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Last time, I showed you how to create a simple striped background pattern using Photoshop. This time, with just a few more steps, we'll create a seamless background pattern using polka dots, but you can substitute anything you like, from stars to squares to tiiiiiny pairs of pants — there's no limit, really, so let's get started!
This video tutorial moves fairly quickly, so feel free to pause and check the text instructions below if you get lost. Or, ask in the comments if you need further explanation. :)
Creating the File
- Open Photoshop (I'm using CS4) and click File > New
- When the prompt window opens, name your file whatever you want.
- The Preset should be Custom.
- Set the dimensions of your file to 200x200 pixels.
This is a nice size to start with when you're learning how to make patterns. When you get to be more skilled at making patterns, you can go smaller for a tighter pattern and smaller file size. - Set the Resolution to 72 pixels/inch if it's not already.
- Color Mode should be RGB Color / 8 bit.
- Background Contents should be Transparent.
- Click Ok.
Adding the Dots
- Choose your background color by clicking the squares on the bottom left of your toolbar.
Whatever color is on top is the color you're working with. You can choose both the colors for your pattern there for easy access. To swap the colors back and forth, click the curved arrow icon just above the squares. - Using the Paint Bucket tool on the left toolbar and making sure the color you want is in the top square, click and fill in your new file. You'll notice on the Layers toolbar on the right, Layer 1 is filled in with your color of choice. (If you need a refresher on Layers, visit my earlier tutorial Creating a Simple Banner in Photoshop.)
- Create a new layer above your background layer by clicking the Add Layer icon on the Layers palette.
- Now we need to draw our dots. You can use either the circle shape tool or the circle marquee tool for this. I use the round marquee tool. Confirming you’re on the new layer, click and draw a small circle somewhere in the middle of the file.
- Now you need to choose the color for your dot. Going back to the colored squares on the bottom left, select another color to fill in the dots. I chose white.
- Then clicking the Paint Bucket tool, and making sure you’re on the new layer, click inside the circle you drew to fill it with white.
- Now you can use your arrow to drag and position that dot wherever you like, but keep it away from the edges for now.
- Draw a couple more dots, each on their own layer, until you have three (three’s a good number to start with, but you can add more). You can resize the dots if you want a more complex pattern, so some are big, some are small. It’s up to you.
To resize, make sure you’re on the correct layer, click Control+T -- or Command+T on a Mac – and holding down the shift key, drag a corner until it’s sized to your liking. - Now, making sure you’re on the top-most layer, click Control+A (or Command+A) to select everything in your file. Click Shift+Control+C (or Shift+Command+C) to “copy merged”, meaning, it will copy to your clipboard, the visible portion of your file, merged together.
- Click Control+P (or Command+P) to paste and it should insert a new layer at the very top, complete with all your dots and background color.
- While clicked on this new layer, click Filter from the top menu, scroll to Other > Offset and a dialog box will appear.
- Make sure “Wrap Around” is checked and use the sliders to manipulate the position of your dots vertically and horizontally. It’s ok if they go ‘offscreen’ – you actually want that.
- Once you have it how you like it, click OK to save your adjustments. Then go back to the layers palette and drag the earlier individual dot layers you created above the patterned layer you just adjusted with the Offset Filter.
- Move around the dots to fill the spaces to your liking and then start the copy/pasting process from above over again. (Select all, copy merged, paste to the top, filter > other > offset to adjust dot position, click ok.)
- If you think your pattern needs more dots, drag the original individual dot layers above the
