Duotone effects map an image's tonal range onto two colors — one for shadows and one for highlights. This creates bold, graphic visuals popular in poster design, brand marketing, and social media headers. For strongest impact, start with a high-contrast source image.

Color pairing tip: Portraits work especially well because facial features provide natural tonal variation. Experiment with complementary color combinations (blue-orange, purple-gold) for vibrant results, or analogous pairs (teal-blue) for subtler gradients. Pre-adjust contrast with the color tools before applying duotone for maximum tonal separation.