How to use Dither, Halftone & Separations
Give images the texture of print and early hardware — ordered and diffusion dithering, halftone dots and custom palettes — then take them all the way to plates a printer can use.
A short guide to getting good results, plus answers to the questions people ask most.
How to use it
- 1
Start from a high-contrast image
Dithering throws tonal information away by design, so a flat or hazy photo turns to mud. Raise contrast before you import, or pull the curve in Adjustments once it is loaded.
- 2
Pick the algorithm before the palette
Floyd–Steinberg scatters its error for a soft, photographic grain. Bayer gives the ordered crosshatch of early games. Halftone makes newspaper dots. Color only starts to matter once the texture is right.
- 3
Match the scale to your output size
The pattern is measured in pixels, not inches, so a dot that reads well on screen vanishes in print. Raise Scale until the texture stays visible at final size, and export at the resolution you will actually print.
- 4
Export vector for print, PNG for screen
SVG and PDF keep every halftone dot as a crisp shape at any size, which is what a risograph or screen printer wants. PNG at 2× is the right answer for web and social.
About this tool
The Dither & Halftone tool recreates the look of classic printing and early computer graphics: Floyd–Steinberg and ordered Bayer dithering, newspaper-style halftone dots, reduced palettes and 1-bit black-and-white conversions. It's the fast way to get zine, risograph and retro-game aesthetics.
Fine-tune dot size, angle, palette and contrast with a live preview, then export high-resolution results for print or web. As with every ProDesigner tool, your images are processed on your device — nothing is uploaded unless you choose to save your work to your account.
Features
Classic algorithms
Floyd–Steinberg, Bayer ordered dithering, halftone dots and more.
Palette control
Reduce to custom color palettes or pure 1-bit black and white.
Print-ready output
Export high-resolution results suited to zines, posters and risograph.
Live preview
See every parameter change instantly before exporting.
Frequently asked questions
What is dithering?
Dithering creates the illusion of more colors or tones by arranging a limited palette in patterns — the technique behind retro computer graphics and much of print history.
Can I use halftone effects for printing?
Yes — export at high resolution and the dot patterns hold up well in zines, posters and screen printing.
Is the tool free for commercial work?
Yes. Anything you create is yours, including for commercial projects.
Algorithm reference
Every dithering algorithm in the tool, named, grouped, and rendered by the same engine that ships inside it.
More tools
Halftone Generator
Turn photographs into halftone dots — 20 dot shapes, 12 grid arrangements, per-channel screen angles and vector output.
Risograph Separator
Separate artwork into risograph plates — 31 authentic inks, 6 paper stocks, overprint proofing and shop-ready pre-flight.
Screen Print Separations
Separate artwork into screen-printing films — six separation modes, trapping in millimeters, underbase and press-ready plates.
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