Why Photographers Struggle in Corel Painter—and How to Fix It (with or without chocolate)

If you’ve ever opened Corel Painter with excitement only to close it hours later feeling frustrated or defeated—you’re not alone.

I’ve heard this story countless times from photographers, and if I’m being honest, I’ve lived it myself. It's public knowledge I call her a "diva." She is. But she's the partner you didn't know you needed in your digital painting journey (just tell her nice things and feed her digital chocolate often)!

There’s nothing more discouraging than wanting to create something meaningful and beautiful, but not knowing how to get there. Especially when you’re staring at a screen full of tools that feel more like a puzzle than a paintbox. You're ready to get IN FLOW only to be threatening your system that it'll meet its end in traffic. Under a large cement truck.

Here’s what I’ve found over the years: the problem usually isn’t talent. Painter has two distinct phases—first, learning the interface, the tools, the layers, and how to move around without feeling overwhelmed. Then comes the second part: translating traditional painting instincts into the digital space, and layering your own style through intuition, rhythm, and trust in your eye. Most photographers I work with get stuck in that first stage and never quite make it into the freedom of the second.. It’s the lack of a clear path.

1. Painter overwhelms you right out of the gate.

The interface is busy. The brushes are endless. The layers feel chaotic. Many photographers enter Painter full of vision—and quickly get stuck in menus and brush settings before they can even start.

What helps: A reliable process. One that skips the noise and shows you exactly what to do, step by step. A workflow that’s tailored to how photographers think—and how real-life deadlines work.

2. You lose momentum halfway through the painting.

You block in the face, start the background, and then… you freeze. The energy drops. The brush isn’t behaving. For some reason, brushstrokes aren't laying down. What the heck is this green line? You can’t see where it’s going. And suddenly you’re staring at something you’re not proud of—with a client waiting.

This is where the fear sets in. I’ve been there, too—where the piece just stops speaking to you and you start questioning every stroke.

What helps: Another set of eyes. Not a tutorial, but a mentor. Someone who knows how to guide you through the stuck places and bring the piece to completion without compromising what you started. I promise, I've been there. Many, many times. I've painted millions of strokes. 

3. The brushes you’re using don’t fit your style.

Most photographers I work with have downloaded dozens of brush packs. Some are beautiful. Some are clunky. Few are actually useful.

Why? Because brushes are personal. What works for a classical oil painter may completely clash with your aesthetic. Using the wrong brushes makes every painting harder than it has to be.

Also, let’s talk about that one brush you keep trying to make work. We all have one. I can't tell you HOW MANY brushes I've built that have gone through the painfully ugly phase. And most don't make the final cut. Then one day something clicks, and a breakthrough magically sets in with the full angelic choir singing "Hallelujah." In fact, I started naming brushes that work "GO TO." There might have been raspberry chocolate involved. Okay, an entire bar. 

What helps: Finding the tools that work with how you see. Once you discover your brush rhythm, your confidence builds—and the art flows. And guess what? This isn't some elusive secret. The science actually MAKES SENSE when you've seen it in action. You won't be able to unsee it. Learning brushology is learning how to customize brushes to your level of control. I'll be completely honest. Does Painter have limitations? Sure. Every digital software does. But it comes pretty darned close to looking incredibly, lusciously organic with a few tools in play. 

You’re not behind. You just haven’t had someone experienced in troubleshooting walk with you.

Painter isn’t the problem. And neither are you.

The missing piece is often support—the kind that’s thoughtful, experienced, and personal.

That’s why I created The Door. It’s a one-on-one mentorship built for photographers who want to go beyond technical steps and step into a painting process that feels peaceful, intuitive, and tailored.

No overwhelm. No performance. Just honest guidance to help you trust your hands again.

You use a GPS to get to your location. Why not employ that reasoning with your artwork?

If that’s what you’ve been missing, I’d be honored to help you find it. Chocolate optional***

Or, if you'd like to continue watching the hundreds of free videos on Youtube, that's cool, too. 

Click HERE for more information on The Door.