bit-tech Shopping: Corel Painter IX

• Mac OS X 10.2.8
• Mac OS X 10.3
• Microsoft Windows 2000
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Rating: 8

Time with product: 3

Strengths: Nothing does what Painter does, that hasn't changed ? and it has incrementally increased the efficiency in treating pixels like liquid pigment.

Weaknesses: Doesn't offer as much control over the size and look of the palettes and other controls.

Summary: Painter IX is a big improvement over the last version I've used (7, I think) in many areas, and is well worth the purchase. Photoshop is great to paint with, but it is an all-around raster image creation program; Painter is focused sharply on reproducing the sensual perceptions of painting. The only area I can't give it the highest marks in is control over the visual representations of palettes: I shouldn't have to change my monitor's resolution to get a paint mixer large enough, I should be able to expand it to whatever size at whatever resolution I choose, and have more than one open if I choose. I should be able to quickly expand the size of the display type on the controls, yes even if the other big boys don't let you do this ? but they're not trying to create an "In the studio" type of user experience. That said, I'm having a great time using Painter and think it's an amazing application.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: amazing turn out.

Weaknesses: some features are complicated!

Summary: I recieved a digitalized computer tablet as a gift from a close friend of mine, and I had no idea what I was doing. A friend of mine owned a wacom tablet, so I was not completely new to the technology. I became a fan of digital art after looking at several fantasy illustrations. Corel Painter IX came as a trial with my tablet, and I became so attatched to it, that I decided to splurge and spend a couple weeks' pay to purchase the full version. The program is amazing, I do art in real life, and corel helps me express this art on screen. The interface, to some may be confusing, but after exploring and reading online tutorials, this program is definitely one that I would reccomend to other artists.

Rating: 2

Time with product: 1 Days

Strengths: Looked nice for two runs

Weaknesses: Does not run after second run

Summary: Corel once again shows their incompetance in distributing software - like they need it. We tested this software and yes it did seem to have some interestingly useful features, but only one problem -- it stopped running after the second execution. We then purchased the package -- taking the plunge and hoping it would solve our problems. No luck. We contacted Corel via their on-line support service -- no response. We read numerous reports from sorry users like us with the same problem and no solution. So if you are considering buying this software beware, this is a company that does not have it all together. Unfortunately, this has been saddly the case with them for some time.What good is any brillant invention, if nobody can use it -- that indeed is not brillant at all.Don't waste your time trying this software only to be disappointed by poor support!