How to Export Seamless Pattern Swatch Tile Using Illustrator
This is a quick step by step guide on how to export a seamless pattern swatch tile using Adobe Illustrator; also included at the end of the post is a video showing you how to export.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
A desktop computer (i use a macbook)
click the button / image below for more infoStep 1 — Open & Size Artboard
Open the design, size the artboard to the dimensions you want your end design to be
If you plan on exporting as an SVG, you can go for much smaller dimensions but if you plan on exporting as a PNG, you should set your artboard with at a minimum of 2000px.
Step 2 — Make/Save Pattern to Swatch Menu
Make and/or edit your pattern using the Pattern tool (Object > Pattern > Make)
Once you have it the way you prefer, then save it to swatches
(if you need help making the pattern, please refer to this guide here)
2. Make/edit the pattern and save to swatches
Step 3 — Drag Pattern onto Artboard
Create a new layer
Open your swatch menu (Window > Swatches) (shown in image 3)
Drag the pattern tile onto your artboard into the new layer you created
3. Open swatch menu (Window > Swatches) and drag the pattern onto your artboard
Step 4 — Ungroup pattern tile design
Select and ungroup the new layer where you drug the pattern tile design into
Click Select > All (Ctrl + A)
Then Object > Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl + G).
Step 5 — Fit Artboard to Selected Art
Select the inside rectangle alone by clicking it with the direct selection tool or by selecting the <Path> layer (shown in image 4)
Then go to Object > Artboards > Fit to Selected Art (shown in image 5)
4. Select inside rectangle by selecting <Path> layer on the far right
5. Fit Artboard to Selected Art
Tip: After fitting to artboard, trim off the excess design to get a better look at what you’ll be exporting
Go to View > Trim View
Step 6 — Export Your Artboard
6. Export your design & make sure to select “Use Artboards”
Export your newly fitted artboard to the file format you prefer
Export your Tile — File > Export > Export As (shown in image 6)
IMPORTANT: before you click Save make sure that you have CHECKED “Use Artboards”
From the file type dropdown select the format you would like to use (I usually do PNG or SVG, depending on the design)
And that’s it! Now you can use your newly created pattern in Photoshop and/or other seamless pattern software.
If you think I made an error or if you have input that you feel would be more useful in this post, please send an email here.
