After working with Photoshop for years, I found an old version of Corel Painter packed as a “freebie” with something I bought. I have long forgotten the “something”. However, I was so amazed by what Corel could do, even that old small version, that I bit the bullet and purchased the latest 9.5 version of Painter.
As an artist, I was able to create satisfying work immediately, but it took only minutes to feel comfortable with this fast moving program. Comparing it to Photoshop, it is quite intuitive to work with, makes sense, operates pretty much the same, in terms of sizing your work and color gradients. Both can utilize the Pantone Color System. There are many similarities, but Photoshop does not have a true artists’ mixing palette, nor a way to save favored color sets for future use. I can paint and do paint every day with Painter. Not an option for me with Photoshop as it is simply too painstaking. You can download a 30 day trial at Corel