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Bruce226893592cr3
Participant
January 17, 2022
Question

Do you have to vectorize a raster image in order to us it with the Pattern tool

  • January 17, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 927 views

Hi all, I do no have Illustrator yet and hopeing someone here can tell me if I can use raster images with the pattern tool.  I specifically want to use raster drawings with this tool, and I do not want to convert them to vectors.  So the drawings are my artwork and I have them in PNG format and I want to keep the transparent backgrounds,  then I would like to be able to use the pattern tool as I have seen it demonstrated in videos.  I am not looking to make seamless patterns, but just patterns where the images slightly overlap one another.  Is this possibel? If not does Photoshop have all the functionality of the Illustrator pattern tool?  Or how else might I do this?  I really need the ability to change the spacing between the images, vary the grid typ a bit,  and I need the feature where you can have the images overlapping and can control the overlap type.

Thanks, Bruce

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2 replies

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 17, 2022

Yes, you can use images in the pattern tool, be careful where they overlap,you may see anti-aliasing artifacts. If you do not need a seamless pattern you may also use multiple Transform effects.

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Bruce226893592cr3Author
Participant
January 17, 2022

Thanks for the reply Ton, So you are saying that I may see the anti-aliasing artifacts in the oerlap areas becuase it will be in the image to begin with because it is a raster, or will this be in the overlap areas because of the nature of the pattern tool and some how it produces more of an anti aliasing affect in that area?

 

Can you do the same type of overlaps with grided objects as you acn do with the pattern tool with Transform affects?I like the looks of the pattern tool because it is interactive and you can go through a lot of iterations quickly and see the results fast, changing spacing, and overlap "on the fly"

Thanks Bruce

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 17, 2022

Without seeing what you want to use it for, yes, the anti aliasing may becomes visible for raster images and it just a matter of trying the pattern tool and the appearance effects to see what works for you (you can also use the appearance effects in the pattern tool).

Doug A Roberts
Community Expert
Doug A RobertsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 17, 2022

If you mean to use the images as the basis for a repeating pattern, then yes, you can use raster images as long as they are embedded.

If you mean to fill elements of raster images with patterns, you would need to create vector shapes somehow to do that.

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Bruce226893592cr3Author
Participant
January 17, 2022

Thanks for the reply Doug,  So just to be clear all I want to do is take my images that are raster drawings of 3d looking shaded shapes that do not have a background, and I want to use the pattern tool features to make patern grids where the shapes or the images to be more percise overlap, so I would use the pattern tool to change the spacing of the images and bring them slightly over one another.  So basicall just make patterns with the images, thats it. Am I explaing that clearly? and does that sound possibel?  Thanks

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