Blend With Dithering
Soften the hard edge between two values using alternating pixels.
Your result
A dithered transition that reads as a smooth mid-tone.
01What you will learn
- Place alternating pixels to blend two adjacent values.
- Keep the checker pattern sparse and in one zone only.
- Stop before the pattern becomes visible as a pattern.
Start with: The shaded version from lesson four, with its hard highlight-to-shadow edge.
02See the technique
Hard highlight-to-shadow edge
24 × 24 pixels
The same edge, dithered
24 × 24 pixels
03Follow the steps
- 1
Find the one hard edge
There is exactly one place where base color meets shadow with nothing between them, on the cap's right side. Dithering anywhere else would be noise.
A single target edge, identified.
- 2
Alternate single pixels
Replace every other shadow pixel along that edge with the base color, in a checker pattern. Do not blend two rows at once.
A one-pixel-wide checker along the edge.
- 3
Do not repeat the pattern twice
A second checker row creates visible stripes. One row of alternation is enough to soften a transition in a 24 by 24 image.
A single blended row.
- 4
Zoom out to judge it
At game size the checker should disappear into a smooth edge. If you can still count the pixels, remove every other one you added.
A transition that reads as smooth.
- 5
Apply the same test elsewhere
The rim under the cap has a similar hard edge. Use one row of the same technique, or leave it hard if it reads better that way.
A consistent blend rule across the image.
04Practice in Pikanim
Dither the cap's highlight-to-shadow edge into a smooth mid-tone, then zoom out and confirm the pattern is invisible.
Opens a 24 × 24 canvas with the lesson's starting pixels. Your work saves in the Workspace.
05Check your result
Compare your own work with these checkpoints. Check each one when your result is ready.
Progress saves in this browser. No account needed.
06Continue learning
Keep these references handy
What Is Dithering?
Dithering in pixel art explained: checkerboard blending, when it adds texture and depth, when it turns sprites into noise, and modern alternatives.
Pixel Art Shading Guide
Pixel art shading that reads: one light direction, connected shadow clusters, selective outlines and highlights placed where they tell a story.