How to Install Krita on Ubuntu 20.04

Krita is a free and open-source digital painting application available for Linux, Windows, and macOS. It offers professional-grade tools for illustration, concept art, matte painting, textures, comics, and animation.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install the latest version of Krita on Ubuntu 20.04:

Prerequisites

Before installing Krita, ensure your system is up-to-date by running:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Method 1: Install using Snap

Snaps are containerized software packages that work across Linux distributions. Krita is available as a Snap from the Snap store.

To install it, run:

sudo snap install krita

The advantage of using Snaps is they bundle all necessary dependencies and auto-update when new versions are released.

Method 2: Install using PPA

For those who prefer deb packages, a Krita PPA is available.

First add the PPA to sources:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kritalime/ppa

When prompted press Enter to confirm. Then update apt and install Krita:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install krita

The PPA will provide the latest stable builds. To upgrade when new versions come out, just run sudo apt upgrade.

Method 3: Install AppImage

AppImages are self-contained applications that run on most Linux distributions.

Download the latest AppImage from Krita‘s website and make it executable:

chmod +x krita-*.AppImage

Then launch Krita:

./krita*.AppImage

The major advantage of the AppImage is portability. You can take the application and run it on any Linux distribution without installation.

Launching and Using Krita

To launch Krita after installing, search for it using the applications menu or run:

krita

When first opening Krita you‘re presented options to open existing files or start with a blank canvas:

The application has an intuitive user interface with the major sections being:

• Toolbox – Tools for selecting, transforming, drawing etc.
• Brush Presets – Customizable brushes with various settings
• Colors – Palette for picking colors to paint with
• Layers – For managing elements stacked on the canvas
• Docker Panels – Allow organization of workspace

Some handy keyboard shortcuts in Krita:

• Spacebar for hand tool (panning)
• B – Brush tool
• E – Eraser tool
• Ctrl+Z – Undo
• Ctrl+Y – Redo

With its expansive features for digital painting and image manipulation, Krita is popular for creating concept art, comics, textures and matte paintings. It‘s a great open-source alternative to paid options like Photoshop.