Pattern Wallpaper

Project Brief

You will be making a mobile phone background with a pattern of objects. Your objects need to be created using layered shapes.

Copy Illustrator Template

  1. Go to the Pattern Wallpaper Template

  2. If you aren't already signed in to Adobe, click "Sign in" in the top right corner.

  3. Click "Copy to Files"

  4. Open the Creative Cloud desktop app.

  5. Right-click on the file and click "Rename"

    • "Last Name, Pattern Wallpaper"

  6. Right-click and click "Open"

  7. Adjust your workspace (go to "Window" > "Workspace" > "Essentials Classic")

Zoom in to the Small Artboard

  1. Hold "Ctrl" and click "+" to zoom in.

  2. Adjust your workspace so that you're zoomed into the small square artboard on the left.

Choose 2+ Objects

  1. Think about what type of objects you want on your pattern wallpaper. They can be anything (school appropriate). You will need at least 2.

  2. You can either draw the objects on your own with the pen tool or trace a reference.

    • To get references:

      1. Go to https://www.flaticon.com/

      2. Type your object in the search bar and click the green search button.

      3. Skip over the "Adobe Stock" icons - that is an advertisement.

      4. In the gray bar, click "Color" and "Fill" to filter to the correct type of illustration.

      5. Click on an icon you like.

      6. Right-click and click "Copy image"

      7. Go to Illustrator and in your "Layers" panel, click on the "References" layer.

      8. Click "Edit" > "Paste"

    • Repeat until you have at least 2 different objects on your Illustrator "References" layer.

    • In your "Layers" panel, click the empty box next to "References" to lock it.

Trace/Draw Your Objects

  1. In your "Layers" panel on the right side, click on your "Objects" layer.

  2. Double click the "Fill" square on the bottom of the left toolbar to open the "Color Picker" and choose your first color.

  3. Using your "Pen Tool" trace the shapes in your objects. A few ways you can trace over references:

Trace (w/ Fill) & Move

You can trace one shape on your object, then move it aside, then trace another shape and move it with the others.

Outline then Fill

You can start by just tracing with an outline instead of a fill and then once you've traced everything, give them fill colors.

Turn off "Reference" Layer

Once you're done tracing/drawing your objects:

  1. In your "Layers" panel, click the eye icon to the left of your "Reference" layer to hide it.

Duplicate Objects

  1. Select one of your objects by clicking and dragging.

  2. Make duplicates of your objects so that you have at least 7 objects on your artboard: Click "Ctrl" + "C" to copy and "Ctrl" + "V" to paste. You can also hold down the "Alt" key while clicking and dragging, which will duplicate.

  3. Arrange and size them as you wish.

Make a Pattern Swatch

  1. Select all of your objects

  2. Click "Object" > "Pattern" > "Make"

  3. Click "OK" if you get a pop-up "The new pattern..."

Adjust Pattern

  1. In the "Pattern Options" panel, try out different settings:

    • Tile Type

    • Brick Offset

    • Width and Height

  2. Once you like how your pattern looks, click "Done" at the top.

  3. Your pattern will go away and now will be stored as a swatch in your "Swatches" panel.

Zoom out

  1. Hold "Ctrl" and click "-" to zoom out.

  2. Adjust your workspace so that you can see the whole large rectangle artboard on the right.

Create a Background

  1. In your "Layers" panel, go to the "Background" Layer

  2. Click on the "Rectangle tool" in the left toolbar

  3. Click and drag to create a rectangle that covers your artboard.

  4. Double click the black square on the bottom of the left toolbar to open the "Color Picker"

  5. Choose a color.

  6. Lock your background layer.

Apply Pattern

  1. In the "Layers" panel, click the "Pattern" layer.

  2. Click on the "Rectangle tool" in the left toolbar

  3. Click and drag to create a rectangle that covers your artboard.

  4. Open the "Swatches" panel on the right.

  5. Click the recently made pattern swatch.

On-Screen Grading

Once you are done, raise your hand and ask Mrs. Hodges to look at your Illustrator file for on-screen grading.

Save as .aic and .pdf

  1. Go to "File" > "Save" to make sure to save your .aic file (if it is grayed out then it is already saved).

  2. Go to "File" > "Save As..."

  3. Choose "On your computer"

  4. Click "Creative Cloud Files" folder on the left menu

  5. Name: "Last Name, Pattern Wallpaper"

  6. Click "Save"

  7. Click "Save PDF"

  8. Once you save as a .pdf, exit out of Illustrator. If you need to edit again and resave, make sure to edit your .aic file and re-save as a .pdf.

Turn in to Canvas

Turn in your .pdf file on Canvas in the "Pattern Wallpaper" assignment.

More time in class?

If you have more time in class, your options are:

  • Start a new Illustrator file and practice making layered shapes with the pen tool

  • Play the Bezier Game online and screenshot your best score (email to Mrs. Hodges to add the scoreboard)

  • Help a classmate with the assignment