Create pattern swatches, Create seamless geometric patterns – Adobe Illustrator CS3 User Manual
Page 194
ILLUSTRATOR CS3
User Guide
188
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If you draw a bounding box around the artwork, make sure that the box is a rectangle, that it is the backmost object
of the tile, and that it is unfilled and unstroked. To have Illustrator use this bounding box for a brush pattern, make
sure that nothing protrudes from it.
Follow these additional guidelines when creating brush patterns:
•
When possible, confine artwork to an unpainted bounding box so that you can control how the pattern tiles.
•
Corner tiles must be square and have the same height as side tiles to align properly on the path. If you plan to use
corner tiles with your brush pattern, align objects in the corner tiles horizontally with objects in the side tiles so
that the patterns tile correctly.
•
Create special corner effects for brush patterns using corner tiles.
See also
“Apply a fill color to an object” on page 153
Create pattern swatches
1
Create artwork for the pattern.
2
(Optional) To control the spacing between pattern elements or to clip out portions of the pattern, draw a pattern
bounding box (an unfilled rectangle) around the artwork you want to use as a pattern. Choose Object > Arrange >
Send To Back to make the rectangle the backmost object. To use the rectangle as a bounding box for a brush or fill
pattern, fill and stroke it with None.
3
Use the Selection tool to select the artwork and bounding box (if any) that will make up the pattern tile.
4
Do one of the following:
•
Choose Edit > Define Pattern, enter a name in the New Swatch dialog box, and click
OK. The pattern displays in
the Swatches panel.
•
Drag the artwork to the Swatches panel.
See also
“Guidelines for constructing pattern tiles” on page 187
Create seamless geometric patterns
1
Make sure that Smart Guides are turned on and that Snap To Point is selected in the View menu.
2
Select the geometric object. For precise positioning, position the Direct Selection tool on one of the object’s anchor
points.
3
Begin dragging the object vertically from one of its anchor points; then press Alt+Shift (Windows) or
Option+Shift (Mac OS) to copy the object and constrain its movement.
4
When the copy of the object has snapped into place, release the mouse button and then release the keys.
5
Using the Group Selection tool, Shift-click to select both objects, and begin dragging the objects horizontally by
one of their anchor points; then press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS) to create a copy and constrain
the move.