Making Repeat Patterns
Creating a pattern with a click
Just scribble something and click Make. Voila! The plug-in automatically duplicates selected elements and applies the necessary transformations to make a repeat pattern. Creating geometric patterns is a snap.
Interactive editing
Once a pattern is created, SymmetryWorks keeps it hot-linked to the seed elements (motif). As soon as you edit the seed, the plug-in immediately updates the pattern.
Easy adding of new objects
Adding elements to a pattern is very much like adding elements to a masked Illustrator artwork or a group: you simply move a new element to the desired location, cut it, and paste using the Edit > Paste in Front (or Paste in Back) command. You can also draw patterns in insertion mode »
One-click changing of symmetry
The SymmetryWorks palette brings you a cornucopia of design solutions. To change pattern the type, simply choose another arrangement by clicking one of the colorful symmetry buttons or take your pick from the Layout list.
Replicas
Replicas—live copies, hot-linked to your original seed objects—let you make your patterns as symmetric (or asymmetric) as you like. Create replicas with a click and put them anywhere in the pattern. Rotate, reflect, and scale as needed. SymmetryWorks remembers your transformation and automatically rebuilds the replica art when you edit the original.
All popular repeat systems
With replicas, you can quickly create all-over and tossed designs, spot (sateen) repeats, irregular (step or sliding) repeats, composite repeats, counterchanged repeats, gradations and optical patterns, and virtually any other type of repeat patterns ever used in textile design and elsewhere, even optical illusions and optical art.
Layouts (pattern templates)
Layouts let you create the same patterns from different motifs. For example, you can use the same layout to make a geometric pattern today and a floral design tomorrow. Layouts also let you make patterns with the exact repeat size you want, with a single click. You can choose from a variety of built-in layouts or easily create your own.
Wide support for Illustrator objects
SymmetryWorks supports all your favorite Illustrator objects and features: paths, compound paths, clipping masks, brushes, mesh objects, gradients, transparency, all classes of type, live effects, and other objects and features (including compound shapes, blends, and symbols in SymmetryWorks 5 »).
Support for raster images
SymmetryWorks also fully supports raster (pixel-based) images. Place your Photoshop, TIFF, PNG, JPEG, or GIF files (or images in any other format supported by Illustrator) and instantly put them in repeat. Embed your images or link them in. Use a part of an image if you want. Clip a geometric region with a click or create a mask of any shape, in Photoshop or Illustrator. Feather away the edges or dissolve them with an opacity mask. SymmetryWorks supports opacity masks too and lets you edit them live in your patterns.
Automatic generation of multiple replica copies
Spawn multiple replica copies (multi-replicas) by applying the same transformation over and over. Simply select a replica handle and choose how many progressive copies you want.
