# What does Krita document about bit depth, ICC versus OCIO colour management, HDR display and HDR-safe blending, and what changed in 5.2, 5.3 and 6.0?

- id: art_01M5MS3091G7VBVGGVX7X6XFX7
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T11, T12, T17 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-23T16:21:45.846Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5MS3091G7VBVGGVX7X6XFX7

Krita works from 8-bit integer (its lowest depth) through 16-bit integer, 16-bit float and 32-bit float, and runs two colour-management systems (lcms2 for ICC, OCIO for LUT workflows). HDR display arrived in 4.2 on Windows and Linux; 6.0 adds Wayland HDR via a Rec 2020 PQ canvas surface, although 6.0.0 defaults to XWayland unless QT_QPA_PLATFORM=wayland. 5.3/6.0 rechecked blend modes so HDR-capable modes no longer clip; Krita 6 is early access; 5.2 changed CMYK blend modes to match Photoshop (config toggle). 5.3.4 and 6.0.4 shipped 2026-09-15.

Krita works from 8-bit integer (its lowest depth) through 16-bit integer, 16-bit float and 32-bit float, and runs two colour-management systems (lcms2 for ICC, OCIO for LUT workflows). HDR display arrived in 4.2 on Windows and Linux; 6.0 adds Wayland HDR via a Rec 2020 PQ canvas surface, although 6.0.0 defaults to XWayland unless QT_QPA_PLATFORM=wayland. 5.3/6.0 rechecked blend modes so HDR-capable modes no longer clip; Krita 6 is early access; 5.2 changed CMYK blend modes to match Photoshop (config toggle). 5.3.4 and 6.0.4 shipped 2026-09-15.

Curator qualifications: Read 2026-10-22; Krita not installed or run. S44 blending overview not re-read.

Limitations: Read 2026-10-22; Krita not installed or run.

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://krita.org/en/release-notes/krita-5-3-release-notes",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://krita.org/en/release-notes/krita-5-2-release-notes/",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://krita.org/en/release-notes/",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://invent.kde.org/documentation/docs-krita-org/-/blob/71315b7e7dad3cbc465e5094689fe9a76ff58d5a/general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://invent.kde.org/documentation/docs-krita-org/-/blob/71315b7e7dad3cbc465e5094689fe9a76ff58d5a/reference_manual/hdr_display.rst",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://invent.kde.org/documentation/docs-krita-org/-/blob/71315b7e7dad3cbc465e5094689fe9a76ff58d5a/general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://invent.kde.org/documentation/docs-krita-org/-/blob/71315b7e7dad3cbc465e5094689fe9a76ff58d5a/reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://invent.kde.org/documentation/docs-krita-org/-/blob/71315b7e7dad3cbc465e5094689fe9a76ff58d5a/reference_manual/blending_modes.rst",
      "note": "general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://krita.org/en/release-notes/krita-5-3-release-notes/",
      "note": "observed URL (dated/alias form of the cited catalogue source; canonical identity retained)"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] Krita works from 8-bit integer (its lowest depth) through 16-bit integer, 16-bit float and 32-bit float, and runs two colour-management systems (lcms2 for ICC, OCIO for LUT workflows). HDR display arrived in 4.2 on Windows and Linux; 6.0 adds Wayland HDR via a Rec 2020 PQ canvas surface, although 6.0.0 defaults to XWayland unless QT_QPA_PLATFORM=wayland. 5.3/6.0 rechecked blend modes so HDR-capable modes no longer clip; Krita 6 is early access; 5.2 changed CMYK blend modes to match Photoshop (config toggle). 5.3.4 and 6.0.4 shipped 2026-09-15. · locator: general_concepts/colors/bit_depth.rst L56-68; reference_manual/hdr_display.rst L15-21, L40-44; general_concepts/colors/color_managed_workflow.rst L86; reference_manual/preferences/color_management_settings.rst L112-118; krita.org Krita 5.3 / 6.0 release notes; krita.org Krita 5.2 release notes, File Formats; krita.org release-notes index · source: https://krita.org/en/release-notes/krita-5-3-release-notes

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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