universitysettlementphoto: 2011-04-10

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Pattern Stamp Tool

How to Use the Photoshop Pattern Stamp Tool

The Photoshop Pattern Stamp Tool is just like brushes on your Brushes palette. Instead of using the brushes, the Pattern Stamp Tool lets you select a "pattern" on your Pattern palette and then paint with it.  Patterns on the Pattern palette for the Pattern Stamp Tool can be custom made or installed as add-ons from external source.  This Photoshop tutorial will show you how to use the Pattern Stamp tool with preselect patterns on the Patterns palette.

Instructions

1 Start with either a new file (canvas) or load an image in your Photoshop.  

2  Stamp Tools on the tool box  Find on your tool box the "Stamps Tool". Click and don't release your left-mouse key on that, a menu will come up with two stamp choices.  

3  Pattern Stamp  Drag your cursor with the left-mouse key down and place it on top the second item in the "Stamps Tool" selection. That second item is the "Pattern Stamp". Release left mouse key to activate.  

4 Choose a brush on your Brushes palette. If your Brushes palette is not showing, go to Window > Show Brushes.  

5  Brush settings (center on Photoshop window)  Set your brush size and hardness or use it as is. To set your brush size and hardness: right-click on your Brushes palette the brush you picked, choose Brush Options on the drop-down list. A dialog box will pop-up, adjust your settings to your liking there. Click OK to complete process.  

6 Right-click mouse to bring up a list of brush options, and see if you need any of those to change the property of your brush. Left-click to select an item, if needed.  

7  Find Pattern palette under Edit on the main menu  Choose a pattern from the Pattern pop-up palette in the options bar. Now you can paint with your Pattern Stamp after choosing a pattern for it. To access the Pattern palette: Edit > Preset Manager > Define Pattern.  

8  Pattern palette  Change the Pattern Stamp Tool property any time during your work. Just repeat Steps 4 to 6 to fit your situation.  

9  Painting with feather shape Pattern Stamps  The properties of your preset brush defines the final patterns presented by using your Pattern Stamp Tool. Work example created with various Pattern Stamps using feather patterns instead of normal brushes in Photoshop.  

How to Create a Pattern Stamp

Pattern stamps in Photoshop are limited only by your imagination. Photoshop gives you the power to create unlimited pattern stamps and save those stamps as presets for future use. You can build your own private library of pattern stamps with only a few starter images.

Instructions

1  Rectangle Marquee Tool  Open up any photograph in Photoshop CS3. Click on the Rectangle Marquee tool and use it to select the portion of your photograph that you want to use for your custom pattern stamp. Make sure to leave the "Feather:" setting at 0 px.  

2  Choose "Edit" from the toolbar  After selecting the portion of your photograph you want to use for your custom pattern stamp, click on the "Edit" then "Define Pattern" menu options at the top of your Photoshop workspace. Enter a name for your custom pattern in the box that pops open, and you now have a custom pattern stamp saved for future use in any of your projects.  

3 You can create as many custom pattern stamps from one image as you want--just pick areas of the image that are different enough to make each of your stamps unique. For example, you may wish to make patterns from both light and dark areas of your photographs, as well as areas that contain lots of texture and colors versus those with a solid color.  