How to make text or an image into a diffusion of dots...

[Terril]

How can you make a solid object or text into the same thing but just biult up from a network of visable dots??

If its not possible in Illustrator, can it be done in Photoshop?

Thanks
Terril

[Philip Peterson]

It can be done in either. In illustrator you could make a network of dots, then use the text as an opacity mask.

You might also be able to use the cross hatch filter.

Depends on how regular of an appearnce you want. For instance, if I was going for an irregular look, I'd try making a line of dots, and blending it with another line of dots to get a page full of dots. Then I'd expand the blend, and use the transform each to randomize the dots. Then use the opacity mask to do the text/object.

I imagine there are several other approaches too.

[Terril]

Thanks Philip,

Just to expand on what I am trying to achieve:

Simply to turn a solid colour into dots such as you get in 'Pop Art'.

??
Terril

[John Traylor]

Two ideas in addition to the opacity mask...

-you could make a pattern fill out of your dots, then just fill whatever object you need

-easier yet make your dot pattern then use your objects as clipping masks on top of the dots

--John

[Terril]

Options all sound possible but isn't there just a simple pre-built filter or effect that does this pop art style??

[Terril]

[Philip Peterson]

John's idea sounds like an easy way to go.

For intance, I made three dots, duplicated them (alt dragged) down and shifted to one side. Dragged all the dots to a new swatch. Applied the swatch to some text. Took less then 10 seconds to get the effect that (I think) you want.

[Boris Senker]

Image: Open in Photoshop. Image... Mode... Greyscale. Image... Mode... Bitmap. Experiment with dither settings, usually Diffusion works well.

For press-intended jobs, set bitmap resolution at no less than 1200 dpi.

I usually set it to 2000.

Save As... TIFF.

[Erik Stedman]

Terril,

Make a note of the RGB amounts e.g. 0,0,255 and as Boris has stated "Open in photoShop, Flatten image..Filter/Sketch - halftone pattern..., select dots,size & contrast.

Click OK, colour will be B&W,...Image/ adjust/Hue&Sat...tick colorize/Hue = 255,SAT = 100, LIGHTNESS = 40, click OK.
Repeat Hue & Sat but this time LIGHTNESS = 0,

Erik.

[Default]

There is no "pop-art" filter if that is what you are getting at but what
John suggested is incredibly easy. All you have to do is make the dot
pattern which should take nearly no time at all and then once you have it,
you can simply use it as your fill for anything. I don't think it could be
made any simpler while retaining control. I would think that any filter with
a dialogue box would just make it more complicated.

If you are unsure about making a pattern, consult your manual (online or
book). It isn't hard at all and once you have it, you've got the pattern
forever which allows you to build up a collection of preset patterns of
dot's with any colors, sizes or irregular shapes as desired.

"Terril" <kar...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1de76...@WebX.la2eafNXanI...

[Steven Vandervate]

I use a grayscale file in Photoshop, then Pixelate>Color Halftone. For your use, it sounds that you may want to Gaussian blur it a bit to get a "diminishing dot" look at the edges. You can apply this to gradients as well to get that gradient Zipatone look, then save it as a bitmap for use as an overlay in Illustrator or Quark. You can also do all of this in Photoshop channels, as they are only 1 bit.

[Terril]

Thanks loads for the help, I will give it all a try!

[Richard Baron]

I think there are a few fill patterns on the Illustrator disk which are included as bonuses and look like old fashioned zip-a-tone (I'm not sure of that spelling,however).

They should replicate the "pop art" look.