Do you use just one tool for your digital illustrator work? Then you're probably missing a trick. To be a truly great digital artist you need to keep your mind open to all possible techniques and tools - and that's exactly what the digital artists featured here have done.
These portraits have all been created using Corel Painter, currently on version X3, often in conjunction with other tools. Check them out for a burst of illustration inspiration...
01. Christine Garner
Self-employed for five years as a web designer, British artist Christine Garner is currently studying for a Foundation Art Diploma in Art, Media and Design at TCAT. She created this beautiful portrait study in Corel Painter X.
02. MaeTseThong
American artist MaeTseThong does a mean line in celebrity portraits with a difference. We especially like this deliciously dark take on rock star Jack White, created in Corel Painter 12.
03. Katarina Sokolova-Latanska
Ukranian digital artist Katarina Sokolova-Latanska's artwork has appeared in exhibitions across Europe as well as in countless book and magazines. A big advocate of Corel Painter, her illustrations have been used to advertise Corel Painter X since 2007.
04. Spx
We love this self-portrait by Australian digital artist Spx, which is reminiscent of the portraits of Lucian Freud. It was created using Corel Painter X, using a reference shot taken from a webcam.
05. Robert Chang
Robert Chang is an accomplished digital painter, photographer, comic artist and director, based in Fuzhou, China. His serene illustrations are created using Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter with the use of a graphics tablet. This illustration was used for the cover of the book d'artiste: Digital Painting, which he co-authored.
06. Caroline Font
French artist Caroline Font's portrait of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes was based on a still from the first episode of the BBC drama. It was illustrated using Corel Painter 11 on a Wacom Cintiq 12.
07. Christie Evenson
Christie Evans owns Digital Revision Photo, a photo retouching and digital art business. This intense and enchanting portrait of a little girl was painted on a Wacom tablet using various mediums and brushes within Corel Painter 9.
08. Garmend
Spanish artist Garmend created this evocative portrait of Harry Potter actress Emma Watson using Photoshop and Corel Painter.
09. Emi Sandu
Here's a self-portrait with a difference from Romanian artist Emi Sandu. Representing what he calls his "dual personality", it was created on a Wacom Bamboo using Corel Painter and Photoshop.
10. Paulo Duque Frade
You might not immediately recognise this as Star Wars character Padmé Amidala. But that subtle, subdued approach is exactly what we love about this portrait, created by Portuguese graphic designer and illustrator Paulo Duque Frade in Corel Painter.
Learn more about Painter
- Painter X3 review
- 10 new Painter X3 features
- The 10 best plugins for Corel Painter
- Painter X3: Perspective Tools
- Using the Reference Panel in Painter X3
- Easier brushes in Painter X3
- Top 10 techniques for using Corel Painter
- 10 inspiring artists using Painter today
- 10 inspiring sci-fi and fantasy scenes created in Corel Painter