(techno music)
- [Gareth] Hello, and welcome to this video tutorial.
Gareth here from TastyTuts.com.
In this video I will be discussing and demonstrating
how to create patterns in Adobe Illustrator.
As you can see here, I have six pattern examples.
Now, these patterns I created earlier
and shortly I will be demonstrating exactly how I made them.
But before that, let's quickly take a
closer look at each example.
So, with the project folder open,
navigate to the project assets folder.
In that folder, open the patterns folder,
and open all the individual pattern files,
one through to six.
If you don't already have the project folder
and wish to follow along and get these sample patterns,
you can find them in the project folder.
Download link is in the description.
So, starting with pattern one.
On the left here, we have the originally designed element
which was used to make the pattern texture
you see on the right.
To make a pattern in Illustrator,
we always need to start with an individual vector
or a group of vectors.
Next, for pattern two,
I used a diamond shape to make this texture on the right.
For pattern three, I created this unique vector shape
and used that to create this interesting pattern
on the right.
For pattern four,
I created another unique vector shape
but this time it has been used to create
an infinite interlocking texture.
For pattern five, we have something a little different.
Here I have created a mini pattern over on the left,
this is a group of vectors,
and then used that group to create a larger texture.
Finally, for pattern six
I started with these two vectors and positioned them
in such a way I could use it as a group
to create this pattern
over here on the right.
So, a variety of patterns here.
Now, if I quickly jump into the brochure document
in Adobe Indesign.
Looking at the first page spread
we can see we have this pattern on the top left.
Now as I scroll down through the rest of the document
we can see that the same pattern exists on each spread.
This pattern was created using the tools of
Adobe Illustrator and then linked into
the brochure design in Adobe Indesign.
In this tutorial I'll be showing you
how I created the pattern for the brochure ready for print.
Once we have created the pattern,
we will be able to bring it into the design document
where we start to create the brochure design
later in this course.
So back in Illustrator,
the pattern which I'm going to use
for the print document is pattern one
with the small hexagons.
So let's take a look at how this can be made.
So to create a pattern,
I'm going to start from scratch and create a new document.
I'll press command, N to create a new document.
Now on this occasion I'm going to choose a canvas size
of A4 and make sure the orientation is set to landscape.
So I'll come into pattern one
and select the original vector element, copy it,
then come into the new document, and paste.
So we can see it's quite small here.
So I'll just zoom in.
So basically all this shape is, is one hexagon vector
with a stroke and a smaller one
on the inside with a solid fill.
So this is made up of two vector shapes.
If I right click and un-group this,
you can see I can change the stroke size,
and change the color and so on.
So let's make the pattern.
Okay, so to create the pattern we're going to need the
pattern options panel visible.
Currently, I cannot see mine, so I'll go up to Window,
scroll down, and activate the pattern options panel like so.
For the sake of this tutorial,
I'll keep it out from the others on the right
and keep it over on the left so it's clear.
So to create the pattern,
first select all the vectors
you want to make the pattern from.
With the selection tool, I'll click and drag
over the shapes like so.
With them selected,
I'll come to the top right of the pattern options panel,
click the menu icon, and select, make new pattern.
Upon click, a message box will appear and state,
"New pattern has been added to the swatches panel."
When you create a pattern,
you effectively create a new pattern swatch
in the swatches panel.
This is how you can use it later
and apply the pattern to shapes.
So I'll just click, OK.
Upon click I will enter pattern mode,
and the options in the panel will become active
and we can see something new in the canvas area.
So in the center is our original element
and around this is a demo of what the
pattern is currently going to look like.
Also, across the top of the canvas we can see,
save as copy, done, and cancel.
Okay, so over in the pattern options,
let's start from the top.
So I'll call this pattern, Brand Pattern,
as I'll be using this later in the
print documents for the specific brand stationary.
So next we have the tile type.
Now, if I click this we can reveal
the range of options we have here.
So we use these options
to define the various pattern tiling effects.
So let's take a look.
So currently it's set to normal grid
and we can see the pattern here in the canvas area.
Now if I click brick and row,
we will see the pattern preview
over in the canvas area update.
And this is looking quite different.
Next I'll click brick by column
and we can see the effect that has.
Next, I'll click hex by column, and finally, hex by row.
And check that out.
Looking pretty cool there.
But that's not what I want, as we can see from the brochure.
The hexagon shape are spread out much further,
so on this occasion,
I'll change the tile type effect to hex by row.
But this time, I'll come down to the next step of options
in the panel, the width and height.
Now these define the spacing around
the original pattern element.
So currently, this is set to around four millimeters.
Now, I'm going to type in 25 millimeters
in height and press enter.
There, we have create more space around the pattern.
Now, if we look closely we can see a lock symbol
next to the width and height values.
With the lock set, with this on,
it will maintain the proportions.
Should we want to create various values for both,
we can turn this off.
So I'll click this to turn it off and type in,
20 mm in the height and press enter.
So now I have the space between the shape I am happy with.
Great, so now I am happy with the pattern,
I'll click done on the bar across the top of the canvas.
Now upon clicking done,
we will exit the pattern mode
and we will be back to the canvas
with the original vector pattern element.
Now if we look over at the swatches panel,
we have a new pattern swatch called Brand Pattern.
This is the pattern we just created.
So I'll select the vector and move it over
off in to the paste board area.
Next, I'll simply draw a new shape on the canvas area,
and I'll use the rectangle shape tool
to draw a nice big rectangle shape to fill in the canvas.
Now with the new shape selected
I'll click the fill color
and select the new pattern swatch we just made.
And just like that, we have our new pattern
set across an A4 page, excellent.
Now once we have created a pattern,
we can easily change it or make a new version.
So I'll come into the swatches panel and double-click
on the pattern swatch I just made.
Upon double click,
we will now enter back into pattern mode.
So before I make a change,
I'll save copy on the gray bar at the top.
I'll give it a name, I'll name this Hex Grid,
and click okay.
So this will now create
a new pattern swatch in the swatches panel.
Next, I'll come back up to the top
of the canvas and click done.
I'll come into the swatches panel
and double click the new swatch.
So now, I am back in pattern mode,
but this time for the new pattern swatch.
So I'll continue to make a change.
In the options panel I'll change the tile type to grid
and click done on the top gray bar.
So now I have two swatch patterns
in the swatches panel.
With the rectangle shape selected,
I can click between the two swatches
and see the pattern applied.
So that's how to create a basic pattern in Illustrator.
Now, remember, I am going to link this pattern
into a series of print documents.
Some documents are set to be printed with Pantones,
and some with CMYK.
So we really need to prepare a pattern for both.
Currently, it's this magenta color.
Though in the document we can see it's the light gray.
So with the project folder open,
I'll come back into the project assets folder,
though this time click into the branding folder
and then open the branding document.
Once open, here I can see the brand colors
with the Pantone and CMYK references.
So I'll begin by selecting
the light gray color vector from the Pantone sample.
Now, if I click on the gray vector shape
in the Pantone reference,
we can see the Pantone swatch will become selected
in the swatches panel.
If I copy this, come into the new pattern document,
and paste, we will bring in the Pantone swatch.
Notice, it's now in the swatches panel.
Now this is great, because we want to use this
exact Pantone swatch on the pattern
which we will be bringing into the Indesign document
later in the course.
Now, I no longer need this vector box anymore
so I can select it and delete.
So with the gray pattern swatch now in the document,
I'm going to double click on the first
pattern swatch I made, I will enter the pattern mode,
now I'll zoom in on the pattern element,
I'll carefully select the stroke outline
and change the stroke color to the new gray Pantone color.
Next I'll select the small hexagon on the inside,
select it, and change the color fill
to the gray Pantone swatch.
Once I'm happy, I'll click done
on the top gray bar and now I have updated the pattern.
Now I have my new pattern set across an A4 page,
set in the Pantone color.
This will now be perfect to use in design,
set to be printed in Pantone.
So once I'm happy with my pattern,
I'll press command, S to save.
I'll navigate to my project folder, in the project folder
and save this into the assets folder in the AI folder
as gray pattern pantone.
Now, we will also be creating design
to be printed in CMYK.
So we now need to quickly make a CMYK version.
So, back at the branded document,
this time I'll select the CMYK swatch reference.
Back in my Pantone, I'll paste.
With the vector selected,
I'll come to the menu and click
and drag the gray fill color
into the swatches panel, like so.
This will create the CMYK swatch.
I'll delete the vector sample.
So just like earlier,
I'll double click on the brand pattern swatch,
but this time change the stroke color
and the inside vector from the Pantone to the CMYK swatch.
Once happy, I'll click done.
I'll come and save as,
and save this pattern as gray pattern CMYK
in the same folder.
And just like that we have a Pantone and CMYK pattern
ready to use in the appropriate design documents later.
Excellent.
So, here we have used the power of Illustrator
to create a pattern that we will be using
in Adobe Indesign later in the course.
Okay, so what about these other patterns?
Well, let's take a look at how they were made.
So with the pattern two document open,
if I come and double click on the pattern swatch
in the swatches panel.
For this pattern I set the tile type
to brick by column
and lock the maintain properties button
and entered in values to get the perfect pattern shape.
With pattern three open,
I'll double click on the pattern swatch in the swatch panel.
For this pattern, I used brick by column again.
And also, unchecked the maintain properties button
and entered in values to make this
tight interlocking pattern.
With pattern four, I used a different formula.
So for this, I created a shape that could join together
to create an infinite interlocking pattern.
So looking at this pattern, here I used the basic
grid tile type but adjusted the width and height
accordingly to join them together and bring them in close.
For example, if I adjust the width to around 70 millimeters
we can see the effect that has.
I'll undo that by pressing command, zed.
This time, I'll change the height,
and there we have a different effect.
And I'll just undo that.
So with pattern five, we have something very different.
Here I created this intricate vector pattern.
This is made from various circle vector shapes,
created on a grid
and by using the tile type grid,
I could easily expand the entire texture across
an infinite canvas area.
Finally, with pattern six, I knew I wanted
two rows in various colors like so.
So using a composition of two vector shapes,
using the grid tile type,
and adjusting the width and height accordingly,
I could create the desired outcome.
So, be sure to open these pattern documents,
take a closer look,
and have a go at making your own patterns.
So that covers the first design element
in preparation for the print design documents.
Now if we take a look at the brochure design,
we can see that all the photo images
have a particular color effect applied.
In the next video, I'm going to discuss
and demonstrate how we can easily apply
a monochrome effect to images in Adobe Photoshop.
So, see you in the next video.
(techno music)