Dithering Technique Guide
Rich Expression with Limited Colors
Dithering is a core pixel art technique for creating gradients and textures with limited colors. Master the art of arranging dots of two colors to trick the eye into perceiving intermediate tones.
What is Dithering?
Dithering is a technique of alternating pixels of different colors to create the optical illusion of intermediate colors you're not actually using. For example, alternating black and white pixels appears gray when viewed from a distance.
In the era of NES and Game Boy, colors were severely limited, making dithering the only way to create gradients and shadows. Today it's used as an artistic technique for retro flavor and texture.
Main Dithering Patterns
There are several dithering patterns, each with different visual characteristics and use cases.
| Pattern | Characteristics | Best For | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkerboard | Most basic pattern. Creates even, uniform intermediate tones | Gradients, shadows, sky | Beginner |
| Bayer | Gradual density change for smooth gradients | Sky, water, light gradients | Intermediate |
| Random | Irregular placement creates organic textures | Dirt, rocks, grime, noise | Intermediate |
| Stripe | Horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines. Emphasizes direction | Wood grain, fabric, wind flow | Beginner |
| Crosshatch | Crossed lines — a classic hatching technique | Metal, shadows, heavy textures | Advanced |
Creating Gradients with Dithering
The most common use of dithering is creating gradients between two colors. By gradually changing dot density, you create smooth color transitions.
Gradient expressed with only 2 colors through dithering
The key to dithering gradients is dividing density changes into about 5 stages.
- Color A 100% (solid fill)
- Color A 75% + Color B 25% (sparse dither)
- Color A 50% + Color B 50% (checkerboard)
- Color A 25% + Color B 75% (dense dither)
- Color B 100% (solid fill)
Practical Dithering Examples
Sky & Clouds
Use checkerboard dither for light-to-dark blue gradients. Soften cloud boundaries with random dither.
Shadow & Light
Dithering base color with a darker tone in shadow areas creates mid-tones that add depth.
Metal Texture
Use checkerboard at highlight/shadow boundaries to express smooth reflective transitions.
Ground & Dirt
Random dither creates organic textures. Random patterns work best for natural elements.
Water & Transparency
Dither background and highlight colors for transparency effects. Stripe patterns suggest water flow.
Fade In/Out
Dithered fading at screen edges. Great for fog or vignette effects in games.
Dithering DOs and DON'Ts
DO
- Use between two colors of similar brightness (looks natural)
- Use for large area gradients
- Use actively for textures (dirt, rock, fabric)
- Use when aiming for retro atmosphere
- Keep patterns consistent within a piece
DON'T
- Don't fill the entire screen with dithering (gets noisy)
- Don't use with colors of very different brightness (causes flicker)
- Be careful with small sprites (16x16 or less — easily muddled)
- Don't dither 3+ colors simultaneously (becomes chaotic)
- Don't use on character outlines (breaks silhouette)
Dithering by Art Style
How you use dithering varies greatly depending on your art style.
- Retro / NES Style — Use extensively. Primary technique to compensate for limited colors
- Modern Pixel Art — Use sparingly. Only for textures or specific effects
- Game Boy Style (4 colors) — Almost essential. Dithering is indispensable for gradients with only 4 colors
- HD-2D / High Resolution — Rarely used. Ample color range means solid gradients suffice
Viewing distance matters for dithering. Check at actual game screen or SNS post size. Dithering that looks obvious when zoomed in should appear as natural gradients at actual size.
How to Practice Dithering
- Start by drawing an 8x8 checkerboard pattern with just 2 colors
- Create a 5-stage gradient with the same 2 colors by varying density
- Try using dithering for sphere shadows on a 32x32 canvas
- Draw a landscape with a Game Boy-style 4-color palette
- Observe dithering usage in existing pixel art
Dithering is a traditional pixel art technique for rich expression with limited colors. Start with checkerboard, find patterns that match your style, and apply them thoughtfully to gradients and textures — just don't overdo it.
Try It Now
Practice dithering in Pixnote Editor Lite. Just pick two colors and alternate — it's that simple to start.
Open Editor Lite →