Stephanie got me Corel Painter a while back, but I just finally got a laptop that can handle it without pausing 20 seconds between every brushstroke. It's pretty fun, but there are a LOT of options for media/brushes. Too many. They should make graphics software like video games and make you unlock everything one at a time. No gradients till you beat the Pen Tool level! Also, when you think you've finished it, you should have to play the whole thing again, but upside-down! That one's free Adobe.
That is an alarmingly good idea for graphics software. That painting is rockin’ too.