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felixs75473451
Participant
October 23, 2019
Question

How can I save a pattern in CC Library?

  • October 23, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 19010 views

Hey together!

 

I got a problem. Is it possible to save patterns (created in Illustrator) to my Creative Cloud Library? Everytime i try to save it like a color, the + Symbol greys out. Please help me.

 

Kind regards

Leon

    2 replies

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 23, 2019

    You can start, as Myra mentioned, by dragging an object filled with a pattern to the CC Library.

    You can also drag multiple items filled with different patterns together into a CC library to simulate a pattern library.

    The easiest way to add them to a new document is to hold down the Alt key when you drag them from the library and place them in a new document. The pattern(s) automatically get added to your swatches panel.

    You can delete the dragged library items because the patterns are now part of the document.

    Edit:

    In the same way you can use saved gradient swatches and global colors in CC libraries.

    amandathompson
    Inspiring
    October 18, 2021

    Thanks for posting this great tip.

    This is a much quicker way to get pattern swatches between documents by putting (pattern swatch) filled objects into the Library and then option dragging the Object into a second document from my CC Library.

    I hope Adobe will soon make it possible to save Pattern swatches directly into our Libraries.

    Until then I will use Ton's method here to speed things up. 

     

    annabelleg79010279
    Participant
    February 16, 2023

    Just chiming in with a similar question — in 2023! I've used the workaround outlined above to add pattern swatches to an existing Library. They are all named as I want them to appear in the Swatch palette (diagonal lines etc). In a new doc I hold down Option and drag them onto the artboard. They don't appear in the Swatches palette until I drag each one from the artboard into the palette. That is all okay, but the name of the original pattern swatch is gone. They just read "New Pattern Swatch 3" etc. Is there any work around so that the name remains with the pattern? Adding logos and colors to a library is very simple but adding patterns is not!! Help please Adobe!

    Myra Ferguson
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 23, 2019

    Patterns aren't supported as an asset type in CC Libraries, but there is a work-around. Fill an object with the pattern and add that object as a graphic. Then in a new document, you can drag out the shape, double-click on it until you get down to the Clip Group (or use the eyedropper to sample it). Then the New Swatch icon at the bottom of the Swatches panel will become enabled, and you can add the pattern to your document.

    amandathompson
    Inspiring
    October 18, 2021

    Is there anywhere to request or vote for this feature in 2021 coming up 2022?

    It would make workflow less counterintuitive for many Adobe Illustrator pattern designers.