For its intended audience (beginners and intermediates learning to paint photographs) Mr. Addison's book cannot be equalled. And that makes this a bit of a strange tutorial. To be sure, the author's previous books on learning Corel Painter have been excellent, but this new edition goes "beyond the beyonds." With the inclusion of top-rate pdf files, videos and source photos--all meant to enhance the enjoyable and easy-to-understand book lessons--Mr. Addison has produced an instructional work that is quite beyond what should have been expected. With no competitors in his field, a marginal upgrade should have been the order of the day.
Wisely, the author has not pushed the book's parameters beyond its intended audience. For those just learning photo painting, or for those wishing to gain a full explanation of the new features of version 12 in Corel Painter, the book sticks religiously to its theme, giving a solid education to students. From there, students can can push photographic painting into the realm of photographic art. For specialized portrait painting, for instance, photo artists such as Karen Sperling, Heather "the painter" Michelle, Richard Ramsey and Jill Garl (to name just a very few) each has a particular technique that may or may not appeal to you, but that definitely can compare to the work of professional portrait artists. But to fully understand and apply everything these teachers will show you, you must have a solid grasp of the Painter environment, and experience with photo-painting techniques. 'Painter 12 for Photographers' provides everything you need, and at a price that is more than pleasing.