Halftones are a pattern of tiny dots that can simulate different shades of color using varing percentages of a single ink.
Visually, halftones create the illusion of a continuous tone image by using spots of varying size and density to represent darker or lighter color values.
Halftones work by fooling the eye into seeing the combination of the ink color and the color of the shirt they are printed on. When seen from a distance, the colors blend together and the dots merge with the background color of the shirt. If you look closely at or magnify the print, the separate dots are quite clear. You can see good examples of halftones if you magnify a picture in a magazine or a print from a color printer or even if you look closely at your TV screen. All these are made up of tiny dots.
1. To create a tint or lighter shade of a color. This will allow more "colors" in the design without adding more screens.
Example:
| 100% Blue | 50% Blue | 20% Blue | |
|
Desired |
 |
 |
 |
| Halftones |  |
 |
|
| Enlarged Halftones |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
One color
image |
Halftones | Enlarged |
2. To create a gradient or the appearance of a continuous tone of color:
Example:
 |
 |
 |
|
1 Color |
Halftones | Enlarged Halftones |
3. To create overlapping screens of different ink colors that combine to simulate more colors.
Example:
Simulated
Solid ColorHalftones Enlarged
Halftones2 Color
GradientHalftones Enlarged
Halftones4-color
processHalftones Enlarged
Halftones
