Adobe Illustrator Patterns and Pattern Making 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Pattern Options tile type offsets every other row by half the tile width, similar to brick masonry?
- Grid
- Hex by Column
- Brick by Row (Correct answer)
- Brick by Column
Correct answer: Brick by Row
The Brick by Row tile type horizontally offsets alternating rows by half the tile width, mimicking the staggered pattern of brickwork.
Question 2: What does the H Spacing value in the Pattern Options panel control?
- The overall height of the pattern tile
- The horizontal gap between adjacent tile repetitions (Correct answer)
- The width of the pattern artboard
- The horizontal offset applied to every other row
Correct answer: The horizontal gap between adjacent tile repetitions
H Spacing sets the horizontal gap between adjacent tile repetitions; a negative value causes tiles to overlap horizontally.
Question 3: Which tile type in the Pattern Options panel creates a hexagonal, honeycomb-like arrangement by offsetting alternating columns vertically?
- Hex by Row
- Brick by Column
- Hex by Column (Correct answer)
- Grid
Correct answer: Hex by Column
The Hex by Column tile type offsets alternating columns vertically by half the tile height, producing a hexagonal/honeycomb repeat.
Question 4: To scale a pattern fill without scaling the object it is applied to, which approach is correct?
- Use the Free Transform tool while holding Shift
- Open the Scale tool dialog, uncheck Transform Objects, and check Transform Patterns (Correct answer)
- Use Object > Transform > Scale and enter a pattern-only percentage
- Hold Ctrl while dragging a corner handle
Correct answer: Open the Scale tool dialog, uncheck Transform Objects, and check Transform Patterns
In the Scale tool dialog, unchecking Transform Objects and checking Transform Patterns applies the scale only to the pattern fill inside the object.
Question 5: How can you move a pattern fill inside an object without moving the object itself?
- Hold Ctrl and drag the object
- Hold the tilde (~) key while dragging the object (Correct answer)
- Use the Direct Selection tool and drag the fill
- Hold Shift and drag the object
Correct answer: Hold the tilde (~) key while dragging the object
Holding the tilde (~) key while dragging an object moves only the pattern fill inside it, keeping the object's position unchanged.
Question 6: What happens to all objects using a pattern swatch when you edit and save that pattern in Pattern Editing Mode?
- Only newly placed objects reflect the updated pattern
- All objects in the document using that pattern update automatically (Correct answer)
- You must reapply the swatch to each object individually
- The original swatch is preserved and a new swatch is created for edited objects
Correct answer: All objects in the document using that pattern update automatically
Because objects reference the pattern swatch, editing and saving the swatch causes all objects in the document using it to update automatically.
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT one of the five tile types available in the Pattern Options panel?
- Grid
- Brick by Row
- Radial (Correct answer)
- Hex by Column
Correct answer: Radial
The five available tile types are Grid, Brick by Row, Brick by Column, Hex by Row, and Hex by Column; there is no Radial tile type.
Adobe Illustrator Patterns and Pattern Making 2
Which Pattern Options tile type offsets every other row by half the tile width, similar to brick masonry?