* <<FCR.1322>> GIMP vs Krita

I've been an on-and-off GIMP user for a ~long~ time (12 years? 14
years? Something on that order), but in this past year it's been
especially important: *every* digital illustration I shipped to a
client in 2015 was done exclusively in GIMP.  It's good software.  It
does have shortcomings though, so for the past few years I've kept an
eye on Krita. I've played with Krita maybe a half-dozen times, but
it's never felt quite "right" for one reason or another.  Today I
decided it was time for another try.

Getting a pretty good match for the look and feel of my few custom
GIMP brushes was surprisingly trivial, but the line quality of GIMP's
Ink tool remains nonpareil.  This has been a key feature of GIMP for
me because the backbone of my style is naturalistic line-art.
However, the GIMP ~still~ lacks arbitrary canvas rotation and
mirroring, something that users of proprietary applications like
OpenCanvas, SketchBook, or Manga Studio have enjoyed for over a
decade.  Those features are purported to be on the horizon for the
next major GIMP release, but in light of their absence, I have to say
that *Krita* is just a ~much better~ tool for the physical act of
drawing.  And, I don't know whether it's been a change in Krita or a
change in me, but that not-quite-right feeling about the software
seems to be gone.

I am very comfortable in my GIMP workflow – we go ~way~ back, after
all – and I *love* its Ink tool.  Also, I do sometimes work with
indexed-color images, and that's something that Krita is simply not
designed to do.  Nevertheless, I think I ~will~ begin migrating some
of my art duties to Krita.

The importance of fast non-destructive canvas rotation can't be
understated.  It's the thing I've missed most since I finally ditched
my 7-year-old version of OpenCanvas last year (they changed their pen
tool in version 5 and I didn't like it, so I stuck with 4.5).  And,
being able to work with CMYK colour properly and know exactly how my
colours will go to print is something I've sorely missed since I said
my final goodbye to Photoshop a year ago.

I'm really looking forward to GIMP 2.10.  For now, though, I think
I'm ready to look to Krita to regain some capabilites I've gone
without for the past year.

..

Well, I was going to post that online, but I got a bit ambitious and
downloaded the source for GIMP 2.9.2 and built it this morning.
CANVAS ROTATION/MIRRORING WORKS.  CMYK still isn't there, but I am SO
DELIGHTED to be have the other things.  No need to give-up GIMP's
superb Ink tool just yet!

2.9.2 isn't a stable release, so it might be a nightmare, but for the
few minutes I've played with it -- ahh, how sweet it is!

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