NaturePainter Digital Canvas Review by Bob Schwabach
Nationally Syndicated Columnist and writer of "On Computers"

A great paint program

November 2002, Week 4 - Just a few days ago my wife and I were talking about how we just don't see great programs from unknown companies anymore. A couple days later we got one. It's called "Nature Painter," for Windows, and it's available as a download from www.naturepainter.net for $25, or on a CD for $33.

This is not a drawing program, and it's not a paint program in the usual sense -- like the paint programs that come with Windows or Macintosh. It's a painting instruction program with tons of expert painting tools you can then go on and use yourself. The makers say it's a great way to learn about oil painting before you go out and invest in art supplies. I would say it's the equivalent of an art class on a disk. The tutorials will knock you out.

NOTE: A lot of people, myself included, have trouble drawing with a mouse. A better way (much better!) is drawing with a graphics tablet. They start around $100 and Wacom is the leading maker www.wacom.com. The low-end tablet comes with lots of software, a pressure sensitive drawing pen and a mouse.

( Read the full article: The On Computers column has been running continuously for 19 years. It is one of the largest circulation computer columns in the world and appears each week in 35 newspapers and news services in the U.S. and nine other countries. Readership is 15-18 million)

<- back to reviews