This tutorial will show you how to use the offset filter to make a seamless pattern in Photoshop. In this particular case, I will make a seamless heart pattern which can be used as an overlay. This tutorial could easily be adapted to use brushes or custom shapes instead of dingbats. You can also check out my tutorial for a seamless pattern in PSP.
Supplies:
Valentine Dingbats by Kat's Fun Fonts (Freeware, but not commercial use ok)
1. Prior to starting Photoshop, open up the dingbat fonts that you would like to use and minimize the windows. The fonts do not need to be installed. As long as they open, Photoshop will detect them upon startup and they will be available for use. To open a font, find the file, then double-click it.
2. Open a new canvas the size of your repeating pattern. Mine is 600 x 600.
3. Go to the text tool and select the dingbat font. Type a letter and move it to the center of the canvas.
4. Go to the layer menu and flatten the image.
5. Go to the Filter menu and select the Offset Filter (Filter > Other > Offset).
6. Make the offsets half the size of the canvas. Since my canvas is 600 x 600, my offsets are horizontal = 300 and vertical = 300. Set the undefined areas to wrap around. The offset filter will not work correctly if the image has not been flattened. If the canvas is transparent, then the image will not wrap completely around the edges of the canvas.
7. Now the original image from the dingbat font has been moved to the corners of the canvas and the center is empty. Use the text tool and place another dingbat. Use the same dingbat of change to a different one. I changed the color of the font so that the pattern will create a two-tone overlay. I also used the move tool to rotate the dingbat.
8. Define a New Pattern (Edit > Define Pattern). Give the pattern a name.
9. Open up a new canvas the size of your desired overlay. Mine is 3600 x 3600.
10. Fill the canvas with the new pattern (Shift + F5).
The overlay is now complete and you can use it to make a paper. Here is the overlay set to soft light over a pink paper.
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ReplyDeleteHello , I like to read all your tutorial !! but I do not have that program that you use to make all of this shape and background !! Where I can get it ?? Thanks
ReplyDeletePhotoshop is available from Adobe. You can purchase the student edition from Amazon.com for $200.
ReplyDeleteThank you for freebies. Link on your post was added to Lori's freebie list
ReplyDeleteWorks this works great in Psp as well..thank you!
ReplyDeleteCould somone tell me how this could be done in PSP?
ReplyDeleteThe tutorial for making a seamless tile in PSP is listed on the sidebar of my blog or you can follow the link that is in this post. Look near the top.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a brill tut and the supplies
ReplyDelete