this time more precisely. We use the FPP at this
point and add greens, blues, yellows, browns and
greys to her hat, and yellows, browns and reds
to her hair. As we said before, the girl is the most
colourful and vibrant part of the painting.
01 Looking at the original
The rst thing you should do is

take a closer look at the original painting and study the style
for a while just like we did with the rest of the painting. Again, we
picked the colours and used some from our earlier created piece.
26 Soft light
If youre not happy with the

contrast of your nal painting, you can
use a little trick to change it without using the
contrast settings. Drop all layers and duplicate the
resultant one. Now, in Layer Properties, set the
top one to Soft Light and lower its Opacity.
02 Basic colours and shapes
Now, as ever, we paint in

the basic colours and try to dene the shape of the trees.
We use the FPP to do this.
correction
27 Colour
We wanted the colours

of our nished painting
to be more greenish.
We played a bit with
the colours and saved
it. We open the other
le in Painter and
choose Effects>Tonal
Control>Match Palette,
picking the green
picture as our source
le. If you still want to try
out other options, you
can modify the amount
of colours using the
settings of this feature.
03 Strokes and details
Finally, we blend the colours and

add new ones with Oils Short. Because the trees were
painted with rather thick and rough strokes, we switch to the FPP
again and use Real Round for the nal strokes and touch-ups.
51
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Art study How to paint rain
How to
Pa in t rea lis tic ra in
Whether its pouring rain, mist, rain-spattered windows or stormy skies, we show you
how easy it is to create realistic rain in your paintings
Pourin g rain
GREY SKIES
By far the easiest way of

showing that a scene is in the
rain is by having dreary skies.
Avoid solid blocks of colour, as
it will look very fake.
LIGHT ON DARK
Having rain in front of dark

areas will help highlight it. You
can obviously use any colour
background you like, but have
some dark areas to let the eye
ll in the rest.
SPLASH ABOUT
Puddles are an excellent

way of bringing a touch of
authenticity to your paintings
and are very easy to do.
VISUAL CLUES
To really get the impression of rain

pouring down, have reminders
dotted around the image. A gure
with an umbrella is perfect for this.
We might have a grumble when its raining but it gives artists a

lot of potential for great paintings. It might be better to be sat
under a cloudless blue sky, but for drama and interest, a sky filled
with angry rainclouds will win every time.
In this Art Study, were going to look at a few handy techniques

for painting realistic rain. The fundamentals are pretty simple
and once you have them mastered, you can apply them to all
sorts of different scenes for interesting results. Lets dive in
52
052-55_OPM_16_Rain.indd 52
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Step-by-step
01 Setting the stage for rain
The only
thing rainy about our original photo is
the umbrella. Before painting the rain, we used Soft
Oil brushes to paint the structures, medium-dark
skies, and highlights. We were thinking of sudden
summer downpours when the warm sun shines
intermittently between dense clouds and lends a
golden hue to the rain-soaked landscape below.
03 Making a splash
To make the
Splash brush we began with the
Calligraphy Thin Smooth Pen 10, and went
to Squeeze: 2% and Angle: 75 degrees. This
provided the long down stroke. Then we played
with the angle, added 3 shorter strokes, and
captured the whole image as a brush variant.
Once its captured, experiment with size and
angle to get some believable splashes.
02 Then came the rain
We modied
the Leaky Pen brush by squeezing it in
the Angle slider to 8%, and setting Angle to 80
degrees. We chose a light colour from the clouds,
and then went to Effects>Esoterica>Auto Clone.
A couple of tries to get the effect just right, and
voila! We have a downpour! No need to feel
guilty its still your painting, just easier.
Mist
The challenge in painting mist, which is wispier

than fog, is two-fold. First, we want to make it
interesting, and not merely a solid, opaque sheet
draped across the landscape (though that may
be what we remember of mists). Mist is a
low-lying cloud which is alive, revealing patches of
background as it glides silently across water or land.
The second challenge is to give it colour - a broad
white expanse might be descriptive, but would
be a total bore in a painting. We want to express
the presence of moisture through low colour
contrasts, and the way in which we apply paint
to the canvas, utilising cool, analogous colours for a
look of calmness using soft brushes and low opacity
strokes. In this example, our main brushes were
the Digital Airbrush and the Just Add Water
Blender - using small brushes so as not to lose the
detail in our strokes.
How to paint realistic rain
An photo of a girl sat with an umbrella was the inspiration behind this
painting. However, we decided to add drama by painting a downpour. You
havent got to paint each rain drop individually - we show how some
cunning application of the brush controls can give you the perfect effect
without wasting lots of time.
Art study
Pouring rain
[RIGHT AND BELOW]

From clear skies to
misty haze. Altering
the colour palette of a
scene makes it easy to
give the impression of
misty conditions
04 And a puddle
For a puddle on the

stone oor we used the Lasso tool to
select an irregular shape on a new layer set to
Screen, chose a pale beige, and with a Soft brush
at 9% Opacity, stroked within the edges of the
selection. Even on this overcast day one side of
the puddle will have more highlights, and this will
add dimension.
53
3/4/08 10:30:50
Art study How to paint realistic rain
Rainy window
Whats your favourite way of

watching rain? Most say its from
the warmth of inside, looking
through the window. Here were
trying for that archetypal, close-up
look of rain-streaked windows,
where the streaks and spatters
take centre stage and the view is
secondary. Did you know Painter has
a rainmaker? Read on
Step-by-step
An image
worthy of
01
streaks
Choosing
highlights
02
and shadows
We chose
this lighthouse for our
example. To begin with
we alternated Gaussian
Blur with Sharpen, until
we got the required
soft look. Go to
Effects>Focus>Soften
and choose Gaussian,
then Effects>Focus>
Sharpen. Start with an
amount of 6 or 7. The
intended effect is that
of looking through wet
glass, with moisture in
the air outside.
We
want low contrast
lighting, but when
looking through moisture,
whites seem magnied.
Choose Effects>Tonal
Control>Equalize and
move the bottom slider
to the right to lower the
brightness, and then the
top slider to the left to
raise the white points. This
will also retain some of the
focus on the landscape
through the rain streaks.
touches
04 Finishing
03 The rainmaker
Here comes the fun part! Clone the image. On

the Layers Palette click on the Dynamic Plugins icon, choose Liquid
Metal, select Clone Source from the drop-down menu, and click Rain. Now
watch as rain spatters your glass. Click on the canvas to stop the process.
Now drag your cursor down the canvas in irregular, rain streaking motions.
There, we knew you

would enjoy this
effect! To nish up, we
sharpened the nal
image just a bit and
raised the contrast
slightly, but its a matter
of taste. Experiment with
all of the sliders. When
you want to start over,
click the Clear button.
Even if youve clicked
OK you can Edit>Undo.
Create several layers of
rain effects, closing each
one as you work on the
next so you can choose
the best effects later.
54
3/4/08 10:31:21
Art study
Colours and rain clouds
ATMOSPHERE IS KEY
You could still paint rain falling from the clouds

in the brighter version of the beach painting,
but it wouldnt have the atmosphere of a rainy
day that folds around us
Unsuccessfu
Successful
RAINY BLUES
GREY COVERAGE
How to paint realistic rain
Have you ever noticed that your world

looks smaller when its raining? The
clouds hang lower, and colours are quieter
and more subdued. What colours describe
a rainy day?
Greys are ne hues to

incorporate in your rainy day
painting. Take any grey and
mix in the other colours from
your painting until you have a
whole range of greys
Low-key blues are also great for painting

rainy scenes because we equate blue with
water. You may nd that you enjoy painting
rain, so be sure to save your colour palettes
MAKE IT REAL
Weve all seen it raining while

the sun shines brightly, but
thats the exception. If youre
going to make a believable
rainy day, think in terms of
sombre, muted tones
DEPRESSING COLOUR
Psychologically, a string of drab

rainy days may even make us feel
depressed, and part of this is due
to the subdued lighting, as well as
lower colour contrast
Rainy sky
In this painting we have rain falling in the distance, and we painted

it very simply by using the Soft brush effects used in painting the
mist. A sky such as this has clouds that are billowing and white
on top, reflecting the sun - but appear flat and dark underneath as
we watch them moving toward us. As we began to get into the
colours of this, we decided we wanted to reflect the excitement of
an approaching thunderstorm. We chose a purplish-blue and some
gold tones for contrast and made the water a little choppy, as if
blown by the wind.
We hope youve enjoyed our walk in the rain together. Contact us
on the Painter magazine forum if you d like to share something
with us, or if you have any questions.
55
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Tutorial Create with brushes
58
058-063_OPM_16_Bob_Ross.indd 58
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Tutorial
Create with brushes
Create with brushes
Painting from scratch might seem an impossible task but Painters brushes can do most
of the hard work. We take inspiration from Bob Ross to show how anyone can have a go
Tutorial info
Artist
Cat Bounds
Time needed
50 minutes
Skill level
Beginner
hough Bob Ross (29 Oct 1942

4 July 1995) might well have
been the irst to say his art
would never hang in the Louvre,
this gentle man in blue jeans, with the
childlike sense of humour and luffy afro,
introduced legions of artists around the
world to his wet-into-wet oil painting
style. In more than 400 Joy of Painting
television episodes, he still entrances
even non-painters as he completes
an entire painting in 28 minutes and
entertains with his familiar musings
about friendly little trees and happy
accidents. He is best known for his

landscapes and was inluenced by the
years he spent in Alaska.
Few painters have managed to equal
the adept lick of his palette knife into a
mixture of Phthalo Blue and Titanium
White to create, as if by magic, a stream
in the foreground or a mountain in the
distance. And yet he never nagged us
to paint according to rules, but
transported us back to the innate
creativity of childhood where, whatever
we create from our imaginings, our art
is wonderful because it is ours. Bob Ross
made painting accessible to everybody

and made us all believe that we too,
could paint!
In truth, the only way to make a Bob
Ross painting is to use Bob Ross brushes,
gessoes, knives, paints and canvases,
and to study with a Bob Ross instructor.
In this walk-through we are not going
to attempt to copy his technique, but
will instead draw inspiration from his
imaginative, spontaneous style for our
digital brushes and reveal how simple
marks can suddenly blossom into
recognisable forms.
02
03
First steps
Pick your colours and start blending them
01
Choose a colour palette Load up the Artists Oils Color Set and
make sure that the Display Name option is enabled. This lets you pick
out colours according to their familiar name (Colbolt Blue, etc). Decide on the
colours you want to use and brush them onto the Mixer Pad. When you have
them all, you can save it for future use.
Painting wet-into-wet Bob Ross

painted wet-into-wet, meaning he
didnt wait for the oils to dry before painting over
them. A similar effect can be achieved by lowering
the opacity here and there. Dab on blues for the
sky, covering two thirds of the canvas. Use a dark
and light blue and the Oils>Bristle Oils brush.
Blend until its just right! We
used the Just Add Water Blender brush

set to a large size and 29% Opacity to soften the
random brush strokes, being careful not to lose
the variations in colour, hue and light. Use quick
strokes, exactly as you would move a traditional
brush in blending wet paint.
59
3/4/08 10:41:26
To texture or not
to texture
From clouds to rivers

Begin creating your landscape
That is the question

If youre printing your painting on canvas, you may not want to add
a texture in Corel Painter. However, if its to be exhibited online or
printed on a smooth surface, there are a number of ways to achieve
canvas surface effects. Well look at a few of these techniques.
when to stop can be the

hardest part
04 Bring in some clouds and light 05 Knowing
01
Apply Surface Texture When our painting was

complete, we chose Coarse Cotton Canvas in the Papers
palette, then went to Apply Surface Texture and played with the
sliders. Its best to turn off Shine and the rest is experimentation
unique to each painting. After youve clicked OK, you can still Edit>
Fade the effect.
02
Grainy texture effects This technique works
03
Texture with Impasto Impasto Depth adds texture,
beautifully using brushes with Grainy in their names. We

selected Gessoed Canvas, applied it faintly to the canvas we were
working on and made painterly strokes with a Grainy Hard Crayon.
A traditional canvas will show deeper canvas texture in places where
the paint is thinner.
interest and character to your brush strokes and to your oil

painting, and most of the Painter brushes have a Color and Depth
option under the Impasto tab. We chose a bristle brush here, and
by varying the Depth percentage you will nd the buttery oils are
amazingly touchable.
We can now splash on some pale yellow

that will read as clouds and highlights against the
sky. This step can result in some of those happy
little accidents, because we havent determined
yet just how the landscape will be laid out
so think in organic, irregular shapes and enjoy
spreading the light.
We continued to blend
with Just Add Water and decided to blend away
most of the cloud features, but of course you may
want to leave some uffy edges and later add
more shape and drama to them. The main thing
here is to create interesting shapes rather than
ending up with a monotone expanse of sky.
06 A simple sketch
We dont recall Bob Ross ever making a preliminary sketch, but weve made
a quick sketch on a separate layer so our illustrations will show up better. In traditional painting
you would paint over it, but in digital art its just as easy to delete when it has served its purpose, and we
can ignore it whenever we decide to paint something different.
07 Paint a mountain
You could begin

painting the mountain shapes with
almost any wide brush, including airbrushes, oils,
acrylics and chalks. We chose to use the Thick
Wet Camel 20 Oil Brush set to Color and Depth,
varying the colours from terracotta to light pink.
We like the realistic way this brush feathers at the
end of a stroke.
08 Maybe a few more mountains
Weve ended up with three mountains

in the distance. The dark one will mostly be
lost behind the trees, but well know its there!
Remember to place warmer colours in front of
cooler colours to indicate depth and distance.
Were still painting under the sketch layer, not
directly onto it.
60
3/4/08 10:41:46
In traditional
painting you would never paint
watercolours onto your oil canvas. Thats part of
the fun of painting digitally we can combine all
mediums, sometimes on separate layers, giving us
even more freedom to explore the possibilities. We
used the Broad Water brush to block in the pale
blues for the stream.
10
Friendly little trees The Oils, Thick
Wet Camel 20 brush set to 50% Opacity,

and Impasto Depth set to Color works well for
small areas like the tree trunks where we just want
a base colour on which to build. You might want
to use this versatile brush later in the painting, set
to Color and Depth at 100% Opacity.
Light and shade

Add shadows, glints of light and some texture
cant draw a
line
13 Istraight
12 Now for a few shadows
Using the
same brush in a deeper green/charcoal,
well now lay in a few shadows. It seems like
magic, as you nd shape and dimension in the
foreground, and the whole painting begins to
take on life and interest. Dont overdo it. We want
more light than shadow.
When you tell people

you paint, chances are
their reply is, I cant
draw a straight line.
Well, even for those of
us who paint, straight
lines are a challenge,
but Corel has thought
of that too. Click the V
key, touch your brush to
the canvas twice, and
youll get a perfectly
straight line between
two points. Click the B
key in order to turn off
this function.
For the glints well bring out one of

the F-X brushes, appropriately named Glow. Set it to a small size, Color
to White and Strength to about 6% higher where you want brighter glints.
You can also add more opaque strokes with the Thick Wet Camel brush.
And
again, back to the digital watercolour
brush this time for the grass. Most of this layer
will be covered up, but we want some variation
in the opacity, and this will even help us decide
where to make shadows and highlights later.
These decisions arent big, but they must be made
somewhere along the way.
Learn more
about the joy
of painting
The
beginnings
15
of texture
14 Some watery glints of light
11 Block in some grassy shapes
Bob Ross typically

painted with a basic
set of tube oil colours,
including Cadmium
Yellow, Sap Green,
Phthalo Blue, Alizarin
Crimson and Titanium
White. Select these in
the ArtistsOils Color
Set and mix your own
colour palette in the
Mixer Pad, then save
your new colour set.
We digital artists
can become spoilt by
the range of colour
possibilities at our
fingertips. Starting
with basic colours and
mixing your own is a
rewarding experience.
We learned in
kindergarten that
mixing blue with
yellow makes green.
Now amaze yourself
with your own
colour expertise!
Create with brushes
09 A watercolour stream
Tutorial
Bob Ross
colour
palette
Once
youve laid down some
random colours in the
grassy area, choose the
F-X Shattered brush to
stir them up a bit. Leave
it at 81% Strength but
reduce its size to around
20. This gives some nice,
unstructured texture to
this area and others, such
as tree trunks and rocks.
Bob Ross Workshop

videos are still widely
available. If youre
interested in this
gentle, intuitive style
of painting, you may
want to order a video
and watch his process
from beginning to
end for yourself.
Pay a visit to www.
dickblick.com/
vendors/bobross/
#videosanddvds.
(You can also order
traditional painting
supplies here.)
Youll learn
techniques that will
translate into your
digital painting and
who knows, you might
even decide to add
traditional oil painting
to your talents. But
you will have to deal
with having paint
under your fingernails
and on every piece
of clothing you own.
Digital paint is far
less messy!
61
3/4/08 10:42:02
Mountain greenery home

Create foliage and rocky shapes
Happy little
accidents
in
some foliage
16 Sponge
Bob Ross was fond

of saying, We dont
make mistakes we
just have happy little
accidents. Isnt that a
beautiful philosophy
for what we do? If we
take anything from
Bobs teachings,
we should embrace
this ideal. As digital
artists, were prone to
reach for the Delete
or Undo button too
quickly. In your next
painting, make a deal
with yourself not
to reject anything
that happens on the
canvas. So that brush
stroke looks really
strange? Leave it and
it may become your
favourite part of the
painting. In painting
this way, what we do
becomes art rather
than a craft.
Our favourite Sponge

brush is the one called
simply Sponges, and left
at the default settings,
its texture is beautifully
suited to blocking in
foliage shapes in the
distance. Vary the look
by changing colours
from dark to light as you
paint in the shapes. This
one is really fun. Youll
nd yourself dabbing all
over the canvas.
18 Shadows and highlights for crevasses
Rather than painting

with a loaded Palette Knife, its best to paint in the rocky mountain
colours with other brushes and then use the Smeary Palette Knife 10 set
to Color and Depth at only 5%, to spread them and give them shape and
dimension. The paints spread like soft butter.
17 Begin to dene some rocky shapes
Use the Chunky Oil Pastel

30 to lay streaks of whites, beiges and charcoal, and then, as we did
in the grass, use the F-X Shattered brush to texture them. Vary the size of the
brush as you go. Our mountain is taking on personality.
19 A Fan brush for foliage
Heres a Fan brush variant we created,

beginning with the Smart Stroke brush, Chalk Textured: Size: 70,
Opacity: 95%, Grain: 35, Jitter: 29, Spacing: 48, Impasto Color and Depth: 85%,
Squeeze: 7%, Angle: 183, Color Expression: Direction. We also sprinkled in some
Leaky Pen strokes for added texture.
21 A brush for grasses

20 Leaky Pen to the rescue again
As you might guess, we like

this brush, and when we wanted to add some more scattered and
opaque texture to the distant trees, it tted the bill. Vary the size of the drippy
dots it brushes on and dont worry about anything but the overall shape of the
trees. You can go back in and soften them a bit with the Sponge brush.
And heres the

Leaky Pen again, but we came up with
another variant we like a lot. Set the Spacing to
4%, and under the Angle tab set the Squeeze to
8% (for now), and play with the brush angle so
that you can paint grass growing vertically and at
angles. If you set Color Expression to Direction,
youll also get some interesting colour variations.
22 A brush for small branches
This is
the most interesting variant that we came
up with for this painting, and it begins with the
F-X Gradient Flat Brush 20. Warning: youll enjoy
this one so much your trees may become very
branchy! Set it to Size: 4, Opacity: 100, Jitter: 20,
and set Color Expression to Pressure. Vary Size and
Pressure as you go.
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A soft touch
Tutorial
Keep some areas of softness and add one or two finishing touches
23 On the rocks
We need some
outcroppings of rocks to balance out the
softness of our grasses and water. Play with the
Palette Knives to determine which ones give you
the hard, sharp rock edges that work best for you,
and if you create a variant that works well, dont
forget to save it.
Know your brushes
24 Keep some softness
Bob Ross
didnt ll in every nook and cranny with
a tree or rock or mountain. Part of the beauty of
his art was that there were also areas of softness
where our own imaginations could play. If youve
lost the softness, you can always go back in with
Just Add Water and nd it again.
Now its time to step

back and see whats
missing. Maybe it needs
a waterfall cascading
down that mountain,
some highlights on the
tree trunks and foliage,
or more splashes of
colour in the grass.
This painting is about
experimentation and
non-judgemental
creativity. Thats how
Bob wouldve done it
Find out how we created our effects
Sponged foliage
A touch of grass
Painting with light
Splashes of creativity
Fan brush effects
Watery mist
These trees illustrate the lacy

effect of the Sponge brush. It can
be squeezed into different shapes
using the sliders under Brush
Controls>Angle tab. Its good for
blocking in shapes of bushes and
trees, and varying colours gives
preliminary highlights and depth.
The F-X Glow brush is ideal for

highlights. Play with the size and
opacity to get awesome effects.
With Color set to White, you get
glowing highlights that are easy
to use. Change to a vibrant colour,
and it behaves like a soft airbrush
that paints in neon.
This is the variant we used

to make some of the foliage.
Traditional fan brushes have
limited uses, but every painter
has at least one. Ours is versatile
it can paint transparently or
with Impasto Depth, and change
the Size/Squeeze setting etc, for
any number of variants.
Create with brushes
touches
25 Finishing
The Leaky Pen brush we used and

modified to paint grass blades may
spur on your imagination for other
artistic journeys, perhaps for a
background texture or an abstract
painting. Play with the Angle slider,
Opacity, Size and Color Expression
and your inspiration will grow.
The first time we tried the Leaky

Pen brush we wondered how
it could be useful, but it soon
became a favourite. We like it
because in its default setting it
looks like paint dripping from
a wet paint brush, and adds a
painterly look wherever we use it.
The Tiny Spattery airbrush lends

a misty, watery appearance to
rushing water, whether its down
a mountainside or tumbling over
rocks. Many of the Brush Controls
sliders are greyed out for this, but
you can get some great effects via
Feature, Flow, Spread, and trying
the tip shapes under the Size tab.
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Primer Angle Brush Controls
BRUSH CONTROLS
Angle
This issue, Cat Bounds is putting the squeeze

on some of our favourite brushes, as well as
changing their angle and expression
PRIMER
n this, the fourth instalment in our

Brush Controls series, we are taking
a peek under the Angle tab to reveal
more of the magic that Corel Painters
brushes offer. We also look at the controls
that make them even more unique in the
world of digital painting, with painting
effects so realistic you sometimes cant
believe it yourself. The sliders within the
Angle controls provide added inluence
over brush shapes and angle of media
application. Some of the Angle
controls work in conjunction with
Expression settings, and these offer
the most exciting possibilities for
creating and tweaking our brushes
and variants. The Squeeze slider
controls the shape of the brush
imprint, making it possible to convert
round dabs into razor thin brushes
for fan shapes, and even palette knife
effects. Very cool stuff!
In the main image, the Angle slider
was used to alter the effect of the Sponge
brush. Usually this would give a much
rounder effect, but here it has been used
almost like a chalk. Hopefully you can
see how the Angle setting allows you to
drastically alter a brushs behaviour to get
the exact effect that you want. So, open
Painter, grab your stylus or mouse and
follow along with me, as we begin our
explorations and discover what awaits
beneath the Brush Controls Angle tab.
THE SOURCE IMAGE

This is the photo the nal image was
based on. The dramatic lighting and
downcast look of the child lends itself
perfectly to a bit of dry media
Start with a squeeze
Painting with an angle
Impressionistic look in minutes
Quick scrapbooks
Here we used the Leaky Pen brush with Squeeze

set to 8% and Angle beginning at 90%. With the
original image open, we went to Edit>Clone. With the
Cloning option selected on the Colors Palette, go to
Effects>Esoterica>Auto Clone. Change the Angle to around
113%, and repeat the Auto Clone process. Some of the
elements have been lost, so we used the Soft Cloner set at
44% Opacity to bring back detail in some of the large tree
branches, posts and windows. To wrap things up, we used
the F-X Glow brush to highlight additional areas where
we wanted to simulate sunlight on what was actually a
dreary, cloudy February day.
We wanted to create a frame for this vintage photo, using

the Image Hose in conjunction with the Angle slider. In a
later segment well create our own Image Hose images, but
for now we chose these blue flowers (Baby Blue Eyes) in
the Nozzle Palette from the toolbox, set the Angle to about
250%, and chose Direction in the Expression drop-down
menu. Now watch, as you stroke from side to side and up
or down, how the images follow the direction of the stylus
or mouse. This brush is also sensitive to pressure, so a
light pressure yields a tiny stream of images while greater
pressure makes a large spray. Choose other Nozzles, and
play with the Angle slider and Expression settings.
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SQUEEZE IN ACTION
The chalky effect here was not made using the
Chalk brushes. Instead, the Smart Stroke Soft
brush was modied in the Squeeze controls
Primer
Angle Expression
A look at the options in the Expression menu
Angle Brush Controls
WELCOME STREAKS
One effect of using the
Squeeze slider is this streaky
effect, that wouldnt have
been possible with the
Chalk variants
Velocity
This adjusts the brush feature
according to the dragging speed.
Drag quickly to minimise the
setting, drag slowly to increase it.
BUILD UP TEXTURE
Extreme Squeezing gives you straighter
lines, which are perfect for adding a few
ourishes of extra texture
Direction
Direction adjusts the selected
brush feature based on the
direction of the stroke.
Pressure
The Pressure setting adjusts
the brush feature, based on the
pressure applied by the stylus.
Going off in all directions

Radiate out
For this star image we went back to the modified Leaky Pen
variant that we used above. The result is very much like the
Pen and Ink art drawings done using Rapidograph pens,
where the object is to create precise images without colour,
using shading created by countless pen strokes, which, of
course, can be done using single stroke digital pens. But
when you take a multi-stroke brush like the Leaky Pen,
the job goes much more quickly. So we began with a new
image, chose Direction Expression, and began playing with
the Angle controls we needed to lay down the directional
strokes. This is a very simple image, but you can see the
possible applications using these controls.
Wheel
The Wheel adjusts the brush
feature, based on the Wheel
setting on an airbrush stylus.
Tilt
The Tilt slider adjusts the brush
feature based on the angle of the
stylus from the tablet. When the
stylus is held perpendicular to the
tablet, Tilt is set at zero.
Bearing
Bearing adjusts the brush feature
according to the direction in
which the stylus is pointing. A

bearing-enabled brush dab shape
will dynamically change based
upon the angle of the stylus.
Rotation
This is a very specialised Angle
setting, and can be used in
Painter IX, Painter IX9.1, Painter
IX.5, Painter X, Painter X.1, and in
combination with a Wacom Intuos
3 tablet and 6D Art Pen. Well
worth checking out if you paint
with these.
Source
Next comes the Source slider,
which adjusts the brush according
to the luminance of the clone
source. Higher luminance (closer
to white) increases the setting
for that particular component,
producing a wider stroke.
Random
Random adjusts the brush feature
on a random basis, leaving lots of
room for creative, uncontrolled
brush strokes with a bit less
control, and a more painterly look
to them.
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Drawing 101 Drawing people
The simple guide to
Drawing people
This challenge calls for a less is more approach, have the confidence and
courage to stop working at just the right moment
here will be times when you need to

add something more to an image; the
foreground subject may overpower a
bland background or unbalance the
composition by being the sole focus. You may
feel as if the main subject needs a foil or contrast
in shape, size, colour or pose. See www.artlex.
com/ArtLex/f/images/lag_hassam.4th.16.
lg.jpeg for The Fourth of July, 1916 (The
Greatest Display of the American Flag Ever Seen
in New York, Climax of the Preparedness Parade
in May). The Flag painting of Childe Hassam
exempliies the potent, powerful contribution

the smallest, subtlest suggestion of humanity
can have. The viewer can project their own
thoughts and feelings onto these ambiguous,
non-speciic igures and perhaps imagine what
it would have been like to walk along Fifth
Avenue beneath this mass of colour, vibrantly
lapping in the wind.
The feeling that something may be missing
is an instinctive sense that needs a considered,
yet expressive response. The composition of
your image can be balanced or unbalanced,
naturalistic or artiicial. You have the

exhilarating freedom to be omnipotent and
create a unique impression or suggestion.
Dauntingly, drawing, painting and imagemaking demands that you take responsibility
for an entirely personal choice.
Childe Hassam is a skilful and sensitive
conjuror of an impression. His suggestions
of people act as a supporting role to his main
feature, or the star of his show. He magically
transforms the simplest brushstroke into an
arm, face or hand.
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Drawing 101
Divide this task with the magic number three

Painting figures is easier if you break it down
Break down this igure by drawing and painting it in three steps.
Wield your paintbrush with freedom, above the sturdy foundation
of a proportionate drawing. Aim to capture the spirit of the pose,
some areas are crucial and some areas can be ignored. Trust your
discriminating, inner-visual critic to decide.
Blocking in the gure

01
03
Drawing people
Simplify the posture of

your gure by using shapes that
represent the important parts to
indicate position or movement.
Begin with an egg shape for the
head, and use a stickman skeleton
for the arms, legs, shoulders and
spine. Use little circles for the joints,
ie: shoulders, elbows, knees,
ankles and toes. Larger circular
shapes are good for the feet,
hands, hips and torso.
the base
coat of colour
02 Applying
01
Use
watercolour to mix up the lightest
tone or colour of one your gures
features. Then, with a clean
medium sized brush, sweep the
watery colour over the shape.
Consider which direction you are
sweeping your brush. For example,
we tried to bring the brush down
to ow over the head and describe
the fall of the fringe.
02
The feeling that something may be missing is an

instinctive sense that needs an expressive response
Hassam was a protagonist of the American
Impressionist style, and a wonderful selection
of his work can be see on the Metropolitan
Museum of Art website (www.metmuseum.
org/special/Hassam). The majority of his work
was produced outside, keeping with the theme
of Impressionism in both Europe and America.
This website has a very comprehensive

selection of Hassams impressions. This
particular work is notable for the role the
igures play by bracing themselves against the
elements, their authentic body language deftly
and sparely represented to evoke the cold and
wind Hassam wished to record.
shadows
to the gure
03 Applying
You
will have to use your discretion at
this stage. In some situations the
gures will not need too much
detail, distant ones may be best
left sketchily suggestive rather than
nished and three dimensional.
We have polished our drawings
with layers of shading to enhance
their realism. Keep the marks as
expressive and free as you dare.
Monets inspirational, ground-breaking

work, Impression : Sunrise (www.artchive.
com/artchive/M/monet/sunrise.jpg.html)
was reputedly painted in 40 minutes. It is the
artists speed, dexterity and discrimination
when selecting brushmark and colour, which we
need to grasp for this task. Their courage to stop
working and resist the temptation to revisit or
reine it, leaving it with just enough information
for our brains to imply the rest, is indeed a
talent and skill that we would all like to have.
We take a look at these infamous techniques
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3/4/08 10:54:05
Different stances
Quick guide to people positions
Paintings can beneit enormously from even a
very simple human igure. The easiest position
is the standing still, but this will soon become
laborious. However, just because you are trying
a more dynamic pose does not mean lots of
extra work. Always apply the principle of
breaking the human form down into circles and
lines. Then its just a case of leshing out the
guide by thickening the lines. In no time at all
you have an array of postures at your ingertips.
BEND THE KNEES
Part of the left leg is bent sharply behind the right one.
It could be hard to make sense of it in the picture, so
imagine and represent it on your stickman. Once again,
the folds of the jumper and the shadows help to describe
the curve of the back. Decisive but subtle black strokes
on the shoes suggest the patent leather highlights as
they glint and bend.
FLAT ON YOUR BACK
Draw your stickman skeleton. Feel free to represent

areas that may be concealed when he is dressed;
include his left leg for example. Ensure that the angles
and proportions that will be naturally distorted are
correct for example, his overly shortened right arm.
Pay attention to the folds of the clothing, they will do
most of the work for you. Especially describe the heavy
shadows that you find above the socks.
68
Imagine Publishing Ltd

No unauthorised copying or distribution
3/4/08 10:55:02
DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
TAKE IT ALL IN YOUR STRIDE
This businessman typically wears very dark clothes, so

sometimes the highlights and shadows are hard to define.
But a light black wash all over the clothing followed swiftly
by layers of black following the downward direction of the
folds should work. The hat needs to be a solid black, but
the shoes can have more freedom a mixture of highlights
and shadows in well-observed spots.
Drawing 101
These two prove the rule that small is beautiful.

We tried to use as little shading as possible; detail
on their faces would have proved distracting and
fraught with complex shading and shapes that are
nearly impossible to replicate with paint. Enjoy the
instinctiveness of simply suggesting the eyes and
mouth, a shadow for the noses, and leave the casual
clothes as loosely described as possible.
Drawing people
Enjoy the
instinctiveness of
simply suggesting the
eyes and mouth
69
3/4/08 10:55:50
BACK TO YOU
This image is a great example of using pattern to help you describe the
contours of the figure. The stripes on the boys jumper follow both the folds
and the arms beautifully to ask the eye to create the jumper on the page. The
folds of the trousers and the shading on the hair are quite detailed in this
image, but the shoes are very sparingly suggested.
A great example of using pattern to help

you describe the contours of the figure.
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3/4/08 10:56:51
Your
questions answered
Softly does it
On this issues panel

Wen-Xi Chen
Wen-Xi is a very talented

artist who has created
some outstanding
tutorials for us in the
past. This issue, she
shares her knowledge
for painting.
Jo Cole
Always on the lookout for

quick and easy methods
of photo editing, Jo
examines some nifty
tricks to turn a photo
into a painting as well as
apply a solar effect.
What youll find in this section

Software Dont get bogged
down in a Corel Painter black hole
write to us and well help you
work harmoniously
Fine art
When it comes
to creating art, you often find
little niggles that ruin your
masterpiece. We sort them out
I recently took a lovely photo of a

sunset at the beach, and Id like to
create a soft painting of it as a gift
for a relative. Ive tried different types of
brushes, but it either comes out too soft or
just a mess! Have you any tips for brushes
to use? It would be good if it didnt involve
any painting from scratch!
in the screenshot to the right. Areas of colour

are softened and blend into each other. Harsh
edges erode into each other, which is perfect
for clouds in a sunset scene.
Keep brushing over the areas in your image.
If things get too smudgy you can use the Soft
Cloner or Straight Cloner variants (from the
Cloners category) to bring back some of the
original photo.
Its easy to smudge areas

with the Just Add Water
blender, and its perfect
for scenes with less detail,
such as sunsets
N
The Blenders category offers an
interesting brush in the shape of the
Just Add Water variant. If you do
happen to paint from scratch then this is a
very useful tool for smearing blocks of paint
and getting smooth edges. Youll notice a
lot of our freelancers use it in their work. But
it also lends itself very nicely to the task of
cloning a photo especially where a softer
effect is needed.
Open up your photo in Painter and go to
File>Clone. Now go to the Blenders and select
Just Add Water. Drop the Opacity slider down
to 30% and start brushing over your image.
Use a larger brush for less detail, or go smaller
for defined areas. You can see the effect it has
Before
After
Illustration Make sure

your illustrations are in top form
by following our advice
Send in your queries to
Official Painter Magazine Q&A, Imagine
Publishing Ltd, Richmond House, 33 Richmond
Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ.
Alternatively you can email us at
opm@imagine-publishing.co.uk
SHARE
YOUR
PROBLEMS!
Send in your questions

for our experts to answer
at opm@imaginepublishing.co.uk
If any areas look a little overworked just use the Soft Cloner
brush to bring back detail. Keep the Opacity low, so theres no
harsh difference between the blended areas
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Q&A
Glossy lips
Art class
How do I get the impression of glossy lips? Every

time I try I just make them look wet, and its driving
me mad! Please help!

Specular lighting is what gives the impression of a glossy
surface. This is when you see a highlight or a spot of
brightness, as it is the point where the light source reflects
off a smooth surface. The position of this is view dependent, and
so changes position depending on the angle of the viewer. In most
cases this would be centred on the middle of the lower lip, and a
little on the top of the upper lip.
light source
01 Determine
In order to get the
specular lighting in
the correct position
you must determine
where the main light
source and the viewers
eye are. In my picture
it is a straightforward
front-right light, and a
front view.
02 Foundations
To start off, begin with the

basic colours for the lips. They might look at
and non-glossy at the moment, but that will all change
in a couple of easy steps!
03 Bottom lip
Judging from the positions of

the light source and view point, I can dab a few
dots of white along the middle-right side of the bottom
lip. This is why its important to establish the light source.
04 Upper lip
Now add a few more dabs of

white to the very top of the upper lip, and to
the upper right side of the upper lip.
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3/4/08 11:16:00
Q&A Art class
Dramatic Perspective
Whats the best way to get dramatic perspective
in my images?

One simple, but dramatic, perspective you could use
is the single point perspective where there is one
vanishing point in the image. You can draw out a
perspective grid by hand (drawing straight lines radiating from
a point), or use the built-in Perspective Grid in Painter. To do the
latter, go to Canvas>Perspective Grids>Show Grid. Two planes
(horizontal and vertical) will appear, along with a horizontal
line that acts as the horizon line. To position the grids, go to
Perspective Grid Move on the toolbar and drag the outer lines of
the planes. You can hide the grids at any time by choosing the
Hide Grid option (Canvas>Perspective Grids>Hide Grid).
01 Get in line
I started
out with a character
sketch and dragged the
Perspective Grids into
position. To change the
position of the Vanishing
Point, drag and drop the
Vanishing point while in
Perspective Grid mode.
03 Dynamic!
Straight,
angled lines help
to create a feel of
dynamism so some
buildings, or perhaps a
street scene, will be ideal
for a background. Once
you have established
what perspective you
want, you can start
to ll in the landscape
and the other objects in
your painting.
Grid
02 Perspective
Make sure
you are in the Perspective
Grid mode if you want to
make alterations to your
grid, otherwise you wont
be able do anything!
A limited palette can even be extended to objects that are

not naturally a certain colour, such as the trees and hills in
the background
Keep it simple
Is there a beneit to working with
a small colour palette? Ive heard
many people say they prefer using a
smaller selection of colours.
SIMON REEVES
Yes, there is a benefit. In fact there
are many benefits. Using too many
different colours in a picture can cause the
image to look cluttered and disconnected.
Working with a small colour palette can help
to unify a painting and to create a strong
sense of atmosphere, allowing you to convey
your message or intention much more clearly.
Light, warm tones can create a feeling of calm
and serenity, while dark, cool tones can be
interpreted as mysterious or eerie.
Using a coloured light source gives you an excuse to use a

limited colour palette
76
3/4/08 11:16:44
Solar powered
Indeed it can. Solarization is

a traditional photographic
technique that forces a photos
tonal range to become reversed. This
Before
Art class
BRETT SUMMERS
is caused when the negative is exposed to

a flash of light as its being processed. If the
original image had a good amount of contrast
between values then youll be able to achieve
some striking effects.
You can mimic the look of Solarization by
using Painters Express Texture feature. You
can also play around with the Brightness/
Contrast slider for a bit more oomph. Heres
how its done
Q&A
I have seen some Solarization

photos and wondered if it is
possible to achieve this look
using Painter? I really like it!
negative
01 Getting
Open your photo and

go to Effects>Tonal
Control>Equalize (this
will help things along).
Go to File>Clone. Now
repeat this, as you
will need two clones.
Keep one as it is, but
go to Effects>Tonal
Control>Negative for
the other. The result is
one positive and one
negative image.
After
02 Side-by-side
Well turn
both clones black and
white. Click on one and
go to Effects>Surface
Control>Express Texture.
Select Image Luminance
from the Using dropdown menu. Do the same
for the other clone. You
should have one with dark
shadows and one with
bright highlights. Alter the
sliders until youre happy
and click OK.
03 Merge exposures
With your two black and

white clones open, go to File>Clone
Source and pick your positive clone.
Click on your negative clone and go
to Effects>Fill>Clone Source. Adjust
the Opacity until you are near to
the Solarization effect. To give a
bit of a boost, go to Effects>Tonal
Control>Brightness/Contrast.
Reduce the Brightness slider, but
increase the Contrast.
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Q&A Art class
Nosing about
Im having trouble with painting a nose. I am painting
a face thats looking up and I just cant get the nose
right. I ind that it either looks as though it is stuck
too far out, or it looks lat and as though it is stuck on. Its
extremely frustrating, can you help?
01
KITTY JAMES
Noses are tricky, and since they are such a prominent
part of the face they cant, unfortunately, be bypassed.
However, there are a few ways that you can practise your
nose craft. By far the best is getting a reference to look at. This can
either be a photo reference (use one of the character files on our
CD), by looking in the mirror or asking someone to model for you.
These methods allow you to see what the nose, in relation to the
angle of the rest of the head, looks like. The main problem is usually
not the nose itself, but the angle of it on the face. If these arent
practical options, then try to think of the nose in terms of simple
shapes. Try to imagine the shapes below in 3D, and what they would
look like if they were tilted.
Sometimes sketching out the

rough lines without too much
concern for the intricacies can
help you achieve the end result
02
03
04
Starting out with simple geometric shapes

as a guideline may also help you to get the
overall structure of the nose right
Why coloured backgrounds?

Why is it that some people use a
colour on their canvas? Ive noticed
it with pastel artists. Doesnt it
interfere with the colours being put on?
ROB JACKSON
It does interfere with the colours, and
that is actually why people do it. Since
you mention pastel artists, lets look
at that medium first. If you buy a pad of pastel
paper it will generally be coloured, or be a
selection of colours. These range from beige and
taupe, through to greys and blues. The general
rule is that you pick a midtone colour to use as
a base. This affects all other colours and gives
an overall colour theme, albeit very subtle.

Colours obviously react differently, so its also
a tool to emphasise a feeling for example,
pick a darker background hue to make the
highlights really stand out, or go pale to
empasise the dark areas.
The use of a toned canvas is used by other
mediums, such as oil. Artists will rub a thin
layer of paint and turps all over a canvas to
establish an overall tone. This colour will peek
through any paint applied over it, and also
means you dont have to face an imposing
white canvas.
Here the same pastel colour has been applied to two
different canvas colours to show its effect
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Reviews CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4
CorelDRAW
Graphics Suite X4
387 | Award winning graphics suite offers something for just about everyone
Box Of Delights
The boxed version of
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
X4 comes loaded with
useful value for money
extras, including 10,000
clipart images, 1,000 new
iStockphoto royalty-free
photos, fonts, professional
templates, training videos
from www.clicknlearn.
com and printed step-bystep help and inspiration
from design professionals
lthough something of a linguistic

mouthful, CorelDRAW Graphics
Suite X4 stuffs plenty in with this
latest upgrade offering several
creative applications in one and around 50 new
and enhanced features. If you need to produce
crisp vector-based graphics and illustrations,
trace and convert bitmap-to-vector images,
supply desktop publishing layouts, or edit your
photos, then Corel offers a convenient, affordable
package. Streamlined for productivity, X4 beneits
foremost from a new simpliied and intuitive
interface, a workspace that doesnt distract from
the job in hand and actually helps guide you with
a series of onscreen context-sensitive hints.
Central to the suite is CorelDRAW X4, which
combines a vector-drawing tool, similar to Adobe
Illustrator, with the page layout functionality
found in Adobe InDesign and Quark. The
Coreldraw.com community site gives some idea
of the kind of images you can produce, including
surprisingly large-scale signage, engraving
and vinyl cutting from your vector designs.
On the desktop publishing front you can now
create independent layers for each page in a
document, adding independent guidelines for
individual pages and master guidelines for an
entire document that should signiicantly speed
worklow and reduce tedious repetition.
Also included is Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4, a
bitmap image editing application pitched at
potential Adobe Photoshop users, with the ability
to retouch and enhance photos with a series
X4 stuffs plenty in with this latest upgrade offering several creative applications in one.
of similar adjustments and effects. Although it

may lack the marquee name associated with
Photoshop, it does a commendable job without
many of the new features recently offered by
Adobe with Photoshop Extended. Support for
the latest Photoshop PSD format, Adobe colour
management and RAW iles are new to X4 too, and
greater compatibility with a range of ile formats,
including improved Corel Painter integration.
Corel PowerTRACE X4 gives users the ability
to accurately convert bitmap pixel-based
images into editable scalable vector graphics,
suitable for the main CorelDRAW X4 application.
CorelCAPTURE X4 is a simple one-click
screen-capture utility, ideally suited to grabbing
images from external sources, particularly
the internet. An extended selection of new and
specialist fonts are incorporated, including
OpenType cross-platform fonts and singleline engraving fonts. The amusingly named
WhatTheFont is fully integrated, an online font
identiication service from MyFonts.com, which
attempts to identify fonts you ind or fancy using
in future projects.
New live text formatting offers real-time font
previews, so you can see how the text and image
will combine before applying them to a document,
saving valuable time doing and undoing work.
You can now preview many different formatting
options, including fonts, font size and alignment.
A new Interactive Table tool gives users the
ability to create and import tables to provide a
structured layout for text and graphics. You can
Independent Page
Layers
Users can control and edit layers
independently for each page of a
document, reducing the occurrence
of pages with empty layers
ConceptShare
This lets users share designs and
ideas with colleagues or clients in
real time within CorelDRAW
Enhanced Tone
Curve adjustments
With the enhanced Tone
Curve dialog box, Corel
PHOTO-PAINT X4 users
can adjust their images.
With an integrated
histogram, users now
receive real-time feedback
as they make adjustments.
In addition, the new
Eyedropper tool lets
users pinpoint specific
colour locations on the
tone curve of their image,
as well as select, add, or
delete nodes along the
Tone Curve
Corel transforms into Adobe

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 offers numerous options to customise your workplace and settings to further
speed productivity. CorelDRAW and PHOTO-PAINT include a workspace conversion option found under
Tools>Options to transform both to look more like Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop
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Price
specs
CorelDRAW Graphics
Suite X4
System requirements
387 including VAT, 512MB of RAM,

Upgrade: 175 430 MB of hard disk
including VAT space
Website Pentium III, 800MHz
www.corel.co.uk/ processor or AMD
coreldraw Athlon XP
Operating System 1,024 768 or better
PC Windows XP monitor resolution
(Service Pack 2) DVD drive
/ Vista (32-bit or Mouse or tablet
64-bit editions)
Corel has a makeover

CorelDRAW X4 comes with a redesigned sleek streamlined
interface that includes new icons, menus and controls
Handy hints
A simple, but effective Hints box is context sensitive and
offers notes and advice on each tool selected
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 is equally suited to PC-based

aspiring designers seeking value for money as it is to professionals
New Camera RAW Support

New in this latest version is camera RAW file support, enabling
users to import RAW camera files directly from their digital camera.
With support for approximately 300 different camera types and
interactive controls that provide real-time previews
Adjustments and Effects

Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 includes a full range of photo editing
tools for manipulating pixel-based images. Users can view file
properties, adjust image colour and improve image quality
What we like
Intuitive interface,
much improved
layout tools,
live text formatting
A solid
productive suite
for many of your
creative needs
What we dont like
we say
search for iles by author, subject, ile type, date,

keywords, or other ile properties directly from
within the Open and Import dialog boxes, by
using the improved desktop search capabilities.
If youre tempted to buy the download only
option, think again. The boxed version comes
loaded with useful extras, including 10,000
clipart images, 1,000 new iStockphoto royaltyfree photos, fonts, templates, training videos
and printed help and inspiration. This is a real
bonus if you want to ease the pain of learning
a new program, or several bundled programs,
from scratch. The user-friendly makeover is a
real plus, but the learning curve still requires a
level of dedication to master. Videos provided
by Scott Georgeson of Clicknlearn.com give a
good overview of new features and an idea of the
softwares true potential.
Sadly Corel abandoned a Mac version some
years ago, so CorelDRAW lacks the crossplatform user base of products from Adobe, and
particularly the CS Suite. Another minor grumble
is the potentially productive online collaboration
tool, ConceptShare, which allows users to share
their designs and ideas with colleagues or clients
in real time, requires a monthly sub to be of
any great use. Although Corel probably views
their potential customer base as professional
studios and marketing departments, CorelDRAW
Graphics Suite X4 is equally suited to PC-based
aspiring designers seeking value for money and a
variety of new skills.
Features
verdict
align, resize, edit tables and table cells, convert

delimited text, and add and adjust images in
individual cells.
A selection of professionally designed
templates, combining solid design principles
with the ability to adapt them to best suit
your needs, can kick start your creativity.
Designer Notes provide information on the
design choices made for the template, tips for
outputting a design based on the template, as
well as instructions for customising the template
while still adhering to design principles. Due to
enhanced Windows Vista integration you can
No native
Mac version,
ConceptShare
requires monthly fee
8.0
Ease of use
7.0
Quality of results
9.0
Value for money
8.0
Overall
score
8.0
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Reviews [mju:] 790 SW
[mju:] 790 SW
150 | Excellent portability and a design to suit everyone, welcome to the
super-tough camera that will go anywhere you do
lympus has gone all out to make this
camera as tough and ready for every
occasion and activity as possible.
Built to withstand knocks and drops,
with shockproof protection up to 1.5 metres and
waterproof defences up to 3 metres, the 790 SW
is the kind of camera that you dont need to worry
about knocking around, dropping or getting a bit
wet.
Not only is this particular Olympus model
practical, its also stylish. Available in ive colours:
starry silver, midnight black and marine blue for
the more conservative user, and sunset orange
and lime for those who wish to stand out from the
Located on the rotating dial, as you would

expect, are all the major elements of the camera.
The Guide feature is something that beginners
will ind particularly useful. Getting the desired
image effect, without needing any speciic
knowledge, you are able to compare the different
effects before making your choice. There are
plenty of preset effects to choose from, to help
shooting at night and to reduce red-eye. The 790
SW boasts an impressive array of 23 different
scene modes so you can select the best settings
for the occasion. On board youll ind Underwater,
Low Light, Behind Glass and Beach/Snow
options. However, the numerous options means
crowd so theres a colour to match everyones

personal taste and style.
The rear of the camera is dominated by a large
2.5-inch LCD screen, which makes viewing your
pictures and the menu options a simple task.
The compromise for a screen this size on such
a dainty camera is that the buttons are tightly
packed to one side, which can make things slightly
awkward. On our test shoot we actually found
the buttons to be quite frustrating. Although
each is assigned a handy function for quick access
to crucial settings, theyre located very closely
together so unless youre concentrating you can
quite easily ind yourself pressing buttons you
didnt mean to.
an extensive list, which doesnt make navigating

through them a particularly quick process.
Some simple editing features accessed through
Playback mode enable you to make some subtle
changes to the images you have taken long
before putting them on a computer. Change
the colours of the image, ix red-eye and adjust
shadows. Or if youre feeling creative, try applying
a frame, building a calendar, or adding a label to
your image.
When we used the camera out and about in lowlight conditions, as the end of a cold wintry day
drew closer, the [mju]: 790 SW picked out some
wonderfully vibrant colours. It coped remarkably
well with the low-lying sun and bright, relective
The 790 SW is the kind of camera that you dont have to

worry about knocking around, dropping or getting a bit wet
Zoom
The 3x optical zoom is
a bit of a letdown, but it
can be boosted by using
the cameras built-in
FineZoom feature. This
maintains image quality
by combining optical zoom
and cropping the image
Backlighting
Turn on the Shadow Adjustment
Technology to ensure the
foreground subject appears clearly
against a strong backlight. The sun
is shining through these trees, but
the plants are still well exposed
Anti-Shake
Blur is a perennial problem for
photographers, even more so in
low-light conditions. By using the
feature on this camera we were
able to capture this quick-moving
critter with ease
Rich colours
The deep colours of the green grass
were picked up beautifully. Have
a play with the different exposure
settings until you are happy
Slim and
lightweight
Weighing just 136g
with a depth of only
21.3mm, you cant
get more portable
Size
Small, robust
and built well, any
member of the
family should be
able to get to grips
with this model.
Once you remember
what does what,
using the interface is
a breeze
Useful shortcuts
Shortcuts are assigned to each button on the arrow pad to give quick
and easy access to a variety of options, including Exposure, Macro, Flash,
Timer and even advanced settings.
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Price
Exposure compensation
150 +/- 2 EV / 1/3 steps

Website
Auto
www.olympus.co.uk ISO 100 - 400

Effective pixels Automatically
7.1 selected
Optical zoom
Manual
Super Macro mode
Weight
camera specs
Olympus [mju:] 790 SW
3x ISO 80, 100, 200,

Maximum aperture 400, 800, 1600
3.5 - 5.0 Max resolution
Monitor size 3,072 x 2,304
6.4cm / 2.5 Dimensions
Face Detection AF 93.6(W) x 60.9(H) x
Yes 21.3(D) mm
Closest focusing 136g (without
distance: 7cm battery and card)
Number of scene modes
23
Build design
Youd think if you dropped your camera in a
puddle then that would be the end of it. Not
with the 790 SW, its shock and waterproof!
The major attractions of the 790 SW have to be its style and

simplicity - it would make a great addition to any family
Macro
Three impressive Macro settings offer the opportunity for some
excellent close-up shots. Using Super Macro mode, you can get as
close as 7cm from your subject
Scene modes
Make use of the cameras scene modes to ensure you get an
accurate representation of your subject
What we like
What we dont like
we say
feature did what it said, working well to stabilise

the shot and also helping to capture moving
objects, like our hungry, bushy-tailed friend on
the opposite page.
Playing its part to ensure that we didnt miss
a shot was the Playback button. It switched
between Shooting and Playback modes quickly,
to helpfully review the last image taken rather
than the cumbersome task of rotating the
heavy dial to the opposite side to open Playback
functionality. But as we mentioned earlier, the
buttons were an issue, especially when operating
the camera wearing gloves (something skiers
should take into consideration).
Another area of concern regarding its size was
the manner in which you grip the camera. Its not
at all uncomfortable, but we did notice on several
occasions that we naturally put a inger over the
lens, resulting in a stray inger in our image. This
was extremely irritating, to say the least.
The major attractions of the 790 SW have to
be its style and simplicity it would make a great
technological addition to any family. For the
adventurous teenager there are some advanced
settings to experiment with, while the water
and shockproof attributes mean that there is no
need to be concerned about younger children
dropping it or drinks being spilt near it. The huge
number of preset options and simple editing
features make the [mju]: 790 SW very much a
camera for the amateur photographer.
A great bridge
between
compact and
DSLR practise
perfecting
settings here and
then move on
Features
verdict
landscapes. Using the scene option for Beach/

Snow, we were able to improve the lacklustre
colours of our beach shot. The sand became
much warmer, and areas of the image gained
improved tones to give a far better impression of
the location.
Fast becoming the industry standard,
integrated Face Detection helps optimise the
settings to keep the human face well exposed
and sharp, while 7.1 megapixels will allow you to
print your snaps up to A3 size. The Anti-Shake
Lithium-ion
rechargeable battery
Practically
bomb-proof
Impressive low-light
performance
Extremely portable
Disappointing zoom
function
Small crowded
buttons can
cause frustration
7.0
Ease of use
8.0
Quality of results
7.0
Value for money
7.0
Overall
score
7.0
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Reviews Books
Figure In Watercolour
17.99 | Learn essential painting craft through stunning pictures and insightful advice
Capturing candid moments

This book is full of great step-by-step projects,
including this lesson in painting the unposed figure
using watercolour
atercolour painting is
a tricky art to master,
especially when you
throw human form into the
mix too. Thankfully, help is at hand with
this fantastic guide.
Figure In Watercolour features over
125 pages of sound painting advice,
ranging from the basics of purchasing
your irst art box essentials, through to
image interpretation. The main thrust of
the book is based upon the various scenes
and situations you would come across
within igure painting; for example, back
lighting, dancing igures and nudes.
Following an introduction to your
materials you are guided through the
fundamentals of watercolour. Its these
basics that really get you off on the
right foot, standing you in good stead
for larger watercolour projects. The
author gently guides you through the
importance of the initial sketch, not
in pencil, but in watercolour, noting
the vitality that this medium brings to
the paper. This sentiment is certainly
apparent throughout the chapters, with
magniicent paintings springing from the
pages, thanks to their lair and energy.
Much of the artwork is the authors
own, which makes the book even more
of a personal journey. You really feel a
passion has been invested in the making
of it, which means its all the more
fascinating. A great deal of the chapters
are accompanied by step-by-step guides,

using the artists own in-progress images
to help you along the way. Each project
features a Helpful Hint and Procedure
box to help you stay on track and
encourage you in the learning process.
Of the many projects and scenes that
the book covers, the most masterful
has to be the life-drawing section. The
author draws upon the art of Edgar
Degas to help inspire the portraits and
create tasteful intimate scenes that really
show appreciation of form. Like much
of the book, this chapter is particularly
focused upon achieving great lighting
something essential for creating a sense
of luminosity in your images.
This book is a great investment that will
happily live on your bookshelf as a
much-referred to and well-thumbed
friend. If you want to achieve classic
watercolour effects then its an absolute
must. Granted, a few of the source photos
are a little retro, but the inal pieces are
timeless and testament to the great skill
of the artist-cum-author.
Get kitted out

We begin with a lesson in kit-bag
essentials. Although the book refers
to traditional paint methods, the
principles remain the same when
using Painter and its tools
Learning the basics

The book is interspersed with
inspirational pages that give you
an insight into the bigger artistic
picture. Here, the artist talks about
the importance of sketches
Authors
Vicenc B. Ballestar,
David Sanmiguel
Price
17.99
Publisher
Batsford
ISBN
0-7134-8677-5
One step at a time

Each in-progress image gives you
a detailed idea of how the final
images are formed, starting from
the simple pencil sketch through to
the detailed finished piece
Inspiring artists
The book investigates the technique
of painting people indoors
drawing upon famous case studies,
such as Edward Hopper and David
Hockney, for inspiration
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Botanical Illustration
14.99 | Achieve perfect petals, sensational stamens
and luscious leaves with this beautifully illustrated book
Author
Siriol Sherlock
Price
14.99
Publisher
Batsford
ISBN
978-0-7134-9052-7
his book is written by an

award-winning artist, which
means youll certainly be in
good hands when it comes to
learning the basics of botanical painting
and drawing.
Like the irst book review, the medium
is watercolour, a delicate method for
replicating your favourite blooms.
This is quite a detailed read, with
plenty of information and advice on offer.
Thankfully, there is also a large dosage
of artwork to help prevent the book from
becoming too overwhelmed with text.
The illustrations are stunning enough
on their own for you to want to buy this
book, but with the insightful text it makes
it an absolute must-have guide. Brimming
with information about the individual
plants and lowers, through to great
painting advice, it has everything you
need to keep you hooked.
Preparing
the palette
This great colour guide
sets you off on the right
foot for achieving all
those magnificent hues
and blooms
Symphony of colour
Discover the magic of colour with these inspirational pages.
They take you through a flower and its corresponding
colour palette, so you can replicate it yourself
A bunch of tips
This beautiful painting is explained through a list of helpful
tips. You may also pick up a spot of Latin, thanks to the
plants full names
Understanding Digital Cameras

19.99 | Sound advice for choosing and using digital cameras
Author
Jon Tarrant
Price
19.99
Publisher
Focal Press
ISBN
978-0-240-52024-7
hen learning a new hobby,

its sometimes nice to get
stuck into a meaty book
on the subject rather than
a reference guide that stops and starts.
This book offers an in-depth overview
of digital photography and its related
equipment, in the traditional chapter-led
way. What we mean is, this book is very
text-heavy. This will suit some, but will
probably put a few off too.
Despite the substantial proportion of
text, there are plenty of large images to
help give the book pace and interest. The
chapters follow a logical trail of starting
with the basics of menu screens, features
and settings, then progressing onto the
more complex issues of optical quality
and printing systems.
Although the style of this book will not
be everyones cup of tea, we applaud it
for its thorough approach to the subject.
If youre looking for a learning guide you
can read from front to back, then this is
deinitely a good choice.
Going back
to nature
Chapters are divided
into useful genres.
Here, the subject of
nature photography is
explored using bright
and inspiring images
Getting technical
Understanding Digital Cameras explores all aspects of

photography, including more high-end topics, such as
lenses and optical quality
Close encounters
Many of the points made in the book are backed up with
photographic examples, including handy close-ups to
examine the finer points of digital cameras
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Output
Frame your work
Frame your work

Give your artwork the perfect finish by assembling your own frames
with the help of FrameCos tools
Tutorial info
Artist
Jo Cole
Time needed
10 minutes
Skill level
Beginner
here used to be a time when

the only paper choice you got
for an inkjet printer was gloss
or matte. Now companies are
producing different art media options, so
setting up a home printing studio is a real
possibility. And a visit to the FrameCo site
will provide all you need to turn printouts
into professional-looking framed prints.
Here we will take a look at the Steel
Strap Clamp and the PushMaster items.
You can either create the frame edges

yourself or buy them from an art store.
Place them in position and use the Strap
Clamp to pull the corners in nice and
tight. You can glue the edges, but the
PushMaster allows you to insert the
companys V Nails to hold everything
in place. You now have a perfectlyconstructed frame for your artwork.
The Strap Clamp costs 49.50, while
the PushMaster tool is 39.50. But
The FrameCo site will furnish you with all you need to
turn printouts into professional-looking framed prints
Both of these are perfect for assembling
picture frames and are easy to use. All
you need is the frame components, and
then these two tools will allow you to
construct the frame and get perfect
results every time.
considering what frames cost, especially

if you have large images, this works
out as very cheap. Pop along to www.
clubframeco.com to purchase. The
company has ofices in the UK, the US and
Australia, and it distributes worldwide.
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Assembling your frame

Using the right tools for the job
Other
options
the
wire
02 Tighten
01 Secure the perimeter
Push all the corners of your frame

together to roughly get it in place. The rst task is to make this nice
and tight, ready for the pins to be pushed in. Loosen the side handle of the
Strap Clamp and pull the spring thats around the wire in a clockwise motion.
This will make the wire slack and allow you go around your frame. Give
yourself a good amount of wire, then place the three corner parts on the
corners. The main part of the Strap Clamp makes up the fourth corner. Make
sure everything is nice and at, and in place. You could apply some glue to
each corner before this, to give an extra bit of control.
03 Nail it
Now the frame is held together, its time to join it properly.

This is done with the PushMaster tool and V Nails. You can get the V
Nails in different sizes and for different types of wood. The PushMaster comes
with a selection held together on a strip. One side has a coloured lm: red is
for hardwood and white is for soft wood. The strip of nails will bend, which
makes it easy to separate them and pull one off. When you have your nail,
place it on the top of the PushMaster, with the coloured side facing up. The
top of the PushMaster is magnetic, so the nail sits there nicely.
With
the corner joints in place,
tighten the wire to make
things nice and tight. Pull
the wire until the slack is
taken up, and move the
spring anti-clockwise to
wind it around the rest
of the wire. Check each
corner, and make sure
the holders are at and
the joins are straight.
When you are happy,
tighten the side handle
on the Strap Clamp.
In addition to driving
nails into wood, the
PushMaster has a
couple of other nifty
tricks up its sleeve.
The magnetic top
part has indented
bits. These are for
pins and bendable
clasps that keep any
backing material in
place. Simply place
into the slot and then
push against the
frame as you did with
the V Nail. The top of
the PushMaster has
another slot. This
holds hook screws
that can be put into
the back of frames
and used to thread
picture wire through.
A genius invention!
04 Push it in
With the nail in position, line it up so that the corner sits on the frame join. Now
simply push down and it will go into the wood. We used a soft wood frame and it was no
bother pushing the nail in. But if you have trouble, or you are using a hardwood frame, you can hit the top
of the PushMaster with a wooden mallet. Its best to use two nails in every corner, which will happily hold
things together. Once the nails are in, you just have to loosen the wire on the Strap Clamp, remove it and
wind it up using the spring. In just a few minutes you have assembled your own picture frame!
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Readers gallery issue sixteen
Gallery
Brimming with creative lust, Brad Sutton has a passion for

art in all its variety of forms. But its his colourful skill with
Painter that has grabbed our attention. We caught up with the
Californian artist to find out how he does it
alifornian illustrator Brad Sutton

claims it was his boredom with
Photoshop that inspired his
search for new and exciting
alternatives. Intrigued by rumours that
Hollywoods entertainment studios were
using a new program called Painter, the
digital artist decided to investigate. Years
on, with dozens of completed works
gobbling up his hard drive memory, he
claims to have never looked back. What
we ind particularly charming about this
enthusiasts work is his strong penchant
for creating vibrant narrative pieces,
driven by his love of stories. To see more of
his work visit www.artwanted.com/
BSutton where he also provides technical
help and inspirational advice.
pop! It attracts the viewer, the same way

stop signs are red. I feature detail, but not
so much that it looks like a photograph.
Do you enjoy other areas of art?
If I get up early enough in the morning, I
like Plein Air Painting. You have to arrive
early to get the sun coming up at dawn,
or when the sun is going down at dusk, so
there are good enough shadows. Plus its
too hot at noon!
What are your favourite tools and
techniques?
The Digital Watercolor has to be the best
brush in any program. I actually use the
New Simple Water, which allows me to
unify the highlights and shadows in a
piece. It also allows you to change the
mood of an illustration in no time, and
pull colour out of that. I also use Artists
Having the viewer get excited and watching their facial

expressions is the nicest thing for me
What is it about Painter that does it for
you over Photoshop?
I love the feel that Painter creates. The
brushes take on the same characteristics
as if you were using the traditional media.
Having a person view my work and not
distinguish if it was created traditionally
or digitally, is always very exciting for me
as an illustrator.
How would you describe your style to
someone who couldnt see it?
Its been described as garish. I like that
assessment. I create colourful pieces that
Impressionists regularly, as you get some

great textures with this brush.
What is the best piece of advice you could
give a fellow Painter enthusiast?
Paint, paint, paint. And when youre done,
go and paint some more. Also experiment
with all the different kinds of brushes
that are available, and narrow down the
brushes that work best for you.
Who inspires you?
The people that have blazed the trail prior
to me are who inspire me. J.C. Leyendecker
01
Title: Hood ornaments

It is of two hood ornaments, the
artist reveals. Id taken a picture of a
devil hood ornament and wanted to
use it in an illustration. So I conjured
up the angel hood ornament so I could
juxtapose the two against each other.
is a big inspiration lately. His use of colour

and the way his highlights pop make
me want to stare at his paintings until I
get lost in the detail. I also like the work
of the German impressionist Heinrich
Kley, who has a great imagination
and conceptualisation.
Whats the nicest thing someone has ever
said about your portfolio?
When they say, It looks so real, this
reminds me of Having the viewer
get excited and watching their facial
expressions is the nicest thing for me.
Share your art with

other readers
These pages of the
magazine are given over
to you, as a place for you
to share your creations
with readers all around
the world and also to
publicise your gallery
on our website. If
you have a gallery
that youre proud
of, send an email
to opm@imaginepublishing.co.u
publishing.co.uk.
92
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02
Title: Irish pride

This image shows a red Willys Coupe with the
guys arm out of the window. The Painter
enthusiast recalls: I wanted to illustrate the type
of person that drives the car, based on just their
arm out the window.
03
Title: Duck, duck, goose

Brads charming take on a competitions Wacky
Wedding brief meant he walked away with the
winning trophy. I wanted to come up with an
illustration that children could relate to.
93
3/4/08 11:04:36
Gallery
Readers gallery issue sixteen
04
Title: At the Coronado

This piece is of a girl holding a parasol with the
Coronado Hotel in the background. I thought a yellow
polka dot bikini was the most appropriate colour to
use here. The image was created using Painters Digital
Watercolor, Gouache and Smudge Blender.
94
3/4/08 11:05:02
05
Title: Buccaneers nd
This illustration was generated for the
book The Buccaneers Of America
by Alexander O. Exquemelin. The
buccaneers come upon a woman with
about 12 arrows in her back. I wanted
to show their reaction to what they
found, without showing exactly what
they had found.
06
Title: Night ght

Featuring two ships ghting at night,
Brad says he was inspired by an image
of a World War II battleship. I used
the Glow tool to get that glow from
the blast, but I also used the Digital
Watercolor, Gouache, F-X Glow and the
Smudge Blender.
95
3/4/08 11:05:37
Create your own gallery online

Sign up now at www.paintermagazine.com!
hen it comes to sharing
your work with other
people, the easiest way
is to get the paintings
online. For sharing your Corel Painter
artwork, the website for this fair
magazine is just the ticket. Thousands
of people visit the site every week to
browse through the images posted.
There are no limitations for visiting
the site to look at pictures but if you
want to upload your own, you need to
register and become a member. This is

completely free to do and means you
can then expose your work to a global
audience, leave comments and ratings
on other members work and also invite
comments on your own art.
It only takes a few minutes to sign
up at the site and then its just a case of
simply uploading your own images. To
see exactly whats involved in adding
your artwork, weve supplied you with
the walkthrough below.
Register at the site to upload artwork

A few minutes is all thats needed to get started
01 Register
Pop along to www.

paintermagazine.com. Youll be taken
to the home page of the website. Go up to the
Sign-up link and click on it. Fill in the form and
make sure you enter the correct email address.
Once completed, click Create User and wait for an
email. Click the link and youre now a member!
02 Your prole
Theres a default avatar,

but you might prefer to add your own
image. This is easily done. Make sure you are
logged in and then click on Edit Prole. Go down
to the avatar bit and click Remove This Image.
Now click Choose File.
03 Set the le
Navigate to where the

image is you want to use and select it.
For ease of use, make sure it is relatively small, but
the image will be automatically shrunk to t the
space. Make sure it is a square format to start with.
Waiting
for approval
When you have
uploaded an image,
there will be a short
delay for the image to
be approved. We have
to do this to make
sure no offensive or
legally questionable
images are uploaded.
We approve images
throughout the day,
but take into account
the time differences
if you are in another
country. We are based
in the UK, so are
tucked up in bed while
some of you are just
starting your day!
of
wisdom
05 Words
04 Uploading
Make any other changes

to your prole and click Update. Now
lets add some images! Go to Gallery Images and
click Add New Image. Make a note of the le
format rules and click Choose File to select your
picture. Use the Description area to give some
information and then click Submit Image.
Once uploaded,
other members
can rate and leave
comments on your
image. When you
look at your gallery
(or anyone elses),
you can see which
images have a rating
or comments and
how many.
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Pa ge 20
Pa ge 34
Pa ge 46
Pa ge 36
Official Magazine
100_OPM_16-back cover.indd 1
2/4/08 12:05:48

Corel Painter - 16 - Magazine, Art, Digital Painting, Drawing, Draw, 2d

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Ofcial

Ofcial Corel Painter TM Magazine

Understand Painters tools

Essential skills for creating

Use perspective tricks to

Create the cover!

Turn photos into

Visit us online www.paintermagazine.co.uk

Learn to apply contour lines and then build up

TEXTURES | STOCK PHOTOS | TUTORIAL RESOURCE FILES

See how Painter Xs RealBristle

Discover how the Eraser brushes

Erase your way to a

Theres no denying that

Visit our website!

Jo Cole, Editor in Chief

n ews eve n ts res our ces letters web site s

Fontplay.com includes not only free

10,000 free photos

riginally a resource for free

Photos are available to download in

hate reading instructions, I may never get

A passion for pencils

Creative happenings from

Blog offers drawing tutorials and video guides

TIPS & ADVICE

professional artist since

Notes And tips

Illustrator Nate Owens offers a range

Get a great start

Create, update and showcase your

Billed as a news portal for all things

Its time to go and collect the latest

n ts res our ces

I was interested to see you advertise your

Our Digital Painting bookazine can be thought

just wants a glossy compendium of creative

Underneath the layers

Ive bought a few different computer

The main reason why we dont include final

Our eMag or Digital Painting

A lot of Painter artists will routinely drop their layers

in mind we only have just under 600MB to

Our favourite readers gallery this month

Paint Shop Pro

Our regular challenge is a chance to win a years subscription to

If you use Corels Paint Shop Pro to edit

Id like to enter your readers challenge

Hello Iris. There is indeed an attachment

All original artwork by Steve James

Interview Steve James

How would you best describe your work?

And what role does Corel Painter play in

of work. After ive years I realised I had

Is developing character concepts and

How does this help you develop as

Do your blogs (www.fridayeve.com/

Many of your images look sketched do

Interview Steve James

The Little Match Girl

layers and undo far too much. Painter

Tranchefeuxs website is divided into

Ive learned a great deal about face structure

Do you use photographic reference for