Free dither generator
Phototo dots.
The same effect as my portrait, for your own images. Drop in a photo, play with the settings and download it as PNG or SVG.
It all runs in your browser. Your image never leaves your computer.
How it works
What dithering is
Dithering fakes shades with just two colours. Instead of grey, it packs more or fewer dots together, and from a normal distance your eye blends them. It’s how old printers and early computer screens showed photos, and it still looks great.
Which pattern to use
Ordered 8×8 places the dots on a fixed grid, so the texture comes out clean and graphic. It’s the one on my portrait.
Ordered 4×4 is the same idea on a smaller grid: rougher, more retro.
Floyd-Steinberg passes each dot’s error on to its neighbours. It keeps more detail and looks closer to a photo, with a grainier finish.
What to use it for
Posters, risograph prints, website backgrounds, pixel art or a portrait for your own site. If you’re printing it, go for a wider output and a bigger dot. For screens, 1200 px is usually enough. With a transparent background, the PNG drops straight into any design.