Pattern Background

This nifty tutorial will teach you how to make repeating pattern-backgrounds. This tutorial will use standard shapes only!

Learn how to make a pattern background!

• Step 1 First of all, let me tell you that for this tutorial, you don't need fancy shapes, because Photoshop allready has a large variety of shapes like the ones below:

  

• Step 2 Create shape with some objects.
  Your shape doesn't HAVE to look like mine, but it has to "kinda" fill the square space;

  

• Step 3 Once done, merge all the shapes together and downscale it using CTRL+T;

  

• Step 4 Time to turn on the GRID with CTRL+'
  Once the grid is on, you must center your shape just by dragging it to the center. The grid will automatically center it;

  

• Step 5 Go to Edit>Preferences>Grid.. etc... and choose the options that will devide your document in 4(!!!) pieces. I choose these options;

  

• Step 6 Then select (WITH THE GRID ON) the lower-right corner and place it in the upper-left corner;

  

• Step 7 Do the same opposite-pasting with all corners;

  

• Step 8 Then select all corners and merge them together.
  The downscale them and place them in the middle;

  

• Step 9 Make a selection around it;

  

• Step 10 With the selection on, go to Image>Crop;

  

• Step 11 Then save it as a pattern by going to Edit>Define Pattern and then later go to Edit>Fill and fill the layer with your new pattern and use it whereever you like!

  
  

Patterns

You MUST know these patterns before you start your own website because these patterns are just the bases of the more advanced patterns. This tutorial also features the Scanlines illuminated...

These are the basic photoshop-patterns that nobody can live without!

• Note: I'm gonna teach you how to make the 6 most famous and most-used patterns and how to add them!
  
  N.1 This is the dotted pattern wich we will start by creating a 3x3 document and placing a black dot with the pencil-tool in the middle.
  As for all patterns we need to go to Edit>Define Pattern to save it!
  
  N.2 This pattern is made by creating a 5x5 document and draw a stairway from the upper left corner to the lower right with the pencil-tool.
  
  N.3 Just do the same as you did with N.2 or just go to Edit>Transform>Flip Horizontal if you're just as lazy as I am :)
  
  N.4 Start this pattern by making a 10x10 document.
  It's kind of the same as N.2 and N.3 but it gets you bigger lines wich is sometimes very handy!
  Again, if you want it the other way around, flip it...
  
  N.5 Create a 5x5 document and create a cube with a hole in it.
  It may look crap right now but if you look at orb N.5, you'll see that is gives sweet results!
  
  N.6 Scanlines. I covered them in a different tutorial, but it's very simple.
  Just create a 3x1 or 1x3 document and try to make it the same as my image down...

  
  

Scanlines

How can you not know this? Learn how to create the most famous, and most common used photoshop-pattern there is... Scanlines. Awsome for signatures or photo-manipulations!

The most common used pattern all around the globe... learn it now!

• Step 1 Open up an image 1x3 and putt a black dott in the middle.(Background must be transparent)
  Click Edit>Define Pattern and open up a new image, no matter what size and background:

  

• Step 2 Click Edit>Fill and choose "pattern" from the menu and choose your pattern:

  

  

• Step 3 Nobody likes their scanlines fully black, so I'd suggest that you lower the opacity to 50% or 30%...

  
  
  
  Author        :  MICK MOOLHUIJSEN 
  HomePage :  http://www.mickm.com