5.9. Posterize

This tool is designed to intelligently weigh the pixel colors of the selection or active layer and reduce the number of colors while maintaining a semblance of the original image characteristics.

5.9.1. Activating the Tool

You can get to this tool in several ways:

  • In the image menu through ToolsColor ToolsPosterize or ColorsPosterize.

  • By clicking on the tool icon in Toolbox, if this tool has been installed there (see Tools dialog).

5.9.2. Options

Figure 13.160. Posterize tool options

Posterize tool options

Posterize Levels

This slider and the input boxes with arrow-heads allow you to set the number of levels (2-256) in each RGB channel that the tool will use to describe the active layer. The total number of colors is the combination of these levels. A level to 3 will give 23 = 8 colors.

Preview

The Preview check-box makes all changes dynamically so that they can be viewed straight away.

5.9.3. Example

Figure 13.161. Example for the Posterize tool

Example for the “Posterize” tool

Image posterized in 4 levels. The histogram shows the 4 levels and 10 colors, counting black and white also.