Expert: LizaL - 1/17/2005

Question
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Followup To
Question -
dear sir,
 I am using potoshop 5.5. I am tilting a floor
plan. Each room has a different pattern and
some repeated patterns. Whith define pattern
I can fill pattern of one type only. when i define
another pattern, the previous is gone and if
I want the previous one I have define again.
Any solution for this.

thanking you
   
Answer -
Hi Syed,

I can tell you how to create and use a pattern using Photoshop CS, but I don't have a version lower than that, like 5.5.

But I'm thinking it might just be that you can't use the patterns you've created because you're not using the right tools that have pattern options.

Let me show you how I define and use patterns in Photoshop CS, and maybe it will hold true for your version:

1. When I define a pattern in CS, I first select the rectangular marquee selection tool from the toolbox, and make sure I don't have any feathering applied.

2. Then I select the area of my image that I want to be the pattern.

3. I go to the Edit pulldown menu, select Define Pattern, and it goes into the patterns palette within Photoshop, for me to use later.

4. Then when I want to use the pattern again, I can do one of the following:

-- Select the Paint Bucket tool, and in the options for the Paint Bucket tool, I choose Pattern. These options, in CS, appear right below the pulldown menus, near the upper left corner of the screen.

The choices available for the Paint Bucket are Foreground, and Pattern, and from this pop-up menu I select pattern. Then the palette for my stored patterns appears just to the right, and this contains all the patterns I've defined, as well as the preset ones that come with Photoshop, and I can select my new pattern from there.

Then I can use the Paint Bucket to fill any area or document, using that pattern I've selected.


-- or I can select the Pattern Stamp tool from the tool box. This is a lot like the clone stamp tool. In fact, in Photoshop CS, it's right behind the clone stamp tool. So I select the Pattern Stamp tool, and choose a pattern from the patterns palette.

When I select the Pattern Stamp tool, its options show up under the pulldown menus at the top right of the screen. Once I click on it, it's a scrolling menu. So I can select a pattern, and then I can "stamp" my pattern into my document.


This little movie shows me define a pattern and use it with both the paint bucket, and also the pattern stamp tool.

http://little-works.com/all_experts/patterns.mov


Like I say, though, I'm using Photoshop CS, and not 5.5. So I would suggest you check out the Paint Bucket and Pattern Stamp tools, and see if they give you options for accessing a patterns palette.

Also check under your Windows pulldown menu in Photoshop to see if you have a Patterns palette.

I hope this helps! If it doesn't, or if you need for me to clarify anything, please post back and tell me.


Lisa

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Thank you very much. As I use photoshop 5.5, there is no pattern palette
and I do not know whether it is available in higher version like 6,7,8.
Is there any add-on / plugin which will solve the problem

 I really appreciate your service.
best regards

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Answer
Hi Syed,

I just couldn't remember if Photoshop 5.5 had many options for patterns, but I was afraid it didn't! Well, maybe we can explore some options here.

But to first answer the other part of your question, yes, the pattern maker is available in 7 and 8 (version 8 is also Photoshop CS, by the way). I *think* it's available in version 6. But if you upgraded to 7 or CS, you'd have no trouble.

Anyway! I did some checking, and found some things you might be interested in.

1. You don't mention what platform you're running, but if it's Windows, and you have at least Win98 and a Pentium II with 64MB RAM, you can download and use this product called Texture Maker. Here's the link:

http://www.designer-info.com/master.htm?http://www.designer-info.com/Writing/pho

As I understand it, it looks like this is a standalone product, not a plug-in. It's free to try, and $85 to purchase.



2. This Seamless Workshop is a free plug-in for Photoshop; you might give it a try. The same manufacturer has a bunch of other plug-ins as well. I don't see any version restrictions, so Seamless Workshop might work with Photoshop 5.5. Again, this is a Windows product.

http://www.redfieldplugins.com/filterJama2000.htm



3. HyperTyle is also a Windows product; looks like it creates a lot of different textures:

http://thepluginsite.com/products/hypertyle/index.htm


Those were probably the best choices I could find. But here's a page from About.com you might check out -- I'll be honest and tell you I didn't check out all the links :-)  but if you have some spare time you might!

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshopdownloads/


Now the other problem we might run into here is the fact that you might be using a Mac. If that's true, post back and I'll do some searching for Mac plug-ins and products.

But if not, check out these links and see if one of the above-mentioned products will work for you. And please post back if you need any more assistance!

Hope this helps!


Lisa