Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image. Typically such works forgo lines/brushstrokes all together or it may be used as a form of texturing and shading. Traditionally done with pencil, but may be done with any artistic medium.

It is distinct from halftone, in which a mechanical process with regularized patterns has similar results, only with the dots vary in size rather than frequency, to produce fuller colors. Halftone is the result for the process of screen printing (which includes modern inkjet printers).