TUTORIAL: How to make a seamless repeating pattern ALSO: Good images for pattern making
How to make seamless repeating patterns
1. First of all, you'll need a good image to work with. The image below is perfect, since the pattern repeats itself exactly both horizontally and vertically.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3494/pattern3p.jpg
However, some patterns that may look like they repeat on all sides actually don't. For example, an image may have the same character in rows and columns across the entire image, but if the colors aren't in a pattern as well then the image probably won't work.
Finally, beware of images that don't show enough of a pattern to make a seamless pattern. For example, in the image below, the pandas do repeat vertically (look at the two pandas circled in red) but not horizontally (no matching panda can be found for the panda circled in blue).
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9153/tfgsghfeg.jpg
When looking for an image to create your pattern with, a general rule is to make sure that in the top half, there is a portion identical in the bottom half, and in the left half, there is an identical portion in the right half. So long as some portion (even if it is miniscule) is identical, the image should work.
2. Once you have selected your image, you need to find where the pattern repeats itself and crop so that you have exactly one repeat of the pattern (or more, if you want your final pattern to be smaller and repeat more). With some patterns, finding the repeat may be a bit difficult. In this pattern, we can see that there are identical elephants horizontal and vertical to each other. In your image, look for an area (it can be tiny) that has a twin horizontal to it and another twin vertical to it, like the elephant circled twice, or the music note above it.
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/836/adadfgdfgadg.jpg
Next, you need to find a rectangular area so that each side of the rectangle goes through the exact same points as its opposite side, only on different sides of the image. Essentially, it must be positioned so that if the area inside the rectangle were taken away and the outside areas shoved together, the pattern would still continue seamlessly. The best way to do this is to find a small landmark that you can aim for the center of, like the music notes circled below. Otherwise, just estimate as best you can.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7472/fgujjfjkhgfjhgf.jpg
Now, connect the dots and make your rectangle with the crop tool. An image editing tool like Gimp is perfect for this.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8114/bvxhfgnxvngf.jpg
Crop the image and save to somewhere you can easily find it. Now, enter CAP
3. Select the "add a new sticker" tool, just below the hammer tool.
4. Find the image that you just cropped and double-click on it.
5. CAP may say "The file is larger than the..." This is alright. Just press okay.
6. Find your image in the pattern bin thing and drag it onto the display of your pattern.
7. Look in the lower right corner of CAP where it says W: and H:. Type in 256 for each. Also, as Krisque mentioned, to cneter your image, enter 128 in the X and Y boxes.
8. Postion your pattern however you want and select export. Now, you are finished! (Hopefully) :D
I imagine that my tutorial was rather confusing, so please feel free to ask questions! :wink: Now, here are some good websites for finding good repeating pattern images.
Websites with good pattern images
Many of the beautiful patterns on this website are repeating and great to make seamless patterns. Cropping is needed, but can be done easily for most.
http://www.superbuzzy.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=88
This Sherwin Williams site has a pretty good amount of wallpaper images that have useable patterns. (You might have to click "enlarge view" and then drag the image instead of right clicking.)
http://www.swdecorating.com/default.asp?fm=/wallpaper_home.asp|
Here are some more great pattern images that repeat.
http://www.fabric.com/quilting-fabric.aspx?Source=LeftNav
http://free-photoshop-patterns.com/
http://patterns.ava7.com/
http://www.fatstrawberry.com/
http://theinspirationgallery.com/
http://www.filterforge.com/filters/
Also, as Piddlesim mentioned, google searching things like "free seamless patterns", etc. is also a great way to find useable images.
Right now, the list of good pattern websites is fairly short, but with your help it can soon be a huge list! If you stumble across a good website, please tell me and I'll add it to the list. Thanks! :D
1. First of all, you'll need a good image to work with. The image below is perfect, since the pattern repeats itself exactly both horizontally and vertically.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3494/pattern3p.jpg
However, some patterns that may look like they repeat on all sides actually don't. For example, an image may have the same character in rows and columns across the entire image, but if the colors aren't in a pattern as well then the image probably won't work.
Finally, beware of images that don't show enough of a pattern to make a seamless pattern. For example, in the image below, the pandas do repeat vertically (look at the two pandas circled in red) but not horizontally (no matching panda can be found for the panda circled in blue).
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9153/tfgsghfeg.jpg
When looking for an image to create your pattern with, a general rule is to make sure that in the top half, there is a portion identical in the bottom half, and in the left half, there is an identical portion in the right half. So long as some portion (even if it is miniscule) is identical, the image should work.
2. Once you have selected your image, you need to find where the pattern repeats itself and crop so that you have exactly one repeat of the pattern (or more, if you want your final pattern to be smaller and repeat more). With some patterns, finding the repeat may be a bit difficult. In this pattern, we can see that there are identical elephants horizontal and vertical to each other. In your image, look for an area (it can be tiny) that has a twin horizontal to it and another twin vertical to it, like the elephant circled twice, or the music note above it.
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/836/adadfgdfgadg.jpg
Next, you need to find a rectangular area so that each side of the rectangle goes through the exact same points as its opposite side, only on different sides of the image. Essentially, it must be positioned so that if the area inside the rectangle were taken away and the outside areas shoved together, the pattern would still continue seamlessly. The best way to do this is to find a small landmark that you can aim for the center of, like the music notes circled below. Otherwise, just estimate as best you can.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7472/fgujjfjkhgfjhgf.jpg
Now, connect the dots and make your rectangle with the crop tool. An image editing tool like Gimp is perfect for this.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8114/bvxhfgnxvngf.jpg
Crop the image and save to somewhere you can easily find it. Now, enter CAP
3. Select the "add a new sticker" tool, just below the hammer tool.
4. Find the image that you just cropped and double-click on it.
5. CAP may say "The file is larger than the..." This is alright. Just press okay.
6. Find your image in the pattern bin thing and drag it onto the display of your pattern.
7. Look in the lower right corner of CAP where it says W: and H:. Type in 256 for each. Also, as Krisque mentioned, to cneter your image, enter 128 in the X and Y boxes.
8. Postion your pattern however you want and select export. Now, you are finished! (Hopefully) :D
I imagine that my tutorial was rather confusing, so please feel free to ask questions! :wink: Now, here are some good websites for finding good repeating pattern images.
Websites with good pattern images
Many of the beautiful patterns on this website are repeating and great to make seamless patterns. Cropping is needed, but can be done easily for most.
http://www.superbuzzy.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=88
This Sherwin Williams site has a pretty good amount of wallpaper images that have useable patterns. (You might have to click "enlarge view" and then drag the image instead of right clicking.)
http://www.swdecorating.com/default.asp?fm=/wallpaper_home.asp|
Here are some more great pattern images that repeat.
http://www.fabric.com/quilting-fabric.aspx?Source=LeftNav
http://free-photoshop-patterns.com/
http://patterns.ava7.com/
http://www.fatstrawberry.com/
http://theinspirationgallery.com/
http://www.filterforge.com/filters/
Also, as Piddlesim mentioned, google searching things like "free seamless patterns", etc. is also a great way to find useable images.
Right now, the list of good pattern websites is fairly short, but with your help it can soon be a huge list! If you stumble across a good website, please tell me and I'll add it to the list. Thanks! :D
