Replacing and modifying patterns
After applying a pattern to an object, you can transform the pattern, the object, or both (the default) using the Transform palette, transform tools, or transform commands. Any of these methods lets you move, resize, rotate, and shear the pattern. Once you have repositioned or resized an object's fill pattern, all patterns that you subsequently apply to that object are transformed the same way. To return an object's fill pattern to its original state, select another pattern and then reselect the desired pattern. You can also modify a pattern by editing the artwork and then replacing the old pattern in the Swatches palette with the new artwork. If you replace a pattern with a new pattern, any new and existing objects filled with that pattern are updated with the new pattern. Patterns begin tiling from the ruler origin and continue to tile in a left-to-right sequence, from bottom to top, until the object is filled. To adjust where all patterns in your artwork begin tiling, you can change the file's ruler origin. (See Using rulers.)
To enable pattern transforming when using transform tools: - Choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > Workgroup (Mac OS).
- Select Transform Pattern Tiles, and click OK.
The Patterns option is selected for the Rotate, Reflect, Scale, and Shear tools. Note: When this option is deselected, you can still transform patterns by holding down the tilde key (~) while dragging.
To reposition or resize a pattern by dragging: - Select the pattern-filled object.
- Select the Rotate, Reflect, Scale, or Shear tool.
- Hold down the tilde key (~), and drag. To constrain the movement to 45° angles, hold down the Shift key with the tilde key.
Important: The borders of the object appear to be transformed while dragging with the mouse, but when the mouse button is released the borders snap back to their original configuration, leaving only the pattern transformed.
To transform an object's pattern with a transform command: - Select the object.
- Choose one of the following commands from the Object > Transform submenu: Rotate, Reflect, Scale, or Shear.
- In the dialog box, select Patterns to transform the pattern.
- Enter values to transform the pattern and click OK. For more information on using the transform commands, see Rotating objects, Reflecting objects, Scaling with the Scale command, and Shearing with the Shear command.
To transform a pattern with the Transform palette: - Select the object.
- In the Transform palette, choose any of the following options from the Transform palette menu:
- Transform Object Only to scale the object and not the pattern.
- Transform Pattern Only to scale the pattern and not the object.
- Transform Both to scale both the object and its pattern.
- Use the palette to transform the object. For more information on using the Transform palette, see Using the Transform palette.
For information on using the Transform palette to modify a pattern, see Using the Transform palette, Scaling objects with the Transform palette, Shearing with the Transform palette, Moving objects, and Rotating objects.
To modify an existing pattern: - Make sure that nothing is selected in your artwork.
- Choose Windows > Swatches, and select the pattern swatch you want to modify.
- Drag the pattern swatch onto your artboard.
- Edit the pattern tile on the artboard.
- Select the pattern tile and Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the modified pattern on top of the old pattern swatch in the Swatches palette. The pattern is replaced in the Swatches palette and is updated in the current file.
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