CorelDRAW vs Illustrator

[B.T.Klemensowsk]

I have never used Corel painter before, recently someone mentioned he liked it better then illustrator and that made me think that it may be a good idea to learn it. Would anyone recommend corel painter. Is there a practice use for it besides actual painting?

[PixelFuze]

I have used CorelDraw before. It isn't great, I like Illustrator a lot better. But it can do some of the stuff Illustrator can, just not as good and as in depth. I didn't use it too much but from a little trial that's what I think.

[Karvis]

I have never used Corel painter before, recently someone mentioned he liked it better then illustrator and that made me think that it may be a good idea to learn it. Would anyone recommend corel painter. Is there a practice use for it besides actual painting?

Maybe You mean Coreldraw? Corel painter is raster graphics program (like photoshop) and it is different from illustrator like day and night. Also you need a tablet to use it 100%. Coreldraw is like Illustrator. I like them both. But Coreldraw for me is simplier, I can do with it everything, than I can do with Illustrator. But Coreldraw has a little problems with colors and with gradients exportation (to eps, pdf...).

[brian_lsf]

yes Corel Painter and Illustrator are two completely different things..

but for more graphics use, I really really like Painter's 'Liquid Ink', i gives really nice liquid-ish strokes..

[B.T.Klemensowsk]

Sorry i confused myself with the two. Would you call it like a illustrator lite? Is there anything that is special to DRAW like a function or tool i wouldn't have in AI.

[PixelFuze]

Not to my knowledge, if you want to break it down thoroughly then actually I think Illustrator has maybe a few more features/functions.

[B.T.Klemensowsk]

Not to my knowledge, if you want to break it down thoroughly then actually I think Illustrator has maybe a few more features/functions.

Ok thanks, scratch that idea then.

[jecrt]

the only thing that comes close to Illustrator was Freehand - but the more recent versions of Illustrator can do all the things that Freehand ever did. AND - since Adobe bought Macromedia it doesn't matter anyway...

sidenote - Painter is seriously amazing as long as you have adequate RAM/processor...

[webxp]

i think it depends by everybody, some of the things u can do it easyer, mucch easyer in corel draw than in ilustrator, and otherway around, it depends what u actually want to do,
Both are great programs, but i think ilustrator is better when it comes to work with color .

[jecrt]

i think it depends by everybody, some of the things u can do it easyer, mucch easyer in corel draw than in ilustrator, and otherway around, it depends what u actually want to do,
Both are great programs, but i think ilustrator is better when it comes to work with color .

from a press standpoint, I think you'll have a much easier time with your files with Illustrator then Corel Draw. All press operators use Adobe products as a standard (quark being the only exception, but I think most presses are up to speed with ID)

[curvabezier]

Guess the approach of each application with the user is different. At least when I started in design, and using corel draw, it seemed a bit “friendlier” than illustrator.

I dont know how corel evolved in every upgrade, but back then, it had a far-from-professional type handling. But a lot of designers use it, guess sometimes its a matter of custom... myself, I just love Adobe CS Series

[ThePec]

I don't know about the early days (can't imagine it being worse!), but Corel's type handling is still a mess.

I've only recently started using Illustrator seriously, and while working with type is noticeably better, i can't find a way to "break text". It's not that big of a deal, but i'm used to it in Corel and it would be nice if i could sort out its equivalent in Illustrator. Any tips?

[sacredgeometry]

I like both but favor AI and have been trying to ween my friend off the old familiar corel and move onto what is at least now the industry standard

[MAC]

I personally use Illustrator and I like it a lot. Never tried Corel Draw and I doubt I will be using it in the future. That's maybe because I heard people telling that Illustrator is better than Corel Draw for them but as I mentioned, I like Illustrator a lot so I don't want to use any other program . I would suggest you to use Illustrator, it rocks!

[Phlamesley]

I have used illustrator for about 10 years, since it was just a little lad. I was introduced to Corel about 5 years ago and found that it was more for building CAD and wire type drawings. For Vector Artwork, I suggest Illustrator. To design a product with detailed dimensions, Corel has stronger features.

[MAC]

Phlamesley, thanks for sharing your experience. I've never had a task to make a product with dimensions so I can not tell if it's easy with Adobe Illustrator. But I love doing artwork with it, I really like all the features Illustrator has. Is there anyone else who loves AI?

[paseeeet]

actualy i have both programs runing at the same time on my pc. coreldraw is very handy and if u i have dead line i will never touch illustratoe, i can make a great design with corel in mnts. shapes in secounds, but if u intend to to take ur work and start working on it on photoshop i recomend that u start creating your basic shapes, logos, lines, pathes on corel draw then export it to illustrator as eps or ai file, then if u like to give some prespective or 3d to ur shapes, so u are in illustrator, copy ur work and past it in photshop and start wow making every body. i guess if we are going to compare coreldraw we should put it vs. free hand not illustrator, thats my opinion, and thank u every one

[Alina]

Agree: CorelDraw reduces the work-time to minutes. For the kind of DTP that I do, the CorelDraw package is a charm. It comes with PhotoPaint, the very slow far far away relative of Photoshop, and it comes with CorelTrace, something that I love and it's helped me houndreds of times when I have to transform to vectors something urgent that a client sends in small .jpegs.
I have mastered CorelDraw ever since the version 5 came out. I now work and stopped upgrading at version 11, and can say that I can use all it's features with my eyes closed. BUT: CorelDraw has very specific habit forming shortcuts, that became addictive, and it's very hard for me to start working on learning something more serious as Illustratir or InDesign or such.
Bottom line: For today's market and to be able to interact with other DTP or Printing firms, I wouldn't start with Corel...the market is over it.

[Alovesopure777]

I have found that they both have their strengths and weaknesses.
I've used both. I started out on CorelDraw, and then later at college switched over to Illustrator.

I definitely prefer Illustrator just because you have a lot more freedom with it, in my opinion. CorelDraw is great for very precise and technical work, but not that great for intricate and free-flowing illustrations in my opinion.

[MPostDesign]

i gave up painter a long time ago. illustrator, once mastered, lets you do anything your heart desires. vector images are a lot easier to control and layer in illustrator and import to other adobe softwares. it took me about a year in school and in the workforce to really get a tough grip on the program, but ever since it has been my new best friend.