VFX Atlas
M 104 / 18304 Print & Ditheralgorithm output

Truchet Tiles

print & dither

Typeface · MuseoModerno

Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Truchet Tiles. This image depicts a mountainous landscape under a wide sky. The Truchet tiles clearly define the terrain by varying the weight of the dark, winding paths to create tonal contrast between the sky and earth.
Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Truchet Tiles. This image depicts a mountainous landscape under a wide sky. The Truchet tiles clearly define the terrain by varying the weight of the dark, winding paths to create tonal contrast between the sky and earth.Image: Pablo Merchán Montes · CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons), processed for the AtlasView source ↗

Prompt

Transform this image into a Truchet Tiles pattern on a regular square grid. Use rotated paired quarter-circle arcs to form flowing black paths over white tiles. Thicken arcs in darker image regions and thin them in highlights, preserving recognizable tonal masses; keep the original subject and composition.

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

Identify

The photo becomes a tiled pattern of curved paths, with lighter and darker regions suggesting the original image.

Principle

The algorithm fills a square grid with rotated copies of a simple motif, such as paired quarter-circle arcs1. Photo-based versions can vary line width with local brightness2, since rotation alone does not change a tile’s average tone.

Try it out

Vary tile size to compare recognizable photo details with larger, more visible paths.

Classification

Calculated image processing result.

Further examples · 9 images

Truchet Tiles, applied to “Golden sunset silhouette of a small boat on a calm lake”
02 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Golden sunset silhouette of a small boat on a calm lake”The photo captures a person wearing glasses looking directly toward the viewer. Thin, delicate arcs form the bright highlights of the face while thicker, bolder lines construct the dark hair and background shadows.Johannes Plenio (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Rooftop Hangout (Unsplash)”
03 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Rooftop Hangout (Unsplash)”A group of trees is silhouetted against a bright, overcast sky. The effect is prominent as the interwoven circular patterns transition from fine, airy threads in the sky to dense, heavy coils that form the dark foliage.Jorge Flores j6flores (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Cat and street art (Unsplash)”
04 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Cat and street art (Unsplash)”The image shows a series of mountain peaks rising into a light sky. The rhythmic repetition of the tile motif creates a striking visual texture where the heaviest dark lines concentrate in the valleys and shaded slopes.Dan Gold danielcgold (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Snow Monkeys in Nagano, Japan (Unsplash)”
05 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Snow Monkeys in Nagano, Japan (Unsplash)”A snowy mountain range is viewed from a distance, revealing craggy slopes and bright ridges. The intricate web of curved lines uses varied stroke widths to effectively distinguish the sunlit snow from the deep shadows of the rock.Jonathan Forage jonathanforage (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Old Town Hong Kong Barangaroo, Barangaroo, Australia (Unsplash)”
06 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Old Town Hong Kong Barangaroo, Barangaroo, Australia (Unsplash)”This piece depicts the silhouette of two birds standing against a neutral background. The form is expertly conveyed through a grid of interwoven navy paths that thin to a delicate white in the brightest areas of the subjects.Mike Wilson mkwlsn (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Brick and square window (Unsplash)”
07 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Brick and square window (Unsplash)”A portrait shows a face looking toward the viewer from the center of the frame. The curved paths are rendered with precise geometric repetition, where the line weight perfectly modulates to reveal facial features.freestocks.org freestocks (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Sleepy Lion (Unsplash)”
08 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Sleepy Lion (Unsplash)”A hand and arm are positioned prominently in the lower center, gesturing upwards. The interlocking arcs form a seamless topological map that defines the anatomy using a transition between thick navy and thin white lines.Markus Knöll fontsaenger (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Truchet Tiles, applied to “Exit sign next to brick wall (Unsplash)”
09 Truchet Tiles, applied to “Exit sign next to brick wall (Unsplash)”This close-up features the side of a person's face and their shoulder in profile. The algorithmic paths successfully map the contours of the body by shifting line thickness, though the composition remains highly abstract.Annie Spratt anniespratt (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sources