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beautiful textures: patterns, tiles & formats creating seamless patterns on the example of a custom 404 page, with a look at suitable file formats for online use Prisca Schmarsow :: eyelearn.org

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Steps covered 1. file organisation 2. sketching & planning 3. creating seamlessly tiling textures 4. adding repeating illustrations 5. saving for web

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1. file organisation texture-library patterns .gif / .jpg / .png • layered files with original work on textures and patterns • optimised files in various sizes (for testing purposes) • libraries files for brushes & patterns (for future use) asset creation ~ working !iles • visuals sized & optimised for use online • visuals saved in appropriate file format, considering transparencies and file sizes • distinguish seamless patterns for tiling by using subfolder or specific file name organising online assets preparation folder site assets folder

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2. sketching & planning Via the zoom (here at 400%) - you can clearly see the difference between the 2 formats: The vector image remains unchanged while the bitmap image, due to its dependence on resolution, now clearly shows its pixellation. quick recap on vector vs bitmap VECTOR • lines and curves which are defined by mathematical objects • resolution-independent & full scalability while maintaining high quality BITMAP • pictorial information via a grid of pixels • resolution-dependent & will deteriorate in quality through editing/scaling Choose the appropriate tool for the job ~ or combine :)

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2. sketching & planning • always start by planning with an open mind, without considering the technical constraints • sketch out ideas and focus on the design and message, in keeping with the brief • don’t limit your creativity browser window http:// STEP 1 ~ think / plan / sketch / draw • consider how your final design will be displayed in the browser • plan for optimum presentation, code implementation and light file size • compromise your design idea if need be while maintaining core aspects STEP 2 ~ consider the !inal output

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clouds balloon hills corners + background texture + paper texture

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clouds balloon hills corners + background texture + paper texture

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clouds balloon hills corners + background texture + paper texture

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3. creating seamless tiling textures • use an existing image to start from or create your own textures from scratch • work with multiple layers to build up a rich and varied image • carefully consider colours used in gradients, subtle shades o!ten work best !WARNING! gradients as backdrop to text can be tricky to implement! the window background Considerations: ~ flat pattern / shaded texture? ~ overall colour scheme? (remember to plan for sufficient contrast for text elements) ~ dimensions & file size of final graphics ~ repeating the texture: horizontally / vertically / both? for rich, shaded textures ~ use Photoshop:

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3. creating seamless tiling textures Allow some time to play and experiment ~ some tips for creating textures: • experiment with layer modes, opacities and blurs • using the same layer twice with different layer modes can add depth and intensity • play with some artistic and sketch filters ~ always use your own settings for a more original result • be mindful when combining different texture styles ~ always keep the final image in mind and avoid clashes in colour, style and density • zoom in closely while editing ~ and always view the result at 100% to preview how it will appear within your final design • use adjustment layers for fine-tuning • bear in mind the visual focus of the page ~ desaturation of background visuals, textures and elements can help emphasize the important parts of the content

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3. creating seamless tiling textures smaller !ile sizes through repeating images ~ thanks to CSS :) • once you are happy with your texture - crop to a suitable size & ensure that it will tile seamlessly if repeated in the browser window • check via the offset filter how the tiling would look: top menu > Filter > Other > Offset • carefully edit your image to blend the repeated visuals without lines or visible edges, repeat the offset filter to check your final result not all images are suitable for tiling ~ some will require a lot of editing. original horizontal + vertical o!fset horizontal o!fset

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3. creating seamless tiling textures clone stamp tool Spot Healing Brush Tool Healing Brush Tool Patch Tool possible working methods: using tools to blend image edges using copies of images layer in combination with feathered layer masks

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3. creating seamless tiling textures browser window http:// horizontal tiling via CSS — repeat-x body { background: #66f url(imgs/grad.jpg) top left repeat-x; } common uses: • gradient backgrounds • textures with top/bottom features • interface element enhancements

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3. creating seamless tiling textures vertical tiling via CSS — repeat-y browser window http:// body { background: transparent url(imgs/shadow.png) top center repeat-y; } common uses: • flexible shadows on content containers • vertical borders / dividers / ornaments • interface element enhancements

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3. creating seamless tiling textures full tiling via CSS — repeat browser window http:// body { background: #3a4583 url(imgs/tartan.gif) top left repeat; } common uses: • pattern backgrounds • uniform textures • interface element enhancements

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4. adding repeating illustrations the header/footer visuals centre cloud, not repeating • tight crop to keep image dimensions as small as possible • saved as PNG24 for full transparency, due to textured background CSS: background: transparent url(imgs/cloud.png) top center no-repeat; scattered clouds, repeating horizontally CSS: background: transparent url(imgs/clouds.png) top 30% repeat-x; • tight crop to keep image dimensions as small as possible, additional space added • saved as PNG24 for full transparency, due to textured background

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4. adding repeating illustrations the header/footer visuals mountains, repeating horizontally to avoid gaps - ensure edges line up perfectly • tight crop with aligned le!t and right site image edges • saved as PNG24 for full transparency, due to textured background CSS: background: transparent url(imgs/peaks.png) bottom center repeat-x;

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5. saving for web • always keep an eye on your overall file size! especially for image intensive designs ~ it all adds up. • always choose the appropriate format ~ bearing in mind browser compatibilities (e.g. IE6 cannot handle PNG24 without fixes) • if possible ~ use CSS to repeat a small image to fill the relevant area & ensure that the tiling is seamless • when saving large visuals ~ optimise as much as possible before saving for the web • combine visual elements into one image file where possible image !ile formats .gif .jpg .png

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.gif = Graphics Interchange Format • limit of 256 colours • lossless compression • transparency with matte colour • animation Matte colour needs to be set to match the background of the content element it is displayed in ~ an ugly pixellated halo will otherwise be visible and ruin all your hard work... use for: • flat colours within limited range • animation TIPS: • limit colours if possible to reduce final file size • experiment with the value for ‘lossy’ • zoom in to see when the image starts disintegrating ~ check aain for 100% view 5. saving for web

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.jpg = Joint Photographic Experts Group • no colour limit • lossy compression • no transparency When pushed into lower quality settings - you will notice that boundaries between the colour blocks become blurred, lines and boxes will appear. use for: • photographic images • visuals with shading and blended tonal transitions TIPS: • try different quality settings to push file size down • experiment with adding blur • zoom in to see when the image starts disintegrating ~ check aain for 100% view 5. saving for web

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.png = Portable Network Graphics • 2 formats: - PNG8 ~ similar to GIF (+ safe to use in IE6) - PNG24 ~ similar to JPG ( ! display errors in IE6 ! ) • lossless compression • transparency use for: • all images • transitional transparencies TIPS: • try PNG8 instead of GIF to compare file sizes • for PNG24 - limit colour before saving for web • zoom in to see when the image starts disintegrating ~ check aain for 100% view use PNG compression tools to further optimise your PNGs 8bitalpha.com (online tool) imageoptim.pornel.net (mac only) 5. saving for web

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... and all that’s le!t to do is to put it all together ;) browser window http://

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