ART170.

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 Technique 89

Illustrator CS2 or later 01 I started this project

with the idea of creating a

Design
character-based pattern. My
starting point, as usual, was to
sketch out some rough ideas for
characters. I like to store a

seamless
collection of ideas for eyes, noses,
legs, mouths etc so that I can
re-use some and mix them about.
This way the characters will all

character
have a consistent style.

02

patterns
Once I am happy with the
character sketches (in this case I’ve
drawn three) I create a square
document in Illustrator, scan the
drawings and bring them into

Repetitive character Illustrator (File>Place). I then create

another layer (Window>Layers), lock

prints are everywhere. Lo-

the drawing to the bottom layer and
trace on the layer above.

Fi Creative’s Anna Wray

shows you the fast route
to creating your own
Pattern designs application is far ranging, from fashion
and fabrics to wallpaper and print. Many graphic artists and
illustrators focus almost exclusively on pattern design, working as
designer-makers, selling to boutiques or creating commissioned
work for larger companies such as Habitat or Urban Outfitters. At
the moment, character patterns are very popular for children’s
wrapping paper and wallpapers.
The process of pattern design very much has its roots in
illustration. Many of my designs begin life as characters or
commissioned illustrations that are re-designed, added to and
tweaked to be given a new life as a pattern design, ready for an 03 All characters are drawn using the same principles: I start by tracing the
entirely new application. main part of the octopus’s body using the Pen tool. Select the Pen tool and click on the
In this tutorial I will take you through my process of scanned pencil line, click again a couple of centimetres further along the line and then
making a character-based, seamless pattern in Illustrator. While I drag; this will provide you will the ability to curve the line and trace accurately. Don’t
am using vector-based imagery, there is nothing to stop you worry if it’s not spot on, as you can always adjust the trace afterwards using the Direct
using the same tiling techniques with hand-drawn imagery. Selection tool.

Anna Wray Time needed

Cambridge/ 6 hours
London-based
graphic designer and
Skills
illustrator Wray has
Making a
recently authored
seamless
and designed the
pattern tile
book Handmade
Composition
Graphics: Tools and
within pattern
Techniques Beyond
the Mouse
design
Using the
04 Now to draw the face. At this point I realise the drawing isn’t straight, so
(Rotovision). Find her
Pen Tool
using the Rotate tool I make sure the eyes are level. Using the Ellipse tool, I draw an
illustration and oval over the pencil line until it is a direct copy, and fill using the Swatch panel. Click
design work on www. the Selection tool and, pressing Alt/Opt so a two-arrow symbol appears, click and drag
lo-ficreative.co.uk
to duplicate the eye. Use this same method for the rest of the face, but the Pen tool to
draw the mouth. Send the body to the back (Object>Arrange>Send to back).

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 90

05 Using the same method I drew the body with, I select 06 To draw the suckers, I use the Ellipse tool and hold down Shift to create a
the Pen tool and trace the tentacles before sending them to the perfect circle, making sure I’ve brought the object to the front (select it then go to
back (as in Step 4). I then select three of them and change the Object>Arrange>Bring to front). Using the Eye Dropper tool, I select the circle and click
colour to a darker green (the same dark green used for the on the dark green colour used elsewhere. I then use the Selection tool, holding down
nose) to give a 3D effect to my character. Alt/Opt, to duplicate and place the other suckers.

07 I like to use a restrictive colour 08 I go on to draw two more

palette, and in this pattern I have used the characters in Illustrator, using the
principle of just three colours. However, I have same methods as I did for the 09 To begin the process of making a seamless pattern,
used two related tone variants within the octopus. I have also added some you must first place the main elements of your choice around
three colours to give the pattern a certain mushrooms and a flower to give the edges of a perfect square. Each element (in this case the
depth while retaining its simplicity. the pattern another dimension. characters) must be duplicated and placed on the opposite
This will also help to gel the side of the square so that the cut-off point on one side exactly
pattern, and provides even more matches the cut-off point on the opposite side. Take time on
elements of visual interest. this as the pattern will not file seamlessly if it is not exact.

VisualguCideVto
In pictures: a
rk of
the career and wo
iters
our Technique wr

Anna Wray
The designer and ‘Forest Creatures’ –
‘Fantasy Cloud Island’ – October 2009 November 2009
illustrator selects five of This illustration was created in October ‘09 for This is a very recent piece created
her favourite projects an independent fashion boutique in Cambridge. for Strumpet Designs.

Computer Arts January 2010 www.computerarts.co.uk

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 Technique 91
Design seamless character patterns

12 I now want to check that the design

11 After a little experimentation, I settle on works as a seamless tile, and see how it looks
the final composition. I have allowed enough white when covering a larger area. To do this I group
space for the pattern to breath but not so much that the entire pattern by selecting everything,
10 The next process is to start filling in it looks odd or imbalanced. The smaller elements selecting Object>Group then press Alt/Opt to
the spaces with your other design elements. add a nice contrast in size, and the colours are duplicate the selection. Holding Shift to keep
Take care here not to place two characters too looking balanced and zingy. it aligned, I drag the duplicate to the right.
close to each other. Play around and
experiment with different compositions.

15 Highlight the objects you want to

trim and the black box (making sure the black
box is in front.) Go to Window>Pathfinder and
hit Trim. This automatically groups both
objects. Go to Object>Ungroup and delete the
14 Next we need to clip all the parts of the black box. Repeat this process on the
13 Repeat the Step 12 process until pattern that remain outside the tile (it’s important remaining three sides of the square. And your
you have duplicated the pattern enough to that you check everything is flush and lines up when pattern is complete!
see how it works on a larger scale. If you are tiled at this point). Draw a black box over the objects
not happy with any elements or think the outside the box, zooming in close to make sure the
composition needs adjusting, now is a good edge of the black box is exactly flush with the edge
time to make final tweaks. of the square.

‘Cracked Egg’ – November 2009

While many of Strumpet Design’s clients are
menswear clients like Top Man, Ted Baker and
‘Parachuting Turtles’ – November 2009 John Lewis, I have been working with the ‘Strange Fruit’ – November 2009
Another piece for Strumpet Designs, a company company on a new line in design-conscious kids A fourth piece for Strumpet Designs. The prints will be used for
that provides high street retailers with fabrics. fabrics. This is another. wall designs and fashions to be launched next season.

www.computerarts.co.uk Computer Arts January 2010

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