How One Developer Dithers Images with a Pink Palette
Original: My Images Are Dithered
Why This Matters
Personal web aesthetics and low-bandwidth design techniques are gaining renewed interest in the indie web community.
Developer Jo published a technical walkthrough on her personal blog explaining her current method for applying dithering to images using a limited pink-and-black palette, inspired by AM and FM halftone printing techniques. The post drew significant attention from Hacker News readers.
Jo, a developer who runs the personal site dead.garden, published a blog post on July 6, 2026 detailing her approach to dithering images for use on her website. The post was motivated by curiosity about how other personal site owners achieve similar visual effects.
The technique she uses is inspired by traditional print halftoning — specifically the distinction between AM (amplitude modulated) and FM (frequency modulated) dot grids. AM grids vary dot size to simulate shading, while FM grids vary dot density in a more random pattern. The post notes that AM grids can produce unwanted Moiré patterns if not carefully offset (a concern addressed by print standard DIN 16547), whereas FM grids avoid this due to their randomness.
Jo limits her image palette to two colors: black and a specific pink, aiming for a 'printed' aesthetic that aligns with her light-mode, black-and-white site design. She is explicit that this method is not primarily a file size optimization — in some cases it can even increase file size — and that it is largely an aesthetic exercise. She also notes that sites like Low Tech Magazine do use dithering for genuine file size reduction. All code used to achieve the effects is included inline in the post. She added an edit noting the images were subsequently updated to a new style also covered in the post.