ChromaDot
CHROMADOTretro dither
← Back to App

DITHERING ALGORITHM

Floyd-Steinberg Dithering Online

The default for a reason.

Unprocessed source photograph
Original
Photograph processed with Floyd-Steinberg dithering using the B&W (2 colors) palette
Floyd-Steinberg · B&W (2 colors)

Floyd-Steinberg is the error diffusion algorithm most people mean when they say dithering. Published by Robert Floyd and Louis Steinberg in 1976, it works by rounding each pixel to the nearest colour in your palette and then pushing the resulting error onto neighbouring pixels that have not been processed yet.

The error is split four ways: 7/16 to the pixel on the right, then 3/16, 5/16 and 1/16 across the three pixels below. Because the error always moves forward, a small rounding mistake in one pixel gets paid back by its neighbours, and the eye blends the result into shades the palette does not actually contain.

It gives a fine, slightly noisy grain that keeps detail well at small palette sizes. If you are not sure which algorithm you want, start here.

General purpose work, photographs, and any palette from 2 to 55 colours.

Other dithering algorithms

Try it with a palette

Everything runs in your browser. Your images are never uploaded to a server. New to this? Start with the photo to pixel art guide, browse the gallery, or open the editor.