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The best all-round choice for digital painting on Linux is Krita. Choose GIMP for photo editing and compositing, MyPaint for focused sketching, Pinta or KolourPaint for quick edits, Pixelorama or LibreSprite for pixel art, and Drawpile for painting with other people.
This list includes 23 free, open-source programs, but they are not 23 interchangeable painting apps. Some are dedicated raster-painting tools; others specialize in pixel art, vector illustration, animation, children’s activities, or notes and PDF markup. The recommendations below are grouped by the job each tool actually does.
Quick guide: which Linux art program should you choose?
| Tool | Best for | What kind of tool it is | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krita | Illustration, comics, concept art | Dedicated raster painting | More complex than a quick-edit utility |
| GIMP | Photo editing, retouching, compositing | General raster editor with painting tools | Painting is not its main focus |
| MyPaint | Freehand sketching and painting | Focused painting tool | Not a full photo-editing or compositing suite |
| Pinta | Everyday drawing and image edits | Simple raster editor | Less suited to complex illustration |
| KolourPaint | Shapes, touch-ups, quick sketches | Simple drawing utility | Limited compared with a professional painting app |
| Drawpile | Shared art sessions | Collaborative painting | Sessions require a network and host workflow |
| Pixelorama | Pixel art, sprites, tiles, animation | Pixel-art editor | Not intended for painterly illustration |
| Tux Paint | Young children and classroom use | Educational drawing tool | Intentionally limited for adult production work |
| Inkscape | Logos, icons, scalable illustration | Vector drawing | Vector strokes differ from raster brush painting |
| Pencil2D | Hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation | 2D animation tool | Animation, not still-image painting, is central |
“Free” can mean no purchase price, while “free and open source” also means the code is available under an open-source license. The programs here are selected as open-source options, not simply free-of-charge proprietary software. Availability and version freshness still vary by Linux distribution and package source.
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- Word-first 16K Pressure Levels: The upgraded stylus features 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity and supports up to 60 degrees of tilt, delivering smoother lines and shading for a natural drawing experience. With no battery or charging needed, it operates like a real pen, making it easy for beginners to create effortlessly. This functionality helps novice artists develop their skills and explore their creativity without the intimidation of complex tools
- Designed for Beginners: This drawing pad desinged with 8 customizable shortcuts for both right and left-hand users, express keys create a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform
- Perfectly Adapted for Android: The XPPen Deco 01 V3 art tablet supports connections with Android devices running version 10.0 and above. It is recommended to download the XPPen Tools Android application, which adapts to your smartphone's screen aspect ratio, ensuring accurate mapping. It also supports mapping on Android screens with different aspect ratios in portrait mode
- Large Drawing Space, Bigger Bold Inspiration: This expansive drawing pad has10 x 6.25-inch helps you break through the limit between shortcut keys and drawing area
- Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The Deco 01 V3 offers USB-C to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C. This ensures easy connection to various devices, allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns. Whether using a laptop, tablet, or desktop, the Deco 01 V3 provides a seamless experience, making it an ideal choice for those just starting their digital art journey
Professional painting and illustration
1. Krita — best overall for digital painting
Krita is the strongest starting point for artists who want a painting-first application for illustration, comics, concept art, texture work, or finished digital paintings. Its feature set includes brush engines, layers and masks, drawing assistants, stabilizers, and animation tools. The project describes it as professional free and open-source painting software. See Krita’s official site and Linux download and source information.
Its depth is also its main trade-off: Krita can feel excessive for adding an arrow to a screenshot or cropping a photo. Keep the native .kra project while you work; exporting a flattened PNG or JPEG does not preserve the editable document structure.
2. GIMP — best for image editing and compositing
GIMP is a mature open-source image editor that also supports painting. It is a better fit than Krita when the job centers on selections, retouching, masks, filters, color correction, compositing, or preparing images for digital and print use. The project highlights color-management capabilities on its official site.
For a painting-first workflow, Krita or MyPaint is usually the more natural choice. GIMP remains useful for artists who need to move between drawing and detailed image manipulation.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3. MyPaint — best for distraction-free sketching
MyPaint focuses on freehand painting and sketching from scratch, with a lightweight, minimal workflow. It can complement Krita or GIMP when you want a canvas for drawing without the broader image-editing interface. Its project describes it as a nimble, distraction-free painting tool; see MyPaint and its release page.
It is not a substitute for a full compositing or photo-editing suite. If you plan to use it for a complex production pipeline, check that its project and export workflow fits the formats and handoffs you need.
Simple editors for quick drawing and everyday edits
4. Pinta — approachable general-purpose editor
Pinta suits users who want basic drawing and image editing without the learning curve of GIMP or Krita. It is a reasonable Paint.NET-style option for simple sketches, cropping, and adjustments, but it is not a feature-for-feature replacement for either larger application. The project provides a portable Linux AppImage on its release page.
Rank #2
- Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
- Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
- What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
- Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
- Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life
5. KolourPaint — KDE’s simple drawing utility
KolourPaint is useful for touch-ups, quick sketches, and simple shapes such as lines, rectangles, ovals, and polygons. It is a natural option for KDE Plasma users who want a straightforward raster utility rather than a full art suite. KDE describes its intended use on the KolourPaint application page.
6. Drawing — a simple editor for basic marks and annotations
Drawing is intended for approachable everyday drawing and basic image manipulation, including simple markup and diagrams. Treat it as a lightweight utility, not a professional illustration application. Check your distribution’s package source and its age before choosing it; package availability and project activity should not be assumed to be identical across Linux systems.
7. LazPaint — lightweight raster editing with some vector capabilities
LazPaint is a small general-purpose editor for users who want more than a bare sketch utility without moving to a larger suite. It offers raster editing and some vector-oriented capabilities, and the project provides Linux downloads at its official site. Its smaller ecosystem makes it a less obvious choice for large collaborative or professional illustration workflows.
8. mtPaint — small raster and pixel-art work
mtPaint is designed for pixel art and digital-photo manipulation, with tools for drawing, fills, cloning, smudging, selections, and shapes. Its low-resource orientation and scripting options may appeal to users working with small images or older hardware. The trade-off is an older interface and uncertain package freshness: the project site lists version 3.50, dated December 31, 2020. See mtPaint’s official site; that release date is a maintenance-age signal, not proof that the program cannot be used.
9. GNU Paint (GPaint) — legacy, very simple drawing
GNU Paint offers basic freehand drawing, shapes, text, fill, and selection functions under GPL v2 or later. Its official page describes older GNOME 1 and GNOME 2 versions, so treat it as a legacy or niche option rather than a modern desktop recommendation. Current installation may be difficult on recent distributions. Details are on the GNU project page.
Collaborative painting
10. Drawpile — best for drawing together
Drawpile lets multiple people draw and paint on a shared canvas, making it useful for art sessions, classrooms, and community events. It is GPLv3 software, supports pressure-sensitive tablets, and can be used with a dedicated server. The official download page lists Linux AppImage and Flatpak options; it notes that the AppImage includes the client, server, and command-line tools, while the Flatpak does not include every server and command-line component. Check the project overview, downloads, and documentation for the setup that matches your session.
A shared canvas adds practical questions that a solo editor does not: who hosts, who can join, and how the session is moderated. Plan those details before using it for a class or public event.
Rank #3
- Customize Your Workflow: The 6 customizable press keys on Huion H640P drawing tablet for pc let you assign your most-used commands—like undo, zoom, brush switch, or save—so you can keep your hands on the tablet and your mind on the art. Whether you're a digital painter switching brushes, or a comic artist zooming in and out, these keys keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, the Huion driver lets you save different shortcut profiles for different apps, so you never have to reconfigure when switching software.
- Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
- Compact and Portable: Huion H640P computer graphics tablet features a compact, ultra-portable design at just 0.3 inches thin and 0.61 lbs light, so it slides easily into your backpack—perfect for sketching in coffee shops, taking notes in class, or editing on the go between home and studio. The 6x4 inch active area offers enough room for natural pen movements while fitting comfortably on crowded desks, or lecture hall seats.
- Stable Compatibility: Huion H640P graphic drawing tablet works seamlessly with Mac, Windows, Linux PCs, and Android smartphones/tablets (OS version 6.0 or later). Left-handed friendly, and you just need to flip the tablet and adjust the settings in the driver. Please note: H640P does NOT support iPhone/iPad.
- Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.
Pixel art, sprites, and game graphics
11. Pixelorama — modern pixel-art multitool
Pixelorama is built for pixel art, tiles, sprites, sprite sheets, and pixel animation. It is a better fit than a general painting app when you need a workflow designed around precise pixels and game-art assets. It is not meant for natural-media or high-resolution painterly illustration. See the Pixelorama project for its current releases and distribution details.
12. LibreSprite — open-source sprite editor
LibreSprite is an open-source sprite editor derived from the last GPLv2 Aseprite commit; it should not be treated as identical to current proprietary Aseprite. It supports sprite animation and tiled drawing modes useful for repeating patterns and textures. Review its releases and compatibility on the LibreSprite project page.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →13. GrafX2 — classic, palette-oriented pixel art
GrafX2 is for artists who like a classic, Deluxe Paint-inspired pixel-art workflow, including palette-focused control and pixel-by-pixel editing. It is a specialist choice for retro graphics rather than a general digital-painting application. Confirm the current project download and Linux packaging before relying on it for a new workflow.
When comparing pixel-art programs, look for the features your asset pipeline needs: frame animation, onion skinning, palette management, tiled drawing, sprite-sheet export, transparency handling, and nearest-neighbor scaling. These capabilities are more relevant to sprite work than a conventional painting app’s large brush library.
Vector drawing and scalable illustration
14. Inkscape — best for SVG illustration
Inkscape is the choice for artwork made from paths and objects: logos, icons, diagrams, typography, and illustrations that need to scale cleanly. It is a useful companion to Krita or GIMP, but it is not a natural-media raster painting tool; vector strokes behave differently from pixel-based brushes. Find it at Inkscape’s official site and its project source.
15. SVG-Edit — browser-based vector drawing
SVG-Edit offers a lightweight browser-based way to create and edit SVG artwork. It can suit quick vector diagrams when installing a full desktop application is not desirable, but it is not a native Linux painting program. Check its current browser and file-handling behavior through the SVG-Edit project.
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16. Pencil2D — hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation
Pencil2D centers on traditional 2D animation and is useful for rough animation and drawn sequences. It is not a replacement for Krita when the main deliverable is a complex still illustration. Find project information at Pencil2D and its source repository.
Rank #4
- Ultra-Portable with Revolutionary X-Dial Wheels: Weighing only 1.58 lb with an 11.9" portable screen, XP Pen drawing tablet features dual X-Dial wheels that instantly adjust brush size and canvas zoom, saving 40% operation time. The 33% narrower bezels provide more drawing area, while 8 customizable keys prevent misoperations. Perfect for digital artists sketching in cafes or students carrying this tablet with pen between classes
- Eye-Care Paper-Feel Display: AG etched glass provides paper-like texture, reducing 85% glare and resisting fingerprints. Full lamination technology ensures the pen tip closely follows the cursor with nearly zero parallax. Ideal for architects detailing blueprints or illustrators working long hours - your eyes stay comfortable even after 8-hour sessions with this professional graphic tablet
- Magnetic X4 Pen with 16K Precision: The X4 chip drawing pen features 16,384 pressure levels and 60-degree tilt support, with 2g initial pressure perfect for feather-detail illustrations on your drawing tablet. 50% faster response speed and 200% steadier nibs prevent wobble during precise inking. Includes 10 replacement nibs and magnetic attachment to prevent loss. Enjoy professional drawing experience with smooth, natural strokes that respond to your every movement
- Pro Color Accuracy with Factory Calibration: This drawing tablet with screen delivers 1920x1080 Full HD resolution with 99% sRGB and ΔE<1.5 color accuracy displaying 16.7 million colors. Factory pre-calibrated with OSD menu adjustment ensures perfect color matching for professional photography retouching or brand design projects where color precision is critical
- Certified Universal Compatibility: This art tablet guarantees flawless performance across all major platforms: Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.13 or later, Android 10.0 or later, ChromeOS 88 or later, Linux, and Windows ARM. It is rigorously tested with top software including Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, and Krita, ensuring a stable and hassle-free experience for freelancers and students collaborating across different ecosystems
17. Synfig Studio — vector and cut-out animation
Synfig Studio is an animation tool for vector and raster elements, tweening, and cut-out approaches. Its specialization makes it a poor fit for someone who only wants to paint a static image, but it belongs on the shortlist when motion is the goal. See Synfig Studio and its project source.
18. Blender Grease Pencil — 2D/3D hybrid drawing
Blender’s Grease Pencil supports drawing and animation inside a 3D environment, enabling storyboards and mixed 2D/3D scenes. Blender is powerful and mature, but its breadth and learning curve are disproportionate for ordinary painting or quick edits. See Blender and the Grease Pencil manual.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Children’s drawing, notes, and annotation
19. Tux Paint — best for young children
Tux Paint is purpose-built for children, with simplified controls, stamps, and sound effects. Its limited complexity is an advantage for young users and a reason not to treat it as a professional illustration tool. The project lists version 0.9.35 and Linux distribution packages, Flatpak, and Snap on its download page; its site explains the educational focus.
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20. Rnote — stylus notes and whiteboards
Rnote is more appropriate for handwritten notes, diagrams, and whiteboard-style ink than for a conventional layered painting. It suits stylus-based work where the output is a note or visual annotation rather than a finished raster illustration. See Rnote’s site and its project source.
21. Xournal++ — PDF markup and handwritten notes
Xournal++ is aimed at handwritten notes, classroom material, and PDF annotation. Pressure-sensitive handwriting is relevant to stylus users, but its document and PDF workflow differs from editing a painting canvas. Visit the official site and project source.
22. GCompris drawing activities — drawing within an educational suite
GCompris includes drawing activities as part of a broader educational program. It may fit a supervised classroom or a child who needs several learning activities in one environment, but it is not a standalone professional painting application. Check the activity set and distribution version at GCompris and its project page.
23. XPaint — a legacy X11 option
XPaint is a traditional X11 paint utility that may matter when maintaining older systems. For most current desktop users, older interface and uncertain maintenance or packaging make it a weak first recommendation. Verify that a maintained upstream source and a compatible package exist before choosing it for a new installation.
Best Value
- Advanced PenTech 3.0: Upgraded from PenTech 2.0 to PenTech 3.0, Inspiroy 2 drawing pad offers amazing precision & control over every line with no noticeable lag & wobble, just like a standard pen
- Ergonomics Pen Design: The new digital stylus PW110 is improved designed with slimmer body, soft silicone grip & accessible side buttons for better ergonomics & comfort
- Programmable Scroll & 3-Set Shortcut Keys: The digital art tablet with unique scroll wheel & 3-Set 8-press keys can be customized to your favorite shortcut so that your creative work becomes smoother and more efficient. You also can change the settings for different apps
- Mobile Friendly: Enjoy creating on your Inspiroy 2 drawing tablet for pc and see your drawings and paintings come to life on your Android smartphone or tablet (OS version 6.0 or later)
- Multi-OS Compatibility: Inspiroy 2 digital drawing pad is compatible with Mac (MacOS 10.12 or later), PC (Windows 7 or later), Linux(Ubuntu), and certain Android devices (OS version 6.0 or later)
Choose by workflow, not by list position
- Professional painting, comics, or concept art: Start with Krita.
- Photo retouching and compositing: Choose GIMP.
- Minimal freehand sketching: Try MyPaint.
- Arrows, shapes, cropping, and simple edits: Start with Pinta or KolourPaint; consider Drawing for a similarly simple workflow.
- Low-resource raster work or small images: Consider LazPaint or mtPaint, while checking project and package freshness.
- Pixel art and game sprites: Compare Pixelorama and LibreSprite; consider GrafX2 for a classic palette-centered workflow.
- Shared sessions: Use Drawpile.
- Children’s art: Use Tux Paint; consider GCompris when a wider educational activity suite is wanted.
- Logos and scalable artwork: Use Inkscape.
- Animation: Pick Pencil2D for hand-drawn frame-by-frame work, Synfig for vector/cut-out animation, or Blender for a 2D/3D hybrid.
- Handwritten notes or PDF markup: Choose Rnote or Xournal++ rather than a painting suite.
Linux installation, tablets, and file compatibility
Pick a package source that suits your distribution
First check your distribution’s repository; it may provide the simplest installation, though its version can lag behind upstream. If the project offers it, Flatpak can provide broader distribution coverage, while an official AppImage can be a portable alternative. Use Snap where the project or your system supports it, and compile from source only when a maintained binary is unavailable or you specifically need a source build. Download from the project or its linked official distribution channel, not an unrelated download site. Package names and versions differ, so a command copied for one distribution is not a universal Linux instruction.
For an AppImage, the common launch pattern is:
chmod +x ToolName.AppImage
./ToolName.AppImageThis is not a universal fix. If it fails, verify the download, try a normal local directory in case the current filesystem is mounted with noexec, consult the project’s troubleshooting guidance, or choose a Flatpak or distribution package if required libraries are unavailable.
Flatpak’s general command shape is:
flatpak install flathub <application-id>
flatpak run <application-id>Use the exact application ID shown by the project or its Flathub listing; IDs are not interchangeable guesses.
Check the complete tablet setup
Linux stylus behavior can depend on the tablet model, vendor driver, desktop environment, Wayland or X11 session, application package, and configuration. Pressure, tilt, eraser behavior, and mapping are separate capabilities; a general statement that an app supports tablets does not guarantee that a particular device works perfectly. Test the exact device and desktop combination you plan to use. If pressure is missing, check the tablet’s system configuration, whether the app is running under the expected display server, and the project’s official troubleshooting documentation.
Keep editable projects and export deliberately
PNG is a common lossless format for finished raster artwork, while JPEG uses lossy compression and is generally more appropriate when smaller photographic output matters than retaining every pixel. TIFF is used in high-quality image workflows; SVG stores vector artwork; GIF, PNG sequences, and sprite sheets can serve animation pipelines. OpenRaster (.ora) can help exchange layered raster work between compatible applications, but application-specific features may not survive. PSD import or export does not mean full Photoshop feature parity: layer effects, adjustment types, text, masks, or other features may change. Preserve the native project file—such as Krita’s .kra—and treat a flattened export as a delivery copy, not the editable master.
For version-specific examples, the official Krita pages showed announcements for versions 5.3.3 and 6.0.3 dated July 29, 2026, while its dedicated download page displayed 5.3.2.1 as a stable release dated June 1, 2026. That difference is a reason to confirm the channel and package before installing, rather than assuming every Linux download points to the same build. KDE listed KolourPaint 26.04.3 dated July 2, 2026, and Drawpile’s download page listed 2.3.0. Distribution repositories may expose different versions from those upstream pages.
Quick Recap
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