In this class we delve a little deeper into a few obscure Procreate settings like the clone brush, gradient map and the curves adjustments (and probably a few more along the way). The Clone Tool is one of those tools you might look at and say: "What's the point?", but it has proven to be a very valuable tool for me indeed. I am using this powerful feature to help me in making seamless repeat tile swatches. These swatches are complete as-is swatches and can be used to upload to sites like Spoonflower. Alternately, they can be used in other software like Photoshop. The most valuable purpose to me, though, is the fact that these seamless swatches can be used to create custom pattern brushes.

In this class, The Clone Tool for Constructing Seamless Repeat Patterns in Procreate, I show you a few challenging projects to give you a diverse range of finished swatches. The first we create from a download file to create a splatter effect. The second is a full watercolour swatch, and the last one is a paint drip effect. There are challenges in each that we deal with as they present themselves.

In this class I’ll walk you through:

my step-by-step method for making seamless patterns in Procreate
my workflow for use of the clone brush to disguise seams
adjusting patterns to perfect their appearance in their use for brush making
creating fully seamless and color-changing watercolour backgrounds
methods to create textures from photos or other originals
tips for creating compositions for a varied and appealing layout using the background brushes

If you’re an aspiring designer with a good basic knowledge of Procreate, you’ll be able to go through all the steps. This class will benefit anyone who wishes to simplify creation of seamless patterns and methods to improve efficiency.

The key concepts I will include:

review of my brush alterations and adjustments
a look at Procreate brushes and their various idiosyncrasies
approaches you can take in your creative work

This is an ideal class for you, even if you are not sure what you will use the pattern for, whether it be for fabric design for sites like Spoonflower, scrapbooking paper, custom web graphics, or whatever! Learning new Procreate workflows is always desirable. I guarantee you will create something really appealing, and it’s so much fun, once you get the hang of it!

Intro to Clone Tool for Constructing Seamless Repeat Patterns in Procreate

This short intro will give you an over-all overview of the class.

Lesson 1: Ideas to Spark Creativity

In this lesson, I will show you the objectives for class and explain the use of Creative Commons license items. We download a usable file into my Creative Cloud from on my desktop and I show you how ideal this is for then accessing the file on my iPad. I review all the originals we will use to create the repeat tiles from.

Lesson 2: Demonstration of the Entire Process

In this lesson, I will break down the complete process of creating a seamless pattern using the clone tool. I start by showing you how to adjust a texture for use in class. I show you the curves adjustment as well as hue and saturation to turn the source file into contrasting greys and blacks for use in making the brush.

Lesson 3: Converting the Texture to a Brush

In this lesson, we will look closely at the setting in the brush studio. We use the texture to create 2 brushes: one in positive form and one in negative form. This gives us very contrasting brushes for this texture. I also show you how to make adjustments to the shape of the brush stroke and to the size of the grain in the stroke.

Lesson 4: Perfecting a Challenging Pattern

This is the lesson in which I teach you about creating a complex pattern seamless tile using the clone brush. We are left with an obvious area at the seams that needs to be touched up. I show you a bunch of solutions using brushes as we work our way through this lesson. At the end of the lesson, we have the black and white we need for the Procreate brush and we also have a full color swatch we will take into Photoshop to use in creating a full-color seamless repeat.

Lesson 5: Using the Swatch in Photoshop

I want to take a minute here to show you the use of the swatch in Photoshop. I end the lesson back in Procreate where I show you how to produce a combo swatch. This has a variety of challenges which we will surmount. I also show you the use of the gradient map to remove color from the original watercolour.

Lesson 6: Another Challenging Swatch

This is a different sort of swatch that requires some challenging solutions. We use a flip to tie the two sides together, then we go through all the same paces with the clone brush to create a great swatch.

Lesson 7: Using the Brushes for Finished Art

In this lesson I will show you two complete artworks created using the brushes we have create. I show you additional adjustments to the brushes that will blow your mind!

Lesson 8: Conclusion, Mockups and Next Steps

We will conclude everything in this lesson. I show you a couple of quick mock-ups with the background patterns in use. This will show you just how versatile this technique can be and how valuable experimentation is in your development as a designer. This is the last step, and in this lesson, I will be wrapping up.

Concepts covered:

Concepts covered include but are not limited to the clone tool in Procreate, Procreate seamless repeat pattern design, Procreate repeat patterns using the clone brush, layering, transparency, Procreate brush stamps, Procreate canvas settings, using the curves, using Gradient Map, hue and saturation adjustments, selecting and feathering, Procreate snapping and guides, Procreate pattern brush creation, art licensing, creating original textural brush stamps in Procreate, the Brush Studio in Procreate, adjusting Procreate brushes, sizing of documents and brushes, compositions with brush stamps, adding texture brush stamps, procreate brushes for adding interest, workflow best practices, painting best practice, Procreate composites, techniques with paints and blending, and much more.

You will get the bonus of…

approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes of direction from an instructor who has been in graphic design business and education for over 40 years
knowledge of multiple ways to solve each design challenge
an outline with links to further research
a list of helpful online sites to further your education into surface pattern design

Susan Brown

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