Dither Background
Create atmospheric monochrome procedural backgrounds with enlarged square pixels and visible Bayer-style ordered dithering.
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Updated
May 4, 2026
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| name | dither-background |
| description | Create a dark monochrome procedural background with enlarged square pixels and visible Bayer-style ordered dithering. Use when a page needs an atmospheric near-black dither field, broad organic waves or cloud masses, and restrained gray-white highlights behind framed UI, hero content, or data overlays. |
| keywords | visual-design, animation, layout, javascript, web-design, best-practices |
Dither Background
Use When
- A dark interface needs an atmospheric monochrome background layer.
- The visual should show enlarged square pixels and visible ordered dithering.
- The design calls for organic waves, cloud-like masses, or procedural depth without colorful gradients.
- The background should support framed UI, hero content, or data overlays.
Visual Target
- Near-black base with charcoal midtones, soft gray buildup, and occasional white highlights.
- Clearly visible square pixel cells, not tiny film grain.
- 4x4 Bayer-style dither pattern or equivalent ordered thresholding.
- Broad organic waves or cloud-like masses, not random TV noise.
- Vignetted edges so the brighter mass sits centrally or off-axis.
HTML And CSS
<canvas class="dither-background" data-dither-background></canvas>.dither-background {
position: fixed;
inset: 0;
z-index: 0;
width: 100vw;
height: 100vh;
background: #030303;
pointer-events: none;
}
.page-content {
position: relative;
z-index: 1;
}Canvas Recipe
Use a real canvas when motion or procedural depth is needed.
const BAYER_4X4 = [
0, 8, 2, 10,
12, 4, 14, 6,
3, 11, 1, 9,
15, 7, 13, 5,
].map((value) => (value + 0.5) / 16);
function smoothstep(edge0, edge1, value) {
const t = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, (value - edge0) / (edge1 - edge0)));
return t * t * (3 - 2 * t);
}
function noise2(x, y) {
const value = Math.sin(x * 127.1 + y * 311.7) * 43758.5453123;
return value - Math.floor(value);
}
function valueNoise(x, y) {
const ix = Math.floor(x);
const iy = Math.floor(y);
const fx = x - ix;
const fy = y - iy;
const ux = fx * fx * (3 - 2 * fx);
const uy = fy * fy * (3 - 2 * fy);
const a = noise2(ix, iy);
const b = noise2(ix + 1, iy);
const c = noise2(ix, iy + 1);
const d = noise2(ix + 1, iy + 1);
return (
a * (1 - ux) * (1 - uy) +
b * ux * (1 - uy) +
c * (1 - ux) * uy +
d * ux * uy
);
}
function fbm(x, y) {
let value = 0;
let amplitude = 0.5;
let frequency = 1;
for (let octave = 0; octave < 4; octave++) {
value += valueNoise(x * frequency, y * frequency) * amplitude;
frequency *= 2.02;
amplitude *= 0.5;
}
return value;
}
function initDitherBackground(canvas, options = {}) {
if (!canvas) return () => {};
const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d", { alpha: false });
if (!ctx) return () => {};
const reduceMotion = window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)").matches;
const cell = options.cellSize || 7;
const maxDpr = options.maxDpr || 1.5;
let width = 1;
let height = 1;
let cols = 1;
let rows = 1;
let rafId = 0;
const palette = options.palette || [
[3, 3, 3],
[16, 16, 17],
[34, 35, 37],
[74, 75, 78],
[168, 169, 171],
[236, 236, 232],
];
function resize() {
const dpr = Math.min(window.devicePixelRatio || 1, maxDpr);
width = Math.max(1, window.innerWidth);
height = Math.max(1, window.innerHeight);
canvas.width = Math.floor(width * dpr);
canvas.height = Math.floor(height * dpr);
canvas.style.width = `${width}px`;
canvas.style.height = `${height}px`;
ctx.setTransform(dpr, 0, 0, dpr, 0, 0);
cols = Math.ceil(width / cell);
rows = Math.ceil(height / cell);
}
function sampleField(x, y, time) {
const nx = (x / cols - 0.5) * 2;
const ny = (y / rows - 0.5) * 2;
const distance = Math.sqrt(nx * nx * 0.84 + ny * ny * 1.28);
const vignette = 1 - smoothstep(0.18, 1.15, distance);
const drift = reduceMotion ? 0 : time * 0.018;
const wave =
Math.sin(nx * 2.8 + ny * 1.2 + drift) * 0.18 +
Math.sin(nx * -1.4 + ny * 3.8 - drift * 0.8) * 0.14;
const cloud = fbm(nx * 1.35 + drift * 0.16, ny * 1.35 - drift * 0.08);
const ridge = smoothstep(0.48, 0.92, cloud + wave);
const offAxisMass = smoothstep(0.98, 0.18, Math.hypot(nx + 0.22, ny - 0.08));
return Math.max(0, Math.min(1, ridge * vignette * 0.92 + offAxisMass * 0.18));
}
function render(time = 0) {
const seconds = time * 0.001;
ctx.fillStyle = "rgb(3,3,3)";
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, width, height);
for (let y = 0; y < rows; y++) {
for (let x = 0; x < cols; x++) {
const threshold = BAYER_4X4[(y % 4) * 4 + (x % 4)];
const brightness = sampleField(x, y, seconds);
const stepped = Math.floor(Math.max(0, Math.min(0.999, brightness + threshold * 0.18)) * palette.length);
const color = palette[Math.min(palette.length - 1, stepped)];
ctx.fillStyle = `rgb(${color[0]},${color[1]},${color[2]})`;
ctx.fillRect(x * cell, y * cell, cell, cell);
}
}
if (!reduceMotion) rafId = requestAnimationFrame(render);
}
function handleResize() {
cancelAnimationFrame(rafId);
resize();
render();
}
resize();
render();
window.addEventListener("resize", handleResize);
return () => {
cancelAnimationFrame(rafId);
window.removeEventListener("resize", handleResize);
};
}
const cleanupDither = initDitherBackground(
document.querySelector("[data-dither-background]"),
{
cellSize: 7,
maxDpr: 1.5,
}
);Tuning Knobs
- Cell size:
5px-10px; larger cells make the Bayer matrix more legible. - Palette: near-black, charcoal, soft gray, rare white highlights only.
- Shape: tune
wave,cloud,ridge, andoffAxisMassto create broad masses. - Vignette: increase edge falloff when foreground readability needs more quiet.
- Motion: keep drift slow; use low time multipliers and avoid flicker.
- Performance: increase
cellSizeor capmaxDprbefore simplifying the field.
Composition Notes
- Put the canvas behind the interface with
pointer-events: none. - Use it as atmosphere behind framed UI, hero copy, or data overlays.
- Keep foreground contrast controlled and typography clean.
- Let one main bright mass define the composition; avoid even full-screen brightness.
Avoid
- Rainbow gradients, colorful noise, or soft blurry blobs without dither structure.
- Tiny grain or static-like speckle where the square matrix disappears.
- Bright full-screen white noise that competes with foreground type.
- Random per-frame noise that flickers instead of drifting.
- Covering the entire viewport with equally bright cells.
Quick Checks
- The square Bayer pattern is visible from normal viewing distance.
- The field forms broad organic waves or cloud masses.
- The palette stays monochrome and restrained.
- Edges recede into near-black.
- Foreground UI remains readable without heavy overlays.