A personalized course of study in Corel Painter for photographers and artists seeking to develop a refined, repeatable painterly workflow rooted in traditional atelier principles.

Enrollment is intentionally limited to four artists so every student receives the individualized guidance, thoughtful critique, and personalized course of study that define The Door.

Every artist receives a fully individualized course of study built around their artistic goals, workflow, and creative vision. Enrollment is intentionally limited to preserve the depth of one-on-one mentorship that defines the atelier experience. You'll need Corel Painter 2023 and a pressure sensitive tablet such as the Wacom. Photoshop may be demo'd per artist's request as a means to prepare the files.

Summer 2026 Online Private Atelier Enrollment (June - August)

Tuition: $1295

Your Private Online Course of Study Includes:

* One 90-minute Studio Foundation Zoom Session

* Four 60-minute Private Mentorship Zoom Sessions

* One 30-minute Master Critique Zoom Session

* Personalized Studio Assignments

* One Year of online lAtelier Access

* The Living Library online access (which includes Creating and Using Backgrounds Functional Masterclass, a $399 value, and more!)

* Intro to Corel Painter 2021 (compatible with 2023) Course online access

* Heather's Brushed to Likeness brush pack for Corel Painter 2023

* Personalized feedback videos

* Late-night email support*

* Session recordings

* High-resolution demonstration files

* Custom brushes, textures, and color palettes developed throughout your mentorship

Who This Atelier Is For

This Private Atelier is designed for artists who are ready to invest deeply in both their craft and their artistic growth.

It is especially well suited for:

* Professional photographers seeking to develop a refined painterly workflow in Corel Painter.

* Artists who value individualized instruction over one-size-fits-all tutorials.

* Traditional painters who want to confidently bridge their skills into the digital medium.

* Corel Painter users looking to build a thoughtful, repeatable workflow rather than collecting random techniques.

* Artists who are willing to complete Studio Assignments and embrace consistent practice between sessions.

* Creatives who desire a deeper understanding of painterly design, artistic judgment, and how to truly see—not simply which brush to use.

This Atelier May Not Be the Right Fit If…

* You’re looking for one-click effects or shortcuts.

* You prefer passive learning without applying what you’ve learned between sessions.

* You’re unwilling to complete Studio Assignments or receive constructive critique.

* You’re seeking AI-generated solutions rather than developing handcrafted artistic skill.

* You’re looking for a rigid, predetermined curriculum instead of a personalized course of study tailored to your artistic destination.

A Different Way to Learn

Atelier training has never been about memorizing techniques. It has always been about learning to see, to solve problems thoughtfully, and to develop the judgment that transforms technique into artistry.

This mentorship follows that same philosophy.

Rather than following a generic curriculum, we’ll build a personalized digital atelier around your artistic destination. Together we’ll develop the workflow, technical skills, artistic judgment, and confidence needed to create painterly work that feels authentic to you.

Our work begins before we ever meet.

Your completed intake questionnaire and legally licensed images allow us to spend our first session building your workflow—not gathering information.

A Personalized Course of Study

Learning Corel Painter is far more than learning software.

It is part technical troubleshooting, part understanding a digital medium that doesn’t always behave like traditional materials, and—most importantly—learning how to truly see.

Many artists begin by asking which brush to use or which settings to change. More often than not, the real challenge lies somewhere deeper: understanding value, edges, color relationships, surface, composition, or developing a workflow that supports the work they long to create.

Because of this, your course of study is intentionally personalized rather than strictly sequential. Over more than two decades of working in Corel Painter, I’ve learned that artistic growth rarely follows a straight line. Some artists need to solve technical obstacles before they can focus on artistic expression. Others benefit from strengthening their painterly eye before refining software techniques. Still others discover entirely new possibilities as their work begins to evolve.

Rather than working through a predetermined checklist, we’ll continually adapt your course of study based on your Studio Assignments, questions, progress, and artistic discoveries. Along the way, we’ll build a personalized digital atelier—including your workflow, brushes, textures, color palettes, and traditional art foundations—designed specifically around your artistic destination.

The goal is not simply to teach you Corel Painter. You can learn software basics on Youtube.

Heather’s goal is to help you see more clearly, think more intentionally, and build a painterly workflow that bridges the digital and traditional worlds with confidence. Whether your destination remains in the digital realm or ultimately leads you to oils, the artistic principles you develop here will continue serving you for years to come.

Your Course of Study

Week One - 90 minute private Online Studio Foundation Session

 We’ll establish the foundation of your personal digital atelier by building a workflow designed specifically around your artistic destination.

Rather than teaching a one-size-fits-all process, every decision is built around the work you ultimately want to create.

Weeks Three, Five, Seven & Nine (recommended spacing)

Four -  60 minute Private Online Mentorship Sessions

Each lesson builds naturally upon the last through demonstration, guided practice, discussion, and thoughtful refinement.

Together you’ll solve creative challenges, strengthen technique, develop artistic judgment, and continue refining a workflow uniquely your own.

Every session concludes with personalized Studio Assignments designed to strengthen your skills through intentional practice between meetings.

PLUS

30-minute Live Master Critique Session

Following the completion of your Studio Assignments, we’ll meet for a final live critique of your work.

Together you’ll evaluate your artistic growth, discuss strengths and opportunities for refinement, and I’ll demonstrate key adjustments using specific Painter brushes, color relationships, edges, painterly principles, and artistic decision-making.

You’ll leave with a clear understanding of where you’ve grown—and where your artistic journey leads next.

Traditional Atelier Foundations

Painter is simply the medium.

Throughout our course of study you’ll continually draw from the wisdom of the traditional atelier, exploring concepts that extend far beyond software:

* Translating traditional painting methods into the digital medium.

* Painterly design

* Composition

* Value relationships

* Color harmony

* Edge control

* Surface and texture

* Historical painting techniques

*Artistic problem solving

*Technical problem solving and pitfalls

Heather will also introduce carefully selected painters, books, demonstrations, and traditional art resources that will continue shaping your artistic eye long after our mentorship concludes.

You'll be granted One Year of Atelier Access!

Your education continues long after our live sessions.

Throughout your mentorship year you’ll receive access to The Living Library—my ever-growing collection of educational resources curated specifically for your artistic goals.

Rather than overwhelming you with an entire catalog of downloads on day one, resources are thoughtfully introduced throughout your course of study as they become meaningful to your artistic development.

Every artist’s Living Library is different because every artist’s journey is different.

As your studies unfold, your Living Library may include:

* Recorded demonstrations

* Premium masterclasses

* Workflow videos

* Brush libraries

* Texture collections

* Worksheets

* Color studies

* Reference materials

* Traditional art resources

* New educational resources released during your mentorship year

Recommended Schedule

As in a traditional atelier, each lesson is intended to build upon the last through intentional practice and thoughtful refinement.

Sessions are recommended every two weeks, allowing time to complete your Studio Assignments while maintaining creative momentum.

Your Master Critique should be scheduled within 30 days of your final mentorship session, bringing your course of study to a meaningful close. You are permitted to schedule at your own pace, should you require additional time, but it is recommended to space calls twice monthly.