The Painter 8 Wow! Book (WOW!)

I just bought this book based on the reviews before me. After reading a bit & skimming the whole thing (was delivered yesterday), I picked up a hundred new ideas on how 2 create & work with images. This is far better than searching through online tutorials. For those of you who know that you can create anything with the software but can't imagine what steps 2 take, this is your ticket 2 how 2 do it. Buy it.

I have about five years of computer graphics experience & have purchased quite a few reference & 'how to' books along the way 2 help me better understand the use of the programs I own. Without a doubt this has been the most helpful book I've ever come across.

Put together with consideration 4 the Painter beginner like myself, this book has been FILLED with beautiful, full-color examples so that each step was easy 2 follow & understand. While it also explored more of the Painter 8's functions than the user manual Corel packaged with the program, many other accomplished Painter artists contributed their techniques which made this book very rich.

Cher's WOW book filled my learning experience with excitement instead of frustration & will remain a useful guide even after I'm more experienced. Thank you Cher & everyone 4 all the hard work & talent that went into its creation!

Sincerely,

Please don't base your decision 2 buy this book on the review below. The brushes & CD are NOT on a 30 day trial. The actual Corel program is a 30 day Demo. It's a shame that reviewer gave this book 1 star because of this.

That being said...the brushes are fantastic. The CD-Rom even comes with movies, stock libraries of images & a bunch of other extras.

This book is indispensable as a resource 4 both inspiration & new techniques. Plus it's nice 2 see how other artists go about creating art.

Actually, the book is probably great. However, I gave it one star solely 2 alert consumers 2 the fact that the CD that comes with the book is just a 30 free trial. I guess this means the whole CD vanishes after that period of time?. Don't know yet.
The brushes are nothing short of outstanding. Too bad I can only use them 4 30 days. Nothing can be saved, & I am not computer savy enough 2 convert the CD 2 a permanent status in my computer. ...

I paint with Painter since version 5.5 of Metacreations, & I
have the Painter 6 Wow Book too, this new book of Cher is
excellent & much better than the former.

It was a pleasure 2 learn new tecniques & tips, & also
the fortunate owners have a lot of goodies in the Cd.

I highly recommend this book.

Looking 2 trade in your paintbrush 4 a mouse? Or a pressure-sensitive tablet & stylus? The Painter 8 Wow Book is the definitive guide 4 making the transition from traditional 2 digital art using Corel Painter 8. Author Cher Threinen-Pendarvis, an expert & instructor in both Painter & Photoshop, translates traditional artistic techniques so you can apply them using Painter¿s natural-media brushes & effects. Beyond that, she demonstrates exciting new media mixes & special effects that would be nearly impossible 2 accomplish without the computer. Clear, step-by-step instructions, hundreds of full-color illustrations, & inspirational galleries of painterly works by top artists, designers, and, photographers make mastering Painter both fun & easy. The book is bound 2 boost your creativity with Painter 8¿s powerful tools, as you learn from the artist who created more than 400 new brushes included with Corel Painter 8. The Painter 8 Wow! Book includes expanded chapters focusing on:

• The new, streamlined, easier-to-use interface
• New high-performance brushes 4 more creative painting
• Cool special effects 4 type & graphics
• Web graphics & printmaking
• Improved portability 2 & from Adobe Photoshop, with tons of real-world tips 2 help you build on your Photoshop experience 2 get the most out of Painter

Some people buy the book just 4 the accompanying CD-ROM, which comes loaded with over a hundred custom brushes & papers built by the author, recorded scripts 4 applying effects, stock photographs, & video clips, & a trial version of Corel Painter 8. On the CD-ROM you¿ll also find the Painter 8 Wow! Study Guide, an instructor¿s guide designed 2 help you use the book 4 self-study or as a textbook 4 classes in computer imaging, digital art, & design using Corel Painter. The book also provides a companion Web site at http://peachpit.com/wow/painter, which offers valuable supplemental information, including cool tips & techniques & a Painter art gallery featuring work by some of the medium¿s most talented artists.