How Do I Expand a Pattern Swatch in Illustrator?
To access and work with the original artwork that defines a pattern swatch in Adobe Illustrator, allowing you to modify or resize the pattern elements themselves, you can extract it directly from the Swatches panel onto your artboard.
This process, described in a video titled "Change Size of Pattern Swatches Adobe Illustrator PT 2," involves bringing the pattern tile's definition out of storage so you can edit its components.
Steps to Extract Pattern Artwork
Follow these simple steps to get the pattern artwork onto your workspace:
- Navigate to the Swatches panel.
- Click on the pattern swatch that you wish to access or resize.
- Drag the selected pattern swatch out of the Swatches panel onto any blank area on your artboard or workspace.
- Release your mouse button.
Once the artwork appears on your artboard, it represents the tile or collection of objects used to create the pattern swatch. As highlighted in the reference, dragging the swatch out serves as a method to "Change Size of Pattern Swatches" or "resize" the pattern artwork, enabling you to make adjustments before potentially redefining the swatch or creating a new one.
This method provides direct access to the pattern's building blocks, distinct from using the "Expand" command on an object filled with a pattern, which converts the applied pattern instance into editable shapes.
Quick Reference:
| Action | Description | Purpose (based on reference) |
|---|---|---|
| Access Swatches Panel | Open the panel containing your patterns. | Locate the pattern swatch. |
| Select Pattern Swatch | Click on the specific pattern swatch. | Choose the pattern to extract. |
| Drag to Artboard/Workspace | Move the swatch icon onto the canvas area. | Extract pattern artwork for editing. |
| Release Mouse Button | Let go of the mouse button. | Place the pattern artwork on the artboard. |
| Overall Result | Pattern artwork is now on the artboard. | Change Size of Pattern Swatches / resize the artwork. |
Utilizing this technique allows you to easily retrieve and modify the foundational artwork of your Illustrator pattern swatches.
