17 Patterns

• Patterns tile from left to right from the ruler origin (by default, the bottom of the artwork) to the top of the artwork. Typically, only one tile makes up a fill pattern. Brush patterns can consist of up to five tiles--for the sides, outer corners, inner corners, and the beginning and end of the path. The additional corner tiles enable brush patterns to flow smoothly at corners.
  
• Fill patterns tile perpendicular to the x axis. In contrast, brush patterns tile perpendicular to the path (with the top of the pattern tile always facing outward). Also, corner tiles rotate 90 degrees clockwise each time the path changes direction.
  
• Fill and brush patterns also tile differently in relation to the pattern bounding box--an unfilled and unstroked rectangle backmost in the artwork. For fill patterns, the bounding box acts as a mask; fill patterns tile only the artwork within the pattern's bounding box. In contrast, brush patterns tile artwork within the bounding box and protruding from or grouped with it.

Constructing simple patterns and defining patterns

To create a pattern, you create artwork that you want to use as a pattern tile and then drag it to the Swatches palette.

To create a pattern:

1. Create artwork for the pattern following Guidelines for constructing patterns (see below).
   
2. To make the pattern less complex so that it prints more rapidly, remove any unnecessary detail from the pattern artwork, and group objects that are painted with the same color so that they are adjacent in the stacking order.
   
3. Optionally, 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.
   
4. Use the selection tool to select the artwork and bounding box (if any) that will make up the pattern tile.
   
5. Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Define Pattern, and enter a name in the New Swatch dialog box.
• Choose Window > Swatches (if necessary), and then drag the artwork to the Swatches palette.

To name a pattern in the Swatches palette:

1. Double-click a pattern swatch.
2. Enter the new pattern name in the Swatch Name text box, and click OK.

Guidelines for constructing patterns

Follow these general guidelines for constructing pattern tiles:

• As you create your pattern tile, zoom in on the artwork to align elements more accurately, and then zoom out from the artwork for the final selection.
  
• For greatest efficiency in previewing and printing, a fill pattern tile should be about 1/2 inch to 1 inch square. Side tiles for brush patterns should be no larger than 1/2 inch to 1 inch high by 1 inch to 2 inches wide; the corner tiles must be the same height as the side tiles and should be square.
  
• The more complex the pattern, the smaller the selection used to create it should be; however, the smaller the selection (and the pattern tile it creates), the more copies are needed to create the pattern. Thus, a 1-inch-square tile is more efficient than a 1/4-inch-square tile. If you are creating a simple pattern, you can include multiple copies of the object within the selection intended for the pattern tile.
  
• To create simple line patterns, layer stroked lines of varying widths and colors and place an unfilled and unstroked bounding box behind the lines to create a pattern tile.
  
• To make an organic or textural pattern appear irregular, vary the tile artwork subtly, not dramatically, for a more realistic effect. You can use the Roughen filter in the Distort menu to control variations.
  
• To ensure smooth tiling, close paths before defining the pattern.
  
• Enlarge your artwork view, and check for flaws before defining a pattern.
  
• 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, do not fill or stroke the box and 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. (See How patterns tile.)
  
• 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.

Constructing geometric patterns

To construct a geometric pattern that tiles uniformly, first construct a geometric object with a center point and paint the object. Then arrange copies of the object in the pattern you want, select the artwork, and define it as a pattern tile by dragging it to the Swatches palette.

To construct a geometric pattern:

1. Make sure that Smart Guides are turned on and that the View > Snap to Point command has been selected.
   
2. Select the geometric object. For precise positioning, use the direct-selection tool positioned on one of the object's 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 Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS).
   
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.
   
   
   Select both objects (left) and drag to create a copy (right)
   
   
6. When the copy of the object has snapped into place, release the mouse button, and then release Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS).
   
7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 until you've built the pattern you want.
   
8. Using the rectangle tool , follow one of two methods:

• For a fill pattern, draw a bounding box from the center point of the upper left object to the center point of the lower right object.
• For a brush pattern, draw a bounding box that surrounds the objects and coincides with their outer boundaries. If the pattern is to be a corner tile, hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the bounding box to a square. The bounding box should surround the objects and coincide with their outer boundaries.
  
  
  Bounding box for a fill pattern (left) and for a brush pattern (right)
  
  
• Paint the geometric objects the desired color.
  
• Define the geometric objects as a pattern, following the procedure in Constructing simple patterns and defining patterns.

Constructing patterns with irregular textures

You can create an irregularly textured fill pattern that tiles seamlessly. Remember that fill patterns clip any artwork outside the bounding box, whereas brush patterns do not. To create an irregularly textured brush pattern, you should select and define as a pattern only the textured artwork within the bounding box.

To create an irregular texture:

1. Make sure that View > Snap to Point has been selected.
   
2. Draw a bounding box. If you are creating a brush pattern, skip to step 13.
   
3. Draw the texture with the objects or lines that intersect only the left side of the bounding rectangle.
   
4. Using the direct-selection tool, select the texture and the rectangle, and place the pointer on the lower left corner of the rectangle.
   
5. Drag the rectangle to the right; then press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS) to create a copy and to constrain the move.
   
   
   Draw texture on left side of bounding box (left). Then copy texture and rectangle (right).
   
   When the upper left corner point of the copy snaps to the upper right corner point of the bounding box, release the mouse button, and then release Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS).
   
   TIP: If you know the exact dimensions of the bounding box, you can select only the textures and use the Move command to specify a horizontal move the width of the rectangle. Be sure to click Copy instead of OK in the Move dialog box.
   
6. Click outside the rectangle to deselect it.
   
7. Select the right rectangle, and delete it.
   
8. Using the pencil tool , continue drawing your texture with only the objects or lines that intersect the top side of the rectangle. When you finish with the top side only, select all of the lines or objects crossing the top side and the bounding box.
   
   
   Draw texture on top side of bounding box (left). Then copy texture and rectangle (right).



9. When the upper left corner point of the copy snaps to the lower left corner point of the rectangle, release the mouse button and then Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS).
   
10. Deselect everything.
    
11. Select the lower rectangle and any objects that don't cross the top rectangle, and delete them.
    
12. Using the pencil tool, fill the middle of the rectangle with your texture. Be careful not to intersect any of the rectangle edges. Paint the texture.
    
13. Define the artwork and rectangle as a pattern, following the procedure in Constructing simple patterns and defining patterns.

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