Print effects — cyanotype, risograph, pointillism, pop art
What each setting does in Artgen's cyanotype, risograph, pointillism and pop art effects, and how to prepare the PNG for printing.
Four free fixed effects (sign-in, no credits) that keep your image's layout and apply a repeatable print look. The same image and settings always give the same result. Tool pages: cyanotype, risograph, pointillism, pop art.
All four accept PNG, JPEG or WebP up to 5 MB, resize to at most 512 px on the longest edge, turn transparent areas white, and give you one PNG.
Cyanotype
Looking for a cyanotype filter Photoshop alternative? This runs on Artgen's site, with nothing to install, and has two sliders.
| Setting | Range | Default | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast | 0.5–2 | 1.15 | Raise gradually — too high and fine leaves or facial detail vanish. |
| Exposure | −1 to 1 | 0 | Negative darkens toward deep blue; positive lightens toward paper. |
Best inputs: evenly lit photos with visible midtones — leaves, architecture, portraits with clear light. It recolors tones only; it doesn't remove backgrounds or simulate a real contact print.
Risograph
Risograph effect settings:
| Setting | Options / range | Default | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ink colors | 2 or 3 | 2 | Compare both on the same image; 2 is bolder, 3 adds depth. |
| Dot size | 3–12 | 6 | Smaller = finer halftone; larger = coarser, more visible screen. |
| Layer offset | 0–4 | 1 | Misregistration between inks. 0 is clean; higher feels rougher. |
Start with broad light and dark areas. Too much offset smears small faces and lettering. Output is one combined PNG — it doesn't export separate ink layers for an actual riso printer.
Pointillism
| Setting | Range | Default | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot size | 3–12 | 4 | Large dots simplify detail — check at the size you'll display it. |
| Dot variation | 0–0.5 | 0.35 | Higher = looser, more hand-placed feel. |
Works well on landscapes, flowers and colorful still lifes with clear color regions. It draws sampled dots; it doesn't invent brushwork.
Pop art
| Setting | Range | Default | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot size | 3–12 | 6 | Size of the Ben-Day-style dots. |
| Outline strength | 0–1 | 0.65 | Higher emphasizes the subject's contours. |
Use a close crop and a simple background; small details compete with outlines and dense dots. One image in, one image out — no multi-panel layout or added lettering.
Preparing a file for printing
- The output is a PNG at the resized size (max 512 px on the long edge). It can work for screens, posts and small prints, depending on the display or print size; for large prints, expect visible pixels.
- For a poster, scale up in an image editor with nearest-neighbor or a halftone-friendly method rather than smoothing. Enlarging the file doesn't add detail.
- Do your crop before uploading — every pixel of the 512 px counts.
Want a reinterpretation instead of a faithful effect? Switch the tool to AI reimagine (uses credits).
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