ArtRage BeginnersGuide + mouse

Beginners guide to ArtRage 2

CC Attribution: Noncommercial, No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

A guide for beginners who have never worked with any painting software before or are new to ArtRage, also for people who would like to try drawing with a mouse.

Note on image size vs printing - please read discussion on it at the official ArtRage forums, as I have never tried printing directly from ArtRage myself:
- What is the best DPI to save paintings in Artrage for printing off to sell? [link]
- DPI and commecial inkjet printing of ArtRage paintings [link]
- Question regarding DPI, images, etc... [link]

More on ArtRage forums:
Tips & tricks [link]
Gallery sub forums with critique & WIP sections [link]

While drawing with a mouse:
use zoom in for details, some elements are easier to paint in closer/bigger view, some when image is zoomed out; useful while drawing with a tablet, too
adjust pressure a lot to get more transparency (opacity in other programs)
change brush size depending on how big elements you draw
experiment with brushes, that's fun

Done for folks from Hobbiton forums who paint with a mouse.