Thursday, March 31, 2011

How to Make a Pattern Swatch Using Illustrator

Have you ever wondered how repeating patterns are created well I have just recently been taught how to do this. It involves using illustrator and creating your own swatch with a pattern on it. Below are some examples of swatches that I have recently made.
 

Once making these swatches, you are able to fill an object and a repeating pattern will occur. Below is are examples:

 




So you are probably wondering how to create these in illustrator so I am going to show you how. It is quite easy!

Step 1: Design the imagery that you would like your pattern to consist of. I decided to have a little baby along with a bottle, soother and rattle.


Step 2: Create a box that is 3 inch x 3 inch and place your imagery on the square the way you would like. Have pieces hanging over the edge of the square so you can cut them off and place them on the other side of the square so that each swatch will interact with each other and make a better pattern.



Step 3: Before cutting your image make sure that you change all of your outlines to "Outline Stroke". To do this select your objects, then got to Object > Path > Outline Stroke.


This is where the tricky part comes in. You have to know cut the images into pieces so you can place them on all sides of the square and then when you repeat the square it will line up and create a seamless pattern. Your goal is to have a square that looks like this:


Step 4: So to start of select the rattle and copy (command C) and paste in front (command F) and then do this to the square and then move the square to the front. By right clicking Arrange > Bring to Front



Step 5: Then select both the rattle and square.

Step 6: Next you are going cut the rattle in half to do this go to Window > Pathfinder


Then you want to crop the image so that half the rattle will be left.

Step 7: After hitting the crop button you will be left with half the rattle with an invisible square around it. To get rid of this use the Direct Selection tool (White Arrow-shortcut A.) Click one of the corners and hit delete twice.

 The image to the right is what the rattle should look like when selected. Make sure that you keep the rattle on the same plane because if you move it, the two rattles won't line up properly. So move the half of the rattle to the right of the square while holding shift.


Step 8: You are going to repeat steps 4 and 5 again. Once the square is in front you want to move the square so that it is covering the other half of the rattle. To do so use the white arrow and drag the left size of the square to the right.




Select the rattle and square and repeat steps 6 and 7.


Step 9: Once you have both halves of the rattle you can delete the original rattle. Next you want to place each half of the rattle so that it lines up to the outer edge of the square. The easiest way do to this is make sure that each half of the rattle is on the square and use the Align tool to make sure they align to the left and right of the square. Window > Align





Your image should look like this when completed step 9.



Step 10: Next you are going to repeat the steps to crop the image of the baby into 4 different pieces. When completed you should have these four pieces.




Make sure before cropping you move the square so that it covers the part that you need to crop.


Step 11: Now align the pieces of the baby to the respected corners using the Align tools.




Step 12: Once this is completed select all of the objects and then drag the square into your swatch library: Window > Swathces 





Your new swatch is now in this panel. Now all you have to do is create an object and fill it will your pattern swatch.




Now that you know how to make patterns, you can have a lot of fun with it. Try to make simple patterns and then try more complex patterns.

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