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I am absolutely horrible with patterns. No matter how much time I spend, how much precision measuring I do, or what guides I set up, I always struggle to make patterns that I can turn into swatches. I recently spent 3hrs, and it still looked like trash, not aligning right.
I ran across a guys tutorial on how to create mandalas a while back, and my frustration got me remembering that video. I thought "Of Coarse!!! It's so easy!". I used the principle of creating coppies using the transform effect, and moving them around. For a traditional rectangular or square pattern though, Id need a grid of 9 squares, with the center being the original. However, when I try this, either the middle-horizontal row, or the middle veritcal row end up being duplicates. The center original always ends up a duplicate.
Does anyone know how to make a grid of "copies" where the original is the center, without it being duplicate?
Monika? You amazing awesome person! Any ideas or suggestions?
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If I understand you right - menu: Object --> Pattern --> create
does exactly what you want.
 
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Sry, will have to reply tonight. Thank you for the suggestion. still working on it.
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Please show an example.
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Will do. Will have to reply tonight though. Hope you have a good weekend if I don't hear back from ya.
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let us know if the example you saw worked or if you need any other information!
Chana
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So, first off, thank for your help and interest. Sorry to be so late on the reply. Unfortunately the Make Pattern approach wasn't going to work for what I needed. I figured out how to do exactly what I need, but wanted to test it enough before reply. Thank you again.
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Could you please show what you did to solve this issue?
It would help others and some people have invested their time to try and help you.
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Ya, definitely. I apologize, I meant no disrespect or to imply I didn't appreciate everyones time. It's just that I felt kind of guilty and embarrassed. Pixxels aproach was the "right way" of going bout it. The way I ended up going is really conveluded and unintuitive. I'll explain, but heres a video incase you want to see it and not read it.
https://youtu.be/IxhO8-imjx8
I can't explain it, but something about the Make Pattern mode didn't sit right.
So:
- I created an artboard 500px x 500px.
- Create grid 1500x1500 2 dividers for both axis
- Centered to artboard and locked
- Create new layer
- Created verital line and centered with artboard, and one for horizontal, centering to artboard (these are for visual aid only)
- Select Layer 2 (the whole layer - not just shapes) and then go to Effect > Distort and Transform > Transform
- Type 1 for copies, and type 500px for Horizontal, and apply. Do another transform effect -500px this time, and apply. Do another transform effect 500px vertical this time, and apply. And finally Do another transform effect 500px vertical this time, and apply.
- Next create a shape the same dimensions as your artboard.
- Select the whole layer again and choose Make/Release Clipping Mask at the bottom of the Layer panel.
And thats the overly complicated approach I came up with.
Like I said, I can't explain it... but even though this has more steps, it just works easier for me and I can save it as a project and template. Thank you all for your time and help. As always, it is deeply appreciated.
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Thank you! I finally understood what you wanted.
In case you want more complex settings of this, try madpattern.com
A free set of pattern templates.
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WOW!! How do you know all this stuff and keep track of it? You impress me (b^_^)b
Also, ya. . . My wife is constantly reminding me that I have a really bad habit of telling stories or explaining things that include events, timelines, and other such details, but always manage to ommit the most important detail, who/what the story is about. Thank you for your patience.
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Maybe the pattern maker would have been easier.
Create a square with no fill, no stroke color.
Select it and Make Pattern.
Edit: actually you don't need a square, you could start with nothing and enter a size in the pattern maker)
Start drawing.