# ColorPlus: a plugin to simulate watercolor painting **URL:** \ **Category:** Plugins and Scripts\ **Created:** [September 29, 2022, 1:54pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685 "2022-09-29T13:54:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 1:54pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/1 "2022-09-29T13:54:05Z")
**Edit:** The plugin received a major update on April 13, 2025. Much of the information at the beginning of this thread is no longer accurate. Be sure to download the latest version for Krita 5.2.9. * * * Hi, I made a plugin which allows to paint in watercolor style, in a way similar to Rebelle. Basically, with this plugin, strokes “merge together” instead of overlapping, until you decide to “dry the paper” by pressing a shortcut (default is D) . **Edit:** See this **updated video** for an illustration: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpJodkOphM0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpJodkOphM0) (note the auto-mix feature is missing from this video) Plugin and documentation are here: [GitHub - seguso/KritaColorPlus: Krita plugins providing shortcuts to mix color, get last color, and pick color](https://github.com/seguso/KritaColorPlus) The plugin also does other things: mix color, pick color, switch to last color. (see documentation and video.) Edit: new videos illustrating another workflow to mix colors: [![](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/e/2/e258b4e383b6d153adc165cb49e662f837521cfe.jpeg "study monkey island 2 part 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u50wxDILDDs) [![](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/d/d/dd280ea5a123884ea87e817fff0b4efef6a20fc2.jpeg "Krita ColorPlus with Spectral blending mode") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e40k-piRGw) Briefly: you make a stroke, you adjust layer opacity until the color looks just right, you do other strokes. When you’ve finished a shape, start a new layer (shape) by just moving the stylus on of the canvas and then back in. ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 1:46pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/2 "2022-10-02T13:46:20Z")
Update: here’s a timelapse done entirely with the plugin: [Frankenstein room - YouTube](https://youtu.be/Qx2FUeainTQ) ---
**Author:** ![tachiko](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/tachiko/32/30199_2.png) [@tachiko](https://krita-artists.org/u/tachiko)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 10:18pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/3 "2022-10-02T22:18:56Z")
Beautiful art result. ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 6:15am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/4 "2022-10-21T06:15:29Z")
Update: In order to optimize the “dry paper” shortcut, I have since separated the shortcut in two. So now you have to press D often , to create a new wet layer, and G once every few minutes to merge all layers that have been created. I will update the docs and make a new video as soon as possible . I have also added other features like: saving and restoring window positions and their always-on-top state; auto-focusing windows on hover. This will be in the video too. ---
**Author:** ![Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/erisian/32/241933_2.png) [@Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/u/Erisian)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 11:44am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/5 "2022-10-21T11:44:45Z")
Will this work with the previous version of Krita? I can’t update because I am on Win7. ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 12:00pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/6 "2022-10-21T12:00:25Z")
I believe so, but I haven’t tried. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/7 "2022-10-21T14:24:08Z")
I managed to make a video illustrating almost all the features: [KritaColorPlus explanation - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpJodkOphM0) My English is far from fluent, but I hope it’s understandable 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dreamkeeper](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/dreamkeeper/32/15178_2.png) [@dreamkeeper](https://krita-artists.org/u/dreamkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 6:12pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/8 "2022-10-21T18:12:53Z")
> [@Erisian](#): > > I can’t update because I am on Win7. FYI: Current Krita works fine on Win7 here. ---
**Author:** ![Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/erisian/32/241933_2.png) [@Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/u/Erisian)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 10:23am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/9 "2022-10-22T10:23:55Z")
That’s good information. I thought it only worked on Win10. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/erisian/32/241933_2.png) [@Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/u/Erisian)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/10 "2022-10-22T11:02:24Z")
Tried it and it won’t open for me. Now I need to uninstall and try to find a previous version again. Oh well! ---
**Author:** ![Grum999](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/grum999/32/66488_2.png) [@Grum999](https://krita-artists.org/u/Grum999)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 11:06am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/11 "2022-10-22T11:06:18Z")
@raghukamath @AhabGreybeard @sooz Maybe split krita/windows version posts into a dedicated topic? 🙂 Grum999 ---
**Author:** ![AhabGreybeard](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/ahabgreybeard/32/2969_2.png) [@AhabGreybeard](https://krita-artists.org/u/AhabGreybeard)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 1:30pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/12 "2022-10-22T13:30:35Z")
@Grum999 Isn’t this problem specific to this particular plugin? Has it been shown that other plugins have the same problem? Would the new topic be about general problems with using Windows 7 vs Windows 10? ---
**Author:** ![Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/erisian/32/241933_2.png) [@Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/u/Erisian)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/13 "2022-10-22T13:33:27Z")
The subject is over. The problem was originally about this plugin and a new subject has been created elsewhere concerning win7 and Krita versions. No point in fussing, just get back to topic. ---
**Author:** ![AhabGreybeard](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/ahabgreybeard/32/2969_2.png) [@AhabGreybeard](https://krita-artists.org/u/AhabGreybeard)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 1:39pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/14 "2022-10-22T13:39:47Z")
> [@Erisian](#): > > .. a new subject has been created elsewhere concerning win7 and Krita versions. Please give a link to that topic for the benefit of anyone who is interested in that. ---
**Author:** ![Grum999](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/grum999/32/66488_2.png) [@Grum999](https://krita-artists.org/u/Grum999)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/15 "2022-10-22T14:35:24Z")
> [@Last version for Windows \[SOLVED\]](https://krita-artists.org/t/last-version-for-windows-solved/50032): > > I cannot use Krita anymore. Somebody in these forums said that the latest version can run on Windows 7 so I downloaded it and installed it, uninstalling the old version in the process. It wouldn’t open at all and no warnings were given during installation. I uninstalled it again but when I went to the older version download section of the Krita site, I didn’t know which version to use. Which is the latest version that is compatible with Windows 7? Grum999 ---
**Author:** ![Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/erisian/32/241933_2.png) [@Erisian](https://krita-artists.org/u/Erisian)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2022, 10:42am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/16 "2022-10-23T10:42:14Z")
Sorry, I should have thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 9:20am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/17 "2023-01-26T09:20:53Z")
Hi folks, I’ve just updated the plugin: 1. added a docker which offers the most important features as buttons, so you don’t have to use shortcuts : ![immagine](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/c/7/c7ece00d52f629a17f4404d70c35f8fb36e59823.png) on top, the docker shows the current target foreground color (useful when auto-mixing, because the palette changes color constantly) the dials allow you to determine the amount of background color that is mixed (or auto-mixed) 1. added a single-layer mode, available via the menu , where the plugin stops automatically creating layers when you pick colors. This is useful if you are not interested in the watercolor simulation, (which requires to learn a new workflow) but only on other features such as color picking and mixing. ---
**Author:** ![RPictures](https://krita-artists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@RPictures](https://krita-artists.org/u/RPictures)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/18 "2023-01-30T19:01:52Z")
Does this work on Linux? Can someone confirm? ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/19 "2023-01-30T19:22:43Z")
I haven’t tried ☹ the subwindow auto-focusing part might not work… depends on Qt. ---
**Author:** ![seguso](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/seguso/32/46655_2.png) [@seguso](https://krita-artists.org/u/seguso)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2023, 11:59am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685/20 "2023-04-14T11:59:18Z")
Thanks to the amazing @rvanwijnen and @urzeye , the plugin now uses spectral logic when mixing (and auto-mixing) colors. This means mixing blue with yellow makes green, and mixing with white produces more saturated colors. See illustration video here: [auto mix spectral - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPAEikoMY4w) or screenshot here: ![immagine](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/5/c/5c9dea6714fd5de15255509c53f217fef8754296.jpeg) [Next page](https://krita-artists.org/t/colorplus-a-plugin-to-simulate-watercolor-painting/48685.md?page=2)