Paint Shop ProCorel is the current publisher and their latest version is PSP Photo X2.  The full version is under $100.00 and it approaches Photoshop full version in power. From what I can determine it is a much more powerful and versatile program than Elements - OK - enough comparisons to Photoshop - maybe. When this site was started it was my intention to do as many Paint Shop Pro tutorials as possible but the version of PSP that I had was such a resource hog it was not worth the time. A simple brush stroke seemed to take forever. Sadly, Paint Shop Pro is only available for Windows. The new version seems to be working faster (but not as fast as Photoshop) so let's take a look at how to achieve fabulous results with PSP. The Workspace  To
me this is a fabulous looking screen and completely different from what
I am used to seeing. Everything is white writing on a
gray-black
background and that is impressive.
The screen may look intimidating to a new user but it really is quite easy to use once you get the hang of it. On the left of the workspace is the Learning Center and includes tabs to:
 Now this is really neat - when you select any tool from the Tool Bar then the Learning Center displays instructions on how best to use that tool and a few tips as well. This is the Saturation Brush tool panel and it tells you what you need to know to use this tool effectively. What a fabulous idea! Here's what I found about this panel. I was experimenting with different tools and was annoyed that I couldn't locate the keyboard shortcut to change brush size. I looked at the tips and what do ya know - there it was - "Press Alt and drag to resize brush." What a quick and easy way to change brush size! The right side of the screen is where the majority of the palettes live. You can have them visible or not and select the ones you want in the Palette drop down menu.  My favorite, of couse, is the palette that sets the Brush Dynamics for your Bamboo or Intuos tablet and it is called Brush Variance (the same name PSP has used in previous versions). There are nine different options for the brushes, each of them the options has twelve different settings available and the jitter of each option can be adjusted as well. No one I have ever spoken to really seems to understand what jitter means. I'm sure it is important somewhere and sometime. This is an impressive group of palettes when you have a tablet (Bamboo or Intuos) installed. The palettes are ...
So far PSP Photo X2 looks pretty darn good. As I mentioned earlier it is probably the best value in the digital editing category and well worth your consideration. The only complaint I would have is that PSP seems to be somewhat of a resource hog on my system at least. The program does and impressive job but a bit slower than I would like. And oh - did I mention that it only works on Windows? Brush Variance  The Brush Variance Palette is how you
change your brushes to react to pressure when you are using a Wacom
tablet.The pressure sensitivity and resolution of the Wacom tablet with Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 will help you create amazing results. Click the Brush Variance thumbnail to learn how to use this palette. PSP Clone Tool  The Clone Tool is
versatile and will produce excellent results if you know how to use it
correctly.Click the image to learn more about the PSP Clone Tool and the two other removal tools - the Scratch Remover and the Object Remover. Mako  ver
Paint Shop Pro has a group of very powerful and easy to use Makeover Tools. They are all located in one place so it makes it really easy to apply them to an image. After the makeover is applied you can continue with Skin Smoothing and some final tuning to create a fabulous portrait. Click the thumbnail to go to the Makeover page. PSP Lineart  This
is a neat technique that's a lot of fun. It's also versatile
as
you can make changes to the settings and create a completely different
look.Amaze your friends and family by creating a line art image from a photograph! Click the thumbnail to learn how to use this technique. PSP Airbrushing  This
is a technique adapted from a Photoshop tutorial. Airbrushing
differs from the Makeover Tools technique because it tends to provide a
more natural outcome.Click the thumbnail to learn about this technique. Creating a Reflection  This
tutorial will lead you through the steps required to create a
reflection under a simple object. It's a fun
technique and
you can create some outstanding results.Click on the thumbnail to visit the Paint Shop Pro reflection page. PSP Photo Restoration  Restoring priceless
old family photographs can be a real challenge.Paint shop Pro Photo X2 makes the job much easier with a couple of really unique tools. Click on the thumbnail to learn how to use these tools to restore your old photographs. Eliminating Shine  One
of the biggest challenges for photographers is the annoying
shine
that magically appears on noses and foreheads and chins.It is relatively easy to eliminate shine using the tools in Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. Click on the thumbnail to find out how easy it is to get rid of those shiny spots. Return to Home Page from Paint Shop Pro Page.
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