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Colour swapping in Krita can range from quick adjustments to careful, multi layered edits. Artists who want to replace a colour, shift the overall palette, or experiment with alternatives can choose from several methods depending on how precise or flexible they want the process to be. Below are step by step instructions for commonly used approaches that cover simple flat colour changes, selective adjustments, and advanced recolouring using layers. The goal is to make each method clear enough that you can follow it without prior experience, yet flexible enough to handle different styles of artwork.

Using the Colour Replace Tool

This method is helpful when you want to directly replace one specific colour with another. It works best for flat or clearly separated colours.

1. Open your document in Krita and select the Colour Replace tool.
2. Use the tool options panel to choose the source colour. You can click the eyedropper icon and select the colour directly from your canvas.
3. Choose the target colour by clicking the replacement colour swatch.
4. Adjust the threshold or tolerance slider. A low value means Krita will only replace pixels very close to the source colour. A higher value allows similar colours to be replaced as well.
5. Click and drag across the area you want to affect. Krita will immediately change the selected colour on the canvas.
6. If the result affects too many pixels or too few, undo and adjust the tolerance until you achieve a clean and accurate swap.
7. Continue applying the tool to additional areas if the colour appears in more than one part of your artwork.

This approach is fast but not always the most natural looking for textured paintings or images with complex shading.

Using Select by Color and Adjustment Filters

This method offers more control because you can preview the areas selected and apply finer adjustments. It works well for both illustrations and paintings.

1. Select the “Select by Color” tool from the selection tools list.
2. Click on the colour in your artwork that you want to modify. Krita will automatically select every pixel that matches or closely resembles that colour.
3. Use the tool options panel to adjust the fuzziness or threshold. Increasing this value broadens the selection to include similar hues.
4. Once satisfied with the selection, go to the Adjustments menu and choose Hue/Saturation.
5. In the adjustment dialog, move the Hue slider to shift the selected colour toward a new value. Saturation and Lightness can also be adjusted if needed.
6. Watch how the colour changes in real time and fine tune until you reach the desired look.
7. Click OK to apply the changes.
8. Deselect the area when you are finished.

This method preserves texture and shading because it edits only the hue and saturation instead of overwriting the pixel content.

Recolouring with a New Layer and Blending Modes

Layer based colour alteration is considered one of the safest and most flexible approaches. Instead of changing the original pixels, you add a new layer and paint the new colour over the target area. Krita then blends it with the original shading.

1. Add a new paint layer above the artwork.
2. Set the layer’s blending mode to “Color”. This ensures that the hues you paint will affect only colour components, not the lightness or texture.
3. Select a brush of your choice. A soft round brush works well for smooth transitions.
4. Choose the colour you want to apply.
5. Paint directly over the areas you want to recolour. As you paint, you will notice the underlying shading remains visible.
6. If the effect is too strong, reduce the opacity of the layer to soften the recolouring.
7. If the effect looks uneven, switch to an eraser and clean up the edges.
8. When satisfied, you can merge the layer or keep it separate for future adjustments.

This technique is very helpful for character art, environment design, or any artwork where you want to test multiple palettes without damaging previous work.

Recolouring with Overlay or Soft Light Modes

Sometimes you want stronger or more dramatic colour changes. Using a layer mode like Overlay or Soft Light can increase contrast while applying colour.

1. Create a new paint layer above the artwork.
2. Change the layer mode to “Overlay” or “Soft Light”.
3. Pick the colour you want to apply and a soft brush.
4. Paint the colour across the target area.
5. Adjust the layer opacity to control the intensity.
6. If the result is too bright or too dark, try switching between Overlay and Soft Light to see which gives the desired effect.
7. Clean up edges with the eraser tool if needed.

This method is especially useful for adding warmth, cooling tones, or enhancing atmosphere without losing the artistic character of the original painting.

Using Filter Masks for Non Destructive Adjustments

Filter masks allow you to apply colour changes to a specific part of a layer while keeping the original pixels intact. This is ideal when experimenting, because you can toggle the filter on and off at any time.

1. Select the layer that contains the colours you want to adjust.
2. Right click the layer and choose Add -> Filter Mask.
3. In the filter list, choose Hue/Saturation.
4. Adjust the Hue slider to shift the colour range. You can also modify Saturation and Lightness if required.
5. Click OK to confirm.
6. The filter mask now appears linked to your layer. Select the mask and paint with black to hide the effect in certain areas or white to reveal it.
7. If you want to change the adjustment later, double click the mask and reopen the settings.

This approach is excellent for fine tuning colour variations on clothing, backgrounds, or props without repainting anything.

Using Selections with Masks for Detailed Recolouring

If you need precision with curved shapes or complex regions, combining a selection with a mask can be the most accurate method.

1. Use a selection tool such as the Freehand Selection or Polygonal Selection tool to outline the area you want to recolour.
2. Once selected, add a new layer above the artwork.
3. Create a mask on the new layer. The mask will automatically match the selection.
4. Set the new layer’s blending mode to “Color”.
5. Paint inside the masked area using your chosen colour.
6. If you make errors, edit the mask directly by painting black to hide colour or white to reveal it.
7. When finished, deselect the area.

This method gives detailed control, especially when dealing with hair, clothing folds, or objects with sharp outlines.

Global Colour Shifts for Entire Images

Sometimes colour swapping involves adjusting the overall palette instead of specific areas.

1. Select the topmost layer or create a new filter mask on a group that contains the entire artwork.
2. Apply a Hue/Saturation filter.
3. Move the Hue slider until you reach the overall tone you want.
4. Adjust Saturation and Lightness if needed.
5. Confirm the change.

This method is often used when unifying colours or testing different moods for a scene.

Choosing the Right Method

Each recolouring method serves a different purpose. The Colour Replace tool works well for simple images but may show rough transitions on textured paintings. Selection based adjustments provide accuracy and allow previewing changes before committing. Layer based recolouring gives the best balance of flexibility and non destructive editing. Filter masks provide control and reversibility. Blending modes like Overlay or Soft Light bring atmosphere and dramatic shifts when needed.

Good results come from experimenting with these tools until you understand how each affects your style of art. Many artists mix methods. For example, you might start with a colour selection, apply a hue shift for the base change, and then add a colour layer to refine specific tones. The more you practice these steps, the more natural colour swapping becomes.

Colour alteration in Krita is not only a corrective process but also a creative one. Once you become comfortable with the tools, you can use them for exploration, testing different palettes, or preparing alternate versions of your work. Whether you are developing character designs, adjusting environmental lighting, or correcting colour choices, Krita provides a range of methods that support both precision and artistic freedom.