Today we’re continuing our series on ways to add your own raster image as a fill pattern. If you haven’t read about Methods #1-5, you’ll definitely want to do that first. You can start with Method #1 here. Today, I’m going to show you a quick way to add a raster image right onto the page you’re working on so that you have a pattern-filled rectangle. We’ll learn how to do it, then I’ll give you examples of when you might want to use this method.
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Method #6: Drag and drop a pattern-filled rectangle directly onto the page
With this method, you’re going to start the same as you did in Method #5:
–Go to the Design area.
–Open your computer file explorer, navigate to the folder where your image is stored and minimize the window.
–Select the pattern image you want to use.
Here’s where it changes. Instead of dragging the raster image into a shape, you’re going to just put it in a blank area on your design page.
This is like using one of the methods where the raster opens as a pattern-filled rectangle on a new file page. The difference is that it goes right onto the page you’re already working on.
You can only put 1 pattern into 1 shape at a time. This method works the same way in all levels of the software. As with Method #5, don’t forget about those special file types that can open as vector or raster. Just as in previous methods, you’ll need to change the aspect ratio of the pattern if you want to adjust the rectangle disproportionately. But in my opinion, you probably won’t use this method if you want to do that.
Here’s a video showing you how to use Method #5. Included in the video are some specific examples of times you might want to have a pattern-filled rectangle on the page.
Use Method #6 when you…
…want to see the raster image as a pattern-filled rectangle on your Design area. This is useful when you want to use it to refer to for picking colors, to view a photo as a reference, etc.
…want to use the pattern-filled rectangle once only and don’t want to see it in your library or Pattern Fill panel at a future time.
…don’t want an extra file page to open.
…don’t need to fill a specific shape.
…have a library that takes a long time to load when you first open your software. Fewer images in there means it’s ready sooner.
Up Next
We’ll learn our final method next time. It’s all about using the Modify features in conjunction with raster images. After that, be sure to read the wrap up post because in that one I’ll share some important tidbits of info that relate to all the methods.
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