Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar was born in 1911 in Kattingeri village in South Karnara.

In 1938 he received his Diploma in painting from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. In 1939 - 1940 he was a teacher at Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. From 1943 - 1947 he was a part time teacher at Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. In 1949 he left for Europe on a study tour. In 1949 - 1950 he studied at Academy Julian (Painting) and Ecole Estinne (Graphics) in Paris, France. In 1951 - 1952 he returned to India.

He had several solos in India and across the globe:
In 1941 he had a solo exhibition at Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata. In 1945, 1949 and 1950 he had solo shows, Mumbai, Paris and London. From 1949 - 1950 he had one man shows at Art Gallery, Imperial Institute, London; Galerie Dobiaschofsky in Berne, Switzerland and Galerie La Licorne, Paris. In 1951 he exhibited solo at Salon de Mai, Paris. In 1953 as a delegate member he accompanied an All India Art Exhibition to Poland, West Germany and USSR for six months visit. In 1954 he was nominated as an eminent artist member of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1955 he received an award from Art Society of India, Mumbai. In 1956 he received the Lalit Kala Akademi award, New Delhi and the Bombay State award, Mumbai. In 1958 he received the Lalit Kala Akademi Award, New Delhi. In 1959 he participated in Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil. In 1960 he received a monograph by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1961 he was awarded the Padma Shri by the president of India, New Delhi. In 1964 he had one man show sponsored by New India House in New York – USA. In 1967 he had a solo exhibition at International Art Gallery, Berlin and Gallery Stage Hus, Basel. In 1968 he had a retrospective at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1969 he had one man show at the Lalit Kala Academy in Mysore. In 1969 he had a solo at Bonython Art Gallery in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia. In 1971 Hebbar had a ‘Retrospective’ at Rabindra Bhavan in Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1973 he had one man show in New Delhi and Calcutta sponsored by AIFACS and Academy of Fine Arts. In 1978 he showcased ‘Hebbar-Drawings and Paintings’. In 1980 he showcased ‘K. K. Hebbar-Retrospective’ and in 1987 he had a solo ‘Indian Drawing Today’ at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. In 1993 he had a solo exhibition ‘K. K. Hebbar - Exhibition of Paintings’ in New Delhi.

Hebbar had many group exhibitions:
In 1947 Hebbar participated in the Annual Exhibition of Bombay Art Society at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai. In 1955 he took part in Venice Biennale in Italy. In 1956 - 1958 he participated in the National Exhibition at Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1959 he participated in a group show at Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil. Hebbar received many awards. In 1941 Hebbar received Gold Medal at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata. In 1947 he was awarded Gold Medal at Bombay Art Society in Mumbai. In 1948 Government of India in New Delhi, awarded him Rs. 2,500/- for distinction. In 1954 Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, nominated him as an Eminent Artist. In 1956 he received ‘First Bombay State Art Award’ in Mumbai. In 1956, 1957 and 1958 he received the National Academy of Art Award from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1961 he was conferred the Padma shri from Government of India, New Delhi. In 1976 he received fellowship from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi and he received honorary D.Litt. from Mysore University, Mysore. In 1980 - 1984, he was nominated Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1983 Hebbar received Soviet Land Nehru Award. In 1985 he received an award from Karnataka Lalit Kala Akademi. In 1986 Hebbar was awarded the Rayotsava Award from Karnataka State, Karnataka. In 1988 he received the Maharashtra State Gaurav Puraskar and in 1990 he received the Maharashtra Shasan Gaurav Puraskar. In 1989 he was conferred the Padma Bhushan by Government of India, New Delhi.

He passed away in 1996.

He was posthumously exhibited in India and overseas:
In 1997 he was exhibited ‘K. K. Hebbar – Paintings, Drawings, Publications’ by K. K. Hebbar Art Foundation at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai. In 1999 he was exhibited; ‘K.K. Hebbar - In Remembrance’ at Fine Art Company, Mumbai. In 2004, 2010, 2011 and 2013 he was exhibited, New Delhi. He was exhibited in ‘Moderns’ at Royal Culture Centre; Amman, Jordan and Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi (in collaboration with Embassy of India, Amman, Jordan). In 2009 he was exhibited in Mumbai and Hempstead. In 2009 he was exhibited in ‘Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art’ at Museum of Fine Art, Boston. In 2011-2012 his show ‘The Body Unbound’ was exhibited at Rubin Museum of Art in New York. In 2011 - 2012 he was exhibited in a  solo exhibition ‘An Artist’s Quest: K.K. Hebbar – A Retrospective’ at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai.