How Do I Extend a Pattern in Illustrator?

To "extend" a pattern in Illustrator, which typically means making the pattern tiles larger or smaller to fill the area, you can easily resize the pattern fill within an object. An easier method is to simply resize the pattern itself using the Transform options.

Resizing a Pattern Using Transform > Scale

The most straightforward way to adjust the size of a pattern fill within an object, effectively "extending" its coverage or shrinking it, is using the Scale command.

Here's how to scale a pattern in Illustrator:

1. Select the object that is filled with the pattern you want to resize.
2. Right-click on the selected object.
3. From the context menu that appears, navigate to Transform.
4. Click on Scale. This will open the Scale dialog box.

Understanding the Scale Dialog Box

In the Scale dialog box, you have crucial options to control what gets scaled:

• Uniform or Non-Uniform Scaling: Choose Uniform to scale the width and height equally (maintaining aspect ratio) or Non-Uniform to set different Horizontal and Vertical scale percentages.
• Scale: Enter the desired percentage to scale the pattern. 100% is the original size. 50% will make the pattern smaller, and 200% will make it larger (extending the appearance by repeating larger tiles).
• Options: This is the critical section for scaling patterns:
  • Transform Objects: If checked, the object itself will be scaled. Uncheck this if you only want to scale the pattern fill.
  • Transform Patterns: If checked, the pattern fill within the object will be scaled. Check this to resize the pattern.
  • Scale Strokes & Effects: (Usually unchecked when only scaling patterns).

To scale only the pattern fill, ensure Transform Objects is unchecked and Transform Patterns is checked.

5. Enter your desired scale percentage (e.g., 200% to make the pattern tiles twice as large).
6. Click OK to apply the change. You can also click Preview to see the result before committing.

This method effectively resizes the pattern tile itself, causing it to repeat at the new scale within the object's boundaries, thereby changing the appearance of how the pattern "extends" across the shape.

Quick Tip: Using the Scale Tool with a Modifier Key

Another way to scale only the pattern interactively is using the Scale tool itself:

1. Select the object with the pattern fill.
2. Select the Scale Tool (S) from the toolbar.
3. Hold down the tilde (~) key on your keyboard.
4. Click and drag on the object. While holding the tilde key, only the pattern fill will scale, not the object.

This provides a more visual way to find the right pattern scale.

Using these methods allows you to easily control the size and appearance of pattern fills in your Illustrator designs.