Painter 2022

MARK MAKING Corel’s flagship digital art software still targets those who are serious about being painterly, but makes concessions for beginner artists, too

Painter 2022 continues Corel’s goal to simulate the use and feel of real paint. There are few programs that can hold a wet brush to Corel’s software, so what’s new?

An overhaul and, some might say unnecessary, reorganisation of the Brush library is the first thing that grabs you. It’s perfect for beginners though, because every brush is now alphabetised and re-ordered into easy-to-remember categories.

Better still, use a filters search such as Watercolor Compatible and hey presto – a list of every compatible brush from every category appears. You can now add the texture of wetness to dry media brushes, directly on watercolor layers, too. The possibilities just rocketed in terms of experimenting with mixed media.

Another handy addition to the brush library is the Like button. You can keep a selection of your favourite brushes at hand in a custom palette, and the Brush Size library gives you easy access to your most-used sizes. If you know what you usually need before you start painting it’s now even easier to have everything at hand. If you draw comics for example, you may only use a couple of sizes and brushes to ink your art – now, your custom palettes mean your workflow is even smoother.