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Pattern Brush Anatomy 101 in Illustrator 9 and 10, Part 2

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Pattern Brush Anatomy 101 in Illustrator 9 and 10, Part 2

 

This time select and ALT+DRAG the green square and drop it in slot 4. The brush options opens again and we see the green square is in the spot for the inner corner. Click OK.

 

ILLUSTRATOR 9: So slot 5 in the brushes palette is for inner corner tiles. Applying the brush to the control path again we see where inner corners lie.

 

ILLUSTRATOR 10: So slot 4 in the brushes palette is for inner corner tiles. Applying the brush to the control path again we see where inner corners lie.

 

Repeat the select and alt+drag process for the yellow tile and drop it in slot 5 in the brushes palette. When the brush options opens we see it's in the beginning tile spot. Click OK.

 

ILLUSTRATOR 9: We have now added a beginning tile in slot 6 in the brushes palette.

When we apply the brush again to the control path, we can see where the beginning tiles will go. Oh, yeah...at the beginning!

 

ILLUSTRATOR 10: We have now added a beginning tile in slot 5 in the brushes palette.

When we apply the brush again to the control path, we can see where the beginning tiles will go. Oh, yeah...at the beginning!

 

We have one last square, the purple one. Select it and alt+drag it to slot 6. Once again we get the brush options box and see that the purple square has landed in the ending square spot. Click OK and look at the brushes palette, and you'll see that Slot 6 is for the end tile. But you knew that, right?

 

ILLUSTRATOR 9: The purple square is in place in slot 6, and when we apply the brush to the control path, the purple square is at the end of the path.

 

 

ILLUSTRATOR 10: The purple square is in place in slot 6, and when we apply the brush to the control path, the purple square is at the end of the path.

 

Try the new brush on several different shapes and see the results.

      

A rectangle or square will use only the corner and side tiles.

An ellipse uses only the side tiles.

A closed polygon can use the inner and outer corners and side tiles, depending on the number if sides and how they are drawn.

 

Open paths use the beginning, side and ending tiles, and if they have corners can use the corner tiles as well.

 

NOTE about saving brushes: If you want to save the brush we made in this exercise, you have to use it and save the document. Once you close the document, if you have not saved, your custom brushes are gone. When Illustrator opens, it opens with a default set of swatches and brushes and the one you made won't be there. You'll have to load the saved file. Details of saving brush files are here.

 

 

I hope this takes some of the mystery out of pattern brushes. Now that we know why we need all the parts, lets move on to part 3, making a brush!


Anatomy of a Pattern Brush, part 1

Anatomy of a Pattern Brush, part 3

Anatomy of a Pattern Brush, part 4

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Disclaimer: Site Design and all graphics on this site are the property of and copyrighted to Sara Froehlich and Northlite Designs.

 

March 25, 2002

©2002 Sara Froehlich and Northlite Designs