Anyone else use PhotoShop to create patterns?

[Pop]

I know it's probably overkill but it's what I already had and was pretty familiar with from doing digital photo work for the last 15 years or so. I have the latest Photo Shop / Illustrator suite and it works very similar to PSP after reading the tutor posted elsewhere here at the site. So far I've done 3 patterns using PS by importing the picture, removing any color information, resizing and cropping the image to a workable size, the applying the photo copy filter to the final work. Once there I create a new layer (it's like taking a piece of clear paper and laying it over the original picture to trace a new outline). Here's where I use my drawpad (used my mouse too and it works fine)and trace and fill the lands and dropout sections of the future pattern. Anytime, when I working and want to see how the final pattern is coming along, I click on the original picture layer and temporarily turn it off. This leaves the layer I created and am doing my tracing on that will be the actual pattern once I'm done. I turn it back on to continue tracing and coloring. To print it, I do the same: just turn off the original layer and print the layer I created. My challenge is now to try to apply the theory used in PSP to figure out the size pen tip to use to make the pattern lines the right size for an actual saw blade. Anyone with a tip or procedure would be appreciated. I'll keep posting for those who also use and need some help as I experiment with pen sizes and frame sizes.

I used to have a life before I found this site! But I didn't have this much fun and meet such super folks!!!

[owler]

Pop - since you also have Illustrator - I think you can convert your pattern to an Illustrator vector drawing. Then you can change your line widths. I have not tried this but I read it somewhere.

When I was doing my 1 pattern, I found that 3 pixels was the narrowest width I could use to make a scroll line in photoshop. I imagine this would be about the same in Illustrator.

[BobD]

I'd echoe Owler...if you need to, you can use the trace function and covert the file to and AI file. Then you can smooth out all the lines, fill with a lighter fill (so you don't waste as much ink printing it out) and adjust the line width.

For those of you without Adobe products, Inkscape and Gimp work nearly as well!

Bob

[utbva]

I have made a couple of patterns with PhotoShop with some small success and have used some of the steps that you outlined. I also have Illustrator but I have not been able to figure out how to use it. I guess I'll have to find a good tutorial to learn how to use it. I am pretty much expert with AutoCad and SolidWorks but Illustrator really has me fumbuzzled. Is there a good tutorial for Illustrator?

[BobD]

I just experimented until I found what I wanted...I also nosed around on the Adobe site absorbing all of their tutorials...

CS2 also came with a tuturial that I haven't had time to work through yet...

Bob

[Pop]

I have made a couple of patterns with PhotoShop with some small success and have used some of the steps that you outlined. I also have Illustrator but I have not been able to figure out how to use it. I guess I'll have to find a good tutorial to learn how to use it. I am pretty much expert with AutoCad and SolidWorks but Illustrator really has me fumbuzzled. Is there a good tutorial for Illustrator?

Yes there is a good tutorial. I used one from a series called Adobe Illustrator 10 - The Complete Reference by McGraw-Hill. Author is Sandra Eddy. Copyright was 2002 so you may have to look at a used bookstore on on line at one of the out of print sites. I got mine (believe it or not) at an Ollies Outlet. I've used Illustrator to create signs and cartoon figures for advertisements. I'm not an expert but I really do like it. I think if you get the book I mentioned, it'll give you a better background and practice sessions than most of those provided by Adobe themselves. I've always found the manufacture/creator takes a lot for granted when they put out a manual for their software... hence the "For Dummies" series. I didn't find a For Dummies for Illustrator though.

[Pop]

Pop - since you also have Illustrator - I think you can convert your pattern to an Illustrator vector drawing. Then you can change your line widths. I have not tried this but I read it somewhere.

When I was doing my 1 pattern, I found that 3 pixels was the narrowest width I could use to make a scroll line in photoshop. I imagine this would be about the same in Illustrator.

What's great about vector drawings is the ability to resize your creation and not have it change in clarity at all. Almost like a Windows Meta File (.wmf). Raster files on the other hand have a tendency to start getting jagged once you start making arcs and curves rather than stay on the straight and narrow and then make them larger. I haven't imported a drawing to Illustrator yet to play with it but will this weekend just to see if there's an advantage.

[BobD]

We do 99% of our work here in AI...for that same reason!

Bob

[PuzzledMoose]

There is an Illustrator guide in the "for Dummies" series, Pop. Amazon has it amonst other places .. http://www.amazon.com/Illustrator-10.../dp/0764536362