When it comes to natural media applications, there really isn't any competition for Corel Painter, a mature application that can be used to create imagery of the highest quality. However, such functionality comes with a matching price tag. While Ambient Design's ArtRage is in no danger of overtaking Painter anytime soon, it packs some significant natural media punch for a derisory price. Factor in its support for Photoshop and it just might be all you need.

Version 2.5, released this summer, added such functionality as Stencils and Rulers. Designed to mimic their real-world counterparts, these let users mask out areas of a canvas while they paint and constrain their tools to straight lines and curves. The new Precise Pencil works much like a mechanical pencil for creating precise, clean lines, while Smooth Blender provides soft-edge subtle blending. The new version makes it possible to move, scale and rotate the content of layers, either in groups or individually. Users can also import an image as a separate layer, then precisely position it using the transformation tools. This is especially handy when combined with new support for Photoshop PSD layer groups and layer names. The version also added control over dpi settings, which are also retained during PSD import and export.

ArtRage 2.5 Plus has just been released on CD. It comes with an 80-page manual, and a hybrid CD for Windows and Mac OS X, complete with Leopard compatibility. The CD also includes videos of paintings done with ArtRage and other related files. ArtRage 2.5 Plus can be purchased on the Ambient Design site for $39.95 (versus $25 for the downloadable version). A free version, which has been downloaded over two million times, is also available.