Corel recently introduced a brand new app for learning photography on your tablet – PicturePerfect! With a stunning gallery of inspirational photos, personalized one-on-one instruction, built-in video and written tutorials, you have all the tools you need to learn the basics of photography or enhance your existing skill set.

Here are the top 5 reasons for expanding your photography skills this summer:

1. Summer yields the best lighting of the year! Longer days make for more natural light, and good weather means brighter days. Plus, mornings and evenings are best for landscapes, and summer extends these hours.
2. Summer means bright colours which make for more striking images to be captured.
3. The range of summer month activities provides diverse shooting opportunities – one of the most important components of photography.
4. Summer is the time of vacations and other important events, allowing for important memories to capture.
5. We’ll be releasing more photography and photo editing tutorials over the summer, so you can keep checking in to PicturePerfect for new learning material!

So check out PicturePerfect on your tablet – it’s the easiest way to learn photography!

Creating a card simply involves putting together various elements that fit well. You can create your own designs and elements from scratch, use some already loaded into your PaintShop Pro or use other products available on the internet, either as free downloads or purchased digital goods.

The foundation to creating a card starts with a template. You can find templates online, you can draw your own or use a tool to help you create a custom-sized one. A simple card just requires two rectangles, side by side, of the same size.

This is what the finished product will look like.

Embellish the right side (the front), and add whatever details you want to show on the left (the back). It’s that easy. Graphics and scrapbooking elements add life to your cards; they are varied and available for numerous themes.

In addition to creating the card to your own taste, you can also create a matching envelope, allowing you to have an unusual size or shape of card. And of course, with Paintshop Pro, you can also decorate your envelope in a way that will complement the card. No more boring solid-color envelope for your custom card!

The finished envelope.

The steps to create a custom card are simple:

• Create your basic template
• Decorate the template
• Print on cardstock from your own printer
• Cut, fold, glue
• Enjoy!

Have a look at how this card and envelope set was created using PaintShop Pro, and a few other supplies:

The script used to create the custom card and envelope templates is available HERE. The graphics are from Sweet Digi Scraps.

Once you’ve completed your card, you can enter it in my Father’s Day Card Contest for your chance to win a copy of PaintShop Pro X5!

Whether you are an artist and can create your own designs (maybe with Painter) or just a fan of digital crafts, card-making is easy, fun and lets your creativity go wild. And even better, you get to share that pleasure with someone who will know how much they mean to you. Like your Dad!

Have you designed a greeting card before? Who was it for? Tell us in the comments below.

Whatever you end up doing this summer, you probably want photos to remember it. Whether you’re going on a trip or staying home, PaintShop Pro can help you get the most out of your time. Here are five things you can do with PaintShop Pro this summer:

Share your trip

The Share My Trip feature in PaintShop Pro allows you to create an interactive map of everywhere you travelled on your vacation. It pulls location information from each picture, and places the photos on a slideshow laid out as a map.

No more “Where was this picture taken?” because you can see it as you view your pictures. This makes telling stories from your trip over and over again much easier!

Restore old photos

Maybe you plan on visiting family this summer. Next time you find old pictures in your parents’ house, you can bring them home with you, without your mom getting mad. All you need is a digital camera to digitize those old photos.

Once you have your photos on file, use PaintShop pro to restore them. Then you can do what most people do with their childhood photos, share them on Facebook.

Summarize your summer

Save time when telling stories about your pictures, or create an intro page to your scrapbook by summarizing all your vacation highlights into one image. This Facebook Cover photo tutorial is a great example of how you create a collage of pictures, designs and text that represent your summer.

Once you’ve created it, why not use it as your Facebook cover photo? Genius!

Create a photo wall

Take time this summer to update old family photos on the wall at home. No, you don’t have to pay for a professional photographer. You can touch up portrait shots or give each photo the same color effect all on your own.

PaintShop Pro has a variety of effects you can apply to your photos that will make them look like they were taken professionally. These effects include: Selective focus to add depth to your images, or sepia effect to give them a retro look.

Capture the sunset

I know what you’re thinking: More sunset photos to share on Facebook, that’s original. Well, when the sun sets at 9 pm instead of 4 pm, it’s a lot easier to enjoy.

Go out on your balcony, in your yard or to the beach and take some great sunset photos. You can combine multiple HDR images to get that perfect contrast of light and dark. This will make your sunset photos stand out among the crowd of others on the internet.

No matter what you have planned this summer, make sure you’ll remember it by getting the best photos possible!

What are your summer plans? Tell us in the comments below; we’d love to hear them!

Last year was a blast, and this year was no different. I made the trek (no pun intended) with several of my fellow nerds/Corel employees. This year, a crowd of over 30,000 geeks, comic book nuts and cosplayers showed up to celebrate all things sci-fi and fantasy. A lot of the people I spoke with were there to check out the various TV and film celebrities, including Nathan Fillion (of Firefly and Castle fame), Gillian “Whatchu Talkin’ ‘Bout Mulder?” Anderson (of The X-Files), Levar “Reading Rainbow” Burton (from Star Trek: The Next Generation), plus geek favorites Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day, not to mention Lando Calrissian himself, Mr. Billy Dee Williams.

This year was also a little different for me though, since I decided to take my six-month old son Iggy along with me (hey, you’ve got to indoctrinate them into the geek life early). I also donned a costume myself, becoming the masked avenger known only as… NERD MAN!

Nerd man and son rocking the Ottawa ComicCon. Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Citizen.

Once we got in inside, we discovered a veritable geektopia of comic books, t-shirts and toys. Of course, you could also wait in line to snag an autograph or mug for the camera next to your favorite celebrity (for a small fee, of course). I decided to hit up Artists’ Alley to snag some original prints and t-shirts. It turns out there were even a few creators on hand that I spoke with who used CorelDRAW and Painter.

In particular, I snagged a t-shirt from Robot Punch Apparel, a local Ottawa clothing line that incorporates retro sci-fi themes into their works. They have some very cool designs that walk a fine line between being pretty geeky and being something that you can probably wear without getting too many stares.

I also checked out some original vinyl creations from the good peeps at Washy Kong. They even took Iggy and I’s pictures to throw up on their Facebook page (after all, it’s not every day that you see a dude wearing a superhero outfit pushing a baby stroller).

I gotta say, it was really cool to see these designers and artists in action. There really are a ton of extremely talented individuals here in Ottawa and around the world who are making some impressive art – with a nerd-friendly touch of sci-fi and fantasy.

Stormpooper meets Stormtrooper.

After a day wandering around through the packed throngs of geekdom with a six-month old baby (you haven’t lived until you’ve changed a full diaper while wearing a superhero cape), I was pretty burned out. That being said, it was an unbelievable day. I scored some amazing swag, met some incredibly awesome people and – best of all – got the chance to share my love of all things geek with the next generation. Thanks for coming along for the ride, Iggy. Nerd Man… awaaaaaaaaaaay!

Are you a sci-fi and comic book fan? Post links to your photos, videos and art below!

Research

Thanks to the digital world we live in, it isn’t hard to learn a new skill. It can be as easy as a Google search, but it helps to know what you’re looking for.

Start by looking at websites or blogs about digital art. Along with videos and tutorials, most will have forums where you can learn certain methods from other artists. This is where a lot of beginners come to pick up tips and tricks, so you will not be the only one starting from scratch. Here are a few to get you started:

• Deviant Art
• CGS Society
• Artist Forum
• Corel Painter Lite website

Get the tools

After doing your research, you will probably come to the conclusion that it’s too soon to invest in professional digital art software. To ease yourself into this field, you need easy-to-use, reasonably-priced painting software, such as Painter Lite.

Painter Lite offers a stripped-down version of Painter, with the functionality to create professional works of art. It provides a realistic digital art experience with intuitive brushes, rich paper textures, and other artistic tools.

Painter Master Mike Thompson demonstrates the power of Painter Lite to aspiring artists.

Painting with a mouse is not an easy way to get started, so you should invest in a tablet and pen. Wacom has inexpensive options that are compatible, and featured in a bundle, with Painter Lite. Sounds like a match made in heaven, eh? (Again, very sorry)

Share your work

Just because you’re not selling your art in a NYC gallery (yet) doesn’t mean you can’t create beautiful art worth sharing. Showcase your work online through:

• Your own blog
• Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest)
• Online art communities

Sharing your work online can help you inspire others, or get advice on your work. Artists are always learning; don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from others. The Painter Facebook page is a great place to start.

You can also find local art events and showcase your work in person. Go to networking events with a small portfolio, or at least a business card, in hand. Share and discuss with other artists to help develop your skills.

One thing you will learn about art communities is that they are very welcoming. Every artist remembers when they decided to get started, or finished their first painting. They know what it’s like to be where you are, and they are always willing to help you learn. Use this to your advantage and get the most out of your digital art adventure.

We would love to hear your digital art story! When did you get started? Are you a new artist? Share your stories in the comments.

So we’re doing just that-giving Adobe customers choices. I’m happy to announce a special offer for CS4, CS5 and CS6 customers around the world (some restrictions apply). From now until August 30^th, 2013, owners of eligible Adobe products can purchase a wide range of Corel products at the upgrade price, including CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, Painter 12, PaintShop Pro X5, PaintShop Pro Ultimate X5, Photo & Video Suite X5, VideoStudio Pro X6, VideoStudio Ultimate X6 and AfterShot Pro.

The process is simple. After trying our products for free, owners of Adobe products can buy the Upgrade version of the Corel software that matches their needs. There is a short form to fill out in order to confirm eligibility, and we’ll send an email with installation instructions shortly after.

Owners of following Adobe products are eligible for this offer:

• Creative Suite CS4/CS5/CS6
• Photoshop CS4/CS5/CS6
• Illustrator CS4/CS5/CS6
• Premiere Pro CS4/CS5/CS6

To help new users get started during the test period, Corel provides a large collection of learning resources in-product and online. Check out our Discovery Center for a great collection of tutorials, product tips and training options. Visit our online communities and Facebook pages to interact with other Corel users around the world, and check out our product pages on Corel.com for links to specific tips & tricks, tutorials and much more!

If you are a Corel software user already and have friends and colleagues using Adobe products, simply point them to www.corel.com/cs so that they have an opportunity to try an alternative that might be better suited for them.

This post was originally published in Gérard’s blog on CorelDRAW.com. Find out more posts from Gérard in the CorelDRAW.com community.

Corel offers a broad range of software solutions for a variety of users. Primarily available on the Microsoft Windows platform, some of these solutions are also available natively on the Mac: Painter, the world’s leading digital art software, AfterShot Pro, a fast, flexible photo management & RAW workflow tool, and CorelCAD, our high-performance CAD design solution with native .DWG support.

Based on the feedback we’ve received the last few days from Adobe CS users looking for alternatives, the number one request has been around CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, which today is designed and optimized for Windows-based computers. Our goal has always been to provide powerful and complete applications to our users, and difficult development investment decisions are taken by understanding the market opportunity and determining the resource requirement to provide a great user experience.  The time and effort to bring our products to a new platform would have considerable impact on the features and enhancements that we would be able to make to the Windows application.

Consequently, while I understand this is not the answer that is sufficiently palatable for Mac OS users, we have sought other ways to try and provide solutions for Mac OS users. With programs such as Apple’s own Boot Camp, or virtualization solutions such as Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, CorelDRAW, Corel PHOTO-PAINT and our other Windows-centric products work great on Macintosh computers. We actually have a number of our users who regularly use CorelDRAW Graphics Suite on laptop and desktop computers from the Cupertino hardware manufacturer, including some Corel employees. We also make sure to test new releases on our design software on Apple computers.

Historically, the justification for creating a suitable Mac OS version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite and other products, did not warrant the investment required.  Adobe’s recent announcement will put the discussion back on the table. Getting a Mac OS native product to the market will take time and significant effort. We will continue to review our options and are committed to provide the best possible products we can to our users, as well as to provide you with the choice between perpetual licenses and subscription going forward.

If you are today using CorelDRAW Graphics Suite on a Mac, we would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and comments here, in the CorelDRAW.com community and on our Facebook page.

This post was originally published in Gérard’s blog on CorelDRAW.com. Find out more posts from Gérard in the CorelDRAW.com community.

At Corel, we strongly believe in giving users the choice to purchase your software the way you want. For many of you, we know that the preference is to purchase a box or download version of our products in what is called a “perpetual license”, i.e. in a way that gives you the right to use the product forever without having to pay anything extra. You then have the choice, if the new features and benefits make sense to you, to purchase and upgrade to a new version.

At the same time, we understand that some of you are looking for the flexibility to rent your software as needed, so you can reduce the capital costs for your businesses and have an operating expense that is much lower in the short term.

There isn’t one solution that will work for everyone, and we have different offerings for different products in our portfolio.

You have options!

To make it as easy as possible for you, our professional-level graphics package, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, is available to purchase as a box, an electronic download, through volume license or by subscription. If you choose to subscribe for no up-front cost, you simply choose a monthly or yearly fee to continue using the software as long as you need it.

There are differences between traditional box or download sales and the subscription model. The traditional software offering, where you buy a box and then wait a few years until the next major version is released to decide if you want to upgrade or not, has limitations when it comes to releasing smaller updates more frequently. Subscription does make it easier for us to deliver more regular updates, but there’s still a significant portion of users around the world who aren’t ready to rent their software. That’s why we’ve introduced our Membership program.

Not ready for subscription? We have an answer!

When you purchase your box or download version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, it comes with a Standard Membership at no additional cost. Standard Membership gives you access to the latest performance and stability enhancements, as well as unlimited access to a large content library of over 10,000 clipart images, 1,000 high-resolution stock photos and 1,000 fonts, for example.

For those who want the best of both worlds, we also offer Premium Membership where you get all the benefits of subscription, but you still own a perpetual license of the product.

For a yearly fee, Premium Membership adds to the Standard level by including regular feature updates to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, as well as exclusive high-quality content. In addition, Premium Members automatically get access to the next major version(s) of the suite. Yes, all Premium Members will be amongst the very first to get access to the latest version at no additional cost when Corel officially releases it. In other words, by adding a Premium Membership to your box / download version of CorelDRAW, you have the benefits of what you would get with a subscription (always up-to-date, exclusive content and more) combined with the perpetual usage right of the product you purchased.

What’s next?

For the foreseeable future, we will continue to sell the box version of Corel software in stores, through online partners and on our website – www.corel.com. You can also purchase a full download version through our website and through selected channel partners. Both the box and the download version are perpetual licenses, i.e. they will never expire and you can keep using them forever (we do not commit to compatibility with future operating systems or hardware though).

And as stated above, you can add even more benefits to a box / download version by signing up for the CorelDRAW Premium Membership, for which a free trial is available to any Standard Member from within CorelDRAW / Corel PHOTO-PAINT. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a cost effective or short-term solution, you can subscribe to CorelDRAW on an annual or monthly basis (subscriptions are available from Corel or selected resellers). The choice is yours!

Give us a try!

If subscribing to software from Adobe is not your preferred choice, don’t cloud your judgment… give CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6 a try. We do offer a 30-day free trial version, which includes extensive learning materials, and you can even set your workspace to the Illustrator mode to feel more at home.

Happy CorelDRAWing!

This post was originally published in Gérard’s blog on CorelDRAW.com. Find out more posts from Gérard in the CorelDRAW.com community.

Spring means so many things. Animals come out of hibernation, trees start to blossom and life seems to return to nature. It also means a great photo opportunity. For those of you thinking about dusting off that old camera and getting some outdoor shots, here are some tips on making those shots great ones!

Use a tripod in low light

When shooting in low light, always use a tripod. Your shutter needs to remain open for a longer period of time and any movement will create a blurry image. A good tripod or monopod can be the difference between a great shot and a garbage one.

Compose your shot

Try to have a background, middle and foreground component to your shot. Be conscious of their presence and relation to each other; this will add depth to your image.

Introduce people to the mix. Don’t just center their faces on the frame, make them move (or move your camera) in such a way that the frame still contains the three elements. Those elements still maintain a relationship.

Set up complex shots ahead of time

Make sure that any pre-sets for your shot are set. If you’re doing a long exposure, consider setting your mirror lock (to avoid any unnecessary shake), noise settings and manual focus well in advanced of your shot.

Be aware of your lenses’ capabilities

Most lenses produce sharper images at a specific f-stop mostly at f/8 or f/11. For the few that don’t, it will be somewhere near the upper-middle of its range. Avoid extreme apertures; most lenses perform poorly at the ends, especially wide-open, smaller f-numbers. There is very little time for light to reach the sensor and be captured.

Make colors pop with a lower f-stop

Drop your f-stop by .5 or by 1: Change f/4 to f/4.5 or f/5. This will make your colors come to life: Your dull blacks will turn into pure black, and it will add contrast to your yellows, blues and reds.

Experiment!

To quote someone much smarter than me: “Failure is only a rehearsal for when it all comes together perfectly.” Don’t be afraid to experiment. In photography there are no rules, there is only what works for this occasion and what works under other circumstances.

I hope these tips help you get the most out of this beautiful season. Now, get out there and take some pictures!

Do you have any outdoor photography tips? Share them with us in the comments below!

Undaunted by the task before me, I enthusiastically dove in. While the creative team worked out the concept, my first task was finding a cool location, so I scouted almost every art venue in town. It only took a few days before stumbling upon SAW gallery, a quaint and elegant space that fit our videographer’s vision to a tee.

It was T-minus one week before the shoot, we had yet to find extras, and we still needed original artwork created with the new Corel software—this was mission critical. A Facebook casting call managed to wrangle up 30 young, artsy (not to mention good-looking) extras. Phew, one task down, on to the next: Finding a Corel artist.

Our vision was to have the artist on site showing our eager extras how to use the software. After much deliberation with our client, we decided to boldly request artist Mike Thompson’s presence. What a treat that he agreed to fly up from Washington for a half-day shoot!

The big day was finally upon us. As I struggled through the doors of the SAW Gallery carrying a giant Roman pillar, a prop for the evening, I was greeted by two smiling faces. Keith Fox of Source4 Productions and Craig Connelly of Partus Films were already in full set-up mode, adjusting floor tracks and enthusiastically discussing the lighting arrangement. I eagerly put down the pillar where the product shot would take place and stood back, taking in the stark white walls of the gallery.

As I turned the corner of the gallery, the calm, empty space was filled with the chatter of many excited extras. As I circled the room, greeting everyone, I caught a glimpse of our main talent, Mike Thompson, already creating live artwork on his trusty Mac. I was beyond excited!

Because of my background in graphic design and familiarity with a few illustration programs, I had an even greater appreciation for this man’s talent, artistry and gift. Mike Thompson’s illustrations have been used by clothing companies, featured in several print, web and television campaigns and can be found on video game and toy packaging.

In 2010, Verizon commissioned him to paint a 10’ x 30’ interactive wall for the Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. His artwork is also currently on display at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles! Needless to say, once you see his work, especially his celebrity portraits, you’ll understand why he makes the perfect spokesman for Painter Lite and Painter Pro, Corel’s latest software for digital artists. Watching this certainly got me excited to play with the software myself and flex my creative muscles.

Painter Lite is the “student” intro software, and Painter Pro is what Mike uses. Dubbed as the leaner version of Corel Painter, Macworld magazine lists some of its pros as being: “much simpler to use, great for cloning over photos, has properly blended paint, quick to use and has Wacom pen/tablet support.” The tablet, Intuos5, is what Mike works with in the video.

Though it was a long day, especially for Mike, he took the time in between shots to chat with some very interested extras, many of whom were artists themselves. Near the end of the shoot, I found out that he had actually been up since 3 a.m., flew in directly from Washington, and would be flying out the next morning at the crack of dawn. Despite this, in a super casual, down-to-earth manner, he continued to joke with the crew and even stayed to autograph paintings used in the video for extras to bring home.

A huge thanks to Source4, Partus Films, Parktown Productions, Corel, our outstanding extras and, of course, Mike Thompson for a great experience.

What do you think of the video? Tell us in the comments below!