Dithering is a technique that creates the illusion of more colors or shades by arranging a limited set in a calculated pattern. Originally developed for early computers with restricted color palettes (like the Macintosh and Commodore 64), dithering is now widely used as a retro aesthetic in graphic design, indie game art, pixel art and digital illustrations.
Floyd-Steinberg is the most popular error-diffusion algorithm. It distributes the quantization error of each pixel to its neighbors, producing smooth, natural-looking gradients. Atkinson was developed by Bill Atkinson for the original Macintosh. It spreads only 75% of the error, resulting in a lighter, higher-contrast look with distinctive white highlights. Bayer ordered dithering uses a fixed threshold matrix (2x2, 4x4 or 8x8) to create a structured, repeating pattern — great for a retro computer screen aesthetic.
Dithering is essential for pixel artists and indie game developers working with limited color palettes. Use 2-color mode with custom light and dark colors to create 1-bit art. Increase the pixel scale for a chunkier, retro game boy aesthetic. Bayer 4x4 and 8x8 patterns are particularly popular for creating texture in low-resolution game sprites and backgrounds.
Halftone uses dots of varying sizes on a grid to simulate shading — ideal for print, posters and screen printing. Dithering arranges fixed-size pixels using algorithms like Floyd-Steinberg or Atkinson to simulate color depth — perfect for digital art, pixel art and retro aesthetics. Use halftone for physical output, dithering for screen-based work.
Pro users can export dithered images as SVG files where each pixel becomes a crisp vector rectangle. This is ideal for scaling 1-bit art to any size — print it on a poster, use it in a presentation, or import it into Figma, Illustrator or Affinity Designer without any blur or quality loss.
Dithering is a technique that creates the illusion of more colors or shades by arranging a limited set in a calculated pattern. Originally developed for early computers with restricted color palettes (like the Macintosh and Commodore 64), dithering is now widely used as a retro aesthetic in graphic design, indie game art, pixel art and digital illustrations.
Floyd-Steinberg is the most popular error-diffusion algorithm. It distributes the quantization error of each pixel to its neighbors, producing smooth, natural-looking gradients. Atkinson was developed by Bill Atkinson for the original Macintosh — it spreads only 75% of the error, resulting in a lighter, higher-contrast look with distinctive white highlights. Bayer ordered dithering uses a fixed threshold matrix (2×2, 4×4 or 8×8) to create a structured, repeating pattern — great for a retro computer screen aesthetic.
Yes. You can dither any image and download at 800px for free — no signup, no install. Your images are processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded. Pro users get full resolution PNG and SVG exports for €9 one-time.
For most images, Floyd-Steinberg gives the best results — smooth gradients with good detail. Use Atkinson when you want a higher-contrast, retro Macintosh look with more white space. Use Bayer for a structured, grid-based pattern that works well for game sprites, pixel art, and retro UI elements. Try all three and compare — each gives your image a different personality.
Absolutely. Dithering is essential for pixel artists working with limited color palettes. Use 2-color mode with custom light and dark colors to create 1-bit art. Increase the pixel scale for a chunkier, retro Game Boy aesthetic. Bayer 4×4 and 8×8 patterns are particularly popular for creating texture in low-resolution game sprites and backgrounds.
Yes. Pro users can export dithered images as SVG files where each pixel becomes a crisp vector rectangle. This is ideal for scaling 1-bit art to any size — print it on a poster, use it in a presentation, or import it into Figma, Illustrator or Affinity Designer without any blur or quality loss.
Halftone uses dots of varying sizes on a grid to simulate shading — ideal for print, posters and screen printing. Dithering arranges fixed-size pixels using algorithms like Floyd-Steinberg or Atkinson to simulate color depth — perfect for digital art, pixel art and retro aesthetics. Use halftone for physical output, dithering for screen-based work.
No. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript and the Canvas API. Your images stay on your device — no uploads, no tracking, no account required.
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