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Widhi Muttaqien, S.Kom, MMSI

"Krita" is a graphic application comparable to Photoshop. But unlike Photoshop, Krita is free and open-source software. So, you don't need to pay anything to download and use it. Another thing that makes Krita different from Photoshop, is that Krita is more focused on digital painting. That is why in Krita, you can find many features related to digital painting that do not exist in Photoshop. If you need software for drawing or creating illustrations, then Krita will make you feel right at home.

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"Krita" is a graphic application comparable to Photoshop. But unlike Photoshop, Krita is free and open-source software. So, you don't need to pay anything to download and use it. Another thing that makes Krita different from Photoshop, is that Krita is more focused on digital painting. That is why in Krita, you can find many features related to digital painting that do not exist in Photoshop. If you need software for drawing or creating illustrations, then Krita will make you feel right at home.

If you have never used Krita before or even never used any graphic software such as Photoshop, Gimp, and so on. You don't need to worry. Because we will start from the very basics. I have carefully crafted the curriculum for convenience and speed. In sha Allah, you can master Krita quickly but through an easy and enjoyable learning experience.

What you will learn

There are a lot of things that you are going to learn in this course. Just for a quick preview, this online course consists of 8 chapters, outside the introduction chapter.

In chapter zero or the introduction chapter, you will learn how to set up the drawing tablet. And also various tips to make Krita perform optimally.

Then in the first chapter, you will learn the theories and concepts around computer graphics which will be relevant later in the digital painting process. You will learn the difference between raster and vector graphics. Then learn various types of color models that exist in the world, such as RGB and HSV. Then learn the basic concepts behind "bits per channel", "high range images", "hexadecimal" color codes, and so on.

In the second chapter, you will start learning the basic features of Krita. From how to work with documents. Understanding the UI and how to tweak it. Then learn the different methods of canvas navigation.

In the next chapter, you will learn how to use the "freehand brush tool" and also how to work with color in Krita. From choosing and managing "brush presets". How to use the "pop-up palette". Understanding various parameters related to brush, such as "size", "opacity", "flow", "eraser mode", etc. Then learn how to use the "advanced color selector", "color sampling" technique, how to use the "color palette", and so on.

In the fourth chapter, we are going to discuss various tools that are based on the brush engine. We will learn tools like the "line tool", "rectangle tool", "Ellipse tool", "polygon tool", "polyline tool", and so on.

In the fifth chapter, you will learn about the selection and layer composition. We will start by discussing the basic selection techniques. Then move on to custom-shaped selection techniques. Then discuss the background layer. Learn the different types of layers available in Krita. Understand various properties related to layers. Learn to make complex compositions using "group layer", "alpha inheritance", "blending mode", etc. In this chapter, we will draw a simple landscape illustration using various tools and features we discussed earlier.

In chapter six, you will learn the basic techniques of drawing and coloring in Krita. To practice the techniques, you will create an ax weapon illustration from start to finish. You will start by drawing the sketch. Then learn various techniques for drawing smooth "line arts". Then learn the various types of "assistant tools" available in Krita. You will also learn different approaches of adding base colors to a drawing. One of the techniques is to use the "colorize mask" feature. After that, you will learn how to add shading and highlight colors with a style you often see in superhero comics.

In the seventh chapter, you will learn the basics of creating digital paintings with smoother shading colors. You will start by preparing all the brush presets. Then learn to create custom shortcuts for faster workflow. Then we will discuss the basic concepts of shading. Learn how to form any shape we want by manipulating the color gradation on the canvas. Then we move on to learn different shading techniques. After that, we will put into practice the techniques that we learned by making a skull illustration. From drawing the sketch, adding the base color, applying "shading" and "highlight" colors, and finally adding details and textures to the drawing.

In the last chapter, we are going to discuss the workflow for creating a non-destructive illustration. We are going to create a tree on the cliff illustration from start to finish using all the techniques we learned before. The benefit of having a non-destructive composition is that it will be easier if we need to make some changes or revisions. In some cases, this kind of workflow becomes very crucial. Such as when you need to create a lot of variations from a single artwork as quickly as possible.

So, join the course now. And start creating beautiful artworks using Krita.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Important computer graphics concepts related to the process of creating digital artworks.
  • Basic features of krita such as the ui, canvas navigation, and so on.
  • Basic drawing, inking, dan coloring techniques using a style commonly found in superhero comics.
  • Learn more sophisticated techniques to speed up the creation process such as using selection, layer composition, blending modes, and so on.
  • Learn shading concepts and techniques for digital painting.
  • Create an illustration using a non-destructive workflow.

Syllabus

INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Project files and other information
Drawing tablet setup
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Starts with setting up a drawing tablet and optimizing Krita's performance, which is helpful for those new to digital art
Explores computer graphics concepts like raster vs vector and color models, providing a theoretical foundation for digital painting
Covers UI basics and canvas navigation, which allows learners to quickly orient themselves within the Krita software
Teaches selection and layer composition, which are essential skills for creating complex digital artworks
Uses Krita 5.0, which may not be the latest version, but is still widely used and supported by the digital art community
Focuses on techniques for drawing and coloring in a style commonly found in superhero comics, which may not appeal to all learners

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Reviews summary

Beginner-friendly krita 5.0 digital painting

According to learners, this course is a highly recommended positive starting point for anyone looking to learn digital painting with Krita, especially if they are absolute beginners. Students praise the instructor's clear and concise teaching style positive and the way complex topics are broken down into manageable steps. The course structure, starting from basic concepts and software UI before moving to practical exercises and painting techniques, is seen as very effective positive. Learners highlight the practical projects positive, such as creating illustrations, as valuable hands-on experience. While some mention a potential steep learning curve warning or wishing for slightly more depth on certain advanced techniques, the overwhelming sentiment is that the course provides a solid foundation in Krita 5.0 positive and digital painting workflows. The coverage of Krita-specific features and the non-destructive workflow is also frequently mentioned as highly useful positive.
Covers fundamental Krita features well.
"He covers the basics of Krita from scratch."
"Learned so much about the UI, tools, and layers."
"Starts from the very basics of the program, which is perfect."
"Got a good handle on navigation, brushes, and selections."
Hands-on projects reinforce learning.
"The projects given help you practice what you learn effectively."
"Doing the assignments made me really understand the tools."
"The step-by-step illustrations are great practice."
"Learning by doing through the projects was incredibly helpful."
Excellent starting point for new users.
"This is a great course for beginners who are just starting out with Krita or digital painting."
"It is an excellent course for beginners. Everything is clearly explained."
"Perfect course for starting in digital painting and Krita."
"As someone completely new to digital art software, I found this very accessible."
Instructor explains Krita concepts clearly.
"The instructor explains everything clearly and precisely. This course is a great way to learn Krita."
"The explanations were easy to understand and follow along with."
"He explains every single tool, every single button very precisely."
"I found the instructions clear and easy to digest, even as a complete beginner."
Some parts may feel fast or lack depth.
"Sometimes the lessons jump a little too fast or could use more detail."
"Some sections felt a bit rushed, had to pause and rewatch."
"Could cover some tools or techniques in a bit more depth."
"I wished there were more examples for certain blending modes."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Digital painting with Krita 5.0 for beginners with these activities:
Review Color Theory Fundamentals
Reinforce your understanding of color theory concepts like RGB, HSV, and color mixing, which are essential for digital painting in Krita.
Browse courses on Color Theory
Show steps
  • Review notes on color theory.
  • Complete online quizzes on color models.
  • Practice color mixing exercises in a different software.
Read 'Figure Drawing: For All It's Worth' by Andrew Loomis
Improve your understanding of figure drawing principles, which are essential for creating compelling character designs and illustrations in Krita.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Study the book's anatomy lessons.
  • Practice drawing figures from reference.
  • Apply the principles to your Krita paintings.
Brush Control Exercises
Improve your brush control and hand-eye coordination, which are essential for creating precise lines and smooth shading in Krita.
Show steps
  • Practice drawing straight lines and curves.
  • Practice shading gradients with different brush settings.
  • Experiment with different brush presets.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Read 'Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter' by James Gurney
Deepen your understanding of color and light principles, which are crucial for creating realistic and visually appealing digital paintings in Krita.
Show steps
  • Read the book chapter by chapter.
  • Take notes on key concepts.
  • Apply the concepts to your Krita paintings.
Follow Advanced Krita Tutorials
Explore advanced Krita features and techniques by following online tutorials on topics such as custom brushes, animation, and special effects.
Show steps
  • Find tutorials on advanced Krita topics.
  • Follow the tutorials step-by-step.
  • Adapt the techniques to your own projects.
Create a Digital Painting Study
Apply the techniques learned in the course by creating a digital painting study of a master artwork, focusing on color, light, and composition.
Show steps
  • Choose a master artwork to study.
  • Analyze the artwork's color palette and composition.
  • Recreate the artwork in Krita.
Personal Digital Painting Project
Develop your own digital painting project from concept to completion, applying all the skills and knowledge gained in the course.
Show steps
  • Develop a concept for your painting.
  • Create a sketch and color palette.
  • Paint the artwork in Krita.
  • Refine and finalize the painting.

Career center

Learners who complete Digital painting with Krita 5.0 for beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Digital Artist
A Digital Artist creates artwork in a digital environment, often involving illustration, painting, and design for various media. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting techniques and tools necessary for success as a Digital Artist. The course's instruction on Krita's UI, color models, brush management, and shading techniques provides a comprehensive skillset for creating various types of digital artwork. The emphasis on non-destructive workflows enables artists to easily revise and adapt their work, a crucial skill for meeting client demands and exploring creative options. Anyone wishing to become a Digital Artist can find this course useful.
Comic Book Artist
A Comic Book Artist creates sequential art for comic books, graphic novels, and webcomics. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting techniques essential for comic book art. The course content covers basic drawing, inking, and coloring techniques commonly found in superhero comics, providing a style-specific skillset. The course demonstrates how to create line art, add base colors, and apply shading and highlighting, mirroring the workflow of a Comic Book Artist. The course's emphasis on using tools such as the colorize mask feature and advanced layer compositions is valuable for creating visually appealing and dynamic comic book panels. This course in particular will help you create content in the style of superhero comics.
Illustrator
An Illustrator creates visual content for various media, often working on projects that require detailed artwork and creative design. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting tools necessary for creating illustrations. The course's focus on Krita's features, from basic UI navigation to advanced techniques like layer composition and shading, are directly applicable to an Illustrator's workflow. The non-destructive illustration workflow taught in the course is valuable for creating flexible and easily editable artwork, a common requirement in professional illustration. One aspiring to become an Illustrator should take this course because it covers the process of creating digital artwork from the ground up.
Concept Artist
A Concept Artist visualizes ideas for characters, environments, and props in various media such as video games, film, and animation. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting skills crucial for concept art creation. The course covers essential techniques within Krita, from understanding color models to mastering shading and highlighting, providing a practical skillset for bringing initial concepts to life. The course's focus on non-destructive illustration workflows is invaluable for quickly iterating on designs and adapting to feedback, a common task for a Concept Artist. This course introduces the fundamentals of the digital painting process.
Graphic Novel Artist
A Graphic Novel Artist creates extended stories in comic form, requiring skills in both storytelling and visual art. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting techniques essential for producing graphic novels. The course covers basic drawing, inking, and coloring techniques, along with the use of selection and layer composition to facilitate complex compositions, which can be applied to the creation of graphic novel pages. The course emphasizes the creation of a non-destructive illustration workflow, which is valuable for making revisions and variations in a graphic novel project. Those who are interested in learning about digital painting should take this course.
Freelance Artist
A Freelance Artist works independently on a variety of projects, such as illustrations, designs, and commissions, using various digital painting software. This course helps build a foundation in the use of Krita for creating digital artwork, which can be valuable for a Freelance Artist. The course's coverage of essential techniques within Krita, from basic UI navigation to advanced shading and texturing, provides a versatile skillset for completing diverse projects. The course's focus on non-destructive workflows is particularly useful for making client revisions and creating multiple variations of an artwork. Those aspiring to become a Freelance Artist should take this course to broaden their skill set.
Webcomic Artist
A Webcomic Artist creates and publishes comics online, often requiring skills in digital art and storytelling. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting techniques essential for creating webcomics. The course content covers basic drawing, inking, and coloring techniques, along with layer composition and blending modes, providing a well-rounded skillset for producing webcomic pages. The course emphasizes the creation of a non-destructive illustration workflow, which is valuable for making quick revisions and creating variations in a webcomic project. Those looking to begin creating their own webcomics should take this course.
Video Game Artist
A Video Game Artist creates visual assets for video games, including character designs, environments, and textures. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting techniques essential for video game art. The course content covers basic drawing, inking, and coloring techniques, along with the use of selection and layer composition to facilitate complex compositions, which can be applied to the creation of video game assets. The course emphasizes the creation of a non-destructive illustration workflow, which is valuable for making revisions and variations in a video game art project. Aspiring video game artists can benefit from this course.
Character Designer
A Character Designer develops the visual appearance of characters for animation, video games, and other media. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting skills required for character design. The course content covers techniques for sketching, line art, coloring, and shading characters within Krita, a valuable skillset for a Character Designer. The course's emphasis on shading concepts and techniques for digital painting, along with instruction on non-destructive workflows, ensures that character designs can be easily modified and adapted throughout the design process. Those wanting to become a Character Designer should take this course to get started on digital painting with open-source software.
Background Artist
A Background Artist creates the environments and settings for animated films, video games, and other visual media. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting skills needed for environment design. The course's focus on features within Krita, such as understanding color models, selection techniques, and layer composition, provides a valuable toolkit for a Background Artist. The course's practical exercises, including drawing a simple landscape illustration and creating a tree on the cliff illustration, offer hands-on experience. A Background Artist can improve their digital painting skills by taking this course.
Digital Matte Painter
A Digital Matte Painter creates photo-realistic backgrounds and environments for film and television. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting skills required for creating digital matte paintings. The course content focuses on color models, shading techniques, and image composition, all essential for creating realistic environments. The course's emphasis on non-destructive illustration workflows and the creation of detailed illustrations, such as the tree on the cliff illustration, is directly applicable to the creation of digital matte paintings. People interested in photorealistic images will benefit from this course.
Texture Artist
A Texture Artist creates the surface details on 3D models for video games, films, and other media. This course helps build a foundation in the digital painting techniques used for creating textures. The course's coverage of Krita's features, from brush management to shading techniques, provides a relevant skillset for a Texture Artist. The course's focus on adding details and textures to illustrations, as demonstrated in the skull and tree illustrations, is directly applicable to the creation of realistic and visually engaging textures. Those who wish to gain experience in digital painting should take this course.
Storyboard Artist
A Storyboard Artist creates visual representations of a film's or animation's narrative, scene by scene. This course may be useful in building a foundation in the digital painting tools necessary for creating storyboards. The course's focus on sketching, drawing, and basic composition within Krita provides skills that may be applicable to visualizing scenes and actions. The instruction on brush-based tools and shading techniques may also be helpful for adding depth and dimension to storyboard panels. Those aspiring to become Storyboard Artists may benefit from taking this course to gain some experience in a digital painting environment.
Animator
An Animator creates moving images using various techniques, including digital painting. This course may be useful in building a foundation in the digital painting skills required for creating animated content. The course's focus on sketching, drawing, and coloring techniques within Krita provides a skillset that can be applied to the visual aspects of animation. Instruction on creating non-destructive illustrations and managing layers may be useful for efficiently modifying and animating individual frames. Those interested in animation may benefit from this course.
Art Director
An Art Director oversees the visual style and images for various projects, such as magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and film productions. This typically requires an advanced degree. This course may be useful in building a foundation in the use of Krita for digital artwork, enabling an Art Director to better guide the creation process. The course content covers essential techniques, from basic UI navigation to advanced shading and texturing. The instruction on non-destructive workflows may be valuable for understanding how to efficiently manage artwork revisions and variations. Those aspiring to become an Art Director may find value in this course.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Digital painting with Krita 5.0 for beginners.
Must-read for any digital painter, regardless of the software they use. It delves into the science and art of color and light, explaining how they interact and how to use them effectively in paintings. The book covers topics like color temperature, atmospheric perspective, and the properties of different light sources. It provides a strong foundation for understanding shading and highlighting, which are key skills taught in the course.

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