Halftoonvõrk

Halftoonvõrk, often translated as half-tone screen or halftone grid, is a fundamental concept in both traditional printing and digital imaging. It refers to the process of simulating continuous-tone images, such as photographs, using a pattern of dots of varying sizes. These dots, when viewed from a distance, blend together to create the illusion of different shades and tones.

In traditional lithography and offset printing, halftoning involves breaking down an image into a series of small dots. Areas that are darker in the original image are represented by larger dots, while lighter areas are represented by smaller dots. These dots are typically arranged in a grid pattern, and the spacing and size of the dots are carefully controlled to achieve the desired tonal range. The most common arrangement is a square grid, but other patterns exist.

In the digital realm, halftoning is achieved through algorithms. Digital halftoning techniques aim to replicate the effect of analog halftoning, but with greater flexibility and control. This is crucial for displaying images on devices with limited color depth or for printing on machines that cannot reproduce continuous tones. The perception of the continuous image is created by the human visual system's ability to average the discrete dots. This process is essential for reproducing photographs and complex images in publications and on screens.