When you need a lightweight and easy-to-use image editor on Linux, KolourPaint is a solid option — especially if you're looking for something similar to MS Paint. It's fast, stable, and integrates well with KDE desktops, though it works just fine on other environments too.
What is KolourPaint?
KolourPaint is a free and open-source raster graphics editor developed as part of the KDE project. It’s designed for simple image editing tasks like painting, drawing, cropping, and adding annotations. It supports popular image formats and is perfect for quick edits without the complexity of full-fledged editors like GIMP.
Key Features
- Simple, user-friendly interface
- Support for PNG, JPEG, BMP, XPM, TIFF, and more
- Drawing tools: pencil, brush, shapes, fill, text, etc.
- Image transformations: crop, resize, rotate, flip
- Multiple undo/redo support
- Color picker and transparency support
Why Use KolourPaint?
While there are many image editors available on Linux, KolourPaint stands out due to its simplicity. If you just need to annotate a screenshot, create pixel icons, or perform basic edits, you don’t need heavy tools like Krita or GIMP. KolourPaint starts instantly and lets you get to work right away.
I've used KolourPaint for years to make quick sketches and annotate screenshots. It's especially helpful when I need to crop or draw arrows fast without dealing with bloated UI. — A casual Linux user
Installation
You can install KolourPaint using your distro’s package manager. It's available in most major repositories, including Debian/Ubuntu-based and Arch-based systems.
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install kolourpaint
or
flatpak install flathub org.kde.kolourpaint
- Arch/Manjaro:
sudo pacman -S kolourpaint
- Fedora:
sudo dnf install kolourpaint
How to Use KolourPaint
Once installed, launch KolourPaint from your application menu. You’ll be greeted with a classic paint-style interface. From there, you can:
- Use the left toolbar to select tools (pencil, brush, fill, etc.)
- Choose colors at the bottom of the window
- Draw directly on a blank canvas or open an existing image
- Use the "Image" menu to rotate, flip, or resize
- Export your work in formats like PNG or JPEG
Discover more tools: Inkscape - Powerful Vector Graphics Editor for Linux
Conclusion
If you're looking for a no-frills paint app for Linux, KolourPaint is a great pick. It's fast, stable, and does exactly what you'd expect — with minimal distractions. Whether you're on KDE or not, it’s a handy tool to have installed.
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