How to make a psychedelic seamless vector pattern in Adobe Illustrator

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Step 1

Create new document (Cmd+N) 800px by 800px.

Step 2

Use Brush Tool (B) to draw some objects that you gonna use for the pattern. In this tutorial I’m using a default brush without any pressure effects.

Step 3

Once you are done drawing select all (Cmd+A) and Expand Appearance (Object > Expand Appearance)

Select every logical collection of the expanded brush strokes and Unite ’em using Pathfinder Panel. If you press Cmd+Y to change the view mode you will see something like this:

Step 4

Draw a rectangle using Rectangle Tool (M) and send it to back (Cmd+Shift+[).

Select one shape and the rectangle and Divide ’em using Pathfinder Panel. Direct Select (A) the outer part of the rectangle and delete it.

Colour your newly formed group of shapes whatever you want. I’m usually using PANTONE + CMYK Coated Palette. You can find it if you click the small triangle on top right of Swatches Panel then Open Swatch Library > Colour Books > PANTONE + CMYK Coated. Repeat the process for the other objects you have not coloured yet.

Step 5

Now it’s time to start forming the pattern. First stuff left and top sides with your objects. Rotate, reflect, resize and do whatever you like to make the image look random.

Step 6

Now select all objects that overlap the left border of your canvas. Press Enter, set Horizontal position to 800px, Vertical to 0 and press Copy.

This is what you will end up with. If you have a canvas of different size set Horizontal number to the width of your canvas.

Do the same thing with the top objects including the ones you have created (set Horizontal position to 0 and Vertical to 800px ). In my case the top left skull appears 4 times on the canvas. Add more objects if you have any white spots on the borders left.

Step 7

Now it’s time to fill the inside of the pattern. Do anything you like but DON’T overlap the borders of the canvas. If you do, add a copy of the object on the opposite border so the pattern tiles well.

Finally add a rectangle using Rectangle Tool (M) and send it to back (Cmd+Shift+[). Set its size to 800x800px (Transform panel) and align it to the centre of the canvas (Align Panel with Align set to Artboard). Copy this rectangle, past in place (Cmd+Shift+V), bring it to front (Cmd+Shift+]). Select all (Cmd+A), right click and press Create Clipping Mask. You are done!

If everything is done correctly the tiling should be perfect. You can test it if you set the size of the pattern to 400px and make 3 more copies.

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