Press Releases & Other News

Corel Painter Featured in eSchool News Article

kellylm — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:29:00 GMT

Check out the Painter shout-outs from two educators - one a high school teacher, and one a college professor!!

eSchoolNews

Fri, Sep 19, 2008

Technology makes art education a bigger draw

Sophisticated software and new online collaborations are helping students of all abilities acquire key art concepts and skills
By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor, eSchool News

Primary Topic Channel: Art

University of the Arts students are using technology to create images such as the one seen here.

In art, as in life at large, technology has changed everything – or, more precisely, almost everything.

In art classes at schools and universities today, new and emerging software is rendering art appreciation and even actual artistic production accessible to a far greater number of interested students and aspiring artists than ever before.

In the classic approach, talented apprentices toil under the tutelage of a highly skilled master to perfect their skills and learn the fundamentals of their art. That approach works well for the talented few but not so well for those who lack dogged desire or raw native talent. It also imposes strict limits on the number of individuals permitted to benefit from the wisdom, skill, and experience of the master.

To a remarkable degree, technology in the service of art and art education is changing all that.

With the rise of technology in art education, some might fear that traditional media, such as charcoal drawing and oil painting, are being shunted aside in favor of software-based creations, but the art educators who spoke with eSchool News said certain software programs and emerging web-based collaborations are helping establish a strong base of conceptual understanding--regardless of raw manual or technical talent. This enables a far wider range of students to appreciate art. It also encourages and facilitates the acquisition of more advanced, traditional techniques and skills by far more talented beginners.

Consider Stephanie Reese, a technology teacher at Notre Dame Preparatory High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. For the past 12 years, she, has been using Corel Painter, software designed to mimic traditional painting.

"I use art in the classroom to teach everything from communication and desktop publishing to web design and in yearbook classes," she said. "We're using it for students to be able to tell a story, and this allows them to do it visually. Whether they use video or artwork, they still manipulate the medium and create something that's a story."

Reese uses Painter software to teach different concepts--including 3D animation modeling, 3D figures for geometry, and sculpting for anatomy classes--and also to teach color theory.

Although Reese currently teaches students in grades 9-12, she has taught classes ranging from the elementary-school level up through undergraduate college courses.

"It doesn't matter the age; these kids are so technology adept that all you have to do is show them the basics and they just take off," she said. "I think [technology] can replace some of the traditional forms of art instruction, but I think there's a need for the tactile feel of clay and paint, and getting dirty--it's a real need. Until some of the software has a more haptic feel to it, that need is going to continue to be there--and I can take clay and teach something that I can't teach with a computer program."

She added: "I don't think technology is replacing traditional art instruction, but I think it's a really good piece to use alongside it. ...It's really a skill they need to go on and be competitive with the rest of the world."

The educators eSchool News spoke with agree it's possible to strike a balance between maintaining use of traditional artistic techniques and learning new technology-based techniques, such as digital imaging.

Pennsylvania's University of the Arts (UA) introduced digital image making into its curriculum about 10 years ago, and students use Corel Painter in select courses while still adhering to traditional artistic techniques.

"I think we're still hanging on to the traditional aspects of image making, and we think that makes the digital aspect of image making even better," said Mark Tocchet, chair of the university's illustration department.

UA students still practice traditional techniques, but "we try to stay as contemporary as possible … because that's what our students experience when they get to the workforce," he said.

UA's teaching staff emphasizes skills and content, instead of focusing on teaching a specific software program.

"If you teach students a program, in two years it's probably obsolete, but if you teach them to draw or paint, they're going to do well--whether it's drawing with a pencil or drawing with technology," Tocchet said.

UA students learn traditional artistic techniques through their sophomore year and then begin learning digital techniques in their junior and senior years.

"There are only so many courses and credits you can feed to students, and it's a tremendous amount of information, especially because of the influx of digital [technologies]--but I have to tell you, whether they're working traditionally or digitally, every year they seem to be doing better and better work," Tocchet said.

He also emphasized the importance of learning traditional skills first and keeping those skills as a base on which to build digital skills.

"What you learn, for instance, drawing in an anatomy class is indispensible when it comes to learning about design, composition, and line quality, and these are all things you think about when you're making a picture, whether traditionally or digitally," he said.

"Learning to be an artist these days is a very complicated thing," he added. "Our students have to have a body of work, but they also have to know how to market it, promote themselves, create web sites, have graphical design and production skills, and have a much keener sense of the marketplace--it's a very difficult thing."

Using technology in art classes also might help take the pressure off students--especially younger students--who enjoy art, but who feel they aren't talented enough to draw or paint.

"Too many people say, 'I can't draw,' but I constantly remind kids and adults that their creations don't have to be perfect," said Peter Reynolds, the founder and executive creative director of Fablevision.

"They just have to be 'perfect-ish,'" said Reynolds, referring to the phrase that spurred the idea for the company's most recent product, Animation-ish, a software program that lets people create "do-it-yourself" animation.

Fablevision partnered with Montreal-based Toon Boom to create Animation-ish, which uses a three-tiered system to help people of all skill levels create animation. Fablevision is planning to launch an online social-networking community connecting Animation-ish users, and the company is also working on an annual animation festival.

The software "has lit the creativity fire for so many of my students--especially those who struggle to communicate their rich thinking through more traditional means," said Wade Whitehead, a fifth-grade teacher in Roanoke, Va.

"It...permits kids to create original and meaningful drawings, doodles, and even complex animations. It encourages exactly the kind of adventurous, blank-page thinking I try to generate in my classroom."

Robb Ponton, an instructional technology resource teacher in the Williamsburg-James City County, Va., Public Schools, has used DrawPlus from Serif, a desktop publishing, design, and graphics software company, for 13 years.

The Serif Design Suite includes PagePlus X3, WebPlus X2, PhotoPlus X2, and DrawPlus X2. The suite also offers free teacher resources to accompany the program, such as lesson plans, guides, handout sheets, and project and presentation ideas.

Ponton said students in his district use DrawPlus not only in creative arts classes, but also in core subject areas to create and animate illustrations for concepts ranging from chemistry compounds to Spanish verbs.

"The students are so much more creative and come to more clearly understand the subject matter [using DrawPlus]," he said.

As part of his role, Ponton helps teachers learn how to incorporate technology into their lessons.

In one elementary school lesson, Ponton shows students a professional artist's drawing and then uses DrawPlus to break the image down into its basic shapes. Students are told to put those shapes back together, and in the process, they begin learning how basic shapes can be used to create more complicated images.

DrawPlus offers pre-defined shapes, which Ponton said is beneficial for students who might not have top-notch drawing abilities themselves. This helps keep such students engaged, he explained, whereas before, they might have lost interest out of frustration.

"Students learn more when they draw something for themselves," Ponton said. "The software gives teachers a crucial 'hands-on' component to their lessons."

Some companies are working to connect professionals with students who might be interested in entering the digital arts.

The IPAX education program, from Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation, recently announced a new online mentoring program set to begin this winter.

The three-month program, called Animation Mentor, will pair top students from 18 IPAX member schools from around the world with top Sony Pictures artists, who will provide online mentoring, training, and guidance. Animation Mentor's mentor-apprentice teaching model and online learning platform will let Sony mentors help students develop their skills and grow their craft. Tools will include live video conference question-and-answer sessions with mentors, video guest lectures with industry experts, and eCritiques, in which mentors provide video commentary while drawing directly on the student's work to illustrate their concepts.

One goal of the program is to help students develop and sharpen the skills they will use in digital-arts careers.

"We're very excited about this opportunity to showcase how IPAX schools can work together to develop cooperative and collaborative programs that will propel aspiring digital artists forward in their careers," said Barry Weiss, senior vice president of animation and artist development and chair of the IPAX collaboration initiative.

And professional tips can do wonders for a young artist's development and self-confidence.

"There is nothing more valuable than the guidance a professional can give a budding animator who is honing [his or her] craft," said Bobby Beck, chief executive officer and co-founder of Animation Mentor. "This partnership really validates the teaching model Animation Mentor embodies and the technology we've created to support an incredible learning experience--no matter where you are on the planet."

IPAX and Sony representatives say the program represents a chance for IPAX member schools to engage future visual-effects and animation professionals with the mentor-apprenticeship learning model. Top students from the 18 IPAX member schools will be selected through an application process, in which student work is reviewed by Sony artists and matched with an appropriate Sony mentor.

The program is designed specifically for advanced students who are working on a range of special projects, including short films, animation, or visual effects. Sony mentors will give students individual feedback to help guide their work and perfect their skills over the course of the program.

Links:

Corel to Showcase Corel Painter X at Comic-Con International 2008

kellylm — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:23:00 GMT

Ottawa, ON – July 15, 2008 – Corel Corporation (NASDAQ:CREL; TSX:CRE), a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, today announced that it will be showcasing Corel® Painter^TM X, the world’s most powerful Natural-Media® painting and illustration software, at booth #5402 at Comic-Con International 2008 in San Diego from July 24 - 27, 2008.

Corel Painter X is a next-generation art studio that offers a broad range of painting, sketching and illustration tools that blurs the line between traditional and digital art like never before. Artwork created with Painter X has appeared in films, comic books and video games that are favorites of Comic-Con attendees. Artists have used Painter X’s innovative composition tools and the revolutionary RealBristle™ Painting System to create images for everything from simple sketches to a fan fiction book to concept art for the recent Star Wars® motion pictures.

"Realism is paramount for any artist involved in the entertainment industry," said Rob MacDonald, Product Manager for Corel Painter. "Painter’s comprehensive toolset and superior performance give entertainment artists, commercial designers and photographers the ability to control the smallest details of their imagery, whether they are creating a dazzling shield for a superhero or the sinister mask of a frightening villain. With Painter X, artists can let their imaginations guide them as they create the exciting characters that inspire and entertain all of us."

Show your Facebook friends how much you love Painter!

kellylm — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:51:00 GMT

If you're on Facebook, why not add yourself as a 'fan' to the official Corel Painter fan page? Follow this link to get started - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corel-Painter/18862149282.

Corel® Painter™ X To Be Featured at WPPI 2008

kellylm — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:29:00 GMT

Three Painter Masters to Participate in Show’s “First Ladies of Photography” Panel

Ottawa, ON – March 5, 2008 – Corel Corporation today announced that it will be showcasing Corel® PainterTM X, the world’s most powerful Natural-Media® painting and illustration software, at booth #739 at the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) Convention and Tradeshow taking place in Las Vegas from March 12 - 20.

According to TheKnot.com, 2.4 million weddings are performed and $72 billion is spent each year on weddings in the United States. Professional photography, a crucial element in every couples’ wedding experience, consumes up to 10 percent of the total wedding budget. Through the blending of natural media elements with digital photographs, Corel Painter X provides professional photographers with new creative options and revenue streams by enabling them to offer their clients unique, highly personalized work that goes beyond the standard wedding photography packages.

“Painter X provides professional photographers with new creative options and new revenue streams, whether they are making subtle artistic enhancements to an image, creating dramatic painted portraits, or adding painted backdrops to their original photographs,” explained Robert MacDonald, Product Manager for Corel Painter. “We are excited to showcase Painter’s capabilities at WPPI and are very proud that three of our Painter Masters will be featured speakers at the conference’s ‘First Ladies of Photography’ panel.”

Painter Masters are creative professionals recognized for their unique vision, creativity and passion for their work. This year, three of Corel’s Painter Masters - Jane Conner-ziser, Maura Dutra and Helen Yancy - will be featured at the show’s First Ladies of Photography panel, taking place on Tuesday, March 18 at 8:30 p.m. Back by popular demand, this panel includes nine of the most recognized photographers in the industry and will focus on how each of the artists has succeeded in a highly competitive market. In addition to participating in the panel, Dutra will also be at the Corel booth (#739) throughout the conference to demonstrate how she uses Corel Painter X. During these demonstrations, she will be available to answer questions and discuss the benefits Painter X offers professional photographers who are looking for new ways to explore the digital medium and expand their range of photographic services.

Corel Painter X is the world's most powerful natural media painting and illustration software, delivering a next-generation art studio that blurs the line between traditional and digital art like never before. Working closely with photographers and other design professionals, the Painter X team explored the relationship between the artist's hand and the canvas. As a result, Corel Painter X has become the industry standard for digital painting and illustration, with the introduction of unparalleled performance, new composition tools and the revolutionary RealBristle Painting System.

For more information on Corel Painter X or to download a fully-functional trial version, please visit www.corel.com/painter. For more information about WPPI, please visit www.wppionline.com.

Corel Introduces The Painter Factory.com

kellylm — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:44:00 GMT

Online Community Connects Corel® Painter™ Artists Worldwide

Ottawa, ON – February 14, 2008 – Corel Corporation (NASDAQ: CREL; TSX: CRE), a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, today announced that it has launched The Painter Factory, a new online community open to all Corel® Painter™ artists and enthusiasts. This global community site is the newest in a series that Corel is launching to support its various user communities.

Through The Painter Factory, artists, designers, and photographers can share their ideas and projects, find solutions to design challenges, and provide feedback on Painter to the product’s design, development and marketing teams. The site provides members with a centralized location where they can access community news, participate in discussions in the Painter Discussion section and download content from the Painter Resources area. In addition, members can learn from some of Corel’s Painter Masters by reading their blogs on the site or viewing their latest works on the Factory Wall.

"We are thrilled to offer a forum where Corel Painter artists and those who simply love Painter can share their artwork, experiences and ideas with one another ," said Rob MacDonald, Product Manager, Corel Painter. "The Painter Factory has already attracted hundreds of members and we anticipate that this forum will continue to grow as members realize the benefits of communicating with other digital artists.”

For more information about Corel Painter X or to download the full-featured trial version, please visit www.corel.com/painterx .