January 2010 Issue of Digital Paint Magazine

!"#$"%&'()&*#+)%,# -./%&'#0.)"%&'

!"#$"%#&$"

Creating a Portrait in Painter from a Casual Snapshot

!"#$%&'()$*+!%,%+' -+"#.*#'$%%'#,%(/ !"#"$%&'(%)*'+,-.)"' /"$$-,0'1*%&%2-3-%,

89.:'E7#09>:'L7K5%

8.3'=>?5.11 0.3@-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673 A$<1.:95% !79#'B5%%& C79#@-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673 D-.07%

89.:'.67#'.#-.6"05:'"'61.6;'"<15'1.#;' 09"0'+.11'-.%560'&7$'07'095'+5<,

B./.0"1'A".#0'E"/"4.#5'7#'095'+5<F

American Girl

'(!"#$"(%#&$"

G' ())H'B./.0"1'A".#0'E"/"4.#5

cartoon by Victor Rockcliffe

I11'"%0'"#-'0%"-53"%;:'67#0".#5-'95%5.#'"%5'095'2%725%0&' =J'095.%'%5:2560.K5'7+#5%:,

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

From the Publisher

Times they are a changin’. That is a major understatement. In most business arenas, government, the way we communicate, income opportunities, all are in a state of change. It is exciting and exhausting at the same time.

Change here at the magazine is constant. This month marks the beginning of some very big differences for Digital Paint Magazine. The always gracious painter community has brought forward some people who want to give back to our community. Folks who are interested in sharing the knowledge they have learned over the last decade have volunteered their precious time to provide content, editing, and many other things to our efforts at the magazine. What a blessing.

I won’t have the room to mention everyone, but here are a few familiar names. Karen Bonaker will be writing some articles and tutorials. Jeremy Sutton and Marilyn Sholin will pop in on occasion.

Tim Shelbourne and Cat Bounds will send us a tutorial or articles once in a while. Skip Allen and Barb Hartsook have provided some cool tuts for this issue and are committed to going Come writers and critics forward. Victor Lunn-Rockliffe is graciously providing cartoons to lighten things up.

Who prophesize with your pen There are a host of other people that you will be able to read about on the blog site soon. I will be working on a page for contributors, that will link to their bios so you can And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again get to know them.

And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin The other thing in the works at DPM is the change in our look and feel. We now have And there’s no tellin’ who a working template thanks to an up and coming Designer and our gifted intern Steve Ady. This month the goal was just to get the template put together and functional. Next That it’s namin’.

For the loser now month we can begin to concentrate on making it look like we want to visually.

Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’.

So, bear with us, embrace change, move forward.

Until next time, live, love , laugh.

!"!#$%!&'()*

8.3'=?5.11 8.3@-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

From the Editor

The landscape of publishing is changing…dramatically. The Digital Age is reshaping all means of communication. When I initially got involved in digital paint tools in the mid-eighties, I was excited to be part of a movement whose goal was to transform traditional forms of expressive creative media into a digital format.

I watched as traditional typesetting and publishing were replaced by page layout applications and desktop publishing. Film-based photography, darkrooms, and printing were usurped by its digital equivalent. Television and video transitioned from analog capture, transmission, and delivery to a digital format. Letter writing, bill paying, casual over-the-backyard-fence chatting have all been recast in digital forms, largely replacing their now quaint antecedents. And expressive artwork is beginning to stand on its own beside its traditional counterpart.

All of these digital forms of communication—once disparate—can now seamlessly coexist on a single screen.

This screen may be an analog monitor, LCD display, smartphone, e-reader, or tablet—and, oh yes, 2010 is The Year of the Tablet.

What was once science fiction is quickly becoming reality. The evolving invisible web of ubiquitous connected information is making it possible to hold a nearly infinite portable human communication resource in your hands—anywhere. This is the equivalent of the printing press scaled up by several magnitudes. And we need only to look at history to see how great an impact the printed word has had on humanity.

Each and every one of us—as artists—have the opportunity to express ourselves to an audience the size of humanity. Please use this power wisely.

!79#'B5%%& C79#@-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673 !"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

+)*,)-'!./0/

!"#$%#$& 1!2*34-5647 Maura Dutra

8!&454($9!:$,-!;*6<,4! =4((6*>!?-$9$@636$*

A!&6>63)(!B-3!C$-!#4>6*" *4-@

00!=($7!#-,@D4@

0E!F$-4(!?)6*34-!3,3$" -6)( create a portrait from a casual snap shot

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

!"#$"%&'()&*#+)%,#-./%&'#0.)"%&'

!"#$"%#&$"

GD4-4!H6H!'$,!>-$7!,9!)*H!)!%63!)%$,3!'$,-!

ID6(HD$$H

that proved to be the incubator for some of the biggest 3D animation studios in the industry today.

I grew up smack-dab in the middle of Hollywood, California. I was the third child of six. I remember my first art class -Pastels- at roughly the age of seven. Hey, who wouldn’t want to play with all those lovely messy colors? My involvement in art grew through high school. I seemed to demonstrate a bit of hand-eye coordination and gained entry into the college level figure-drawing classes Saturday mornings at the world renowned Art

But now that career is a decade behind me. Ten years ago, my hubby and I left Los Angeles and moved to Prescott, Arizona to pursue new directions. This physical move signaled the beginning of a period of artistic imaging in which photography and digital painting has played a important role. I began with a serious focus on improving my still photography and exercised my graphic design skills to create digital album page layouts for photographers. For the past three years we have nutured a business offering innovative gear that my husband has designed for photo and HD video capture. Better capture tools for better images!!! Much to see at www.

Center College of Design.

G4*3!3$!I$((4>4!7D4-4J I was off to UC Santa Barbara and Fine Art classes for my first two years of college. Then on to California State Long Beach for completion of my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration. Upon graduation I was thinking of becoming a Children’s Book Illustrator or Character Animator…

G$-K6*>!D6@3$-'!)*H!L$%@!(4)H6*>!,9!3$!7D4-4!'$,! )-4!3$H)'M My professional life has been blessed with many different and wonderful jobs. After college I jumped into night classes in character animation at the famed HannaBarbera Animation studios in Los Angeles. My first job found me painting animation cells for “Charlie Brown” television specials, closely followed with work on Ralph Bakshi’s animated “Lord of the Rings” movie.

Next I landed a position at an innovative visual effects studio in Hollywood. I began by assisting the visual effects designer for the inital Star Trek movie. I stayed on to design and animate the “BEAM ME UP, SCOTTIE!” transporter beam effects sequences. That job kicked off my 20 year career in visual effects at the production studio

!"#$"%&'()*)

iDCPHOTOVIDEO.com.

6*@96-)36$*NNNC)5$-634!)-36@3@ I always love this question...because I have many different inspirational faves. I like variety...

I have always been drawn to color. (it must have been those early pastel classes). I love the color relationships in both Wolf Kahn and Pierre Bonnard’s paintings but I am equally fascinated by how Edouard Manet uses blocks of black.

I just can’t get enough museum time to admire both the color palette and the exciting brushwork of Wayne Thiebaud…. simply luscious! And photographer David LaChapelle’s visuals fascinate me. His work reminds me to reach….

B!<,4@36$*!2!)(7)'@!)@K!@,II4@@C,(!%,@6*@@!$7*4-@!

6@!6C !3D4'!74*3!3D-$,>D!)*H!9,3!3$>43D4-!)!%,@6*4@@! +++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

9()*!6*I(,H6*>!)!O)-K436*>!9()*N!!2C !@$!7D)3!6@!

3D4!6O9$-3)*I4!$C !3D)3!3$!'$,-!%,@6*4@@N 2@!63!)!7$-K6*>!9()*J!&$4@!63!O$-9D!)@!3D4!H'*)O" 6I@!$C !%,@6*4@@!ID)*>4@!$-!7)@!63!L,@3!C$-!@3)-3",9! )*H!I,--4*3('!@63@!$*!3D4!@D4(C J

The social media groups certainly have grown. And the more exposure the better when you are looking to get the word out about something exciting. All good. One more way to advertise. All good.

It is a wild ride to be an entrepreneur in today’s global environment. You got to roll with the punches and be like

However, I do feel that the way many people jump on a topic can be counter productive for my own work. I find that it easily can turn into alot of cross-talk that creates a din-level that is too time consuming to sort through for the comments that actually do resonate with me. I tend to “tune-out “ of the social networks when I want to be

a squirrel; Quick! Bruce is really good at that last part!

most productive.

GD$!74-4!@$O4!4)-('!O4*3$-@!6*!'$,-!(6C4!

Of course the internet it is a fabulous tool for learning and I greatly value the option to do research quickly and

Business Plan - Schmizness Plan.

I so appreciate my parents for their support and gift of art classes.

F,--4*3!O4*3$-@ My husband, Bruce Dorn, is so much more than my love and best friend. He is an incredibly talented photographer, product designer, inventor, painter, and filmmaker.

He just happens to be a smarty pants who has a wonderful knack for making people laugh. His brain is jampacked full of lighting knowledge that he has amassed during his very successful film career. He is the sort of person who feels a responsibility to share his knowledge with interested parties. I am so thankful that he is my go-to guy. It is so important to have another point-ofview from someone who you admire. Yet it is also important to balance other perspectives with your own.

!B-4!'$,!9)-3!$C !)!C$-O)(!O)@34-O6*H!>-$,9J 2C !@$!7D)3!D)@!3D4!6O9)I3!%44*!C$-!'$,!94-@$*)(('! )*H!D$7!D)@!63!@4-54H!'$,-!%,@6*4@@ GD)3!)-4!@$O4!$C !3D4!%6>>4@3!ID)*>4@!6*!3D4!()@3!

C47!'4)-@!@94I6C6I!3$!O)-K436*>J!

efficiently.

34((!,@!)%$,3!3D4!O4@@)>4!6*!'$,-!)-3N!GD)3!7$,(H! '$,!(6K4!3$!4V9-4@@!3D-$,>D!'$,-!I-4)36$*@J I see myself as a very “young” painter who is still working to develop a style and skill set. Working on portraits and landscapes has provided content for that development. I am looking forward to the time when I feel ready to advance to that next conceptual step and use my artistic imaging tools to express a message. I believe that communicating a message is one of the great opportunities that art has bequeathed our world’s culture.

&$!'$,!(6@34*!3$!O,@6I!7D4*!'$,!)-4!9)6*36*>J!!2C ! @$!7D$N Listening to music while one paints can add flow to those moments of inspiration. However, for me it is of equal importance to combine a “loose” intuitive working style with “purposeful” one.

Debussy / Clair de Lune and other piano pieces are good

An Internet presence …. of course.

P$7!($*>!D)54!'$,!%44*!#($>>6*>J! About three years or so, but can’t seem to find the time to post often enough!

GD)3!$3D4-!O43D$H@!$C !@$I6)(!O4H6)!

O)-K436*>!H$!'$,!4O9($'J!Q)I4%$$KR! S76334-R!T6*K4H!2*R!=<,6H$$R!B-36I(4!

U)-K436*>R!?$HI)@3@!$-!56H4$!O)-K43" 6*>J GD)3!6@!3D4!6O9$-3)*I4!$C !@$I6)(!O4" H6)!6*!3$H)'@!O)-K43!9()I4J !"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

to slow down the pace I like the Ting Tings and Justin Timberlake to pick it up.

GD)3!)-4!'$,-!O$@3!6OO4H6)34!9-$L4I3@J! I always have personal projects lined-up! Because I use my photographic images as bstarting points for digital paintings, I am always on the look-out for the opportunity to gather new source imagry. I do enjoy working with the relationship between horse and rider. Currently I have several images waiting in the wings....

I enjoy creating instructional DVDs for Painter and I saw a need for training materials for photographers that would offer an entry-level approach to Painter. Digitally painted portraits from photographic source images is a niche that many photographers are exploring in order to expand their studio’s offerings. And yet many of these photographers are intimatiated by having no formal experience in drawing and painting.

To address this need, I authored a DVD titled “Digital Painting & the Photograph - The 3/4 Figure in Oils”. My approach is to limit the broad range of brush choices provided in the full version of Painter 10 & 11 and instead, provide a limited set of custom brushes to use for the

!"#$"%&'()*)

specific purpose of painting the figure. My step-by-step painting lesson is geared to help photographers add this new tool to their toolbox! I have received many excellent reviews from people who did not have an art background but found my approach a valuable method to get started with figurative painting in Painter 10 or 11.

&6-4I36$*!$C !>-$73D!)*H!>$)(@!7D4-4!6@!3D4!%,@6" *4@@!>$6*>J In addition to creating Painter 11 educational materials, I am putting the finishing touches on a bonus DVD to be included with the Painter Essentials.This disc offers a sampling of my Designer Scrapbook Page Templates along with my tips and tricks for painting landscapes and portraits. Instructions on how-to use digital layouts to create photobooks in Corel’s Painter & Adobe’s Photoshop are also included. I am currently hard at work on a companion website for digital artists looking to create Digital Journals and Photobooks with these fine programs. The new site will hopefully be posted in the first half of 2010. www.pixelpaperscissors.com.

S4((!O4!)%$,3!3D4!7$-K!763D!H6>63)(N!!P)54!'$,!

D)H!W9-$I4@@!-4@6@3)*I4X !!94$9(4!3D)3!%)(K!)3!)*!

6O)>4!%46*>!9-$H,I4H!6*!9)-3!!H6>63)(('R!6C !@$!D$7! +++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

D)54!'$,!$54-I)O4!3D)3!

I started working with digital painting tools over twenty years ago and I have experienced some of that resistance. My husband, a fellow Corel Painter Master and I, each entered our work in a juried art show sponsored by the Phippen Art Museum in Prescott, Arizona a few years ago. We entered our work in the Mixed Media category and as it happened, we took first and second prize in that category. Both pieces were digital paintings created from our own photographic images. There was some chatter about the decision, but we were pleased that our images were given fair consideration. Little by little, the barriers are breaking down.

I make digital paintings because I enjoy using these tools. I also like to make a print of my work upon completion. Until I am holding it in my hand, it just isn’t real! Most of the time I finish a painting with some textural elements from my collection of digital “Fine Art Textures” before printing. (As seen here in “Sunset”). I like to print on archival rag papers and embellish the print by hand with traditional me-

has always my dream, so pixel “paint” offered the perfect answer for working towards that goal. I began with both Corel’s Painter and Adobe’s Photoshop when the applications were just getting started.. and despite the early kinks, I fell in love with digital imaging!

I am thrilled to have had my work collected, published and distributed worldwide. And I am honored to be named a Painter Master by the Corel development team.

There’s no stopping now. I look forward to investigating new media and new tools as they become available. I am also looking forward to returning to oil paints one day.

Artistic “tools” will always evolve and I feel it is important to remember that it great artists are often pioneers at heart.

P$%%64@R!7D)3!H$!'$,!H$!6*!H$7*!36O4 Downtime…what’s that? gardening, cooking and eating… and dance…

Cha Cha Cha!

dia.

GD)3!7)@!'$,-!6*@96" -)36$*!3$!%4I$O4!)*! )-36@3 I have always found inspiration in the process of creating something.

Sometimes a painting will go where you want and sometimes it won’t.

When a painting does work it gives you one of the rarest and most wonderful feelings in the world. I love that part!

GD)3!6@!'$,-!H-4)O! )@!)*!)-36@3J Some twenty years ago, when I started painting with a digital stylus, it was for personal reasons. Back then, I was a mother of two little girls and I didn’t wish to have smelly turpentine in the house. Becoming an accomplished oil painter

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

!"#"$%&'(%)*'+,-.)"'/"$$-,0'1*%&%2-3-%,

!"#$%&'(")) W

hat exactly is a USP and why does your business need one? Following is how Wikipedia explains it.

“The Unique Selling Proposition (also Unique Selling Point) is a marketing concept that was first proposed as a theory to explain a pattern among successful advertising campaigns of the early 1940s. It states that such campaigns made unique propositions to the customer and that this convinced them to switch brands. The term was invented

by Rosser Reeves of Ted Bates & Company. Today the term is used in other fields or just casually to refer to any aspect of an object that differentiates it from similar objects.”

)!C47!3D6*>@!3D)3!76((!D4(9!6*!3D4!9-$I4@@N! First, do some brainstorming with your team, mastermind group or family and come up with your studios biggest benefits. Ask some questions to figure out what your services DO for a customer, what result are they looking to achieve from buying your art or using your services, how will that new commissioned painting make them FEEL? Are you solving a problem for your clients?

An easy way for me to remember this is that your USP answers the all important question...Why should I buy from you?

I figured January is a great place to look at creating your USP as that should be the starting point of ALL of your marketing and branding. That being said it surprises me that only about 10% of businesses actually go through the grunt work required to come up with a solid unique selling proposition. (Have you ever looked at the income charts? There is a huge leap in the top 10%...might be a coincidence.)

In the book Reality in Advertising author Rosser Reeves laments that the U.S.P. is widely misunderstood. He gives a precise definition in three parts: 1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Not just words, not just product puffery, not just show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to each reader: “Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit.” (notice it is not feature driven-Tim) 2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique— either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field of advertising.

1-We are looking for something unique about your business that can stand out.

You can look through the phone book and see some examples of how not to do it. For the most part those ads will all be the same in a given industry.

2-See if you can address an unfulfilled need in the market that your product or service can fill. Look at common objections and complaints in your niche to get some insight. Find out your clients most frustrating experiences.

3-Take your notes from brainstorming and compose a piece that tells prospects how you are unique. This is a difficult task. If you are looking for an edge, going through this boring process is for you.

I have heard the advice, “Keep it short. Define your USP in one clear sentence.” I am not sure that is accurate.

A copywriting guru I did some courses with says that confusing a tag line with a USP is common. Yep, I am confused. Here is how he explained it. A tagline is usually a one sentence blurb to DESCRIBE your business. A Unique Selling Proposition is an explanation as to why your business is unique from any and all other similar businesses.

An easy way for me to remember this is that your USP answers the all important question...Why should I buy from you?

3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move customers to your product.

=$!D$7!H$!74!>$!)%$,3!7-636*>!$,-!$7*J!P4-4!)-4! !"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

!=$O4!>$$H!I,--4*3!4V)O9(4@!$C !9-$H,I3@!763D!)!

I(4)-!;=?!)-4M •

Head & Shoulders: “You get rid of dandruff”

•

Olay:

“You get younger-looking skin”

=$O4!,*6<,4!9-$9$@636$*@!3D)3!74-4!96$*44-@!7D4*!

3D4'!74-4!6*3-$H,I4HM •

Domino’s Pizza: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less -- or it’s free.”

•

FedEx: “When your package absolutely, positively has to get there overnight”

•

M&M’s: “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand”

•

Wonder Bread: “Wonder Bread Helps Build Strong Bodies 12 Ways

So again the goal is to answer the question, “Why should I buy from you as opposed to your many competitors?”

What makes you different / better than the others?

Just write as you think. Even if it takes a paragraph answer the question. Then you can refine, quantify and distill it to something memorable.

So hopefully this will encourage you to spend the time developing your unique selling proposition. Get a few books from the library, research online, conquer most frequently asked question dealing with marketing message that comes from small business owners.

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

DIGITAL ART FOR BEGINNERS )"$*+(,-+".*$

F

rom a very young age, I enjoyed drawing and painting and was completely content with that until the day I found ®Corel Painter and realized I could create beautiful art on my computer. I turned a deaf ear to my colleagues that told me digital art was not art, something deep inside told me that this was a new frontier just waiting to be discovered.

The next question was where to begin? As I started my research, I found that there were many options for learning how to paint digitally; the hardest part was to find what worked for me and what will ultimately work for you.

Classes are taught by highly qualified digital artists and software professionals. If you enjoy working with other students and a live instructor who offers help and guidance, then this is the place for you. Classes are very reasonably priced and DAA is a Corel Training Partner.

“…something deep inside told me that this was a new frontier just waiting to be discovered.”

For the beginner Painter student, this can be a difficult journey. From the experiences of my own journey, I would like to share some of the best resources for learning how to paint with pixels.

Years have passed since I first picked up the stylus.

Today, there is so much more available to us, offering the beginning digital artist the opportunity to really discern about how they want to learn to paint digitally and what works best for them.

Y*(6*4!F()@@-$$O!S-)6*6*>!

Digital Art Academy Online classes vary from site to site but, what you can expect at Digital Art Academy is a personal experience with plenty of support along the way. Classes run six times a year and each session last four weeks. Generally, each week your instructor will give you a written lesson and a video which you can download to your computer and view at your convenience. Your classroom is accessible to you twenty-four hours a day and your instructor is there to support you and answer your questions in a forum venue.

DAA was founded in 2007 as a center of creative excellence, where art, passion and talent converge with some of the best digital artists, nurturing the finest digital artists of tomorrow. The mission is to empower students to realize their fullest potential in the fields of Digital Artistry, Content Creation and most of all, Creative Expression.

!"#$"%&'()*)

TZ=!Y*(6*4 LVS Online is a pioneer for online training and offers a smorgasbord of opportunities to learn Painter as well as other software. Although not focused specifically on Digital Art; you will find affordable online training for Painter by Elaina Moore-Kelly as well as other creative applications.

Paint box J: Jeremy Sutton recently launched this wonderful site where members can learn from his techniques and inspirations while obtaining advice from one of the foremost Painter Masters. The site offers video and in-depth articles all about digital art. Most recently, Jeremy added a new critique section where members can learn from each other as well as share. Jeremy takes this opportunity to offer practical in-depth analysis and advice that is relevant to all PaintboxJ members. Critiques are offered on a monthly basis.

G$-K@D$9@!)*H!G4%6*)-@ For the student who enjoys a hand on approach to learning, the digital art community is full of wonderful artists who offer hands on workshops on a continual basis. Not only are many of these workshops onsite but, some are

U)-6('*!=D$(6* +4-4O'!=,33$*

B**!F)-34-!

P)->-$54

+$D*!&4--'

\)-4*!=94-(6*>

=I$33!&4)-H$-CC

P4)3D4-!U6ID4((4! #L$4-@D$(

P4(4*!:)*I' +6((![)-(

Q)'!=6-K6@

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

being offered over the internet using various webinar providers such as Go To Webinar. For those who have the means to travel, workshops are wonderful ways to learn for the beginner. Here are just a few of the many talented digital artists to help you get started on your journey.

Q$-,O@!)*H!#($>!=634@ Forums offer a student support and a community which they can feel a part of. There are some excellent forums available to the beginner however, one word of advice - study the forum before you join, make sure it will be a good fit for you, a place where you can grow and not feel intimidated. Look for support from other members and, most of all, make sure that it is a place that offers guidance, knowledge and a little hand holding. This can go a long way to create a comfortable place to meet new friends and learn from the best. There are many excellent forums; here are a few choices which offer the beginning digital artist a great place to learn and to feel supported as they learn.

authors a wonderful blog to follow with helpful information and resources for the digital artist.

Pixel Alley Founded by Jinny Brown, Pixel Alley is one of the primary educational forums on the web. Jinny offers support to users of Painter with many interesting and enlightening links.

#$$K@!)*H!&Z&!S-)6*6*> Perhaps you learn best by watching a video, DVD or reading a book. Artists tend to be visual learners so DVD’s and books are a great alternative to travel or going on the web. There are many wonderful training DVD’s available to you to use with Corel Painter and Corel Painter Essentials. These products offer a solid fundamental approach to learning the software. I have highlighted some of my favorites for learning Corel Painter.

Jeremy Sutton

Painter Factory Painter Factory is place for all things Painter. The forum is full of useful information and offers digital artists of all levels a high level of support. The forum is moderated

by Jinny Brown.

Digital Painting Forum

Learning Corel Painter X with Jeremy Sutton Painter X Creativity

Cher Threinen-Pendarvis Painter Wow book series

A fee based forum primarily focused on Painter. The forum offers a wide variety of support for the professional and beginner digital artist as well as the armature and professional photographer. The forum founder is Painter Master Marilyn Sholin. Digital Painting forum offers gallery space to showcase your work.

Painter Talk Painter Talk is a free forum dedicated to digital art. It is a special place for learning and growing in a supportive and friendly digital art community. Painter Talk offers a Gallery to showcase your work.

John Derry Painter 11 Essential Training My final advice to the beginner digital artist is to take the time to find what works for you; look for instructors that encourage you to be the best you can be, instructors that challenge you and help you see your full potential. It has been a wonderful journey for me to see the growth in the digital art community and the generous support from many of the finest instructors and artists who give of their knowledge and talent so graciously.

Concept Org A web based community of artists who are focused on helping members learn about art and showcase their work.

John Derry Pixlblog John Derry is a pioneer of digital painting and one of the original authors of Corel® Painter. John

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

!"#$%&'()$*+!%,%+'-+"#.*#'$%%'#,%(/ !"#$%&''() M

of us are brush junkies. We must have the latest brush category even though we may never use it. We proudly load it and marvel at the ever expanding list of brush categories we see when we click on our Brush Selector. And, we are frustrated to find many of our variants painfully slow.

OST

I was chatting with a friend a couple of nights ago, and she was complaining about my Real Watercolor 2 and Soft Water custom watercolor brushes being too slow.

She loved the brushes, but said that they were all but useless. We were connected through Go To Meeting, so I asked to see her screen and watch her use the brushes.

What I saw was a nightmare. My friend would make a stroke and while waiting for the stroke to render she brushed her hair or wrote a note; she did anything to keep from staring at the screen in disgust. Together we unfairly vilified the program, but the solution resided only a few clicks away and Painter was not the fault. We moved the watercolor brushes into a separate library and a shocking miracle happened. I am not kidding; the brushes flowed across the canvas with astonishing speed.

Why? In the Painter Help file, you will find the following entry:

#-,@D!T6%-)-64@!)*H!U4O$-'!;@)>4!

Brushes are loaded into memory when you open Corel Painter, so adding brushes to the default brush library increases the need for RAM. If you’re working close to the memory threshold, you can organize new brushes into secondary libraries. It is also a good idea to limit the number of items in each library.

When you want a different brush set, just switch libraries. This helps Corel Painter be more efficient with memory usage, and makes it is easier to find a particular item.

The problem is and has always been that most of us load our brush categories into Painter’s default library putting a huge load on our RAM and slowing the efficiency of Painter. Some of us load in the library under the Program Files using the following path:

!"#$%"&&'()*+(,-.%/%#,01'%/%2*(-+10%33%456%/% 708.91.%/%2*(-+10%708.91. !"#$"%&'()*)

:(-;,<.%52$%%20,=0*>%?('1.%/%#,01'%/%2*(-+10% 33%456%/%708.91.%/%2*(-+10%708.91. :(-;,<.%@%,0%A(.+*$%20,=0*>%?('1.%4BCD6%/%#,01'% /%2*(-+10%33%456%/%708.91.%/%2*(-+10%708.91.

The rest of us load custom brushes into the same library under the User Folders. Here are the paths:

!"#$%E.10.%/%FE.10%G*>1H%/%I(J0*0K%/%"&&'()*L +(,-%M8&&,0+%/%#,01'%/%2*(-+10%33%456%/%N1O*8'+% F,0%)8.+,>%<,0P.&*)1%-*>1H%/%708.91.%/%2*(-+10% 708.91. :(-;,<.%52$%N,)8>1-+.%*-;%M1++(-=.%/%FE.10% G*>1H%/%"&&'()*+(,-%N*+*%/%#,01'%/%2*(-+10%33% 456%/%N1O*8'+%F,0%)8.+,>%<,0P.&*)1%-*>1H%/% 708.91.%/%2*(-+10%708.91. :(-;,<.%@%,0%A(.+*$%E.10.%/%FE.10%G*>1H%/% "&&N*+*%/%Q,*>(-=%/%#,01'%/%2*(-+10%33%456%/% N1O*8'+%F,0%)8.+,>%<,0P.&*)1%-*>1H%/%708.91.%/% 2*(-+10%708.91.

Notice that all paths end with Painter Brushes. That is the name of the default brush library. We do not need to place all of our custom brushes into this library; in fact, it is recommended that we create separate libraries for them. Guess what? It is surprisingly easy.

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

506,

S$!($)H!I,@3$O!%-,@D4@!6*3$!3D4!*47!%-,@D!(6%-)-'M

M1'1)+,0R X,' T51560'I,*;%708.9%I(J0*0KS

To recognize a custom brush category, Painter needs to see two items in the library folder. First, it must see a 30 x 30 pixel jpeg that is used as the icon by the Brush Selector. Second, it must find the custom brush folder, which holds numerous files describing the variants in the category. If either of these is missing, Painter will not see the custom brush category.

*,' ?"K./"05'07'095'A".#05%'1.<%"%&'09"0'971-:'&7$%' 6$:073'<%$:9'6"05/7%&, (,' T51560'095'6$:073'<%$:9'J71-5%'"#-'.0:'6732"#P .7#'C25/'"#-'37K5U-7'#70'672&U29&:.6"11&'37K5' 095'0+7'.053:'07'095'#5+'<%$:9'1.<%"%&,''T55'5V"3215:F Now that we have loaded our custom brushes into a cus-

Y,' Z#'095'R%$:9'W.<%"%.5:'272P$2'+.#-7+O':51560' 095'W.<%"%&'7J'&7$%'697.65,''Z#'09.:'5V"3215'095%5' .:'7#1&'7#5'697.65'7095%'09"#'095'-5J"$10O'A".#05%' R%$:95:,

[,' L1.6;'7#'095'-%72-7+#'6"05/7%.5:'35#$'7J'095' R%$:9':515607%'"#-'&7$'+.11':55'7#1&'0+7'6"05/7P %.5:O'\5"1'Q"05%6717%:'"#-'T7J0'+"05%,

tom library, it is time to load the library in Painter and watch our watercolor brushes zip around the canvas.

I,*;%*%#8.+,>%I(J0*0K *,' W"$#69'A".#05%'"#-'725#'"'#5+'-76$35#0,'' Q"05%6717%'+7%;:'<5:0'"0'17+5%'%5:71$0.7#:, (,' L1.6;'7#'095'-%72-7+#'35#$'7J'095'708.9% !"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

],' T51560'"'6"05/7%&'"#-'095#'61.6;'7#'095'-%72P -7+#'35#$'J7%'095'K"%."#0:'"#-'&7$'+.11':55'09"0' &7$%'K"%."#0:'"%5'"11'.#'21"65'.#'"'#5+'1.<%"%&,'' R5/.#'07'2".#0,''ZJ'&7$':&:053'9":'<55#'K5%&':17+' .#'095'2":0O'&7$'+.11'#70.65'"'/%5"0'.32%7K535#0,'' ZJ'97+5K5%O'&7$'"%5'#70'9.00.#/'095'65.1.#/'7#'&7$%' \IEO'&7$'+.11'2%7<"<1&'#70'#70.65'3$69'.3P 2%7K535#0,

S69M!U$56*>!%43744*!%-,@D!(6%-)-64@

ies every time we want to change variants. Good news, it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessary. All we have to do is create a custom palette with at least one variant from each library. It does not have to be a variant from each category, just from each library.

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

When you select a variant from this custom palette, its library will automatically load quickly and easily. Create this custom palette with your workflow in mind. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to follow this example. Have fun with your speedy watercolor variants.

Most of us would go nuts having to load brush librar-

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

Creating a Portrait in Painter from a Casual Snapshot ,"$/"$"(01123-+(4"$&3--.

Skill Level: Intermediate. Assumes familiarity with Corel Painter What you’ll need: Corel Painter and Wacom Tablet • Photo of your choosing. One you have taken, have retrieved from any of the stock photo sites, or one you have permission to use. The one I’m using was a stock image.

• French watercolor paper for texture • Brushes: Real 2B pencil in Painter 11, for sketching (Thick and Thin pencil in other Painter ver sions)

Notice the texture showing from the French watercolor paper when you use the dull charcoal. The texture is more subtle, but still there, when the charcoal is blended with the grainy water blender. Try other paper textures and select one you like.

Set the grain of both brushes to between 9-12%. The grain shows well at these settings.

Set the opacities of both brushes between 25-40%. Both the dull charcoal and the water blender respond very well to pressure of the pen on the tablet.

As you find brushes you like, put them into a custom palette. You can always add to it with brushes of your choice, or delete any you don’t want to use.

Dull Charcoal Pencil Real Bristle Fan Brush Grainy Water Blender Charcoal Pencil Digital Watercolor Spatter Water Brush The best way to discover what brushes you want for any painting is to open a separate canvas and play with a few…

?()I4!3D4!?D$3$!)*H!&-)7!$-!S-)I4 Open a new canvas. This one is 8x10 inches at 300 ppi (pixels per inch). The background color is optional. Mine opens with a grey-blue, but that color will be removed after I’ve done the sketch.

Place photo on canvas and leave on its own layer.

Adjust until you have the crop you want to use. Then

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

drop the layer onto the canvas and save as the reference photo. Equalize it, increasing the saturation if you need

two layers as one, again setting the composite method to gel. Save and save often.

I selected colors from the reference photo and brushed the ones I wanted to use onto the drawing layer, where I could easily select the paints I needed. LOCK THE DRAWING LAYER.

#4>6*!3D4!?)6*36*> Open a new layer, under the gel drawing layer.

On the painting layer, using the dull charcoal brush, block in the skin colors, beginning with the lightest.

Blend lightly with the grainy water brush.

Bounce back and forth between the two brushes as you lay in darker shades with the dull charcoal and blend with the water to create form. to see more colors. Lighten and brighten if you need to see the features more clearly. I did both.

I’ll keep this file open in the corner of my workspace as I paint. It’s a reference for colors as well as for line and placement.

Quick clone the reference image, and save the cloned copy as your painting file.

I named my reference file 00reference-photo-sisters. jpg and the cloned copy painting-sisters_001.rif. That’s so I can keep any layers I add and use the iterative save as I go.

Making a quick clone ensures the painting and reference files are exactly the same size, just in case the drawing layer on the painting file gets lost. (Ouch, but it happens sometimes.)

With the reference image as the clone source, add a layer, composite method Gel, and begin the sketch with your pencil. I traced, with the clone source visible.

I sketched each girl on her own layer so I could bring their heights closer together. Then I collapsed the

Watch the reference layer as you paint. (Don’t worry, you can clone back in if you mess up.

Paints are messy, after all. But you should be alright with the drawing layer to guide you.)

Use the Real Bristle Fan brush to block in the hair.

(You’ll love that brush for hair.)

Blend quickly and lightly with water brush (you don’t want to completely hide the bristles you got with the fan brush), stroking in the direction the hair is flowing.

Lay in colors for the tank tops too – I used light blues to slightly shadow the tops – they will fade out to nothing in the finished painting.

]'4@!)*H!T69@ I lay colors into the eyes with the

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673

drawing showing at low opacity. Notice the reference image is also moved so I can see what I’m working on in the painting.

on and off frequently to see how things are progressing, since I won’t be using it at all for the final painting.

!"#"$%&'%(&%)"*&+,&-)$'.$/('0%"#1&$23(&4"#($&5"'%& '%(&0%)*02)4&6(#0"4&78&-24425"#1&'%(&9*)5"#1:&;2#<'& 92&)&42':&=2>&?>$'&5)#'&$23(&$>11($'"2#: The bubbles, made with the digital watercolor spatter water brush, is just fun, and adds a bit of whimsy. Since this is not an exact photographic painting, a little whimsy is fun. Set the hue slider up in the Color Variability palette (in Brush Controls in PainterX, in Windows Color Palettes in Painter 11) and have even more fun.

Eyes finished, drawing is closed.

To finish the painting, equalize it. Sharpen it at about 3%. Brighten and Contrast it just enough to get what you like. Sign it and print.

Below are two screenshots -- both the same – showing the drawing layer open and closed. I toggle the drawing © Barbara Ellison Hartsook 2010

!"#$"%&'()*)

+++,-./.0"12".#03"/"4.#5,673