About this tool
What does Duotone Generator do?
Duotone Generator converts the brightness values in a photo into a smooth blend between two selected colors. Dark areas use the shadow color, bright areas use the highlight color and midtones are interpolated between them. The result is ideal for album art, event posters, hero banners and branded social posts.
Custom shadow and highlight colors
Live tonal mapping
Contrast and midpoint controls
Reusable HEX color values
Step-by-step guide
How to use Duotone Generator
- Upload an image with a useful range of light and shadow.
- Choose the two duotone colors.
- Adjust contrast and tonal midpoint.
- Generate and download the duotone artwork.
Understand the result
How to read and refine the output
Moving the midpoint changes which parts of the image lean toward the shadow or highlight color. More contrast separates the two colors sharply; lower contrast produces a softer blend. Strongly contrasting brand colors usually create the most recognizable result.
Practical advice
Tips for better results
- Choose colors with clear lightness separation.
- Use high-contrast portraits or architecture.
- Match colors to an existing brand palette.
- Check accessibility when placing text over the output.
Best-fit tasks
When to use Duotone Generator
- Poster graphics and music artwork
- Brand-colored editorial images
- High-contrast social thumbnails
Choose carefully
When another method may be better
It is not ideal for images where realistic skin tones, product colors or color-coded data must remain accurate because the effect remaps the image into a deliberately limited palette.
Practical example
Example setting choice
Choose a dark shadow color and a lighter highlight color with enough luminance separation that textural detail remains visible after remapping.
Important limitations
What this tool cannot guarantee
Duotone removes the original color information. Very flat images may need additional contrast, and two colors with similar brightness can produce a muddy result.
Common questions
Duotone Generator FAQs
What is a duotone image?
It is an image whose luminance is represented using two selected colors instead of the original full-color palette.
Can I enter exact brand colors?
Yes. Use the HTML color inputs and copy your required HEX values.
Why does my result look flat?
Increase contrast or choose colors with greater brightness difference.
Can I keep transparent backgrounds?
Transparency is preserved where the source browser decoder retains it, and PNG is recommended for export.
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