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

- 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 - 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 - 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% - Angle
Controls the rotation angle of the dot pattern.
Range: 0ยบ to 360ยบ; Default: 45ยบ - 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!