How to use patterns in Illustrator in 10 steps

If you want to know how to use patterns in Illustrator, follow this quick how-to tutorial and you will be able to realize and customize your graphic projects with all the wonderful pattern that you can purchase or freely download on the Web.

What is a pattern?

In the first instance, you probably are wondering what is a pattern?

Cambridge Dictionary defines a pattern as follows:

pattern noun (ARRANGEMENT)
i
​B1 [ C ] any regularly repeated arrangement, especially a designmade from repeated lines, shapes, or colours on a surface:
Look, the frost has made a beautiful pattern on the window.
The curtains had a floral pattern.

So, a pattern is a scheme, a model of repeated forms.

How to use an Illustrator pattern?

Now that you know what is a pattern, you can discover how to use a pattern with Adobe Illustrator. In our example, we’ll try to realize a birthday party invitation.

• Open Illustrator and select the dimension of your Artboard. I chose A4 but you can make better choices, for example a square format to spread the invitation via WhatsApp.

• Make a form bigger than the artboard to avoid any problem with dimension. You know that your artboard will be fully covered with your background.

• Click on Swatches (sorry, I couldn’t manage to switch from Italian to English)

• Select Swatches Libraries

• Other Libraries

• Select the Illustrator File containing the pattern.

• You will see a swatches’ window containing your pattern.

• Select the blue shape and then click on the pattern as you want to change the color and you will see that the shape will be filled with the pattern.

• Now make another shape that will contain your text.

• Write your invitation message, export it as PNG file and you will be able to send it to your friends!

In conclusion, now you know how to use patterns, you can create even more different projects, filling forms or strokes, maybe a 56 pt stroke as a frame.

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Let me know if you found this tutorial helpful and if you want more in the comments. 

Check our Illustrator pattern in our shop!