Skip to content
ArcBrush ArcBrush Docs

Halftone

Halftone
Filter

Reproduces the dot-screen look of newspaper, manga, and offset printing, with Grayscale, RGB, and CMYK modes and eight one-click presets.

Halftone converts continuous tones into a pattern of dots, lines, or other spot shapes - the same technique used in newspaper, comic, manga, and offset printing. Eight presets cover the common looks (Manga Screentone, Newspaper B&W, CMYK Print, RGB Color Print, Comic Book, Risograph, Pop Art, Line Screen) and snap to Custom the moment you adjust a knob.

Three modes drive color decomposition: Grayscale runs a single screen with editable paper and ink colors; RGB screens three planes with independent angles; CMYK runs four plates with the US press convention (Cyan 15, Magenta 75, Yellow 0, Black 45) to avoid moire rosette collapse. Five spot shapes (Round, Square, Diamond, Line, Ellipse) and a supersample setting give you the full range from hard-edged retro to smooth modern print.

The screen scales with image height so cell counts stay consistent across resolutions, and a per-shape coverage table keeps midtones at ~50% coverage no matter which shape you pick.

Parameters

Section titled “Parameters”

Pins

ImageImage
InputRequired
MaskMask
InputOptional
ImageImage
Output

Preset

PresetChoice
Default: 1 Range: Custom / Manga Screentone / Newspaper B&W / CMYK Print / RGB Color Print / Comic Book / Risograph (Blue) / Pop Art (Yellow/Red) / Line Screen

Pre-tuned screen recipe. Manual edits switch back to Custom

Screen

ModeChoice
Default: 0 Range: Grayscale / RGB / CMYK

Color decomposition: Grayscale, RGB (3 passes), or CMYK (4 passes)

Cell Size (1080p px)Number
Default: 2.5 Range: 2.0–64.0

Screen cell period at 1080p reference; scales with image height

ShapeChoice
Default: 0 Range: Round / Square / Diamond / Line / Ellipse

Spot function for the screen cell

Angles

Angle (deg)Number
Default: 22.5 Range: -180.0–180.0

Screen rotation. 45 is the classic look

Red (deg)Number
Default: 15.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Red channel screen angle

Green (deg)Number
Default: 75.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Green channel screen angle

Blue (deg)Number
Default: 0.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Blue channel screen angle

Cyan (deg)Number
Default: 15.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Cyan channel screen angle

Magenta (deg)Number
Default: 75.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Magenta channel screen angle

Yellow (deg)Number
Default: 0.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Yellow channel screen angle

Black (deg)Number
Default: 45.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Black channel screen angle

Screen

Ellipse RatioNumber
Default: 1.00 Range: 0.25–4.00

Axis ratio for the Ellipse spot

Tone

ContrastNumber
Default: 1.10 Range: 0.00–2.00

Tone contrast multiplier before screening

GammaNumber
Default: 1.00 Range: 0.25–4.00

Gamma adjustment applied before screening

SupersampleInteger
Default: 2 Range: 1–4

Subpixel samples per cell: 1, 2, or 4 (UI exposes those values only)

InvertToggle
Default: false

Flip dot-growth direction

Color

PaperColor (RGBA)
Default: rgba(255, 255, 255, 255)

Paper color

InkColor (RGBA)
Default: rgba(0, 0, 0, 255)

Ink color

Notes

Angle (deg), Paper R, Paper G, Paper B, Paper A, Ink R, Ink G, Ink B, Ink A: grayscale mode only.

Red (deg), Green (deg), Blue (deg): rGB mode only.

Cyan (deg), Magenta (deg), Yellow (deg), Black (deg): cMYK mode only.

Ellipse Ratio: ellipse shape only.

Usage Tips

Section titled “Usage Tips”
  • Use Manga Screentone with Line shape for action panels and CMYK Print for a full color comic.
  • Drop the Cell Size to 2-3 px for a fine “magazine print” look; push to 12+ for a chunky pop-art feel.
  • Wire a Mask to apply halftone only to a subject and keep the background continuous-tone.
  • Set Ellipse Ratio above 1 for stretched dots that read as a directional texture.
Section titled “Related Nodes”