Patterns

[mikecox]

Is it me or is it hard to find keywords that produce, in Help?:(

I want to create patterns that I can use as fill.

I have the sense that it would be relatively simple but I'm not sure what to do after I Copy the pattern I want to use.

[ATR]

There are a lot of possibilities to the question as presented.......

1. Go to http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com home page and select Subscriber Area. Once there go over to the logo at top right that says "Photoshop Elements Killer Tips" and click on that. From there download Corey Barker's podcast "Custom Patterns" dated 6/12/2008. Roughly, he is making his pattern from Shapes and using a Pattern Adjustment Layer in the Layers Palette. You do not have to be a subscriber to go this route.

2. You could open a photo and make a selection (either of all or part), then go to Edit Menu/Define Pattern from Selection. Close out of there and open a new document and use Fill Layer/Patterns and select the pattern that you just created.

3. There is also a technique in an old video tutorial in Subscriber Area where you start with a photo, do some pixel calculations and use Filter/Other/Offset. This video tutorial is named "Patterns" and is dated January 21, 2005. If it is still there, you will probably need to be a subscriber to view it.

4. When Help does not yield immediate results for me, one of my favorite places to head to is the Adobe Kids site. I came across the following patterns tutorial there. Check it out.
http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/lessons/pattern.html

Let us start with these.

ATR

[Martha]

There are many tutorials on making seamless tiles for a pattern fill (if this is what you want to make).
http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoshop/ht/aps5patternfill.htm (http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoshop/ht/aps5patternfill.htm)

Backgrounds, Textures, Pattern Fills, and Seamless Tiles
Tutorials for creating and working with backgrounds, textures, seamless tiles, and patterns in Adobe Photoshop. Create metal, rust, grids, stone, water, wood, and other textures.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshoptutorialstextures/Backgrounds_Textures_Pattern_Fills_and_Seamless_Ti les.htm (http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshoptutorialstextures/Backgrounds_Textures_Pattern_Fills_and_Seamless_Ti les.htm)

Creating Textures, Patterns, Seamless Tiles, and Backgrounds

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/texturespatterns/Creating_Textures_Patterns_Seamless_Tiles_and_Back grounds.htm

Hope that some of these are of some use to you.

Martha

[Wendy]

Hi ...

Or for a tutorial on this site ... try the PET Subscriber Area and you will find one by Dave Cross 'Patterns" (dated 21st Jan 2005)

Wendy :)

[mikecox]

Boy, these are great links; thanks so much!:D

[mikecox]

2. You could open a photo and make a selection (either of all or part), then go to Edit Menu/Define Pattern from Selection. Close out of there and open a new document and use Fill Layer/Patterns and select the pattern that you just created.

I really liked this option; for a quick, down and dirty, solution to a current project. :)

[ATR]

So glad that you have some ideas to work with.

I tend always to give a long answer to questions, and I suspect that sometimes (most times) a first read loses something. Example, Wendy posted a link that was already in my previous post here.

Sometimes too many details get in the way of browsing through the materials. So, when you get a chance, check out the post to make sure you did not miss something that got crowded in.

ATR

[Dooley S]

Any idea why, after making my selection, "define pattern from selection" is greyed out in the menu? Before making the selection I can click on "define pattern", but after making the selection, that option is no longer available.

Update: If I use the rectangular marquee tool and draw a box around my image, I can use "define pattern from selection". I am using the quick selection took to select just a cupcake with candles, so is it not possible to select an irregular object?

[Wendy]

Hi ...

You do need a rectangular selection in order to define a pattern. :)

Wendy