Q: Making a Checkerboard Pattern

For a detailed model I'm building I needed to simulate an 1890's linoleum floor -- just a black & white checkerboard pattern of a specific size with specific sized squares. Not knowing any better, I used Microsoft's Word to create a table and applied fill patterns to the cells in a checkerboard arrangement. Getting the desired sizes was very difficult because Work likes to keep things in its own resolutions. Nevertheless, I finally managed to get what I wanted but it was an experience I swore I'd never repeat.

SO ... Since I couldn't think of any way to use Photoshop to do it at the time, I didn't but the more I think about it the more I think it should be possible. Unfortunately I know a lot more about Word than about PS so I'm soliciting suggestions for creating a checkerboard pattern of a chosen size in PS CS2 [or 5.5 if it's easier there].

TIA
Norm

Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in fact someone made one and posted the file!

Glenn
Photo gallery at http://faczen.smugmug.com
Reply via the web portal at www.faczen.com
or email usenet at faczen dot ca

Norm Dresner wrote:

For a detailed model I'm building I needed to simulate an 1890's linoleum floor -- just a black & white checkerboard pattern of a specific size with specific sized squares. Not knowing any better, I used Microsoft's Word to create a table and applied fill patterns to the cells in a checkerboard arrangement. Getting the desired sizes was very difficult because Work likes to keep things in its own resolutions. Nevertheless, I finally managed to get what I wanted but it was an experience I swore I'd never repeat.

SO ... Since I couldn't think of any way to use Photoshop to do it at the time, I didn't but the more I think about it the more I think it should be possible. Unfortunately I know a lot more about Word than about PS so I'm soliciting suggestions for creating a checkerboard pattern of a chosen size in PS CS2 [or 5.5 if it's easier there].

TIA
Norm

Hi Norm,

I have a script for CS and CS2 that will create a checkerboard based on your foreground and background colours.

I can't claim to have created this script, as it is one of the example scripts included in the scripting reference guide that comes with CS2.

By editing the script you can vary the size of the squares. If you're not comfortable editing scripts, let me know the colours, size and number of squares you want and I'll edit it for you.

If you want a copy, let me know.

Hope this helps.

On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:17:51 GMT, "Norm Dresner" wrote:

For a detailed model I'm building I needed to simulate an 1890's linoleum floor -- just a black & white checkerboard pattern of a specific size with specific sized squares. Not knowing any better, I used Microsoft's Word to create a table and applied fill patterns to the cells in a checkerboard arrangement. Getting the desired sizes was very difficult because Work likes to keep things in its own resolutions. Nevertheless, I finally managed to get what I wanted but it was an experience I swore I'd never repeat.

SO ... Since I couldn't think of any way to use Photoshop to do it at the time, I didn't but the more I think about it the more I think it should be possible. Unfortunately I know a lot more about Word than about PS so I'm soliciting suggestions for creating a checkerboard pattern of a chosen size in PS CS2 [or 5.5 if it's easier there].

TIA
Norm

Bye for now,

George Dingwall

Invergordon, Scotland

http://freespace.virgin.net/george.gdingwall/index.html

"Guns/Zen4" wrote in message

Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in fact someone made one and posted the file!

Glenn
Photo gallery at http://faczen.smugmug.com
Reply via the web portal at www.faczen.com
or email usenet at faczen dot ca

Norm Dresner wrote:

For a detailed model I'm building I needed to simulate an 1890's linoleum floor -- just a black & white checkerboard pattern of a specific size with
specific sized squares. Not knowing any better, I used Microsoft's Word to
create a table and applied fill patterns to the cells in a checkerboard arrangement. Getting the desired sizes was very difficult because Work likes to keep things in its own resolutions. Nevertheless, I finally managed to get what I wanted but it was an experience I swore I'd never repeat.

SO ... Since I couldn't think of any way to use Photoshop to do it at the time, I didn't but the more I think about it the more I think it should be
possible. Unfortunately I know a lot more about Word than about PS so I'm
soliciting suggestions for creating a checkerboard pattern of a chosen size
in PS CS2 [or 5.5 if it's easier there].

TIA
Norm

there is a free one to download from Adobe Exchange studios grid creator or something
and I think I got a nice action for checks from there as well I think PS has some kind of background generator to for tiling images but I don't know how to use it.
I made some textures for my hubby that likes to put that pattern on NASCAR's, then saved them as textures
edit>fill>pattern

"Guns/Zen4" wrote in message
| Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on | "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in | fact someone made one and posted the file!
|
| Glenn

I admit to being somewhat dyslexic and occasionally GUI challenged -- and I couldn't find anything like this. Could you please give me a more direct link.

Thanks
Norm

"KatWoman" wrote in message
|
| there is a free one to download from Adobe Exchange studios | grid creator or something
| and I think I got a nice action for checks from there as well | I think PS has some kind of background generator to for tiling images but I
| don't know how to use it.
| I made some textures for my hubby that likes to put that pattern on | NASCAR's, then saved them as textures
| edit>fill>pattern
|

Wonderful resource. Thanks for reminding me of it.

Norm

"Norm Dresner" wrote in message

"Guns/Zen4" wrote in message
| Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on | "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in | fact someone made one and posted the file!
|
| Glenn

I admit to being somewhat dyslexic and occasionally GUI challenged -- and I
couldn't find anything like this. Could you please give me a more direct link.

Thanks
Norm

I went in PS and looked one of the actions makes only grids not checks The other one required a lot of tweaking
BUT
here is the simplest way to do what you want:

FILE new
use the resolution you need for the final finished piece for size of checks (for 200x200 size pixel checks) I used image size 400x400px
make sure snap to guides is on
set rulers to your choice pixels or inches
set one guide at the half in both directions
get the marquee tool
make a selection on the upper right
EDIT>FILL with black
shift (or is it contrl?) click then drag a duplicate shape to the bottom right
then make a new layer fill with white drag under black check layers EDIT define pattern

whatever document or shape you want to fill with the checks select all or select what you want to checker
edit>fill>pattern>choose it

KatWoman wrote:

"Norm Dresner" wrote in message

"Guns/Zen4" wrote in message
| Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on | "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in | fact someone made one and posted the file!
|
| Glenn

I admit to being somewhat dyslexic and occasionally GUI challenged -- and I
couldn't find anything like this. Could you please give me a more direct link.

Thanks
Norm

I went in PS and looked one of the actions makes only grids not checks The other one required a lot of tweaking
BUT
here is the simplest way to do what you want:

FILE new
use the resolution you need for the final finished piece for size of checks (for 200x200 size pixel checks) I used image size 400x400px
make sure snap to guides is on
set rulers to your choice pixels or inches
set one guide at the half in both directions
get the marquee tool
make a selection on the upper right
EDIT>FILL with black
shift (or is it contrl?) click then drag a duplicate shape to the bottom right
then make a new layer fill with white drag under black check layers EDIT define pattern

whatever document or shape you want to fill with the checks select all or select what you want to checker
edit>fill>pattern>choose it

this will let you create a pixel-perfect grid that you can style however you need, and resize the grid without quality loss:

1 create a new image, any size (I used 12x12 pixels)
2 set grid to be 1 every pixel, activate it (CTRL + ") 3 toggle snap on as said previously (VIEW > Snap all) 4 select rectangle tool (U)
5 drag a box to fill square (A black shape now fills the image— but you may have to adjust the shape with the transform tool (CTRL + T) until the canvas is filled with solid black, leaving no fuzzy areas, and the rectangle's lines aren't off of the image area. You'll feel the cursor snag when it snaps to the document's bounds)
6 resize canvas
A: check relative and enter the current dimensions of the image (effectively quadrupling the size)
B: set the anchor to be in the bottom left corner
7 duplicate the rectangle by alt-dragging to the upper-right corner (again the rectangle will snag when it snaps into place in the upper right corner)
8 link the two rectangle shapes in the layer palette
9 create a set from the two rectangles.
10 duplicate the rectangles' layer set
11 with the second set selected, Edit > Transform > Flip horizontal 12 Select colors to fill in your grid (the current screen will be filled with black, just click on the layer palette preview icons of each rectangle, and experiment)
13 delete the background layer, and check for transparency "bleeding through"

sorry about the long post, but it really doesn't take long to do. -theartist

p.s. Keeping SNAP set to track document bounds is rarely useful, IMHO. But having SNAP on for document bounds is crucial for this piece.

theartist wrote:

KatWoman wrote:

"Norm Dresner" wrote in message

"Guns/Zen4" wrote in message
| Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on | "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in
| fact someone made one and posted the file!
|
| Glenn

I admit to being somewhat dyslexic and occasionally GUI challenged -- and I
couldn't find anything like this. Could you please give me a more direct
link.

Thanks
Norm

I went in PS and looked one of the actions makes only grids not checks The other one required a lot of tweaking
BUT
here is the simplest way to do what you want:

FILE new
use the resolution you need for the final finished piece for size of checks (for 200x200 size pixel checks) I used image size 400x400px
make sure snap to guides is on
set rulers to your choice pixels or inches
set one guide at the half in both directions
get the marquee tool
make a selection on the upper right
EDIT>FILL with black
shift (or is it contrl?) click then drag a duplicate shape to the bottom right
then make a new layer fill with white drag under black check layers EDIT define pattern

whatever document or shape you want to fill with the checks select all or select what you want to checker
edit>fill>pattern>choose it

this will let you create a pixel-perfect grid that you can style however you need, and resize the grid without quality loss:

1 create a new image, any size (I used 12x12 pixels)
2 set grid to be 1 every pixel, activate it (CTRL + ") 3 toggle snap on as said previously (VIEW > Snap all) 4 select rectangle tool (U)
5 drag a box to fill square (A black shape now fills the image— but you may have to adjust the shape with the transform tool (CTRL + T) until the canvas is filled with solid black, leaving no fuzzy areas, and the rectangle's lines aren't off of the image area. You'll feel the cursor snag when it snaps to the document's bounds)
6 resize canvas
A: check relative and enter the current dimensions of the image (effectively quadrupling the size)
B: set the anchor to be in the bottom left corner
7 duplicate the rectangle by alt-dragging to the upper-right corner (again the rectangle will snag when it snaps into place in the upper right corner)
8 link the two rectangle shapes in the layer palette
9 create a set from the two rectangles.
10 duplicate the rectangles' layer set
11 with the second set selected, Edit > Transform > Flip horizontal 12 Select colors to fill in your grid (the current screen will be filled with black, just click on the layer palette preview icons of each rectangle, and experiment)
13 delete the background layer, and check for transparency "bleeding through"

sorry about the long post, but it really doesn't take long to do. -theartist

p.s. Keeping SNAP set to track document bounds is rarely useful, IMHO. But having SNAP on for document bounds is crucial for this piece.

sorry— you'll have to double-click the rectangles' preview in the layer palette to change their colors (STEP 12)
-theartist

KatWoman wrote:

"Guns/Zen4" wrote in message

Go over to adobe.photoshop.windows and search for the thread on "Checkerboard". I asked and got some simple answers on how to do it (in fact someone made one and posted the file!

Glenn
Photo gallery at http://faczen.smugmug.com
Reply via the web portal at www.faczen.com
or email usenet at faczen dot ca

Norm Dresner wrote:

For a detailed model I'm building I needed to simulate an 1890's linoleum floor -- just a black & white checkerboard pattern of a specific size with
specific sized squares. Not knowing any better, I used Microsoft's Word to
create a table and applied fill patterns to the cells in a checkerboard arrangement. Getting the desired sizes was very difficult because Work likes to keep things in its own resolutions. Nevertheless, I finally managed to get what I wanted but it was an experience I swore I'd never repeat.

SO ... Since I couldn't think of any way to use Photoshop to do it at the time, I didn't but the more I think about it the more I think it should be
possible. Unfortunately I know a lot more about Word than about PS so I'm
soliciting suggestions for creating a checkerboard pattern of a chosen size
in PS CS2 [or 5.5 if it's easier there].

TIA
Norm

there is a free one to download from Adobe Exchange studios grid creator or something
and I think I got a nice action for checks from there as well I think PS has some kind of background generator to for tiling images but I don't know how to use it.
I made some textures for my hubby that likes to put that pattern on NASCAR's, then saved them as textures
edit>fill>pattern

this will let you create a pixel-perfect grid that you can style however you need, and resize the grid without quality loss:

1 create a new image, any size (I used 12x12 pixels)
2 set grid to be 1 every pixel, activate it (CTRL + ") 3 toggle snap on as said previously (VIEW > Snap all) 4 select rectangle tool (U)
5 drag a box to fill square (A black shape now fills the image— but you may have to adjust the shape with the transform tool (CTRL + T) until the canvas is filled with solid black, leaving no fuzzy areas, and the rectangle's lines aren't off of the image area. You'll feel the cursor snag when it snaps to the document's bounds)
6 resize canvas
A: check relative and enter the current dimensions of the image (effectively quadrupling the size)
B: set the anchor to be in the bottom left corner
7 duplicate the rectangle by alt-dragging to the upper-right corner (again the rectangle will snag when it snaps into place in the upper right corner)
8 link the two rectangle shapes in the layer palette
9 create a set from the two rectangles.
10 duplicate the rectangles' layer set
11 with the second set selected, Edit > Transform > Flip horizontal 12 Select colors to fill in your grid (the current screen will be filled with black, just double-click on the layer palette preview icons of each rectangle, and experiment)
13 delete the background layer, and check for transparency "bleeding through"

sorry about the long post, but it really doesn't take long to do. -theartist

p.s. Keeping SNAP set to track document bounds is rarely useful, IMHO. But having SNAP on for document bounds is crucial for this piece.

theartist wrote:

...
this will let you create a pixel-perfect grid that you can style however you need, and resize the grid without quality loss:

1 create a new image, any size (I used 12x12 pixels)
...
13 delete the background layer, and check for transparency "bleeding through"

Well, I wasn't going to add to this thread, but you've forced it upon me. Here's another way.
1) Download my plugin Filter Foundry,
http://www.telegraphics.com.au/sw/#filterfoundry
2) Apply it, and enter the formula '255*((x/ctl(0))^(y/ctl(0))&1)' in each channel
3) Adjust size of checker pattern using top slider.

sorry about the long post, but it really doesn't take long to do. -theartist

p.s. Keeping SNAP set to track document bounds is rarely useful, IMHO. But having SNAP on for document bounds is crucial for this piece.

toby wrote:

theartist wrote:

...
this will let you create a pixel-perfect grid that you can style however you need, and resize the grid without quality loss:

1 create a new image, any size (I used 12x12 pixels)
...
13 delete the background layer, and check for transparency "bleeding through"

Well, I wasn't going to add to this thread, but you've forced it upon me. Here's another way.
1) Download my plugin Filter Foundry,
http://www.telegraphics.com.au/sw/#filterfoundry
2) Apply it, and enter the formula '255*((x/ctl(0))^(y/ctl(0))&1)' in each channel
3) Adjust size of checker pattern using top slider.

sorry about the long post, but it really doesn't take long to do. -theartist

p.s. Keeping SNAP set to track document bounds is rarely useful, IMHO. But having SNAP on for document bounds is crucial for this piece.

I was trying to teach a Kat how to fish...

-theartist