Tutorial Details
- Program: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Estimated Completion Time: 30 Minutes
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
The offset filter is a great tool to use to create a repeating pattern for a website background. Unfortunately, for us, the offset filter only works for a flat, one layer image and doesn’t work under all situations. In today’s tutorial we will demonstrate how to create a repeating pattern using smart objects and the nudging technique with your arrow keys.
Resources Used
The following resources were used during the production of this tutorial:
Basic Principles of Pattern Design
Before we begin, let’s start with some basic principles of pattern design.
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Anything that is placed in the center will repeat easily. You don’t have to do anything with it (1).
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Objects placed on the edge will be cut off (2a). You need to add it to the opposite side (2b).
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Objects that are placed on the corner will be cut off (3a). You will need to add it to every other corner (3b).
Step 1
Download Floral Ornaments and open it in Illustrator. Select one of the objects and press Cmd + C to copy.
Step 2
Create a new file. We are going to create a 256 x 240 px pattern.
Step 3
Create a new layer. Fill it with any color, right click and choose Convert to Smart Object. This smart object will become our pattern.
Step 4
Click Image > Canvas Size. Activate Relative and set Width and Height to 200%. This will increase the canvas size to 3 times larger than our pattern will be.
Step 5
Duplicate the smart object pattern by pressing Cmd + J then fill the canvas with the pattern. At this point, you will have 9 smart objects on your canvas. These 9 smart objects were created from same parent, editing one of them will change the other 8. This means we will be able to see the edits we make to our pattern change in real time.
Step 6
Double click one of the smart object thumbnail layers to edit its content. If you find this dialog box just click OK. The smart object will be opened as a new file in a new tab. This is the file that we will put the objects for our pattern.
Click Window > Arrange > Float All in Windows to see both files at the same time.
Step 7
In the pattern file, paste (Cmd + V) the vector shape from Illustrator. Place it in the middle of the image. Save pattern file (Cmd + S) and automatically the big file will be updated. Because the object is in the middle, pattern looks fine (Principles #1).
Step 8
Return to Illustrator, copy another shape. In Photoshop paste the object and put it on left edge. Save file and you can see in the big file some part of the object is missing.
Step 9
Duplicate layer (Cmd + J). We need to put this on the opposite side, right (Principles #2). Remember that the pattern width is 256 px. Nudge this layer 256 px to right. Every time you press arrow key, you nudge object 1 px. If you press Shift + Arrow you nudge 10 px. So, press Shift + Right Arrow 25 times then Right Arrow 6 times. Press Cmd + S to save pattern and see how the pattern changes.
Step 10
Grab another shape from Illustrator. This time put it on the top edge. Save the file and you’ll see that lower part of the pattern is missing.
Step 11
We still use Principle #2. Duplicate layer (Cmd + J). Nudge it 240 px down, that means press the arrow key 24 times. Save file and see the pattern working.
Step 12
Grab another shape from Illustrator. Put it in right bottom corner. Save file and you’ll see that there’s missing piece in some areas.
Step 13
For object in corner, we need to put its pair in every other corner (Principle #3). Duplicate layer and nudge it 240 px up. Save file to see the result.
Step 14
Duplicate layer and nudge it 256 px left. Save file to see the result.
Step 15
Now the last piece. Duplicate layer and nudge it 240 px down. Save to see the result.
Step 16
Fill empty space with smaller shapes from Illustrator without touching the edge. Save to see the result.
Step 17
Delete background layer to make this pattern transparent.
Step 18
Click File > Save For Web & Devices. Choose Preset: PNG-24. Activate transparency.
Step 19
Open the PNG file we have just created. Click Edit > Define Pattern.
Step 20
Create a new file.
Step 21
Add a radial gradient from white to black in background.
Step 22
Create a new layer. Click Edit > Fill. Choose Use: Pattern and select pattern we have just created.
Step 23
Add Adjustment Layer Hue/Saturation. Activate Colorize and move sliders to add a bit of color.
Final Image
That’s it! We’re done. You can view the final image below. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and learned something new. Try to use this technique with other shapes or lines. You’ll amaze yourself with the result.
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Sick! Good walk through.
Awesome tut, so simple but the technique is so useful. Great Job
First! Nice Tut!
Looool, jut love this “1st not 1st” loosers. No, youre not! And the tut is sooooo great, didn’t know about this technique, and I’m a photosop user really long time. Thank’s for this tut man, peace, keep it up!
Yeah, right. I never get “first” in my own tutorial.
Thanks. This is one of the most awesome technique I’ve found.
keren tutorialnya bang jeprie! so simple a technique yet I think it would be quite useful in many occasion
Terima kasih. I’m sure this will be useful, just keep on experimenting with different object.
In one sentence it is Fantastic.Thanks for sharing with us…………
Thank you so much for this, I’ve been trying to figure out how to make seamless patterns for a very long time. Most tutorials just show how to create a simple shape (star, heart, giant german rubber ducky) and repeat it, which is quite useless and doesn’t really teach anything. I’d love to see a couple more of these for inspiration on how to make different kinds of pattern other than just “abstract” shapes (even though this wasn’t that abstract, I’d still like to consider it as such).
Nice tip ! i always wanted to do a pattern so i will try it now
wow, this is super helpful..and I love the way you explained it all. Thanks a bunch!
Really good technic, But I could not say that is a Quick Tip
. 23 steps 
If you also count the nudging part, it will be around 100-200 steps.
The main point here is nudging, smart object, and Float All in Windows. No fancy technique. So, I hate to say it but this has to be a quick tip.
Great tutorial. I find this easier to do in Illustrator though actually:
- Set my artboard to the size I want my pattern.
- Place my elements however I want.
- Copy the elements that bleed over the edge and paste in front. (CMD + C, CMD + F)
- Then, using the option bar at the top, add or subtract from the X or Y placement of the copy.
(Example: Document size is 5x5inches. I have an element bleeding over the left edge of my artboard. Make a copy and add 5 inches to the X axis. This will move the copy exactly 5 inches to the right and automatically add the other half of your element to the rest of the pattern.)
Probably sounds confusing. But it’s super quick and simple.
Ah, you’re right. We can do simple calculation in Illustrator (+, – , x, /). I don’t know much on Illustrator but I do understand what you’re saying.
That’s what I except from this quick tip. Learn the 3 Basic Principles and apply it on any software you used.
Well done Nick!
is that batik texture? cool!
Yes, very similar to batik. I am inspired by Batik, a traditional art that has a very complex pattern. They made it using wax and it’s awesome. Read more in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batik.
You will also find some collection of batik in http://galerybatik.com/.
This complex pattern is also found in many traditional art, for example persian rug or mayan cloth.
Sort of
really useful,really a quick tip.thanks
Very very cool walk through.
This is cool, I did not know about this. Thanks for the “quick” tip though… these basics are very important..
Yeah, you’re right Rich. I said that to myself after creating this image, “This is a cool technique”.
Oh this is cool! I really liked the fundamentals of making a pattern that you explained in the beginning.
awesome!!!!
Somewhere in the Photoshop menus, there is an option that lets you shift the image in one direction, by however many pixels you choose, and it automatically place them on the other side of the canvas. I have used this option for creating some kind of revolving 360 view in the past, and cannot, for the life of me, remember where that option is.. Can anyone help?
Filter > Other > Offset
Right, offset. I’ve said that earlier, offset only works for a flat, one layer image. You can put object in the middle (Principles #1), merge it, offset, put another object, and so on to create the pattern. The result will not as flexible as this one, because there’s no layer and no transparency.
Right! thats the one. Thank you, and thanks Jeprie for this great tutorial!
Amazing tutorial! Very useful and the final image looks great!
really aweomse tip
wow !
omg! that is actually such a clever idea to use smart objects to see a live preview of the pattern
i would have never thought of that, thanks for sharing the tip! xD
Incredibly helpful and comprehensive! Big thanks!
Super clever use of smart objects! I’ve used them before, but I always end up manually positioning my patterns anyway. This is so much easier!
now we all have nice and clean tutorial which makes patterns really easy.
cheers piotr
Wow. Great tutorial.
Using Smart Object was helpful in viewing the pattern while building it.
very helpful great work
I’m stuck on step 5, I can duplicate the layer but how do you fill it with the pattern? All mine are staying in the middle, not left, right, top, bottom like you show in step 5, what am I doing wrong,
Thanks any help
Yea, mine also. I’m not clear on how to get the layers to arrange into the nine areas.
Just move them using your move tool. They will snap automatically.
Thanks Jeprie
Brilliant! I’ve always felt as though I knew anything and everything when it came to Photoshop, but this is the most clever little trick ever! Well played sir, and thanks for the tips.
every tuts in this website is great I really like it so so much
tnx a lot for put it here
I got benefit
Can anyone help myself and Dan out on step 5 (see our posts above)
Thanks everyone.
You could of course create different patterns or florals in different layers and THEN offset and place them in a different arrangement
brilliant tutorial for a very useful texture!!thank you!!
That was great! Thank you very much
this is very helpful, thanks for share it
Thank you so much, learned a lot of new things, the tut was very helpful
keep up the good work !!
Very usefull tutorial. Thanks!
cool stuff tanx a lot
Thx god!! that’s the way…
Great Tutorial!
Hi, this is a great tool..but i´m kind of confused at some point..I´m used to work with illustrator, and i´ve never find a tool in Photoshop that replace the Cmd D function, that repeats the action, so you can make patterns in a very easy way, doesn´t matter the direction you use. I works like this: Make a object, then duplicate it with Cmd + Alt + Shift (dragging to any direction you want), then use the Cmd D to repeat the action as many times as you like..so simple! , Does anybody knows if there a tool like this in photoshop?? thanx!!…
Yes, I know that.
1. Use Ctrl + Alt + T to transform and duplicate.
2. Ctrl + Shift + Alt + T to repeat it.
Nick:: Man you are super smart. It evaded the entire world because it is so idiotically simple!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Sal
Thanks for tut, it’s helpful for me .. ^^
You’r rock guys, i have just finished your tuts. I think you have your own way to introduce Indonesian herritage ‘Batik’ to the world. : )
Wow Keren Bang Jeprie orisinal bgtz, it’s really helpfull for me, you’ve done a great job!
Really nice and usefull…;)Thank you for this…:)
Awesome tutorial. So simple and useful! Thank you so much!
Hey Thanks cool thanks
Nice tutorial .thanks
Very nice tut!