Tutorial

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You may have wondered how I applied patterns to my images in some of my skins, for instance, the diagonal patterns I used in my skins, [url=http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7517&hl=]Beauty[/url] and [url=http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28186&hl=]Sophistifunk[/url] and as in the image shown below:

User posted image

With this tutorial, I will teach you how to create different patterns, including gridlines, scanlines, checkerboard, dots, and diagonal lines. I hope that you will also learn how to create your own patterns.

Note: Try either the gridlines or scanlines tutorial first before attempting the others.

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]Open up your image

First things first, you will need an image to apply these patterns to. I am going to use the following image, an actual photo I took myself at the Atlanta Botanical Garden:

User posted image

Open it up in Photoshop.

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Patterns: Gridlines

1) Open a new document in Photoshop: File >> New. Set the canvas size to any square size you wish, and set the background to transparent.

User posted image

2) Zoom in on the document: View >> Zoom In. Keep zooming in until your zoomed in enough to see what you're doing. Use the Pencil tool to draw two 1-pixel lines, one on the left and top edge of the document.

User posted image

3) Define this pattern: Edit >> Define Pattern. Hit OK.

4) With your image open, create a new layer: Layer >> New >> Layer. Select your Paint Bucket tool, set the [color=red]Fill [/color]to "Pattern" and select your new gridline pattern from the [color=red]Pattern [/color]drop down menu. Now click anywhere on your document to apply the pattern.

User posted image

5) You can change the blending mode and fill opacity of this pattern layer as I have shown below:

User posted image

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Patterns: Scanlines

1) Open a new document in Photoshop: File >> New. Use a 1x2 canvas size for horizontal scanlines, 2x1 for vertical scanlines.

User posted image

2) Zoom in on the document: View >> Zoom In. Keep zooming in until your zoomed in enough to see what you're doing. Use the Pencil tool to draw a dot on the top of your document as shown below:

User posted image

3) Define this pattern: Edit >> Define Pattern. Hit OK.

4) With your image open, create a new layer: Layer >> New >> Layer. Select your Paint Bucket tool, set the Fill to "Pattern" and select your new scanline pattern from the Pattern drop down menu. Now click anywhere on your document to apply the pattern.

User posted image

5) You can change the blending mode and fill opacity of this pattern layer as I have shown below:

User posted image

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Patterns: Checkerboard

1) Open a new document in Photoshop: File >> New. Use the settings shown below

User posted image

2) Zoom in on the document: View >> Zoom In. Keep zooming in until your zoomed in enough to see what you're doing. Use the Pencil tool to draw the following:

User posted image

3) Define this pattern: Edit >> Define Pattern. Hit OK.

4) With your image open, create a new layer: Layer >> New >> Layer. Select your Paint Bucket tool, set the Fill to "Pattern" and select your new checkerboard pattern from the Pattern drop down menu. Now click anywhere on your document to apply the pattern.

5) You can change the blending mode and fill opacity of this pattern layer to achieve your desired results.

User posted image

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Patterns: Dotted

1) Open a new document in Photoshop: File >> New. Use a 3x3 canvas with a transparent background.

2) Zoom in on the document: View >> Zoom In. Keep zooming in until your zoomed in enough to see what you're doing. Use the Pencil tool to draw the following:

User posted image

3) Define this pattern: Edit >> Define Pattern. Hit OK.

4) With your image open, create a new layer: Layer >> New >> Layer. Select your Paint Bucket tool, set the Fill to "Pattern" and select your new dotted pattern from the Pattern drop down menu. Now click anywhere on your document to apply the pattern.

5) You can change the blending mode and fill opacity of this pattern layer to achieve your desired results.

User posted image

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Patterns: Diagonal Lines

1) Open a new document in Photoshop: File >> New. Use a 5x5 canvas with a transparent background.

2) Zoom in on the document: View >> Zoom In. Keep zooming in until your zoomed in enough to see what you're doing. Use the Pencil tool to draw the following:

User posted image

3) Define this pattern: Edit >> Define Pattern. Hit OK.

4) With your image open, create a new layer: Layer >> New >> Layer. Select your Paint Bucket tool, set the Fill to "Pattern" and select your new dotted pattern from the Pattern drop down menu. Now click anywhere on your document to apply the pattern.

5) You can change the blending mode and fill opacity of this pattern layer to achieve your desired results.

User posted image

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Those are only a few examples of patterns you can make. You can also try different shapes for different patterns. Also toy around with different blending modes and see what you can come up with. Be creative and have fun!

User posted image

Note: If you'd like to learn how to achieve the halftone dot effect as seen in the image above, view my tutorial: [url=http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=41187]Halftone Effect[/url].

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Copyright © 2004 Xquizit
You are not authorized to copy or distribute any content from this tutorial.

Tutorial Comments

Showing latest 5 of 5 comments

wow, how did you do the border?!

By MiissYER on Apr 15, 2009 2:11 pm

dammit! its photoshop Dx

By cutegurl712 on Nov 12, 2008 8:17 pm

ty:]

By diana170 on Jul 18, 2007 6:51 pm

very easy, and nice final.

By deletethisplease on Apr 22, 2007 10:28 am

Thanks!

By Ajee on Apr 7, 2007 10:26 pm

Tutorial Details

Author xquizit View profile
Submitted on Feb 10, 2006
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