Edit photos with Krita
Creative Workshop
Not many people are aware that Krita, the popular open source painting program, is also great for editing photos.
Few photographers are aware that Krita, the popular painting program [1], can also be used to edit photos. Considering that many illustrators and graphic designers use Photoshop or Gimp for digital painting and drawing, this is not surprising.
In fact, Krita's approach is identical to that of classic layer-based image editors in terms of the basic functions. However, it has several pretty significant advantages compared with Gimp. On the one hand, Krita lets you edit photos in large color spaces like Adobe RGB. This is especially important if you want to print a high-quality image with intense colors. On the other hand, Krita has filter masks, a counterpart to Photoshop's adjustment layers. They allow for far more comfortable image editing, because numerous effects can be adjusted retroactively and masks can be edited directly in the layer.
Krita is also one of only a few graphics programs that support 10-bit screen output. In combination with a 10-bit capable monitor, this gives you a far more accurate display of fine color nuances and gradients. In the following, I will use a concrete example to demonstrate how photo retouching with Krita works. (The original image can be found online [2].)
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.