Christmas / Xmas Patterns for Photoshop, PSP, Elements

PNG or EPS designs into Photoshop and Elements

The Christmas sets contain the designs in PAT format (a standard format for Photoshop and elements) as well as the same designs in EPS or PNG format

The PNG files and EPS files can be quickly converted to another format or just used as a source for new patterns.

Open the PNG and EPS files in Photoshop or Elements via the file > open command or use them via the file > place command

The pattern source file is now just a standard layer (or smart object) - you can always re-size the design (especially the eps files) as well as apply smart filters to the design in Photoshop

Save as a new pattern via the edit > define pattern

The PNG Christmas designs can also just be used as a normal design and combined with other designs so you can add colored gradients to the background of the layer and also apply layer style effects such as shadows, bevels as you would with any layer as well as combining the Christmas design with other images such as an image of a person (as below)

PNG / EPS file as a source for abstract patterns - not seamless tiles

1) file > place in new document

2) select EPS (or PNG file if included)

3) layer > flatten

4) select part of the design using rectangular marquee tool

5) edit > define pattern

6) layer > new fill layer > pattern

Not seamless but anyway you can hopefully see the idea. You can then repeat this multiple times selecting a different part of the generated pattern to create ever complicated non-seamless designs for really abstract Xmas backgrounds.

As with any of the patterns, you can always export the end result tile and save as a PSD file and use the broken snowflake abstract design as a displacement or shattered distortion glass effect via the glass distortion filter in Photoshop and other software.

How to use a Christmas pattern as a displacement map tutorial

Determine the size of the tile via the pattern palette.

Once known, create a file of the same size - use the fill pattern layer option and flatten the document with the new design. Export the design via the file > save command and save to PSD format. Go to the filter > distort > displace command or glass command and then access the PSD file via the load texture option and then apply changing the scaling and smoothness of the design

Use Christmas patterns as texture in Photoshop tutorial

1) file > new

2) layer > new layer

3) select the gradient tool

4) Fill the new document layer with a gradient

5) layer > layer style > bevel

6) Set the texture check box to ON

7) set the scale and select the Christmas pattern as a texture and also set the depth of the texture as required

You can also move the texture by clicking the document and dragging the Christmas texture to the required position

8) go to the bevel section again and set the structure > size value to 0 to remove the bevel

The shading section can still be used to add a different gloss to the texture, change the angle, shadow mode, shadow opacity etc

The layer effects settings can then be saved as a new style via the style palette (right side of the panel to add new style)

EPS / PNG files as a useful way to rotate a pattern in Photoshop tutorial

One feature missing (along with 100s of other things I guess) for patterns is that there is no 'angle' or rotation feature - you can scale a pattern but that is it. To get around this you can use the eps designs as a source for a rotated pattern.

1) file > place

2) rotate layer

3) edit > define pattern

Re-size eps patterns in Photoshop (or PSP etc) tutorial

Christmas patterns are included in EPS format in many of the Xmas pattern sets, they can be used as is simply by opening the file but sometimes you might want a bigger spacing (or border) around the source tile. A quick solution is to open the EPS file in Photoshop via the file > place command and place the design into a large document

1) Create a document 3000 x 3000 (for the tile) file > new

2) file > place command the Christmas vector shape

3) re-size the vector design as required within the document - say set it approximately the size 75% of the document or less - as it is a vector smart object you can always re-size the Christmas pattern again and again. Or just re-size the design via the bounding box to display the scale settings and set to 75% or less

4) You can, of course, at this point add additional color as well as place additional Christmas designs into the pattern

5) Flatten the Christmas pattern layer

6) select > select all

7) edit > define pattern to save the new Christmas pattern

The Christmas pattern can now be used as a tile in Photoshop (as well as elements if you save the PAT file) with very large documents.

Use Christmas patterns as a source for brushes tutorial for Photoshop

Open a file, apply the Photoshop fill, select the area and then define as a brush in Photoshop. Use the new brush preset to create stunning pattern designs.

1) Select brush tool

2) Window > brushes

3) Go to the texture panel of the brushes palette

4) Select pattern (texture) from the patterns dropdown

5) Set scale etc