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Pay Attention to the Supporting Subject
Your Background Space MUST Support Your Story, Your Subject, and Set the Tone
Backgrounds are just empty space you can scribble in minutes and leave be. Right?
Wrong.
They are the most overlooked opportunities to support your portrait in theme, mood, story, depth, texture, interest, and more. Yet, artists run into several "blocks" with traditional backgrounds.
- Investing in hand painted backgrounds are expensive
- Storing hand painted canvases gets tedious and may require special handling or even steaming before each session.
- A variety of values and textures are required for various subjects, thus adding to the background collection.
- The variety of texture is appealing, and thus feeds the background investing habit.
- The desired bokeh requires specific lens or space limitations.
- Traditional backgrounds may not be easy to clean when working with animals or babies.
Let's look at the typical hang ups with digital backgrounds.
- Not enough time spent on refining the background space
- Lack of knowledge using appropriate brushes
- Not understanding how to create depth or place proper values or color harmony with the subject
- Clash of competing texture or color harmony with the subject
- Resolution may not be suitable for large wall portraits
- If not thought out the brushwork may look mechanical, leaving a "digital" signature
- Many times it's been seen that they're simply left unfinished, and it clashes with the subject leaving a lack luster presentation
The solution?
Heather's pre-painted digital hand painted backgrounds.
Each of Heather's hand painted backgrounds are created at high resolution and can be used as full backdrop swaps or with layer mode changes as overlays.
Say Hello to Hand Painted Backgrounds and Textures
Backdrops that Mimic Real Media
From worn patinas to acid washes there are a plethora of textures for the sophisticated painterly portrait.
Heather's Traditional Hand Painted Collection
Organic blah blah blah blah blah
Hand Painted Alla Prima
On real substrates! Digital archived for easy download and usage. blah blah blah.
To Achieve The Hybrid Style in Corel Painter*
You'll want to consider:
- Heather's Everyday Brushes as a basic brush set
- For advanced Alla Prima brushes (as seen here), Heather's Signature and Sketching Collection (which requires more freehand brushwork)
- If you are free-handing backgrounds versus dropping in textures, you'll want to consider the Speedy Scrubbers Background Brushes
- For heavy Alla Prima styled brush "streamers," check out the Alla Prima backgrounds and texture overlays on the Backgrounds page
*It is recommended to use Corel Painter 2019 or newer with a pressure sensitive stylus such as a Wacom tablet and pen
Browse Backgrounds and Textures
To Achieve The Heavy Style in Corel Painter*
You'll want to consider:
- Heather's Everyday Brushes as a basic brush set
- Heather's Signature and Sketching Collection (which requires more freehand brushwork)
*It is recommended to use Corel Painter 2019 or newer with a pressure sensitive stylus such as a Wacom tablet and pen
To Achieve The Smooth Skin Style in Corel Painter*
You'll want to consider:
- Heather's Everyday Brushes as a basic brush set
*It is recommended to use Corel Painter 2019 or newer with a pressure sensitive stylus such as a Wacom tablet and pen
Pair your tools with efficient training and textural overlays
Use Proven Tools to Save Time and Frustration
Experience superior hand painted backgrounds, effective tutorials, and hand brushed lettering with personality.
High Resolution Training Material
Heather's custom brushes have been the must have tool in many Corel artists' tool boxes for almost two decades. In fact, she's been sought out by Corel to design brushes for their packs. Heather will some times spend over a year designing a brush collection.
Hand Painted Backgrounds and Texture Overlays (Digitized)
These exquisitely, layered, beauties have a variety of textures and color palettes for every portrait need. From delicate designs to bold alla prima strokes, these are the perfect texture overlays or background changes for your final digital edit.
Custom Hand Drawn Lettering
Custom transparent PSD layers designed for your brand hand painted by Heather with a calligraphic flair.
"You have the best explanations for the brush settings (in Painter) that I’ve ever heard, and they help make sense of how to use the brushes."
Audrey Wancket
PPA President, M.Photog.Cr., CPP www.wancketstudios.com
"Heather’s custom brushes make painting with Corel Painter so much easier. Learning the program is one thing, but knowing which brush to use for each element of your painting is another matter entirely. Heather’s expertly built brushes help you achieve your end goal- a gorgeous painting. Each one is custom designed with a purpose in mind. Whether its smooth skin and hair, or textured clothing and foliage she has a brush for EVERYTHING!!! From people, to pets, to landscapes, Heather has the brushes to get the job done!"
Erin Clemmer
M. Artist, www.ErinClemmerPaintedPortraits.com
"Anything produced by Heather Michelle will help you as an artist - Anything!"
Helen Yancy
M.Photog, M.Artist, MEI, Cr. Hon.M.Photog. F--ASP, Hon.F-ASP, EA-ASP, Hon.EA-ASP, CPP, AP Past President, Professional Photographers of America PPA www.HelenYancy.com
"...improving with every painting and I thank you for showing me how to 'let go' and be more painterly! My work has improved a million times over!"
Beverly Walden
M.Photog. Cr., http://www.waldensphotography.com/
"Fellow Corel Painter Master Heather is a wonderful artist and teacher. I've had the pleasure of seeing Heather painting and teaching. I can attest from first hand experience to her combination of both artistic and technical skills, plus energy and enthusiasm, all of which makes her a great speaker and teacher. Heather is passionate about art and people. She explores painting in the traditional as well as digital world. She communicates clearly and is patient and encouraging of her students. She knows Painter very deeply and is always open to learning and growing - qualities that enhance what she has to offer as a teacher. I highly recommend Heather as a platform speaker as well as a Painter instructor."
Jeremy Sutton
Artist, www.jeremysutton.com
"...You can't go wrong with any of Heather's classes, tutorials, webinars, or brush sets whether you're a beginner or a trained artist in your own right. She knows the software, she knows art and photography, and she understands the differences and challenges of painting digitally as opposed to painting with traditional media. I can't recommend her enough!"
Jennifer Crowder
"I'm a HUGE fan of your brushes and have purchased several different sets, some for painting dogs (which I do for clients) and some designated for portraits. I also have one or two sets of your wonderful background brushes. They help painting my original backgrounds much less time consuming. Your brushes are always my go to's when I paint anything in Painter. I use a variety of brushes, but my 'Heather' brushes are always in there front and center. I'll also comment on your outstanding tutorials. I often start out watching one, to refresh myself on techniques and brushes I've learned to use per your videos, and jump my paintings off from there. "
Betty Mc
Why Invest In Heather's Brushes
Heather is a traditional artist that has designed Corel Painter brushes to mimic organic tools used in acrylic, oil, chalk, and encaustic media
Easy to pair brush methods (Ie: easily create interesting paintings using only three brushes)
Efficient
Seasoned brush designer
PPA Master Craftsman (education)
PPA Master Photographer & Master Artist
Corel Approved Painter Educator
Golden Artist Educator
Pre-Recorded training and tools are available for immediate use in your digital "library"
Heather's teaching concepts are transferable across all painted subject matter and genres
Invest in the Proper ToolsSubscribe to Our Newsletter
YOUR INFORMATION WILL NEVER BE SOLD OR SHARED. HEATHER ANNOUNCES WORKSHOP, WEBINAR, NEW TUTORIAL AND BRUSH PACKS IN HER NEWSLETTERS FIRST! IT'S BENEFICIAL TO SUBSCRIBE AS SOME OF THESE ARE TIME SENSITIVE!
An Obsession With Brush Building
Heather's brushes are unlike default brushes you find with the Corel Painter software.
Why?
Heather fuses her history with traditional media into an obsession with brush building, which in some cases takes years for a single collection. There are times where a brush may start with organic media, and not the computer. They've become a staple for portrait artists using Corel Painter who love control and expression.
Learn More About HeatherHeather's Blog - Pigment & Pixels
Click here to read.
Clarity in Education and Excellence in Execution
