Corel Painter Master - Greg Banning

Name: Greg Banning Occupation/Profession: Illustrator Employer: Self Location: Toronto, ON Hobbies: Staying active

Biography

How long have you been in this profession?
Fourteen years

Why did you choose this profession?
I couldn't hit a curve ball, so besides baseball, drawing was the only other thing I was good at.

How did you get started?
My parents bought me crayons.

What are your most important accomplishments?
Getting paid to draw.

Describe a special moment in your career.
Illustrating the cover of Maclean's magazine.

History with Painter

How long have you used Painter?
Five years.

Why did you choose Painter?
It's the most versatile painting program out there.

What are your top five favorite Painter features?
Custom Palette, Mixer Tray, the variety of brush tools, Brush Creator, Rotate Page.

What are the Painter features that allow you to distinguish your art?
"Command Z."

Is it possible to get the same results with other digital painting software?
Not that I've seen.

How do you feel about Painter?
Lucky.

Technique

	I start by drawing a tonal pencil from photo reference. (not shown) Then I create an underpainting by "colorizing" a layer using a neutral, warm color.
	I always start with painting in the background. In this case, the background was done separately so I just blocked in an overall color to match. Then I lay in local color with either digital watercolor or chalk.
	I render the light areas first, then the darks, and then I blend the two together.
	The illustration is completed by either additional glazing, using digital watercolor, or softening with the airbrush. (Before dropping it onto the background, which was painted separately, I clean off the figure's blue background using the eraser and select tool.)
	Final Image: