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Erika5FBD
Participant
Dec 11, 2020 8:44 PM UTC
Answered

Issue creating pattern swatch

I'm suddenly having an unexplainable issue trying to create a pattern swatch in Illustrator. I have the invisible box on the lower layer, et al, but when I select all and drag it to my swatches panel the swatch appears with a lot of white surrounding a teeny tiny swatch in the middle (not repeating). When I try to then use the failed swatch the shape just appears empty. I can't figure out what's going wrong! Would anyone mind taking a look at the file and trying to see what the issue might be? Thanks in advance!

 

https://we.tl/t-LMmmY5c3mz

 

Myra Ferguson
Myra FergusonCorrect answer
Community Expert
Dec 11, 2020 9:10 PM UTC

To create a pattern, select all of your artwork, go to Object > Pattern > Make. Keep the Tile Type set to Grid. Your tile is 5" x 5", but it shows up as 25.206" x 25.8769". Change that size to 5" x 5", and click Done

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5 replies

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
Dec 11, 2020 9:24 PM UTC

You may have overdone it a little with the amount of clipping paths.

This is what happens when I select all no stroke no fill objects.

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    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Dec 11, 2020 9:47 PM UTC

    These simple shapes look like vector, but they are all images.

    It should not be difficult to create them in Illustrator.

    Now the file is unnecessary complex and heavy.

    Clipping Masks: 36
    Opacity Masks: 90
    Embedded Images: 414

     

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      Myra Ferguson
      Community Expert
      Myra FergusonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      Dec 11, 2020 9:10 PM UTC

      To create a pattern, select all of your artwork, go to Object > Pattern > Make. Keep the Tile Type set to Grid. Your tile is 5" x 5", but it shows up as 25.206" x 25.8769". Change that size to 5" x 5", and click Done

      Translate
        Erika5FBDAuthor
        Participant
        Dec 15, 2020 2:57 PM UTC

        Thanks, Myra! This worked for me.

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