Creating a Half Drop Repeat in Photoshop

How to create a half drop repeat in Photoshop using smart objects. UPDATE: See Part 2 video for a continuation on this tutorial that shows how to extract your seamless pattern tile from the design.

[@adjanic]

Half drop repeat finesse is so important. In a sea full of these tutorials this one stood out for me: simple, fast and concise.

[@daynaembrey8074]

Thank you for creating a tutorial that demonstrates how to design a more complicated half drop!!! I have been searching (for AGES) for a method that allows you to move objects around freely while maintaining the half drop repeat. Keep up with the good work!

[@janineweiss1828]

Hello Annie, Wishing you well at this stressful time in our world. Well...I'm homebound as most of the country and decided to learn how to Offset with a Half Drop. LOVE your video and the way you explain everything!!! So clear and very informative. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I will look for other tutorials by you...you are an amazing teacher. Thanks again and stay safe and well.

[@laurafisk5251]

just want to say thank you for posting this excellent tutorial (along with part 2). this fully changed how i make my patterns and i now use this technique ALL the time and recommend it to friends as well! smart objects for the win!

[@383design]

This is definitely one of the best tutorials on creating a half drop in photoshop that I've seen. It's really clear, and it makes a lot of sense. I've been using Photoshop for awhile, and I've never used smart objects. I've obviously been missing out! Great tutorial! And I'll be checking out your friend's tutorial as well:)

[@ashleyjeziorski3662]

Oh my god, the smart object trick SAVED MY LIFE. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ileneavery2114]

Fantastic tutorial! thanks so much! I rarely work in Illustrator and this is a great way to make sure that the repeat is spot on in Photoshop.

[@marystrachan5295]

Superb tut Anne, so helpful. Clear and simple instructions. I'm so glad I found you!!!

[@rahmaameer1291]

this is GREAT!! I wish you would have shown us at the end, how it will look like when you filled this pattern to a bigger canvas!!

[@noahroco]

I've been searching for this kind of tutorial for years! Thank you!

[@istolar.artpattermillustration]

Best tutorial. not tested yet. I took good notes. (I will make mistakes for sure at first :) ) . Thank you, the smart object makes it flexible-

[@corinnehaig5999]

This was an excellent tutorial by Anne Was Here, very straight forward and easy to understand. Thanks Anne, it helped so much and I am excited to do more!

[@joannemeller9126]

Thanks for all of this valuable information, Anne. Can't wait to experiment with your techniques.

[@theaterhobo]

Thanks for the smart object tip. I've been using Ps for years and never knew about that. Makes things so much easier!

[@falaise17]

Thanks Anne for the great tutorial, from your video,I start to understand others workflow. By watching part 2, I realized why wrap around setting was not used because you have not yet decided which part to use for a repeat, and that's also why there is no need to tell the document size upfront. I think this is free style, up to you to decide later which area you would like to do a repeat. :)Thank you so much!

[@gt-tv3gb]

It doesn't match if you use the current document dimensions, but in the next video she makes a smaller constraint selection from inside the document, and uses that to make the repeat pattern. Taking into account you must drop the next tile halfway down/up. Makes sense in the next video. Always used illustrator (bit more intricate) Love this. Thank you Anne

[@philliphaines5765]

Excellent tutorial, clear and will follow this!

[@shereeburlington264]

Great tutorial - easy to follow, even for the mathematically challenged.

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

I'll mess around with it and see what I can find. I'll let you know of I figure it out!

[@bluecatblu76]

This is fabulous! Love the design. Thank you for sharing with newbies like me. 🌹

[@AddieElisabeth]

You explained everything so well and clear! Thank you for sharing, I'm trying it tonight :)

[@artistlifeinnyc4089]

This is awesome .. can please different ways to make repeats . thank you

[@owlislike]

Wonderful tutorial! Thank you!

[@mimib1583]

Thanks so much Anne! Really helpful.

[@youmilkpack]

Best so far. Thank you!

[@PattisokolMyCreativeJourney]

Thank you very much for sharing a great tip!

[@kellyhandjones3254]

Really good tutorial!

[@hollyhenderson7268]

I like using smart objects for half drops...thanks!

[@weiyingkao]

awesome tutorial, thank you!!

[@superstilettos1]

thanx so much really easy to understand

[@Dorothyfaganartist]

Thanks so much Anne! this is great, very helpful!

[@bethanialima4996]

Brilliant and generous, as usual! Do you plan to offer a course? I would be deligthed to participate in it! You have all it takes, go for it!

[@PamelaCuevas]

awesome! Thank you for tutorial!

[@stanrose2]

Thank you for this tutorial

[@kellyventura7518]

Great tutorial, thanks! I am always looking for more efficient ways to create repeats. From this point, how do you create your final seamless repeat swatch?

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

Hi Kelly - I've created a part 2 video that shows just how to do this and posted it today.

[@abraolira9014]

You're the girl! Thanks a bunch!

[@jmercede]

Thank you so much Anne! Really grateful for this tutorial :) AND part too of course!! its funny cause I was making it into a Define Pattern and like.. WHY ISN'T THIS WORKING? until I remembered.. duh! Half Drop! oops :)

[@yasminmcqueen]

Thank yoooooouuu!!! You're a life saver!

[@DalsPhotography-Daniela]

Anne, your tutorial is helpful but your patter is even more beautiful. I want to learn how to pain in psd as you do, I did paint but in oil over canvas , so is there any place to learn how to do this? Thanks a lot for sharing. Regards from Uruguay.

[@susannahtully2122]

This was so helpful, I had no idea that you could use smart objects like that! One question, why didn't she select wrap aroun when she did filter, other, offset?

[@be7956]

thank you so much it was very good

[@kellykratzing539]

Hi Anne! Great tutorial. It really is the best way I have found to do a technical repeat. I was just wondering if there is a way to use this method with a textured background also? I am able to follow your instructions for a half drop repeat with a group of motifs (and extract it into a seamless pattern tile) but if I add a textured background (even if I have separately offset this file and cleaned up any lines), I can't create a tile without creating more 'lines' when I make a tile. I would appreciate any help anyone can provide as I can't find any way to do this! Thanks so much.

[@williammajor9535]

If you use the wrap around option it will take half the time

[@phoebemckeand9621]

How do you turn on wrap around? Thanks

[@susannahtully2122]

Thats what i was thinking i was wondering is there is any advantage to her method because i always use wrap around...

[@sabanoor2413]

Thanku soooooooo much... This just send my mind from hell to heaven in minutes.... 👏👏🤗🤗😘😘😘

[@Rini-D]

Hi Anne. I love love your tutorial! Thank you so much. Question, do you think it is possible for you to teach at skillshare (I am a member there) your fabric pattern process from watercolor painting and photoshop painting. That you so much!

[@tjchan77]

Hi, thanks for sharing. How do you do color separation for this pattern?

[@hollyxo.]

Very nice!

[@stanrose2]

what is the document size for this example ?

[@anazul2001]

Great tutorial! thanks for Sharing :) For this example, what was the size you selected for the file? Thanks!

[@textiledesignurduhindituto2085]

Great

[@viviankvitka4515]

I'm curious how you name each of these copied smart objects. I often do something like TR (for top right) BL( for bottom left) Do you have a system that you like? Is there an industry standard?

[@CrystalWhitlow]

Thank you! I appreciate it! :)

[@smliesmile4061]

Thank you.

[@TheLaurenmccalmont]

Does the original document size effect the design? What size in inches is the tile?

[@annelinesophia1710]

For those who found you had a 'cropped' image when using offset, I found I got that when I duplicated the layer that was moved down. You need to make sure you duplicate the original layer with the image that you're starting with.

[@Rini-D]

Hi Anne, I did watercolor painting then removed the background. Turned it into smart object like you suggested. I followed the step by step just like you said. But why when I clicked offset the painting is breaking up into 4 different tile? when I move around the number sometime it breaks into 2 tile as well. Your design all stay in one group. Did I do something wrong? Thank you :)

[@CaverlySmith]

I tried this and my edges don't line up when I define the pattern. Does this have to do with the canvas size I'm starting out with?

[@roxanneroxanne1966]

Thank you. I'm following along, but realizing, how do I make a specific size repeat? The looks very randomly sized, the one that you are working on. Most companies want exact sizes. I tried making the original motif the size, but it hits the edges when I do that. Are you still around to let us know how to start off making the motif a certain size? Thanks!

[@crystalwhitlow204]

Could you provide the link to your friend's video? I'm just curious.

[@celandine6397]

really cool tutorial :) how do you extract your final pattern tile from that?

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

Thank you! I created a new tutorial that shows how I extract the final pattern tile. Hope it helps!

[@celandine6397]

Anne Was Here That is really awesome of you :) Thanks so much!!!!

[@brunaliasantos2501]

can you send the link for this new tutorial? I have the same doubt as Celandine... Many Thanks, this one was really helpfull xxx

[@roxannetamberen2140]

How would you make an actual size repeat, such as 12" x 12". Usually a mill wants things to be divided within the 24" screen scale. Not this randomly.

[@rhyannonp8231]

how do you test this to see that it works?

[@DESiSAUR]

How do you save it so it prints out in high quality?

[@anyta132]

Thank youu!

[@LaPorchiaDavisChannel]

Where did you get your design image from?

[@rhyannonp8231]

Will wrap around do the same thing?

[@triadem]

yes

[@sarahsprin]

I also was wondering how you extract your repeat from that, since it is a half drop but it isn't a half drop repeat

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

Hi Sarah - I've created a new video that shows how I do this and just posted it.

[@roxannetamberlane6501]

Hi Anne, It doesn't seem that you can make an exact size repeat this way. My repeat needs to be a size that fits within a 24 inch screen. Like 4" x4". Is this possible to do? Thanks!!!

[@tjchan77]

+R ox Just set your file size to the repeat size you want, then do "offset" with "wrap around" checked.

[@roxannetamberlane6501]

Thank you! So that would be in the verticle offset drop, right? And then when I do the half drop, I would type in half of that verticle drop?

[@tjchan77]

Let say 4"x4" is your repeat size. If it's straight match, the file size is 4"x4". You then go to filter-other-offset with "set to transparent" checked. But if it's vertical half drop, you need to set the file size to be 8"wide x4"high, then duplicate your original artwork and do "offset" with "wrap around". If you still don't understand, I'll find a video for you.

[@landals9670]

helpful

[@novatraderedge01289]

it is what it is! 😂😂

[@shereeburlington264]

I've run into a glitch that has me perplexed. Everything that hangs off the document is "cropped" so that when I duplicate my half drops from the right (to fill in the left) the pattern is chopped off. Anne - are you here? Do you have any insight? I was on such a roll...

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

That is strange. Must be something in your settings because mine does not do that. When your offset pop up window is open are the Undefined Areas Set to Transparent? That is how mine is set.

[@shereeburlington264]

Anne Was Here Thanks for your fast response - yes, set to transparent. I thought I'd cropped by mistake so started a new doc. As soon as I apply the offset, anything off the doc is cropped. My document is set up as usual - 8x8" at 300 dpi. This is the best tutorial I've found - the easiest to understand - it would be great to figure it out.

[@shereeburlington264]

Sheree Burlington Much appreciated. Thanks.

[@lucivb]

I'm having the same problem... did you find anything?

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

lucilight I can't get that to happen for me. What version of Photoshop are you running? How are you duplicating your smart object layer? I duplicate mine by dragging the layer (in the layers panel not in the image window) to the new layer button.

[@hk4672]

I don't think that pattern matches

[@cz2301]

yes, i dont see any repeat there, because she didnt use the Wrap Around setting, in the Offset filter. To make the pattern match, we also need to consider the canvas and document sizes, then calculate the positioning of each block.

[@mehmethimmetoglu3879]

Paylaşım için teşekkürler ah bir de Türkçe olsaydı,yada ben İngilizce bilseydim.

[@anandpraveen5672]

Confusing

[@kamalhameedbhatti8281]

I think the right and left sides will not continue to make a seamless design......Maybe I am just 8 years late to point it out as I just saw it today.

[@roxannetamberlane6501]

Oh boy, I dont get that explnation, sorry. I wish I had the freedom to NOT have to do a specific size half drop repeat, but I'm going for a job at a company, so they'll be giving me repeat sizes.

[@johnrasmussen3752]

Thanks, I was after something different but couldn't stop watching anyway. My only beef is with the "you know" verbiage. So many people use it and it drives me a little insane .. otherwise love it, Thanks

[@lukashuettner]

this pattern doesn't match. sorry

[@AnneWasHereAndThere]

Ludwig H actually it does! Check out my second video to see how to extract the repeat tile.

[@bethanialima4996]

Brilliant and generous, as usual! Do you plan to offer a course? I would be deligthed to participate in it! You have all it takes, go for it!