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Halftone

Halftone is a printing technique that uses tiny dots of varying sizes and spacing to create the illusion of continuous shades of gray or color. Instead of printing every shade individually, halftone patterns trick the eye into seeing gradients, shadows, and smooth transitions in images. This technique is commonly used in newspapers, magazines, packaging, and other printed materials to reproduce photos and detailed graphics.

Why it matters:

Halftone allows printers to reproduce complex images and gradients using only a few inks, making printing more efficient and cost-effective. It ensures that images look detailed and smooth, even when using limited colors, and helps maintain consistent quality across different materials and printing methods.

Benefits:

  • Cost-efficient: Uses fewer inks while creating the appearance of full shading
  • High detail: Preserves image clarity and texture
  • Versatile: Works for both black-and-white and color printing
  • Consistent results: Produces uniform shades and gradients across prints

Use cases in print and packaging:

  • Product packaging: Detailed photos, illustrations, or textures on boxes and labels
  • Marketing materials: Magazines, brochures, flyers with photographic images
  • Newspapers and manuals: Black-and-white images with smooth shading
  • Brand visuals: Logos or images that need gradient effects without full-color printing

Halftone is a smart printing technique that turns tiny dots into smooth images, allowing detailed visuals and gradients while keeping printing efficient and cost-effective.

Example of Halftone

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