How to Create Seamless Patterns in Illustrator 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. This was great, its hard to think at 12 am in the morning, but you made my seamless pattern making easy!! woohoo.

This is amazing, thank you so much, took me a little while to grasp as I was having issues with illustrator saying the file was too big to do the clipping mask but I got there in the end. This was my first attempt at making my own pattern on illustrator and this tutorial was incredibly helpful so thank you!!!!

Thank you so much! Best tutorial I've seen on this! I'm a complete beginner so it was really helpful that you included what the shortcuts were and where you could find them on the option panel.

I know this is an old video but just wanted to say I watched it before a design interview test to refresh myself and it made it so simple and easy, I cranked out that part of the test! Thanks!

This video is already 5 years old but thank you so, so much! I studied textile design where we had to make tons to seamless patterns...however, no one taught us how to properly work with Illustrator so we spent hours making simple seamless patterns because we matched the seams by hand till it fit....in Photoshop nonetheless! The hours I could have saved on projects if Ihad known this method before! I'm actually starting my first job as a designer in a week so tutorials like these are a real life safer! Once again, thank you so so much!

So glad I found your RU-vid channel, have just subscribed to it. I'm studying media communicions, currently working on my bachelor degree and on a project including graphic design in the matter of a corporate visual identity, so all these videos of yours are sooo helpful! Thank you, will definitely return very often to your channel. Have a nice day!

Thank you! That was awesome. I've been a graphic designer for soooo many years but love how you can always learn something new - we can never know everything and that is the exciting thing about it. I'm inspired!

This is really helpful esp. for people working in the apparel industry... so many patterns being used on garments these days. Very trendy, popular stuff!! Thank you for the awesome tutorial!

Awesome tutorial! Straightforward, concise, well explained and complete. Great work!

You can just use the align tools and make sure you have "align to artboard" selected when you want to make that background fit perfectly to the artboard. Two clicks and you're done.

I love this tutorial. Still holds up today in 2020. I was doing stylised backgrounds and saved variations of the same pattern. Great save. Thanks!

I have had SO many cute pattern ideas sitting around in my head, specifically to print on some apparel. I just didn't have the technical know-how. Over the years, I wrote them down in a notebook for when I had the time and means to learn. This just opened up a world of possibilities for me, I cannot express how happy I am right now!!

I was looking for how to crop vectors, and found it here plus a whole lot more. Thanks for sharing the know-how!

This is the BEST pattern tutorial I've ever watched! Info delivered quickly & clearly. Tool locations are explained but at the right pace - not too fast not too long, and the video is short enough to adequately cover all topics. The tips at the end are ingenius about rescaling the pattern or extending the shape fill. The simple math explained and how to use the X + Y axes to type in the positive or negative values to shift the bleeding elements is a priceless tip I never knew! You're AMAZING!

I've been avoiding learning how to make patterns for possibly... years... and I'm so glad I chose your tutorial to finally learn this super valuable technique. Thank you for posting this (5 years ago!!!!!!) Helped me out a ton. :)

This was a great tutorial and really helpful, especially the trick of moving the edge elements by the size of the art board to make them line up perfectly. One other technique regarding creating the pattern swatch: If you want to make it non-destructive (still editable) without saving a copy or duplicate of the original, instead of cropping it out, what you can do is copy the rectangle you used for the mask and background, then paste it behind everything and give it a stroke and fill of none. Then, select everything and drag it to the swatches palette. Illustrator treats the bottom rectangle with no fill or stroke as the pattern boundaries and will "crop" the tiles to that rectangle. Using this technique you don't even need to make the mask if you don't want to. Then, if you want to edit the pattern, you can just drag it's swatch back out onto the art board and make your changes, then drag it back into the swatches palette as a new pattern, or hold down the alt key and drag it on top of the original pattern swatch to overwrite it.

Great tutorial the x y axis thing was new to me it really help me making pattern now. Thanks for this lesson very very helpful !!!!

This video is 7 years old but so useful. The explanations are very clear. Really appreciate that you have mentioned the shortkeys everytime you needed to use a tool or function.

Amazing explanation! I love how you went thru all the small details and steps on how to make a pattern. Great job!

im in a art college and boi your videos help me more than my teacher, thank yiu

This is awesome and thank you for doing this. Quick question: I followed through and expanded my objects before cropping, but there's so many points that Illustrator just lags and crashes. I've tried doing this in outline view, I only have one layer so it's not a matter of turning things off...I've tried simplifying (though this changes the look too much), and I've killed other applications but to no avail. Do you have any suggestions for how to help it crop without crashing?

THANK YOU so much for making the video. I can't believe the pain staking process I was using before to cut the seamless block. I am so appreciative of all the time you just saved me!!

Nicely done, Teela! I learned what I came to learn without once going "HUH?!?"and having to pause and rewind the video. I am extremely critical when it comes to tutorials and you just knocked it out of the park with straightforward clarity and simplicity - with no annoying music going on at the beginning or during the relevant action!! BRAVO!!!

That +3 thing on the x axis placement just changed the game for me!

Inspiring tutorial and east to follow!!

Starting your video by showing the outcome should be pretty much standard, but everytime someone really does, I'm crying tears of joy. Thank you for this! Great tutorial btw.

Finally a tutorial that makes sense! I have watched hundreds of tutorials that always confuses me halfway through. This is by far the most useful and educational one so far. Thanks!

Amazing thank you!

I LOVE YOUR VOICE! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

I'm literally obsessed with your tutorials! recently discovered you and subbed!!

Love all your tutorials that I've watched so far! I especially loved this one since I could never quite figure these out.

How cool! Wish you had been my instructor for Illustrator!

this is so awesome. thank you for teaching us this!

So far the best illustrator tutorial video i have ever seen!!! Thank you so much!! Looking forward to seeing your next videos !!!

I am right now going into branding and packaging design, really this was so helpul! Ive seen like so many complicated videos on pattern design before this. I understood this in one go, thank you so much❤❤

I wish your kit were free. Anyway, I'd love to give a similar pattern like this a try in CS6 but I have had some problems with white lines appearing in some of the patterns I make in the pattern maker. I have a feeling that anything that falls a bit out of the box that gives it that real seamless feel can cause those white lines. I just haven't figured a way around that. Soooo frustrating!

I have watched this video so many times over the past few years that I thought I should write to thank you for it. While I have the latest version of CC I still like to create swatches this way. And every time I forget a step I come back and watch this video.

I've watched so many videos today as i was struggling with getting the proper way to clip mask. And your explanation was so helpful. Thank you!

Hi Teela, In the Pattern Swatch I keep getting hairlines and no matter what I do they are still there. I always make sure no artwork is past my box but they still show up would you know what I'm doing wrong? I'm using illustrator cs6.

Tried outlined shapes and crop made a mess, any ideas how to solve this?

Hi Teela! Just want to thank you for sharing your knowledge in AI and PS. Your tutorials have been very helpful to me. They're very easy to understand and follow. Please continue to share with us what you know! 👍👍😊😊

My first step into learning how to design my own fabric prints. Such a great video! Thanks so much! Going to search all of your others now.

I keep on getting seams?? This is so weird the first time I did it, it was fine. Then I tried on another pattern and there are seams all over. Am I missing something? Should I select all layers? Perhaps the file is corrupt?

I always follow these tutorials by switching between the actual application and the tutorial as we progress. Got as far as the cropping of the swatch, but no matter what I do, every time I hit the crop option, all it does is release the clipping mask? Confused...

This tutorial was very thorough and I really feel comfortable moving forward with my fabric designs. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

This is an amazingly clear and concise and I keep coming back as a refresher over and over.

I did everything but not working =/ when i try to use the pathfinder doesn't cut around, my background appears in top of everything ..

why does my patter eliminates when I click on Crop/Pathfinder ?

Great tutorial! It is the first time I ever try to create a pattern and it worked like a charm! Thank you for taking the time - you also explain incredibly well, step by step - it is the perfect tutorial for the purpose!

Fantastic tutorial. Seamless patterns make sense for the first time ever. Well done.

when I click Crop every things spread out TT

There's no need to do in such a complicated way, simply use "Object->Pattern->Create", click the "pattern style tool" button to adjust the border of the background rectangle, keep the front objects partially out of the rectangle edge, you will get a seamless pattern.

This was SO helpful - so happy to have stumbled onto your channel. Your voice is so soothing and nice to listen to.

One of the Best Seamless Pattern Tuts I've seen. I had a problem after making a Clipping Mask. I duplicated my design, moved it, then used the CROP Tool to get rid of edges. After close inspection of my design, there was distortion of individual elements. (curves out of wack, etc) I never figured it out, so I just imported the AI 3"x3" file into PS and used 'Define Pattern' option. I then opened a New 4000px X 4000px document, fill it with paint, then used the Pattern Overlay. The Seamless Texture looks PERFECT! Thank you.

Thanks Teela! Excellent tutorial. Great tempo, easy to follow and a on a level which I think suits most (non-beginner, non-superpro) illustrator users.

I've referenced this video so many times when doing both personal and professional projects. Thank you for your clear and valuable tips!

Old tutorial but very well presented, covers things at a nice pace and covers everything needed. Excellent work and thank you.

Thank you so much! Any time I try to do something easy with Illustrator - I just watch by our channel and I finf exactly what I was searching! And every time I learn an new hot-key that is really helpful! Thank you so much!

Fabulous tutorial. I'm using this to help me create patterns for my surface design degree. Excellent explanations and really simple to grasp. Thank you!

Hey Teela thank you so much for this tutorial it really helped me today cuz I had no clue about what to do for a project I was working on, so I decided to watch your video and I totally understood what you explained on how to make a pattern in illustrator and it went really good. Easy and fun.

You know absolutely all the shortcuts! Love your voice too, soft and calm when we wearing headphones :)

I have watched this 10 times now since I first found it. Excellent demo. Thank you!

You explain this so clearly in a very easy-to-understand way. Thank you so much!

Thanks for the great info! I have been playing around with changing sketches into vector art and have never had a need to make a pattern. Too cool.

Thank you so much Teela - this was absolutely awesome! You had perfect speed with the explanation and your voice makes it so comforting to listen to the whole video. Especially when one has been stressed out before trying to figure out this task on ones own. Plus : the leaf pattern you designed is so cute!

Omg! This is so helpful. I loved how you taught. The artist in me was so happy to see the magic moment!

Is way easier that I thought, I used for my cover and looks fantastic thank you!

The best tutorial I've seen about patterns in illustrator

Amazing. You are amazing!! I have watches so many tutorial videos and not once been able to follow it 100%, or i forget it or cannot understand my notes etc, but with yours you actually explain everything, reasons why, what happens if etc. so from the bottom of my heart thank you so so much, and ive just realised this was released 6 years ago so hope your still active lol. x

Great tutorial! Very resourceful. Great work! Was finding this since long.

BRILLIANT! I was SO EXCITED when I filled my box with the pattern!! Made me so happy! Finally figured it out thanks to YOU! lol

I've always wanted to begin making patterns on a computer! You made it seem very doable!! ❤ thank you

Hi Teela! I have already watched your video and thought it was amazing! Today I was working on a pattern and got stuck - come back here and your video totally helped me! Thanks again!

Parabéns pelo seu excelente trabalho. Sou iniciante no AI e seus vídeos tem colaborado muito para meu aprendizado.

This was so helpful. Thank you for explaining so thoroughly & patiently

Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. I'm new in using Adobe Illustrator and I find this really helpful.

This tutorial is BY FAR the best I have found/seen! Thank you so very much!

This was really helpful. For a different reason in terms pattern continuity. Really appreciate the insight!

Your tutorials are always so helpful, I"m learn something every week. Thank you for this, I can't wait for your other pattern tutorial.

Thank you so much! I always forget to do this, but now since you pointed a lot of precise steps, I will never forget it again :)

Thank you a lot!!!!! This method turned out to be the only one that does not give a thin white stripe at the junction between the patterns !!! I suffered for 2 days until I found your lesson! THANK YOU!!!!!!

Thank you so much for this!! It was super helpful. I'm self-taught and really appreciate you taking the time to make this tutorial. Subscribed!!

I was just going to write how much I loved hearing your voice when I noticed the previous comment said the same thing...wow, your voice is REALLY amazing for this type of tutorials! So many times I click on tutorials only to turn them off the instant I hear the voice, but in your case, it is absolutely mesmerizing!

This is one of the best tutorials I've ever watched! Thanks for this!

thanks for teaching us, I'm a graphic design student. I am watching your channel everyday, it's so useful. Nice to have you with us.

Why did I not see this video yesterday when I was having a terrible time creating print swatch?! Gosh! You made it so easy! Subscribed! 👍🏻👏

This has literally changed my life! Total self-taught illustrator user over here and couldn't for the life of me, figure this out on my own. You are my hero.

Thank you. I really love the way you explain your processes. Thank you again

Thx sista . It's such an pretty beautiful way to make seamless pattern and to arrange the result as easy. Because so far when I was done about my seamless pttrn I still use manually copy-paste side by side to make it to be wider page.... New brilliant idea to me.... Clippin' mas forever yeahhh!!!!

Wow! Awesome pattern and tutorial! You're a great teacher and your voice is so sweet. Thank you!

I didn't expect it to duplicate the pattern @9:49!! Great tutorial. Thank you. I guess this is what swatches were designed for!!

I've edited lots of royalty free patterns from Illustrator as patterns for fabric in my art, and I've made a seameless pattern in photoshop 2 years ago, and I find this helpful in general.

Really helpful and straightforward...so many videos about this are totally confusing. Thank you!

Thank you so much for the Tutorial! This is super helpful and you gained a sub! I have been wanting to start making my own textile patterns for a while!

This is a WONDERFUL tutorial. Exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much!

Perfect tutorial and really smooth and clear voice! Thank you for this :)

Great tutorial. Really great capacities. Extremely useful. Congrats!

This is such a wonderful tutorial. Perhaps my favourite of yours ever! Thank you so much :) Love watching xx

Great tutorial. Very detailed and easy to follow. Just subscribed! Keep up the great work! Thankyou

These tutorials are fantastic! Thank you for making these.