Illustrator Pattern Swatches + Tutorials (+ Chevron / Flower / Greek / Swirl / Star Patterns)

How to install Illustrator swatches ? tutorial

Patterns / gradients are stored in AI files. The patterns / gradients can be added to the 'swatches' folder of Illustrator (this can be found in the software folder on the MAC or the 'program files' folder on the PC). You can also just load the patterns / gradients via the swatches palette in Illustrator by using the right side menu and selecting the 'other libraries' option.

On opening the swatches library file you need to select the design to add them to the document's library of swatches. You can then modify the swatches easily by dragging the design from the swatches palette onto the artboard.

The swatches are generally for CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 10 PC and MAC OS X. They are cross platform and no modification is required.

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Modify Illustrator swatches / patterns

Select a gradient in the palette and then go to the window menu and select 'gradient' and the gradient palette will appear and the color stops for the gradient will be visible and modifiable. You can then go to the swatches palette and select the 'new swatch' option to save the gradient.

If you wish to modify a pattern then select the design in the palette and drag to the artboard. Once the pattern is accessible via the artboard you can then double click the pattern swatches to enter the Illustrator isolation mode for the pattern and then modify the artwork. You can change the pattern design, re-color the various parts of the pattern as well as shift and rotate etc. On exit from isolation mode (right click 'exit isolation mode') or click the isolation mode bread crumbs to return to the normal artboard. Select the artwork and the bounding box for the pattern and drag back to the swatches palette and save as a new pattern for future use in Illustrator.

How to apply an Illustrator pattern / gradient swatch to a path ?

Simply select the Illustrator path and then select one of the pattern / gradients in the swatches palette.

The path can be either a normal path or text. You can then modify the underlying pattern and its relationship with the path via the transform menu (de-select the object setting)

How to use swatches with the appearance palette ?

The appearance palette is a useful feature of Illustrator and you can modify any existing fill of a path and you can also add a new fill and stroke or multiple fills and strokes as well as effects to the pattern or gradient.

You can use the appearance palette to create truly complex as well as subtle designs using a single pattern or multiple patterns and / or multiple gradients added to a path. You can blend the various swatches by using the blending modes (difference, darken, multiply etc) or using transparency / opacity.

Install folder for swatches ?

The swatch install folder is found in the Illustrator presets swatches folder (though depending on the version of Illustrator there might be a en_US etc in between the folder structure).

Personally I prefer to leave all the swatches in a totally separate folder and then go to that folder via a shortcut and via the Illustrator palette 'other library' command.

How to re-size a pattern / Illustrator pattern ?

Select the path, fill with a pattern swatch and then go to the object menu and apply the transform commands such as scale / rotate / shear etc and the key thing to remember is to uncheck the object option and leave the pattern checked. The pattern can then be re-sized to 1% or 1000% of the original size.

Another option is, as before, modify the swatch by dragging the design from the swatches palette and then re-size the design using the scale or selection / scale tools and then saving the new design as a much bigger or much smaller swatch.

How to use a swatch as an Illustrator symbol ?

Select a path and then fill the path with a design (be it gradient or pattern) and then go to the window menu and select symbols and drag the design from the artboard to the symbols palette.

You can also go to the swatch palette (window menu) and then drag one (or more) of the swatches to the artboard - you can only do this with a pattern - it will not work for a standard color fill or a gradient fill. The swatch can then be exported via the pasteboard to other software such as Photoshop

Tutorial - Applying Illustrator ® swatches to text

This tutorial will work with any gradient. The gradient swatch selected was a native Illustrator swatch; the font, Verdana.

1) Select text. Open the swatches palette, place the required gradient in the swatches palette (or create the gradient using the gradients palette)

2) Go to the appearance palette. Go to the right menu and select the add new fill command.

3) Apply a swatch to the selected appearance fill, the gradient will now fill the text. The text now has a gradient swatch applied. The text can be changed at any point. The gradient can be changed at any point, the length and angle of the gradient as well as gradient type can be changed. The text now has a gradient swatch applied.

4) Add another fill and fill with another or the same gradient. Go to the transparency palette and set the blend mode to difference. Change the direction of the gradient as well as the length. You can create complex gradient color within the text (this can also be saved as a graphic style)