Krita: Open-Source Digital Painting Software for Artists and Designers

What is Krita?

Krita is a free and open-source digital painting and illustration software designed for artists, illustrators, and concept artists. Built with a focus on painting-specific features rather than general image editing, Krita provides professional-grade tools for digital art creation. Over 1 million artists use Krita for digital painting, concept art, and illustration.

Unlike Adobe Photoshop ($20.99/month) or Clip Studio Paint ($4.49/month), Krita provides professional digital painting tools completely free with open-source code. Artists maintain creative independence without subscription costs.

Krita serves as the digital painting platform for artists. Digital painters create artwork. Illustrators produce client work. Concept artists develop visual designs. Animation studios use Krita for animation production.

Key Features and Capabilities

Painting Tools

• Brush Engine: Highly customizable brushes with physics simulation
• Brush Strokes: Responsive brushes that feel natural
• Brush Stabilization: Smooth out shaky brushstrokes
• Brush Dynamics: Pressure sensitivity and tilt support
• Gradients: Advanced gradient tools and editing
• Patterns: Fill with patterns and textures

Layer System

• Layer Groups: Organize layers into hierarchical groups
• Blend Modes: 40+ blending modes for layer composition
• Clipping Masks: Clip layers to underlying content
• Vector Layers: Mix raster and vector in same artwork
• Adjustment Layers: Non-destructive color adjustments

Selection and Masking

• Selection Tools: Free select, rectangle, ellipse, fuzzy select
• Select by Color: Select similar colors across image
• Layer Masks: Non-destructive masking
• Refine Selection: Feather and refine selections

System Requirements

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 10+, macOS 10.12+, Linux
• RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB+ recommended
• Storage: 2GB for installation
• GPU: Optional but recommended for performance

Features

File Support

• Native Format: .kra format with full layer support
• Import/Export: PSD, TIFF, PNG, JPG, SVG, and more
• Animation Frames: Support for animation frame sequences

Advantages

• Free Forever: No subscription or licensing costs
• Professional Quality: Features comparable to commercial software
• Customizable: Highly customizable interface and tools
• Active Community: Growing community of digital artists
• Regular Updates: Consistent improvements and new features
• Open Source: Community-driven development

Pricing and Licensing

Software Cost: Completely free and open-source under LGPL License