Shading Pixels with Dithering

For this tutorial I'm going to use a technique called dithering to shade a pixel. This technique makes colors blend into each other more, so there isn't as much contrast between each color you use for shading.

Step 1

Shade your pixel like you normally would. Don't make the colors too close to each other, or they'll look like they're all one color once you add the dithering.

Step 2

If you're using Paint, you'll have to use the pencil tool to draw each dot, with the pencil set at 1px. If you're using PSP, there's an easier way. Choose the paintbrush tool, and make the size 2-5 depending on how much you want your colors to blend. Make sure that in your brush settings, the hardness is 100. Click on your foreground color (the color on top) and check the Texture box. Choose "Dither 50 pct" and use these settings:

Zoom in on your pixel. Use the eyedropper to select one of the colors you used in your shading. Draw in a checkerboard pattern, making sure none of the pixels touch each other. In PSP, move the paintbrush tool over the areas where the edge of that color is, and the pattern will show up without drawing each pixel individually.

Step 3

Repeat Step 2 with the other colors you used to shade your pixel.

When you're done, you should notice that the shading looks a lot smoother, like this: