Creating Digital Art

[creativeimagesbyterri]

I love the look of photos edited to look like paintings, and I am contemplating purchasing a digital paint program. I don't have PhotoShop, as I use Photo Impact 11 for my editing. I know that Corel Paint IX is rather pricey and was wondering if anyone can recommend any other digital paint programs and do you have to actually know how to paint, draw, etc. to use these programs?

Thanks...
Terri

[trimoon]

I use Photoshop for My artwork.
Some example of My Work http://www.trimoon.com/lightbox%202/lightbox.htm

Steve

[creativeimagesbyterri]

Steve...your work looks great...my other question is do you have natural painting talents or does Photoshop "creat" it for you?

Thanks...
Terri

[valterj]

I love the look of photos edited to look like paintings, and I am contemplating purchasing a digital paint program. I don't have PhotoShop, as I use Photo Impact 11 for my editing. I know that Corel Paint IX is rather pricey and was wondering if anyone can recommend any other digital paint programs and do you have to actually know how to paint, draw, etc. to use these programs?

Thanks...
Terri

Try Virtual Painter 5
http://www.virtualpainter5.com/


See my Artwork at:
http://felinos.com.sapo.pt/Pinturas/

[gpaai]

Steve...your work looks great...my other question is do you have natural painting talents or does Photoshop "creat" it for you?

Thanks...
Terri

Hi Terri,

I can't speak for Steve, but can add my 2 cents. While Photoshop has a load of filters available to make a person's job easier, it will never create. That is always up to the individual using the program. I have seen a lot of images that a certain filter has been used an one can immediately say, "Yeah that was this or that filter."

It is when the artist using the program, (or even a combination of various programs and their filters) starts creating using many filters, some very subtly to create a piece of art.

On my Photoshopography I use a combination of Photoshop and Paint IX, (though I'm not really good at Paint IX yet.).

Gary

[jive4844]

I know just what you are talking about. I have been looking for programs like that myself. What I have found is this: Virtual Painter version 4 or 5 seems to be the easiest to get. Check out their site as they have try-out versions you can fool around with for 30 days (I believe) before buying. VP doesn't require any brush work on your part so if you are short on talent as I am it will work well. If you like to paint a bit, check out Deep Paint by Left Hemisphere software. It is a free program not nearly as good as Painter or Photoshop, but will give you the opportunity to try your hand at painting. Otherwise, there are a lot of artistic plugs in for photoshop on the web and if you ever get your hands on a copy of photoshop (it doesn't have to be a recent version) you could download the plugins that are compatable with the version you get. All of the sites I mentioned here can be found with google. Good Luck.

[photojaq]

Hi -

Check out the review of Adobe Plugins which work with Photo Impact but allow achieving artistic finishing look.

Virtual painter - http://www.thephotofinishes.com/jascvpaint4.htm
The Flaming Pear set of Plugins - http://thephotofinishes.com/plugrevFP
Xaos Paint Alchemy - http://www.xaostools.com/products/pamain.html

After that Corel Paint ix.5 is one of the best in the business for turning photo images into art. Check this review of its predecessor Painter IX:
http://thephotofinishes.com/cpix.htm

This is really fun area of photo finishing - lots appearing on the scene.