As promised in my final publish, I’ve created a video tutorial on the way to add texture to your vector designs in Illustrator by utilizing bitmap photos. This method may be very helpful and might produce some attractive and fascinating outcomes.
In case you downloaded the free texture photos from final publish you should use these to observe alongside. In case you haven’t downloaded them however need to, right here is the hyperlink: 17 free textures that may assist your designs kick ass. It’s also possible to, after all, use your individual photos!
As a result of I’m very conscious that I’ve a robust accent and it is likely to be obscure me typically, I’ve added the script under the video (together with some timings which may come in useful, and excluding a number of the hems, buts, sos, and so forth!).
I hope you benefit from the video and, higher nonetheless, discover it helpful… Please let me know within the feedback under if in case you have any questions concerning the course of, if in case you have any subject requests for small tutorials like this one, or if you wish to share your individual concepts about the way to add texture in your designs… I might love to listen to them!
Easy methods to simply add texture to your Illustrator designs
00:00 – Intro
- Whats up everybody, as we speak I’m gonna present you the way to use bitmap textures in your vector designs for these instances once you really feel such as you need to add a little bit one thing to them.
- For these of you who don’t know me, I’m Veronica and I’m a designer. I additionally run the weblog Pitter Sample, which is a weblog all about floor sample design.
- I’m Colombian however have been dwelling within the UK for a really very long time. I’m telling you that as a sort of disclaimer due to my accent! So I’ll do my greatest…
- On this tutorial I’m utilizing a number of the textures I gave away on final week’s weblog publish. In case you downloaded them you should use these to observe alongside or you’ll be able to clearly use your individual images.
- I may even put a hyperlink to the obtain web page on this publish in case you haven’t acquired these photos however need to obtain them.
00:53 – Organising
- Let’s get began. What you’ll be able to see right here on my display screen is the illustration I’m gonna be engaged on.
- On the left-hand aspect is the unique illustration with flat colors and no texture.
- On the right-hand aspect we’ve got the identical design however with the textures utilized. That is what we need to be reaching by the top of the video.
- I’m going to open my flat illustration in a brand new doc, and I need to guarantee that all my parts are ungrouped. That may make it simpler to use totally different textures to totally different parts. So, all of those are ungrouped.
01:29 – Creating background bitmap texture in Photoshop
- I’m gonna apply texture to the background to begin with, so let’s go and select one of many textures from my exhausting drive. For the background I’m gonna select this one.
- I’m gonna open it in Photoshop and now I’m gonna go to Picture > Changes > Threshold.
- On this dialogue field you’ll be able to select the Threshold degree, which is like the quantity of element you need to seize. That is as much as you and the impact you need to create. On this case I’m gonna simply set it to 115.
- Now you go to Picture > Mode and convert to Grayscale. You may discard color info.
- Return to Picture > Mode and now select Bitmap. Within the Decision Output subject select the decision you want on your last art work.
- In case you’re creating one thing for the online select 72dpi however in case you are engaged on one thing for printing select 300dpi. I’m gonna select 300 on this case.
- You may depart the Methodology alone right now however you’re very welcome to experiment with it and see what sort of outcomes you get.
- Now you’ll be able to Save your file. I’m gonna reserve it as a TIFF. It’s necessary you save as TIFF as a result of that format will permit us to create the feel results we would like inside Illustrator.
- I’m gonna save mine as ‘background texture.tif’. I’m gonna change as a result of I had already one, however it can save you it as no matter you need.
- You may depart these TIFF choices alone on this window. I by no means hassle messing round with these. Click on OK.
03:54 – Creating background texture in Illustrator
- Let’s return now to Illustrator.
- You may go to File > Place and choose the TIFF picture we simply created. Click on Place.
- Now you click on on the Artboard to position the picture.
- Now you go to your Swatches palette. If it’s not seen you’ll be able to open it by going to Window > Swatches.
- You may color your texture together with your chosen color. For this one I’m simply gonna select this darkish inexperienced.
- Now you align the feel to the highest and left sides of the background form by going to Align, so I’ve acquired my texture chosen, I am going to the highest bar the place my Align menu is and I align Horizontal Align Left and Vertical Align Prime.
- Now you’ll be able to scale your texture till it covers the realm you need to be textured. In my case is the entire background, so I’m simply gonna make it that massive.
- Now you’ll be able to go to your Transparency panel. Once more, if it’s not seen you’ll be able to open it by going to Window > Transparency, and right here you’ll be able to apply a Mixing Mode, on this aspect, or Opacity to this TIFF.
- For the sake of simplicity, I received’t be explaining Mixing Modes on this tutorial however you’re very welcome to experiment and see what sort of results you’ll be able to create with them.
- On this case I’m gonna simply set my opacity to round 40%. You may clearly mess around with this because the outcome depends upon the colors you’re working with.
- At this level, as you’ll be able to see, you’ll be able to cease including textures and name it a day. Generally it’s sufficient. It depends upon the undertaking.
- In order that may very well be the impact you’re searching for, so that might be the top of the tutorial, however I can be displaying you a pair extra methods although, so let’s hold going.
06:24 – Creating bitmap texture for vase in Photoshop
- Now choose each the feel and the background by dragging over them like this and ship them proper to the underside of the stack by right-clicking and selecting Organize > Ship to Again.
- That makes this prime of my background have the feel however not this backside.
- Now I’m gonna select one other texture to embellish one of many vases. Let’s select, for that vase, this one.
- Now we repeat all the identical steps we did earlier than.
- We go to Picture > Changes > Threshold.
- For this one I’m simply gonna go a little bit bit decrease. I’m simply gonna select 95.
- Go to again Picture > Mode and convert to Grayscale. We are able to discard the color info.
- Again to Mode > Bitmap.
- And once more, decision, we depart because it was.
- Now Save your file as TIFF.
- I’ll name mine ‘vase texture.tif’.
08:05 – Creating vase texture with Clipping Masks in Illustrator
- Again in Illustrator I’ll choose one of many vases, I’m gonna select this orange one, and Copy after which Paste in Place.
- So that you go to Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste in Place. So now we acquired 2 copies of that vase, one on prime of one another.
- Mine is correct on prime, but when yours isn’t proper on prime of the entire illustration, you’ll be able to convey that duplicate we simply created proper to the entrance by right-clicking it and selecting Organize > Convey to Entrance.
- Now I’ll present you a helpful little trick. Earlier than putting your TIFF into this file, you alter the Illustrator mode to Draw Behind by urgent SHIFT+D. It’s also possible to discover this feature on the backside of your instruments palette, it’s right here, we are able to nearly see it, Draw Regular/Draw Behind.
- Mine is a bit hidden.
- As soon as in Draw Behind mode go to File > Place and choose the TIFF we simply created, which was the ‘vase-texture.tif’. Click on Place.
- Click on to place it into place.
- As a result of we’re in Draw Behind mode the feel is positioned behind our copied vase form, which is helpful as a result of we’d like that actual stacking order for our subsequent step.
- You will get out of Draw Behind mode by urgent SHIFT+D once more, or by urgent this little button down right here. So I’m again to Draw Regular.
- Now you’ll be able to color your texture together with your chosen color. I’m gonna select pink for this one, bear with me.
- With the feel nonetheless chosen SHIFT-click on the vase to pick out it on the similar time. So you bought the feel chosen, press SHIFT in your keyboard, click on on the vase, now you bought each parts chosen, now simply go to Object > Clipping Masks > Make.
- Now we’ve got a masks, with the form of the vase, with our texture in it.
- Now you’ll be able to go to your Transparency panel after which set your Transparency. I’m gonna set mine to twenty% and this time I’m truly gonna use the Multiply Mixing Mode. You may play with these as a lot as you need.
- Last item we have to do with this vase is to ship the masked texture again to its place as a result of in the mean time is on prime of the flowers and of this vase, so it’s a bit messy.
- We do this by right-clicking and selecting Organize as soon as once more, however this time we Ship Backward. And we do this as many instances as essential to ship it behind all the weather that’s overlapping in the mean time.
- So as an alternative of going to that menu each time, if it’s gonna want many instances, you simply go COMMAND + left bracket a number of instances, till it goes to the place it belongs, proper there.
11:44 – Creating bitmap texture for leaves in Photoshop
- Within the final instance I’m gonna present you, we’re gonna apply the feel solely to part of a form. Let’s do it.
- I’m gonna select one other texture, so. I’m going again to my exhausting drive, and this time I’m gonna select a texture for the leaves. So I’m simply gonna select this one.
- We repeat all the identical steps as earlier than.
- Picture >Changes > Threshold.
- This time I’m gonna set mine a bit decrease, 80.
- Picture > Mode, convert to Grayscale.
- Picture > Mode > Bitmap. Similar decision.
- Save as TIFF once more. And this time I’m gonna identify it ‘leaf texture.tif’.
12:48 – Getting leaves prepared for making use of texture
- Again in Illustrator, let’s zoom in on these leaves I’m gonna be engaged on.
- Now with the pen device, I’m gonna draw a form that covers roughly half the leaf.
- I’m gonna select the leaf, the unique leaf, and duplicate it by copying it, Edit > Copy, and this time we’re gonna Paste it in Again, so we’ve got one other copy of that leaf.
- With that leaf nonetheless chosen, SHIFT-click on the form we simply created and open your Pathfinder window, which for me is right here, however clearly for those who’re not discovering it go to Window and discover it like we discovered the opposite ones, and this time click on Minus Entrance.
- That leaves us with a form that’s half a leaf and clearly the unique leaf.
- I’m gonna color it in another way so you recognize what’s happening right here. I’m simply gonna give it one other color inexperienced, so we acquired the unique leaf and half a leaf.
- With my half a leaf chosen I drag it whereas holding SHIFT+ALT on the similar time. ALT duplicates the form whereas I’m dragging it, and SHIFT constraints the motion to vertical solely.
- My Illustrator Good Guides and Snap to Level choices are on, so it’s simple to align the brand new form with the remainder of the leaves.
- You may flip these choices right here in View > Good Guides/Snap to Level.
- Now we choose the three shapes we simply created and choose the Mirror device.
- Click on on the nook of this leaf, as a result of that’s the purpose of mirroring I need to set, click on as soon as after which SHIFT+ALT to duplicate and to constrain to the opposite aspect, the motion.
- Now simply put them on the leaves within the place they need to be.
15:47 – Creating leaves texture with Clipping Masks & Compound Path in Illustrator
- Choose all the brand new leaf shapes we simply made, by clicking on each whereas urgent SHIFT, selects all of them.
- Go to Object > Compound Path > Make. By making a compound path with these shapes, we’re telling Illustrator that this counts as 1 form and never 6 totally different shapes and it will are available in actually helpful on the time of masking.
- Let’s zoom out once more and produce our last texture in.
- I’ll go to Draw Behind mode, so SHIFT+D or the button down right here, Draw Behind with these shapes nonetheless chosen.
- Go to File > Place and select my leaf texture this time, Place, and click on on the artboard to position it.
- With it nonetheless chosen I’ll select a color, this time I’m gonna select this yellow and see the way it goes.
- And resize to simply match that space of the leaves. I’m gonna zoom in so you’ll be able to see what’s happening right here.
- So the feel is behind these leaf shapes as a result of we have been in Draw Behind mode. I’m gonna get out of Draw Behind mode by urgent SHIFT+D once more, again to regular.
- Whereas the feel continues to be chosen SHIFT-click on the leaf shapes and once more Object > Clipping Masks > Make, and it simply creates a beautiful masks of our half leaf shapes.
- And now we return to the Opacity and we arrange the opacity, and you’ll clearly play with the Mixing mode as soon as once more.
- That appears good. Let’s zoom out once more, there you’re!
18:20 – Ending off
- Okay, so I confirmed you just a few methods of utilizing the textures inside Illustrator.
- To recap: First we used it on the background and you are able to do that for the entire picture and end at that time in order for you.
- Second, we utilized it to a easy form, the vase, with a Clipping Masks.
- And third, we utilized the feel to solely a part of a form and used Compound Path to use one texture to a number of parts on the similar time.
- There are tons of of how of utilizing textures in your vector illustrations and that is simply the tip of the iceberg, and I feel the top outcome can look fairly attractive!
- One other factor to have in mind is that you may convert these TIFFs into vectors by Picture Tracing them inside Illustrator. However I discover that changing them typically create so many anchor factors that the file turns into actually heavy and actually sluggish to work with. You must take this resolution based mostly on the undertaking your engaged on.
- Anyway, I’ll end off these textures like Speedy Gonzalez so we are able to see the top outcome and hopefully see you once more quickly! Bye.
Let me know the way you get on and for those who discovered the tutorial helpful! And in addition, are there another strategies you’d like me to create tutorials for? Pop them within the feedback…
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