I could answer all those questions if you were talking Photoshop, but can't help ya with Corel Painter. :/
I'll help ya out, but I'm using IX, not X:
Looks like the Pen tool is much more simple than the one in Photoshop--in here you just draw and it'll ink for ya. Try different options like dragging when initially clicking points. Also try holding down Ctrl, Alt, or Shift when dragging points around or clicking them. Does a bunch of different options.
Different brushes on the brush tool on mine are at the top right of the screen. If you can't see 'em try Window --> "Show Brush Selector Bar" from the top pulldown menu. I usually paint basic colors then take the "Just Add Water" from under "Blenders" to blend the colors together.
I think when you're using the Pen tool and continuing from the same segment, it stays on the same layer. Not totally sure how to manipulate that.
I believe Essentials is probably a similar version with less frills 'n features.
Hope that helps.
I downloaded the trial to my wife's computer, and will be "playing" with it for 30 days, I'll let you know what I think in the morning.
<-- extreme Painter addict here, and just obtained X myself!
Pen: As far as I know, every "instance" of the Pen tool (as in, every time you make a new line segment) creates a new shape layer. Very annoying and there is nothing you can do about it (which is why I personally use Illustrator for vectors rather than Painter or Photoshop), so you'll have to merge the shape layers when you're done (and when you merge them, they become a raster layer! Another thing that can't be helped!).
As a quasi-workaround, I suggest doing all your linework first, and then all the colors underneath the lines (keeping line and color as separate layers, of course)
Brushes: These are why I HIGHLY recommend Painter over Photoshop for drawing/sketching/painting. You get a LOT. Each brush has its own set of subtools (ex: Pencil has a bunch of subtools, default is 2b pencil but there are others... my preference is Cover Pencil 
). To make a cheesy ingame reference, think of each tool as powersets and the subtools as individual powers.
Finallt, the Essential-series, while I've never used it, is little more than a stripped-down version of the full program. It's often bundled with Wacom and off-brand tablets and mainly exists to entice you into upgrading to the full version. :P
@Yoshi Ayarane -
Ayarane Project | Character Listing
Jamaro (ie: Gill Bates) over at MMOArt uses Painter - he needs to jump into this thread.
Heyo everyone. I just recently downloaded a 30-day trial for Corel Painter X. It looks like it really has a lot of potential, but is turning out to be a challenge to understand and use the tools properly. If anyone could give some help, I'd thoroughly appreciate it, or if anyone could point me to some tutorials for using Corel Painter X.
Some things I'm specifically wondering about:
<ul type="square">[*]How to use the 'Pen' tool [*]Are there different kind of brushes for the 'Brush' tool? [*]Is there a way to use tools like the 'Pen' tool, without getting a different 'Layer' for each stroke?[*]When I downloaded Corel Painter X, I also recieved Corel Painter Essentials 2. What is this, and how is it different from Corel Painter X? [/list]
Any answers to these questions, or information on other components of this software is highly beneficial. Thank you for taking your time to help me out.
_BAS_
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