|
|
Open a new file, 300 x 300 pixels. From the stamp gallery in the Easy Palette, double click on the pebbles stamp. This should make your stamp tool the active tool. In the tool settings (shape tab) change the size to 100. In the options tab, select the random button, trail, and single objects (settings at left). |
|
|
With your stamp tool, make a nice round pile of pebbles. Right click, merge as single object. |
|
|
With your pick tool, move this pile into the upper left corner, as shown on the left. We want the upper and left edges of the object to be OFF the document! |
 |
Right click, duplicate. Right click, properties. Choose
the Position and size tab. You may want a calculator at this point
(I can't add without a calculator). We are going to move the
duplicated object 300 pixels to the right. 300 is our document
size. My properties says my left position is -27. 300 minus
27 is 273. So I put 273 in the left position indicator.
Press OK Cool! Select both object and merge as single object.
Right click, duplicate. Right click, properties. We are now going to move the duplicated object down by 300 pixels. 300 - 41 = 259, so I put 259 into the Top field. Press OK. Select both object, right click and merge as single object.
|
|
|
Your document should look something like this.
File menu, Preview in browser, As Tiled Background. You should see some little stone piles all perfectly lined up. |
|
|
Now lets do the side edges.
Right click, deselect all objects. With your stamp tool, make a broad line of pebbles down the center of the document. Try not to make a straight line. Try not to touch the top or bottom edges of the document, but if you do, we'll fix it in a minute. Right click, deselect all. Notice on the picture that the shadow on the lower rock is not completely show. With the pick tool, select the rock, right click, align, bottom, then use the arrow keys to move it up several pixels. Do this for any rocks that go touch the top or bottom edges. We do want the top and bottom to cover the edges of the corner object when we move this to the edge. |
|
|
You'll probably want to show the marquee for this step (view
menu, show marquee). Right click, select all objects, then
with the pick tool, ctrl-click the corner object to un-select it.
Right click, merge as single object. Move the object to cover the left edge of the document. Right click, duplicate. Right click properties, do the math to move the duplicated object 300 pixels to the right. File menu, Preview in browser, As Tiled Background to see if it looks good. |
|
|
Now do the top and bottom edges:
Right click, deselect all objects. With your stamp tool, make a broad line of pebbles across the center of the document. Try not to make a straight line. Try not to touch the top or bottom edges of the document, but if you do, fix as above, only align left, and move right a couple of pixels (or align right and move left). Select all, unselect the corner object and the side objects. Merge as single object. Duplicate, and move the duplicate 300 pixels down. Preview in browser. |
|
|
Now, all that's left to do is (bet you've already guessed!) is to fill in the center. Make sure not to touch any edges!. |
|
|
Select one of the side pieces and one of the top or bottom pieces (not
both) and right click, arrange, bring to front.
Preview in browser as tiled background. You may want to add more pebbles here and there - be sure to keep them away from the edges! And here's the finished seamless tile. |
|
|
You can use this technique with any objects, not just stamps.
And if your objects don't have shadows, or specific lighting, you can
rotate and resize them, too.
You don't have to completely fill in the document - see the last example - the principal is the same - have a few objects that are duplicated and spaced properly and that cross the edges of the tile. A few more samples. Feel free to snag them if you want them! Hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and find it useful. |
