Topic awaiting preservation: Precise pattern fills w/ Illustrator 10

Does anyone know where I might find a tutorial on creating precise pattern fills with Illustrator? The patterns I will be creating are to be used for tactile graphics for the blind and will be printed using raised ink. Therefore, I must design the patterns based on our current size specs. I'm at a loss as to how to properly design some of these patterns so that they will tile correctly also.

[This message has been edited by Boudga (edited 12-19-2003).]

I would build them to size in Photoshop first, Where you can use offset with wrap around edges to help matchup the edges.

This tutorial might give you some ideas. http://www.cadtutor.net/dd/photo/seamless/seamless.html

Then you could load finished image to illustrator as a template and trace over it to create your seamless texure. One could even use Auto Trace or Adobe Streamline to help speed up the process. Using guides, snaping, and Align will line perfectly. It also helps to soom in and turn off the preview so you can better see where the object actually meet.

I have only made a few patterns in illustrator, and from what I rember, they act a bit weird and not at all helpful. It's best if you read through manual section on Patterns to see how they tile. Basicly the pattern is map left to right from the rule origin. The problem being that you set the pattern how you like it, and then later move the rule 0,0 point all the textures move. The only way to prevent this is to expand the object and then you are left with a mess of objects. If you try it make sure you keep the pattern on a seperate layer if you expand so it's easyer to deal with.

J. Stuart J.

[This message has been edited by jstuartj (edited 12-20-2003).]

This partially explains some of the things I'm unsure about. One of the problems is stroked circles of X dimension/stroke spaced Y inches apart from each other. I've figured out that you have to quarter the circle and invert them as shown below. However, for some reason when I tile them I get gaps every time between the quarters...anyone know how to correct this? BTW, the gaps are hairline and all gaps are equally wide. I've tried moving the quarters closer in towards center but it throws off the tiling then.



Thanx,

Boudga

[This message has been edited by Boudga (edited 12-23-2003).]

I am not sure, my guess it's realy just a screen display problem. How does it print?

There are a few things to try:

Changing the endcap type and see if that helps.

Get rid of the the strokes by expanding the quad appearance. This would produce more points but It might work better , expecially for complex patterns.

Try adjusting the layering order of the quad, keeping them layered front to back in a clockwise or counter clockwise manor.

I tried changing the endcap, but it didn't help completly. I then reordered the objects from front to back in clockwise order which fixed the problems I saw. Not realy a bug, but perhaps it some kind of rounding error or an effect of layering.

Here is what I tried.
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My made my circle pattern oppsite from yours. Sort of a curved diamond shape. That way there were fewer edges to align and required only 2 guides.

1. Make to guides,

2. Make a circle centered on the guides.

3. Using the guides and sissors tool, cut the circle stroke where it meets the guides. Make sure it is perfect or it will not line-up, The cut tool should change color when it is over the guide.

4. Now select each quad, double click on the rotate tool, rotate each section 180 degrees

5. Now select the upper right hand quad and bring to front, procede to do the same to each quad clockwise.

6. Now define your pattern and it should work. I would also set my endcaps to the third cap on the right so there would be some overlap. But that depends on your object.

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J. Stuart J.


[This message has been edited by jstuartj (edited 12-23-2003).]

Here's something I discovered this evening while reading an Illustrator book at the coffee shop.

If you create a box [No Fill & No Stroke] and send it all the way to the back. It works as a bounding box for your pattern. Any objects or parts of objects outside said box will clipped when defining the pattern. Just be sure to send it all the way to the back and it is selected when you define your pattern.

This makes it much simpler to define detailed ptterns.

Example: Postion 4 circles and the clipping object displayed in orange. This will define the pattern on the right.



As far as I can tell this method eliminates the gap problem.

Even after using this software nearly 10 years now. I find it simply amazing that I keep finding new functions and ways of doing things evey time I open a book, website, or manual.

J. Stuart J.

[This message has been edited by jstuartj (edited 12-24-2003).]

Wow, thanks for the tip...I'm anxious to try it out!

Thanx,

Boudga