As that old line goes: “We can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way”
The easy way is to just believe the things we see folks spouting online. What the web cognoscenti tell us is that Krita is one of the best digital art software for painters and illustrators, and nothing more. And that GIMP is a Photoshop alternative, for retouching and some technical art, and nothing more.
The Hard Way
Simple, right? Yes, and while it holds a glimmer of truth, it hardly tells the whole story. So we are going to have to do this the hard way, by actually going through the features.
GIMP vs Krita Specs
What are the specs for GIMP and Krita? Here are the basics, to get us started:
Non-Destructive Editing (NDE)
Non-destructive editing of NDE is always one of the top discussed abilities when talking about paint and image manipulation programs. And for good reason, it allows us to go back and make corrections/modifications/variations without starting from scratch.
GIMP’s Interface
While GIMP’s interface is harder to deal with, once past it we are treated to some very powerful tools. Image: By the author for American Express.
Krita’s Interface
Krita offers better and easier UI customization. As seen here, it lets the user decide where the active tool’s option/preference panel is placed. In the "Dock" along the right, or above the canvas. Image: Krita
Working in Both GIMP and Krita
You may want to consider working on one image concurrently in two different programmes. While there is no software bridge to connect these two apps, and there isn’t even any shared file format that supports all of their native abilities, there is still one quick way to bounce between the two: COPY and PASTE.
Winner: Krita
Despite its flaws, Krita takes this one.
GIMP vs Krita: Which Should I Use?
Our analysis shows there are seven wins for GIMP and six for Krita. As you can now tell, there really is no “bottom line” here. If there was, we could have just believed what the web was telling us. Instead, each tool is far more nuanced. And we have learned that both of them bring a tremendous amount to the table. And to the creative life of all of us that use them.
Conclusion
I can recommend both applications for different purposes, as detailed above, or even both together. If you use either application, especially for commercial purposes, I strongly recommend supporting either or both with a small financial contribution. Let’s keep these projects alive!
FAQs
Q: Can I use GIMP and Krita together?
A: Yes, you can copy and paste layers between the two applications.
Q: Which one is better?
A: It depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Q: Do I need to learn both?
A: Yes, if you want to get the most out of both applications.
Q: Can I use both for commercial purposes?
A: Yes, but be sure to support the projects with a small financial contribution.
