Duotone Image Effect
Map an image to just two colours — one for the shadows, one for the highlights — for a bold graphic look.
Two colours instead of many
A duotone throws away the original colours and remaps the image's light and dark across a gradient between two shades you choose. The darkest areas take one colour, the brightest take the other, and everything in between blends. The result is striking and unmistakably designed — the effect behind countless posters, album covers and brand campaigns, where a photo is pulled into a two-colour palette.
Pick colours with real contrast between them, or the image flattens into mush; a deep shadow colour and a bright highlight colour give the look its punch.
Duotone versus a tint
It is worth not confusing this with a simple colour tint, which lays one colour over the whole image and keeps its tones. A duotone is more drastic: it replaces the tonal range with a two-colour map, so the picture becomes a graphic rather than a colour-washed photo. Reach for duotone when you want a bold, on-brand statement, and a tint when you just want a mood.
How to create a duotone image
- Add your photo.
- Pick the two colours for shadows and highlights.
- Download the duotone image.
Two colours, one strong look
Duotone maps a photograph's tones onto just two colours, which strips out distracting detail and leaves a bold graphic image. It is a favourite in branding and album art because it makes wildly different photos look like a matching set.
Contrast between your two colours is what makes it work — a dark shadow colour against a bright highlight. Two similar tones produce a muddy image with no shape.
Questions & answers
What colours work best for duotone?
A dark colour for shadows and a distinctly brighter one for highlights. Similar tones look flat.
Which photos suit the effect?
Images with clear light and dark areas. Flat, evenly lit pictures lose their shape.
Is it good for branding?
Yes — it makes varied photos look like a consistent set in your brand colours.
How is duotone different from a colour tint?
A tint lays one colour over the image and keeps its tones. A duotone remaps the whole light-to-dark range onto two colours, which is a much bolder, graphic effect.
What colours should I choose?
Two with strong contrast — a dark shadow colour and a bright highlight colour — so the image keeps its depth.
Is the image uploaded?
No. The duotone is applied in your browser.