The CMYK Halftone Dots effect transforms your images or videos by replacing continuous tones with a pattern of dots in the four CMYK colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key/Black). This mimics the dot-based printing technique often seen in comics or magazines, where varying dot sizes create the illusion of smooth gradients and shading.

Key Properties CMYK Halftone Dots

CMYK Halftone Dots Effect
  1. Amount
    Controls the number of dots in the pattern horizontally across the project. A higher value creates a finer pattern with smaller dots, while a lower value results in a coarser pattern.
    Range: 0 to 500; Default: 100
  2. Strength
    Adjusts how the size of the dots correlates with the brightness (luminance) of the colors in the original layer.
    Range: 0 to 1; Default: 0.5
  3. Black
    Determines the amount of black ink used in the simulation, representing the neutral parts of the image (cyan, magenta, yellow). Set it to 100% for the most accurate printer simulation.
    Range: 0% to 100%; Default: 0%
  4. Angle
    Controls the rotation angle of the dot pattern.
    Range: 0ยบ to 360ยบ; Default: 45ยบ
  5. Phase
    Adjusts how the rows of dots are staggered. A whole number aligns all dots vertically, while fractional numbers (like 0.5) shift the dots for a more staggered effect.
    Range: -1000 to 1000; Default: 0.5

How to Use

The CMYK Halftone Dots effect works best with image or video layers that contain multiple colors or smooth gradients. To achieve a natural dot pattern, adjust the Strength to see the pattern emerge, then fine-tune the Amount to control the dot size. For a more realistic print look, set Black to 100% and adjust Strength to reveal the other color dots.

Pro Tip: Apply a slight Gaussian Blur to the layer before using the effect. This helps prevent any jittery or uneven dot sizes caused by small shifts in color.

Common Use Cases

  • Simulate Printing: Use moderate Amount and Strength settings, and increase Black to 100% for a classic four-color printing effect.
  • Comic Book Style: Create comic book-style shading on colored gradients by applying this effect to shape layers.
  • Photo to Comic: Convert photos or videos into a comic book look by first boosting saturation with the Saturation / Vibrance effect, applying Posterize, and finishing with CMYK Halftone Dots.
  • Color Transitions: Animate a smooth transition between halftone dots and a solid color by keyframing Amount or Strength.
  • From Dots to Image: Create a dynamic transition from CMYK halftone dots to an original image or video by duplicating the layer and animating both the Amount/Strength and opacity to fade the dots out.

With these settings, you can recreate a range of vintage or professional printing looks, adding depth and texture to your animations!

See Also

See Also