reviews
Karen Sperling is An Einstein
You are exciting!
One more: you are an Einstein!
Asleep and awake at all times.
Smartest, and an Einstein.
Compliment given, and deserved!
P. N.
Highly Recommended
I found Karen Sperling’s class on “How to Paint in the Style of Rembrandt,” and decided to purchase the class.
It was an absolute pleasure.
She beautifully explained how Rembrandt painted and intermingled art theory and history in her YouTube videos, which were just the perfect length.
Everything was so well-organized and so easy to access. I feel it was a perfect class for the beginner as well as intermediate person in Corel Painter.
I highly recommend this class for anyone with a love of Rembrandt and his style of painting.
Diana Carey
The Artistry Academy of Painting for Photographers Is Magic
I had a picture of my owl a long time and wanted to paint it for my class with Karen Sperling. In an early class of Artistry Academy her recommendation was to expand the canvas, so he was not dead center. So, I expanded, and centered left as she indicated. Then in Corel Painter 2023 I painted eyes, feathers, branches, and a lovely background with many brushes, including the ones from The Artistry Academy Rembrandt class. I sent it to Karen to critique at our painting webinar, and Karen thought it was a keeper. I presented it to a client who loved owls and she said she had to have it. So, after a discussion whether on canvas or metal or print, she wanted it on canvas, but signed. I had it printed and the client has received it—in rural Rapid City, South Dakota.
The Artistry Academy classes with art theory and painting steps and brushes taught me how to learn to paint better. Further, what we had learned was exactly what I used to paint my owl, which was like a portrait, but was an owl—a keeper! With Karen’s classes, I took notes, transposed to 3 X 5 cards and then used them to paint the owl. And it worked!
Karen Sperling’s Artistry Academy is magic, and I highly recommend it for anyone starting to paint OR anyone who wants to become a real digital artist. Art theory, steps, helping to learn, and then paint. Of course, then a critique... and improve with confidence.
-Paul
Pleased with Results
Hi Karen,
I just worked this up today after watching your Rembrandt video and was rather pleased with the results and wanted to share it with you.
Far from perfect, but I was surprised at how, I don’t know, dramatic (?) this turned out, trying to make this coopers hawk photo look sort of like a Rembrandt. Most of the difference between the two was done in editing the photo, not what I did in Corel Painter 2023, but still.
I took the photo April 15 of this year at Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine, about 3 miles from our house. Frankly I had walked right past the hawk when my wife said, “What’s that?” and pointed off to the left of the trail. As luck would have it I ended up getting a better shot of it from where I happened to be than she did, but I’d never have known it was there without her.
Interestingly enough, it never, ever would have occurred to me to try something like this if not for your Rembrandt video. And for how well this came out, well, probably a combination of your excellent instruction and my own beginner’s luck! Something for me to build on with other subjects, anyway.
Take care! Thanks for all the work you’re doing on our behalf!
Terry Mills
Videos Just Right
This is a great video. It gives me the key points I need to get started, out of all the options there are in Painter, and it moves slowly enough for me to be able to grasp what is going on. It is long enough for me to have learned things, but not so long that it gets overwhelming.
I had gotten so frustrated with videos that move so fast that I can't quite grasp them. You are pacing these just right for a beginner. Thank you so much!
Kind regards,
Ginger
Webinar Engaging
I really enjoyed watching the webinar—I found it engaging. It went by fast for me—I got very absorbed in it and the comments and participant comments. I hope to make the next one. Thanks for the feedback on the 3 photos. It’s amazing to see the range of photo subjects and it was helpful for you to go through what you’d do or the steps you’d take with turning the photo into a painting. - C. F.
Karen Sperling Is a Gifted Teacher
Karen Sperling’s Artistry Academy is a wonderful, efficient, and effective way to learn to paint in both Photoshop and Corel Painter. Karen’s approach using the style and techniques of the Old Masters makes learning fun, interesting, and easy. She provides the brushes needed for the various lessons, too. She is the most experienced artist with Corel Painter on the planet and is totally focused on student success. She is approachable and available, placing her students first. A gifted artist and teacher, I highly recommend her Artistry Academy.
Bob Harper
Hampton, VA
Super excited!
I signed up for Karen Sperling’s Artistry Academy of Painting for Photographers. I have studied with Karen for several years now and she knows how to do anything you want in Painter. And now, she is teaching painting in Photoshop too, so that’s a major plus for me. Super excited!
- Katie Katsenis
Videos Perfect Length
I have managed to watch all the vids so far and am really enjoying them. They are like opening a box of chocolates - I can opt to consume one small piece (one vid) or the whole box at once. They are the perfect length to keep my attention, and to squeeze into spare moments.
Thank you for including me in this journey!
- Martha Bauder
New Ideas to Explore
Excited to increase my skill in turning more of my many photos into paintings using Corel Painter- and Karen Sperling is an expert in doing this. I’ve also been asked to do paintings from photos for my fans and clients as commissions —so this will give me new ideas to explore. Along the way, I hope to pick up some tips on painting in Photoshop. - N.J.
Karen Sperling Is Helpful and Expert
Compliment is due, is time to give it: I have found a VERY helpful and expert teacher. Thank you. - Paul Naber
Painting Adventure
I’m so excited to finally embark on my “learning to paint adventure.” I will be learning from the original Corel Painter Master! I have spent several years learning to make beautiful portraits with my camera, and now Karen Sperling will teach me how to turn those images into one of a kind artwork. - L.T.
Thank You Karen Sperling for Your Contribution to Digital Art
Karen,
I just wanted to get the word out on your new Artistry #21 brushes for painting in the style of Rembrandt in Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop. I have found that the texture and blending with color texture has really put some life into my paintings. I am enclosing my last painting of this year (above, painted from a photo by Tamara TamTam Photography), and it was done largely with brushes from your #21 brush group. Thanks for your contribution to digital art. Some of these brushes are in my main “Go-To’s” now. This was a good year for your brush design, because your #20 brushes were excellent as well.
Thanks.
Tim Tompkins
PaintHistory.com