Adjust tonal range like in photo editing software. Black point sets shadows, mid point adjusts gamma, white point controls highlights.
Effects
Toggle dithering effect on/off. Useful when you want to apply glitch effects to normal images.
Sorts pixels based on brightness within rows or columns. Note: SVG export is disabled when this feature is active.
Adds controlled JPEG compression artifacts using DCT frequency manipulation. Note: SVG export is disabled when this feature is active. May result in longer processing times.
Cropping is irreversible and will apply the current dithering settings to the image.
If you're currently in Black & White mode, you won't be able to switch to color modes after cropping.
Dithering
What?
Dithering was born out of necessity in the early days of digital technology. Early computers, printers, and displays were limited to only a handful of colors—or in many cases, merely black and white. Engineers faced the challenge of portraying smooth gradients and a wider array of tones on these restricted devices. By strategically arranging pixels into specific patterns, they succeeded in simulating missing colors and shades, thus enhancing image detail despite technical constraints.
How?
Developed in the 1960s, dithering is a technique that creates the illusion of additional colors and gradations by interlacing pixels of available colors. When viewed from a distance, these patterns merge to form the appearance of continuous tones. For professionals, the variety of dithering algorithms is particularly relevant. Techniques such as the Floyd-Steinberg method, the Jarvis-Judice-Ninke algorithm, and Ordered Dithering each offer distinct approaches and visual effects, balancing computational efficiency with the reduction of artifacts and the establishment of texture.
Why?
Modern displays now offer millions of colors, which renders the original technical need for dithering largely obsolete. Instead, dithering is employed as a creative technique. It is used in areas like glitch art, retrowave design, and experimental digital imaging to evoke a retro or intentionally limited aesthetic.
In practical terms, dithering can be compared to modern digital hatching. Just as traditional hatching in drawing employs parallel lines to create texture and imply shading, dithering uses a systematic arrangement of pixels to produce tonal variations. This method serves to introduce a defined textural quality into an image, echoing classical techniques in a digital form.
Dithering Algorithm Types
Error Diffusion
Floyd-Steinberg: Classic dithering algorithm that distributes error to neighboring pixels. Good balance of quality and efficiency.
Atkinson: Developed for early Macs. Creates cleaner results by diffusing only part of the error. Designed by Bill Atkinson specifically for the original 1984 Macintosh and used in MacPaint. This algorithm only distributes ⅛ of the error, giving it the distinctive clean look that defined early Apple aesthetics.
Burkes: Extended version of Floyd-Steinberg. Diffuses error to more pixels for smoother results.
Sierra: Family of algorithms that distribute error more widely. Creates smooth gradients with less artifacts.
Stucki: Enhanced version of Floyd-Steinberg with wider distribution. Good for detailed images.
Jarvis: Diffuses error to 12 neighboring pixels. Sharp details with smooth transitions.
Ordered Dithering
Bayer: Uses ordered pattern matrices (2×2, 4×4, 8×8). Creates uniform, screen-like patterns. Widely used in early versions of Windows for displaying images and rendering UI elements with smooth gradients. Its grid-like pattern became characteristic of early Windows graphics.
Simple Methods
Threshold: Simple binary conversion. No dithering, just pure black or white.
Random: Adds noise before threshold. Creates grainy, film-like texture.
Bit Tone: Quantizes color to specific number of levels. Retro computer graphics look.
Pattern Dithering
Halftone: Experimental approach inspired by print techniques. Creates unique dot patterns but with a digital aesthetic rather than truly simulating traditional printing.