I found this site a couple of days ago;
http://www.colourlovers.com/browse
They have an incredible collection of patterns and palettes.

The patterns are available as a gray-scale template (5 levels max) and as colored patterns in a variety of color schemes. If you want to save the patterns, the trick is to click on the sample pattern block so it expands to a larger block, then right click to "View background image" (Firefox). That will give you a single block of the pattern which you can then save. Duh! Just click "preview" and it will open a single block of the pattern in a new tab. You can also download pattern-filled images in a variety of sizes.

The palettes are limited to 5 colors, but there are some very nice color combinations. You can download the palettes as GIMP palettes. (Need to register.) Or you can get the palette as an image that you can then use as a color swatch. (Open the image as a new file in GIMP and pick the color off the swatch with the Color Picker tool or with the Color Picker option in the Set Color dialog.) I saved the palette images (390x300 size) as swatches because I like the larger blocks of color that the swatch provides.

You could spend days browsing this site.

Edit: I thought I had covered all the possibilities for getting a single block of the pattern, but I had missed the easiest one!

That's a great site. It took me awhile to figure out how to download a pattern. Interestingly enough, I had to click the Preview, then View Background Image to get one.

That's exactly what happened to me!
But over on the right side there is a little block in very small print that says "GET THIS PATTERN IMAGE" and the second option is 'Preview'. That opens a new tab with a single block of the pattern. At least it does for me.

Ah! Found it. It's kind of hidden over there.

Their Pattern Designer is pretty awesome, they even have a similar desktop application available (for all OS platforms), called Seamless Studio for $29 (on the same website). It's pretty cool, and you can try it free for 15 days.

Bummer Adobe Air only had 32 bit version for Linux, but fortunately I found a tutorial on how to change the architecture controls to 64 bit. Awesome stuff!

http://www.jamesward.com/2010/10/14/ins ... ntu-10-10/

Good site.

Thanks for sharing that one.

I had to try the seamless lite tool for testing. I was a bit thrown off at first because you can't choose actual colors for your shapes in the design process, until AFTER you have created the pattern. And then it throws you off again when you go to color the pattern because you see the greys and black boxes below the pattern thinking you can't use colors. Fret not, once you click the boxes with greys and black, you'll get a color wheel.

This is just a test pattern to show you how it turned out:


One other thing: once you create and color the pattern, it gives you the option to save as SVG. Sweet!

Addendum:
Wow! On the Seamless Studio (pay version) you can import your own SVG created shapes into the library to make your own patterns.

Mahvin - I've noticed that the patterns are a maximum of 5 colors and the repeat for new pattern templates is 200x200. Is that a limitation of the design software?

Using Seamless Studio's ColourLovers templates, yes.

Checking for those options within the menus now, for custom...

Unlimited colors on paid version, but I am uncertain on how to respond to the "repeat". When you choose custom templates, you can make your template as large as you want, but the pattern repeat remains at the same ratio regardless of your template size.

Here is an example PNG you can check out. I used Seamless Studio to create it:



No, it's not to impress you, I was showing how many different colors I was using and how the repeat worked on a larger image.

Interesting. Unlimited colors but limited to a square (1:1) pattern.
I think I'll stay with GIMP where I have unlimited colors and textures, and I can use any height to width ratio for the repeat pattern.
Thanks.

Yeah, I got to thinking about that. I guess using paths would be just as easy to do. Is there a script that will align patterns for seamless set-up? I know it can be done manually, but have never sought after something that does it automatically.

I do them manually by creating a pattern that will repeat using paths and/or guides and/or a grid.

That's the way I have always done it.

i have a utility that will tile every pattern, i know is free not sure if OS..OOPSS not even sure of where is actually i believe in my overcrowed desktop (it is as a portable program, no need to put in program files..but ..where i did it put it ?)

I wonder if it supports adobe shapes?Like maybe you can import photo shop CSH files into it?
I like the deal where you join you can buy it for 20 bucks off.

Pretty cool though once you get used to the interface.



EDIT - no it will not support CSH files.Too bad.

I emailed Darius the creator of Seamless and asked if Gradient fill was planned for the future.Here is his reply.
Hi Rod.

Yup, gradients is in the works but not yet in the software… we actually plan on adding gradients to the COLOURlovers community so there will be plenty of awesome gradient color ideas to work with soon!

Aloha,
+B
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