VFX Atlas
M 103 / 18304 Print & Ditheralgorithm output

Spiral Halftone

print & dither

Typeface · Elsie Swash Caps

Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Spiral Halftone. A complex indoor architectural space is depicted through a series of intersecting geometric planes. The winding path uses deep, bold line weights to define the structural shadows against the bright highlights of the scene.
Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Spiral Halftone. A complex indoor architectural space is depicted through a series of intersecting geometric planes. The winding path uses deep, bold line weights to define the structural shadows against the bright highlights of the scene.Image: Scott Webb scottwebb · CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons), processed for the AtlasView source ↗

Prompt

Apply a Spiral Halftone effect using one continuous black spiral winding outward across a clean white background. Vary its width with image brightness: broad sections form shadows, narrow sections describe highlights. Use crisp edges and no gray ink or separate dots; keep the original subject and composition.

Paste it into LetzAI with your own image to apply the effect ↗

Identify

A spiral halftone1 rebuilds the photograph as a winding black line, with thicker sections forming shadows and thinner sections suggesting highlights.

Principle

The algorithm follows a spiral path and varies its line width according to local brightness2. Wider black sections cover more white background, making darker tones without gray ink.

Try it out

Vary the spacing between spiral turns and watch how facial details emerge or disappear.

Classification

Calculated image processing result.

Further examples · 9 images

Spiral Halftone, applied to “Melbourne Airport, Australia (Unsplash)”
02 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Melbourne Airport, Australia (Unsplash)”A silhouette of a person walking while looking at a handheld device is captured against a bright, minimalist background. The spiraling line thickens significantly to create the dark form of the subject, contrasting sharply with the thin lines of the surroundings.Mike Wilson mkwlsn (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “Glow (Unsplash)”
03 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Glow (Unsplash)”This image features a large heart shape centered on a textured vertical surface. The continuous spiral creates a dense core of dark ink for the heart, while the background uses narrower line widths to suggest a lighter surface.Cathal Mac an Bheatha cathalmacan (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “Vintage City Vibes (Unsplash)”
04 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Vintage City Vibes (Unsplash)”A serene waterfront cityscape is reflected in the calm surface of a river or canal. The technique utilizes varying stroke widths to translate the intricate details of the buildings and their wavy reflections into a single continuous path.Mitchel Lensink lensinkmitchel (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “Nikita Kokurins 2016 (Unsplash)”
05 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Nikita Kokurins 2016 (Unsplash)”A tranquil seascape shows small boats or land masses resting on the horizon under a bright sky. The spiral originates from the center of the horizon, expanding outward with thin lines for the sky and thicker strokes for the dark water and objects.Nikita Kokurins nikitakokurins (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “Lonely boat (Unsplash)”
06 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Lonely boat (Unsplash)”A motorboat speeds across a calm body of water toward the right edge of the frame. The image is rendered through a continuous spiral that expands from the center, using thick ink strokes to define the dark hull and wake.Alex Lesik alexlesik (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “Waterloo Region Museum, Kitchener, Canada (Unsplash ywuH99ygfec)”
07 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Waterloo Region Museum, Kitchener, Canada (Unsplash ywuH99ygfec)”A modern architectural structure features a recurring pattern of windows and sharp geometric angles. The winding path of the line widens significantly to create the deep shadows of the building facade against a light sky.Scott Webb scottwebb (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “TwinLamp@snowyNight(byHideObara)”
08 Spiral Halftone, applied to “TwinLamp@snowyNight(byHideObara)”Two bright circular lights or objects glow intensely against a dark, textured background. The algorithm creates a striking contrast by thinning the spiral line into almost nothing for the highlights while maintaining dense coverage elsewhere.Hide Obara (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spiral Halftone, applied to “Pineapple in a swing (Unsplash)”
09 Spiral Halftone, applied to “Pineapple in a swing (Unsplash)”A symmetrical urban scene depicts buildings and thin masts or cranes reaching into the air. The spiral pattern is perfectly centered, with the width of the black line fluctuating to illustrate the complex silhouettes of the architecture.Pineapple Supply Co. pineapple (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sources