ASCII Magic
Open tool

/STYLE · DITHER

Image to Dither, Free Dithering Generator

Image to dither in your browser. Turn any photo or video into a dithered image with Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, Stucki, Bayer 2×2/4×4/8×8/16×16, halftone, blue noise and line dither, across 16 palettes including Game Boy, CGA, NES and Pico-8. Generated in real time, animate the dither matrix, build custom palettes, export at up to 4×. No upload, no signup, runs entirely in your browser.

Open the editor →

/SEE IT

From photo to dither in one click

Drop any photo into the editor and pick the Dither style. The engine quantises your image to a small palette and arranges the available colours in a dither pattern, recreating the look of old computers, Game Boys and 1-bit printers, from your image's own tones.

Original colour photograph used as the input source, before any dithering is applied
Original
The same photograph rendered as dithered art, quantised to a retro palette with a Floyd–Steinberg dither pattern
Dither output

/MORE EXAMPLES

11 algorithms, 16 retro palettes

Same photo, six different dither settings, error-diffusion vs ordered patterns, across classic palettes. Switch algorithm, palette, contrast, threshold and pixel scale in one click. Every image below is a real ASCII Magic export, no AI, no upscaling, just real dithering.

Photo dithered with the Floyd–Steinberg error-diffusion algorithm in 1-bit black and white
Floyd–Steinberg · 1-bit mono
Photo dithered with an ordered Bayer matrix in the Commodore 64 palette
Game Boy green · ordered
Photo dithered with the Atkinson algorithm in the Game Boy green palette
PICO-8 palette · vibrant
Photo dithered with a horizontal line pattern in a risograph-style palette
Line dither · risograph
Photo dithered with a Bayer matrix in the PICO-8 16-colour palette
Bayer · PICO-8

Same source photo, six different dither setups. The editor lets you tune algorithm, palette, contrast, threshold and scale in real time, and the dither matrix can be animated to flow across the frame.

/HOW IT WORKS

Dither an image in four steps

  1. Drop your image

    Drag any JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF or MP4 into the editor. No upload, your file stays in the browser.

  2. Pick the Dither style

    Choose an algorithm, Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, ordered/Bayer, halftone or lines, and a palette.

  3. Tune the look

    Adjust contrast, threshold, pixel scale and chroma mode in real time. Animate the matrix if you want motion.

  4. Export

    Save as PNG, JPG, animated GIF or MP4, at up to 4× source resolution. No watermark.

/WHY ASCII MAGIC

Built for dithering specifically

11 dither algorithms

Error-diffusion (Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, Stucki, Sierra) and ordered patterns (Bayer 2/4/8/16, halftone, lines, noise), organic or patterned, one click apart.

16 palettes + custom

Commodore 64, Game Boy, CGA, PICO-8, NES, risograph, sepia, 1-bit mono… or build your own palette and pick chroma modes.

Animated dither matrices

Make the dither flow across the frame in 8 directions with a shimmer mode, a still photo becomes a living, vibrating dither.

Video + 4× exports

Dither every frame of a clip and export a looping MP4 or GIF; stills export up to 4× source resolution. No watermark.

/ALGORITHM

Floyd-Steinberg dithering, the most influential algorithm in 1-bit history

Invented in 1976 by Robert W. Floyd and Louis Steinberg, Floyd-Steinberg is an error-diffusion dithering algorithm. For each pixel, it picks the closest available colour (e.g. pure black or pure white in 1-bit), then takes the difference between the original and the chosen colour (the error) and spreads it across the 4 surrounding pixels in fixed proportions: 7/16 to the right, 3/16 to the bottom-left, 5/16 below, 1/16 to the bottom-right. The result is the soft, organic-looking dither pattern most people picture when they hear "classic 1-bit", far more detail than threshold-only conversion. It is what the Game Boy Camera and early Mac apps used, and it is still the default for risograph mock-ups, lo-fi album covers, and 1-bit aesthetic posters. ASCII Magic's Dither style implements it natively alongside Bayer, Atkinson, and several other algorithms; switch between them from the algorithm dropdown.

/PRESET

Game Boy Camera filter, the 4-shade green look

The Game Boy Camera (Nintendo, 1998) shot 128×112 black-and-white photos and rendered them as 4 shades of pea-soup green: #9bbc0f (lightest), #8bac0f, #306230, #0f380f (darkest). The grainy, low-resolution, error-diffused output became one of the most beloved retro photographic aesthetics in design, lo-fi music, and indie photography. ASCII Magic recreates it with one preset: pick the Dither style, set the palette to Game Boy, the algorithm to Floyd-Steinberg, and optionally crop the source to 128×112 for period accuracy. The result is a faithful Game Boy Camera output, ready to copy into a Discord profile, an album cover, a YouTube thumbnail, or a lo-fi merch print.

Floyd-Steinberg vs Bayer vs Atkinson, when to use each

/ALGORITHMS

All 15 dithering algorithms, what each one is for

ASCII Magic ships 15 dithering algorithms across three families. Switch between them in the Algorithm dropdown.

Ordered (stable in animation), 9 algorithms. These use a fixed threshold pattern, so every frame computes identically and there is no per-frame shimmer, ideal for video.

Noise, 2 algorithms. These thresholds are random, organic feel for stills.

Error-diffusion (organic, for stills), 4 algorithms. These compute a quantisation error per pixel and spread it to neighbours; produce the softest, most organic dither but show shimmer in video.

For a deeper walkthrough of when to pick which algorithm, plus the maths behind error-diffusion vs. ordered dithering, read our complete guide to dithering.

/PALETTES

16+ ready palettes plus a custom-colour editor

Dithering needs a target palette, the small set of colours every output pixel must snap to. ASCII Magic ships 16+ presets and a custom-colour editor.

/FAQS

Common questions about dithering

What is dithering?
Dithering is a technique that simulates many colours or shades using only a few, by arranging small dots of the available colours in patterns your eye blends together. It's how old computers, Game Boys and 1-bit printers showed gradients with a tiny palette. A dithering generator like ASCII Magic recreates that retro look from any photo or video automatically.
How do I dither an image for free?
Open ASCII Magic in your browser, drop your photo in, and pick the Dither style. Choose an algorithm (Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, ordered/Bayer, halftone or lines) and a palette, then tune contrast, threshold and pixel scale in real time. Export as PNG, JPG, GIF or MP4. No signup, nothing leaves your browser.
What's the difference between Floyd–Steinberg and ordered (Bayer) dithering?
Floyd–Steinberg (and Atkinson, Stucki, Sierra) are error-diffusion algorithms, they push each pixel's rounding error to neighbours, giving an organic, grainy look. Ordered/Bayer dithering uses a fixed threshold matrix, giving a clean, repeating cross-hatch pattern. ASCII Magic includes 11 algorithms so you can switch between organic and patterned in one click.
Can I use retro palettes like C64 or Game Boy?
Yes, 16 built-in palettes including Commodore 64, Game Boy, CGA, PICO-8, NES, risograph, sepia and 1-bit mono, plus a custom palette builder where you pick your own colours. Chroma modes let you map colour by luminance or per-channel RGB for different retro effects.
Can the dither be animated?
Yes. The dither matrix can flow across the frame in 8 directions, with a shimmer mode and adjustable speed, so a still image becomes a living, vibrating dither. Export it as a looping GIF or MP4.
Can I convert a video to dithered art?
Yes. Drop an MP4, MOV or WebM into ASCII Magic, pick the Dither style, and every frame renders with the same algorithm and palette. Export as an MP4 (H.264) or animated GIF.
Does ASCII Magic upload my photos to a server?
No. Every conversion runs locally in your browser using HTML5 Canvas. Your image or video never leaves your device, no upload, no cloud processing. Safe for sensitive or unreleased work.
Can I use the dithered output commercially?
Yes. Output is yours, use it in client work, social posts, prints, music videos, game assets, commercial websites, anything. The only rights you need are whatever applies to the source image you uploaded.
What is Floyd-Steinberg dithering?
Floyd-Steinberg is an error-diffusion dithering algorithm invented in 1976. For each pixel, it picks the closest available colour, then spreads the quantisation error to the 4 surrounding pixels in fixed proportions (7/16, 3/16, 5/16, 1/16). It produces the classic grainy, organic 1-bit dither pattern most people recognise from Game Boy Camera and early Mac apps.
How do I make a Game Boy Camera photo from any image?
Open ASCII Magic, drop your photo in, pick the Dither style, set palette to Game Boy (the 4-shade green) and algorithm to Floyd-Steinberg. Optionally crop to 128x112 for period accuracy. Export as PNG, GIF or MP4. Free, no signup.
Floyd-Steinberg vs Bayer dithering for video, which is better?
Bayer for stable frames (no per-frame shimmer), Floyd-Steinberg for an organic shimmer that reads as 'classic dithered video'. Each frame's Floyd-Steinberg diffusion differs slightly, producing characteristic motion noise.
What are the Game Boy Camera's exact colours?
Four shades of pea-soup green: #9bbc0f (lightest), #8bac0f, #306230, #0f380f (darkest). The Game Boy palette in ASCII Magic uses these exact hex values for period accuracy.
How many dithering algorithms does ASCII Magic offer?
Fifteen, across three families: Ordered (Bayer 2x2/4x4/8x8/16x16, Halftone, Radial, Horizontal/Vertical/Diagonal Lines), Noise (White Noise, Blue Noise), and Error-diffusion (Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Stucki, Sierra Lite). Pick by use case: Ordered for video stability, Noise for stippling, Error-diffusion for organic stills.
How do I make a custom palette for dithering?
In the Dither panel, pick Custom palette from the Palette dropdown. The custom-swatch editor appears: click + to add a colour, click an existing swatch to open your OS colour picker, click ✕ to remove (min 2 colours). The dither output recomputes live as you change colours, you can pin a brand palette across projects.
Which palette best matches the actual Game Boy Camera output?
The 'Game Boy' preset uses the exact 4 hex values (#9bbc0f, #8bac0f, #306230, #0f380f), the original 1998 console's full visible palette. Pair with Floyd-Steinberg for period-accurate output, or crop the source to 128x112 for absolute period accuracy.
Why does dither flicker in video and how do I fix it?
Error-diffusion algorithms (Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Stucki, Sierra Lite) compute slightly different patterns per frame, producing characteristic shimmer. To eliminate it, switch to an Ordered algorithm (Bayer 8x8, Halftone, Lines variants). Ordered uses a fixed threshold pattern so every frame is stable, no shimmer.
What is the dither effect?
The dither effect (or dithering effect) simulates extra shades and colours using a pattern of dots, so an image made of only a few colours still reads smoothly. ASCII Magic applies this dither effect in real time with Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Bayer and other algorithms, giving you the classic 1-bit and retro-console look from any photo.
Is there a dither filter?
Yes. The Dither style is a live dither filter: drop in a photo, pick an algorithm and a palette, and it renders the dithering effect instantly. Adjust threshold, contrast and pixel size to move from a fine newspaper dither to a bold 1-bit filter, then export as PNG, JPG, GIF or MP4 with no watermark.
What is the difference between dithering and posterization?
Posterization reduces an image to a few flat colour bands, which leaves hard, visible steps between tones. Dithering also cuts the palette down, but it scatters pixels of the available colours in a pattern so your eye blends them into the shades that are missing, so a dithered image keeps the look of smooth gradients where a posterized one shows banding. In ASCII Magic the Dither style does the second: pick a small palette and an algorithm like Floyd-Steinberg or Bayer and it diffuses the error across neighbouring pixels instead of flattening the tones.

/CREATE ART IN SECONDS

Photos and videos into dithered art, in your browser.

11 algorithms, 16 palettes and animated matrices, every change previews instantly, export at up to 4× resolution. Free forever.

Try it out now

/RELATED STYLES

Or try a different art style

ASCII Art → Pixel Art → Mosaic → Voxel →

Each opens the editor with that style ready. Explore the full styles index.