Easy Method to Make Seamless Patterns: No Math, Any Canvas Size

[TrentL]

Hi all,

I just posted a video on my channel about a method for making seamless patterns in Affinity Designer (desktop). I have found this to be one of the easiest techniques:

Pros

• Works on any canvas size
• No math or calculation
• Easy to modify as you experiment with the composition

Cons

• No live preview method. You need to manually test the graphic as a fill pattern

Let me know what you think!

 

[StudioJason]

Great tutorial…easy to follow…BUT, just not working for me. 
Using iPad Pro Designer V2 even. And while for the most part works…after several attempts with different objects, this is the result.

This is just simple Heart and Moon shape. Placing 1st outside, then other inside and aligned as directed. Doesn’t matter if reversing order even. Of course, not working with this, haven’t even bothered with corners, as later showed in video. 

[TrentL]

11 hours ago, StudioJason said:

Great tutorial…easy to follow…BUT, just not working for me. 
Using iPad Pro Designer V2 even. And while for the most part works…after several attempts with different objects, this is the result.

This is just simple Heart and Moon shape. Placing 1st outside, then other inside and aligned as directed. Doesn’t matter if reversing order even. Of course, not working with this, haven’t even bothered with corners, as later showed in video. 

 

Hi @StudioJason

Looks like you probably have the Gradient Tool's "Extend" option set to "Repeat" instead of "Wrap". I'm not sure how to set this on the iPad, but on the desktop version I've highlighted it below. On desktop, I can just select my object with the Gradient tool and change it to Wrap. Hope this helps!

- Trent

 

[walt.farrell]

52 minutes ago, TrentL said:

I'm not sure how to set this on the iPad,

If it's possible on the iPad it's well-hidden in the UI, and it's not mentioned in the Help at all (unlike on the desktop, where it is easily found in the UI and documented in the Help).

[NotMyFault]

On 6/5/2023 at 4:08 PM, TrentL said:

Let me know what you think!

Nice and simple.

but it works only with bitmap patterns.

• you can make a preview live by using symbols in Designer, and 2 artboards: one for the pattern definition, one to use it
• This will allow to use vector content, too
• you have snapping active with „move by whole pixels“. This is suboptimal as you can introduce fractional positions and cause blurriness and seams.
• you state that there is no seam caused. At least I see a kind of seam, it is only barely noticeable as you reduce the size of the fill pattern, this will make it unnoticeable. In case you use the fill pattern in original size, you will see a seam.
• using canvas in inches (or anything else except pixels as units) will always introduce a seam line at the lower and right edge.

I mention the seams topics here because we have so many heated discussion in the forum where users complain about seams, thin lines, dark lines, bright lines at edges, and your tutorial in the current form will cause such issues (again, in the chosen example it becomes covered only because you reduce the fill size by factor 10 or more).

I appreciate your videos, so don’t take my comments as offensive.

[StudioJason]

14 hours ago, TrentL said:

 

Hi @StudioJason

Looks like you probably have the Gradient Tool's "Extend" option set to "Repeat" instead of "Wrap". I'm not sure how to set this on the iPad, but on the desktop version I've highlighted it below. On desktop, I can just select my object with the Gradient tool and change it to Wrap. Hope this helps!

- Trent

 

Understand. That is a yet another option or capability NOT on the iPad version it seems.

 

 

It does give prompts for utilizing the Command Controller, so you can utilize certain commands with the Gradient handles, axis, etc., but that is an important capability lost. Not a damper on your tutorials, more on Devs not including.

 

Love the tutorials, very nicely done. Wish it were possible in iPad Designer, but guess I’ll have to continue with iPad Photo or the Designer usual Square with +/- X, Y values version for patterns.

Keep up the good work.

[NotMyFault]

please comment to my thread for those findings: