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

html
<canvas class="dither-background" data-dither-background></canvas>

css
.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.

js
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, and offAxisMass to 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 cellSize or cap maxDpr before 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.