2 To make the pattern less complex so that it prints more rapidly, remove any unnec-
essary detail from the pattern artwork, and group objects that are painted with the same
color so that they are adjacent in the stacking order.

3 Optionally, to control the spacing between pattern elements or to clip out portions of
the pattern, draw a pattern bounding box (an unfilled rectangle) around the artwork you
want to use as a pattern. Choose Object > Arrange > Send to Back to make the rectangle
the backmost object. To use the rectangle as a bounding box for a brush or fill pattern, fill
and stroke it with None.

4 Use the selection tool to select the artwork and bounding box (if any) that will make up
the pattern tile.

5 Do one of the following:

•

Choose Edit > Define Pattern, and enter a name in the New Swatch dialog box.

•

Choose Window > Swatches (if necessary), and then drag the artwork to the Swatches

palette.

To name a pattern in the Swatches palette:

1 Double-click a pattern swatch.

2 Enter the new pattern name in the Swatch Name text box, and click OK.

Guidelines for constructing patterns

Follow these general guidelines for constructing pattern tiles:

•

As you create your pattern tile, zoom in on the artwork to align elements more

accurately, and then zoom out from the artwork for the final selection.

•

For greatest efficiency in previewing and printing, a fill pattern tile should be about

1/2 inch to 1 inch square. Side tiles for brush patterns should be no larger than 1/2 inch
to 1 inch high by 1 inch to 2 inches wide; the corner tiles must be the same height as
the side tiles and should be square.

•

The more complex the pattern, the smaller the selection used to create it should be;

however, the smaller the selection (and the pattern tile it creates), the more copies are
needed to create the pattern. Thus, a 1-inch-square tile is more efficient than a 1/4-inch-
square tile. If you are creating a simple pattern, you can include multiple copies of the
object within the selection intended for the pattern tile.

•

To create simple line patterns, layer stroked lines of varying widths and colors and place

an unfilled and unstroked bounding box behind the lines to create a pattern tile.

•

To make an organic or textural pattern appear irregular, vary the tile artwork subtly, not

dramatically, for a more realistic effect. You can use the Roughen filter in the Distort
menu to control variations.

•

To ensure smooth tiling, close paths before defining the pattern.