Krita for Beginners: Installing, Setting Up, and Navigating the Workspace

Installing Krita (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Download and install

• Windows: Download the installer, run it, keep default options unless you have a specific reason to change the install location.
• macOS: Download the .dmg, drag Krita to Applications, then open it. If macOS blocks it, allow it in System Settings > Privacy & Security.
• Linux: Install via your package manager or use an official AppImage/Flatpak if you want a newer version than your distro provides.

First launch checklist

• Open Krita and confirm you can see the canvas area (center), toolbox (usually left), and dockers (often right).
• If the UI looks cramped, set a comfortable UI scale in Settings > Configure Krita > General > Window (wording may vary slightly by OS/version).

Creating a New Document: Canvas Size, Resolution (PPI), and Color Mode

New document basics

Create a new file via File > New. You’ll choose three key things that affect quality and workflow: pixel dimensions, resolution (PPI), and color model.

Canvas size: think in pixels first

Digital illustration is ultimately pixel-based. The most practical way to choose canvas size is to decide how large you want the image to be in pixels.

• For learning/practice: 2000–3000 px on the long side is comfortable and responsive.
• For detailed illustration: 3000–5000 px on the long side (depending on your computer).
• For social media: pick a target platform size (example: 1080×1080, 1080×1350, 1920×1080) and add extra pixels if you plan to crop.

Resolution (PPI): what it changes (and what it doesn’t)

PPI (pixels per inch) matters mainly for printing because it defines how many pixels are packed into one inch on paper. For purely digital display, pixel dimensions are what viewers actually see.

• Digital-only: You can use 72–144 PPI (or any value) and focus on pixel dimensions.
• Print-friendly: Use 300 PPI as a common standard for crisp prints.

Key idea: If you keep the same pixel dimensions, changing PPI does not magically add detail; it only changes the intended print size.

Color model: RGB vs CMYK (beginner-friendly guidance)

Krita supports multiple color models. As a beginner, you’ll usually want RGB because it’s the standard for screens and most online sharing.

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• RGB: Best for digital illustration, web, video, and general learning. Most brushes, blending, and previews behave predictably.
• CMYK: Used for printing workflows. It can be useful, but it introduces extra complexity (gamut limits, conversion surprises, printer profiles).

Practical recommendation: Start in RGB. If you need print later, you can convert or export with print settings once you understand how your printer or print shop handles color.

Quick setup recipe (safe default)

• Color model: RGB
• Bit depth: 8-bit per channel (lighter on performance; fine for beginners)
• Canvas size: 3000×3000 px
• Resolution: 300 PPI if you might print; otherwise any comfortable value

Interface Tour: Canvas, Dockers, and Tool Options

Canvas and view controls

The canvas is the central area where you draw. You’ll constantly adjust the view without changing the artwork itself.

• Zoom: changes how close you are.
• Pan: moves the view around.
• Rotate: rotates the view for comfortable strokes (the artwork stays the same; only your view rotates).

Toolbox and Tool Options

The Toolbox contains tools like Brush, Eraser, Fill, Selection tools, Transform, and more. When you click a tool, its settings appear in Tool Options.

• Tool Options are not the same as brush settings. For example, the Freehand Brush tool has options like smoothing, while the brush preset controls texture, size behavior, and more.
• If you don’t see Tool Options, enable it via Settings > Dockers > Tool Options.

Dockers (panels) you’ll use constantly

Dockers are panels you can show/hide and rearrange. The most important for beginners:

• Layers: create, reorder, group, lock, change opacity/blending modes.
• Brush Presets: pick brushes quickly.
• Advanced Color Selector: choose colors efficiently (hue/value/saturation workflows).
• Navigator: mini-map for quick panning and zoom awareness.

Enable any docker from Settings > Dockers.

Configuring a Beginner-Friendly Workspace Layout

Goal: keep essentials visible, reduce clutter

A good beginner layout minimizes hunting for panels. Aim for: Layers + Brush Presets + Color + Navigator always available.

Step-by-step: arrange the key dockers

1. Show the dockers: go to Settings > Dockers and enable Layers, Brush Presets, Advanced Color Selector, and Navigator.
2. Dock placement suggestion:
   • Right side (top): Layers
   • Right side (middle): Navigator
   • Left side (or right side as tabs): Brush Presets
   • Bottom (or left): Advanced Color Selector
3. Tabbing dockers: drag one docker onto another until you see a highlight, then release to create tabs (useful to save space).
4. Resize panels: drag panel borders so Layers is tall enough to read names and see thumbnails.
5. Close what you don’t need: if a panel distracts you, close it (you can always re-enable it later).

Make the workspace comfortable for drawing

• Maximize canvas focus: learn to toggle dockers when needed (many artists keep panels narrow and rely on shortcuts).
• Use full screen if helpful: try View menu options for distraction-free drawing.

Shortcuts and Pen Tablet Pressure Setup

Essential navigation shortcuts (learn these first)

These are the “daily drivers” for drawing comfortably. Your exact defaults may vary, but Krita typically uses:

• Pan: hold Space and drag
• Zoom: Ctrl + Space and drag (or mouse wheel)
• Rotate view: Shift + Space and drag
• Reset rotation: look for a reset in the canvas rotation controls or assign a shortcut

If any of these don’t work on your system, you can set them manually (next section).

Customize shortcuts (beginner-friendly approach)

1. Open Settings > Configure Krita > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. Search for actions like Canvas Rotation Reset, Zoom In/Out, Mirror View (optional), and assign keys you can reach comfortably.
3. Avoid overriding common system shortcuts. If a shortcut conflicts, Krita will warn you.

Pen tablet pressure: verify it’s working

Pressure sensitivity should make brush strokes change in size and/or opacity depending on how hard you press.

1. Connect your tablet and install its driver (if required by your tablet brand).
2. In Krita, select a brush preset that clearly responds to pressure (many default pencils/inks do).
3. Make a few strokes: light pressure should be thinner/lighter; heavy pressure thicker/darker.
4. If pressure does nothing, check:
   • Tablet settings in Krita: Settings > Configure Krita > Tablet Settings (options vary by OS).
   • Brush behavior: open the Brush Editor and confirm Size or Opacity is mapped to Pressure for that preset.
   • Driver mode: on some systems, switching between tablet input APIs can fix pressure issues (this depends on OS/tablet).

Optional: map tablet buttons for speed

• Map one button to Undo and another to Pan (Space) or Right-click (often used for quick color/brush actions depending on your setup).
• Keep it minimal at first: too many mappings can slow you down while learning.

Saving and Loading Workspaces

Why workspaces matter

A workspace saves your UI layout: which dockers are visible, where they are docked, and how they’re sized. This lets you switch between a clean “painting” layout and a more technical “editing” layout later.

Save your current layout

1. Arrange your dockers (Layers, Brush Presets, Advanced Color Selector, Navigator).
2. Go to Window > Workspace.
3. Choose Save Workspace (or similar wording).
4. Name it something clear, e.g., Beginner - Illustration.

Load or switch workspaces

1. Go to Window > Workspace.
2. Select your saved workspace from the list.
3. If your UI ever gets messy, switching away and back can restore your preferred layout.

Hands-on Exercise (10–15 minutes)

Part A: Open a sample file

1. Download or locate any image file on your computer (PNG/JPG) or a Krita sample file if you have one.
2. Open it with File > Open.
3. In the Layers docker, click different layers (if the file has them) to see how selection changes what you edit.

Part B: Practice pan/zoom/rotate without changing the artwork

1. Zoom in to 200–300% and inspect details.
2. Pan to move to each corner of the canvas.
3. Rotate the canvas view to a comfortable angle and draw a few test strokes on a new layer.
4. Reset rotation back to normal (assign a shortcut if you didn’t have one).

Part C: Save a custom workspace layout

1. Rearrange dockers into your preferred beginner layout (Layers prominent; Brush Presets and Color easy to reach; Navigator visible).
2. Save it via Window > Workspace > Save Workspace as Beginner - Practice.
3. Switch to a different workspace (if available), then switch back to confirm your saved layout restores correctly.