Dithering for Pixel Art: Floyd-Steinberg vs Ordered
A practical explanation of dithering. When to use Floyd-Steinberg vs ordered dithering, and how to keep results clean (especially for photos).
Quick presets
What dithering does
Dithering simulates extra colors by placing pixels in patterns. It helps photos keep shading when you reduce colors and palette size.
Which one to use (by input type)
Pick based on your source and the look you want.
- Photo → Floyd-Steinberg (natural shading, can look grainy)
- Gradients / retro patterns → Ordered (clean pattern)
- Logo/UI → Nearest (no dithering, crisp edges)
How to keep it clean
If dithering looks too noisy, don’t give up—use these tweaks.
- Increase pixel size slightly (noise becomes pattern)
- Reduce maxColors to force clearer color clusters
- Use a fixed palette (PICO-8 / NES) for consistent results
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