Repeating background patterns and images, patterns such as these can be used for a host of things such as a web page backgrounds, or adding that extra detail to a containing block, adjust the visibility and you’ve got a great new look for some thing that would normally look quite plain.
Here you’ll find some tutorials on how to create your own patterns and some resources to download patterns.
Download Patterns
Below are a few sites that have huge collections of background patterns for you to download and use for free.
Brusheezy Patterns
Deviantart Patterns
Squid Fingers Patterns
Pattern 8
Patterns Ava7
Din Pattern
Everyday Icons Patterns
Pattern Cooler
k10k Pixel Patterns
Noqta Patterns
Make your own patterns online
Make you own custom patterns online and downlaod them, or use someone elses as a base for you own creation.
Stripe Mania
Bg Patterns
Stripe Generator
Tutorials
A collection of useful tutorials on how to create repeating background patterns of your own.
- Ps Hero Complex patterns pt1 - Creating complex patterns pt1
- Complex patterns pt2 - Ps Hero Creating complex patterns pt2
- Design Sponge - A Nice example of how to repeat a complex pattern
- Digital Arts - How to create a complex pattern illustrator swatch
- Tutorials 2.0 - Creating a tiled background in Photoshop
- Youtube Tutorial - Easy video tutorial on creating a tileable background image
Other Resources about patterns
- Textures and Patterns Design Showcase - Smashing magazine shows web sites that use background patterns, massive show case
There’s probably a lot more sources out there and id love to know about them, so if you’ve seen any awesome pattern sites or tutorials on how to create patterns feel free to leave a comment where they can be found and ill add them to the list, hope this has been useful.
37 Comments
Nice, I use Squid Fingers every so often for patterns.
check http://www.noqta.it/dromoscopio/ too
Kaliber10000 may also be worth checking out.
http://www.k10k.net/
Nice list!
Squid Fingers, Brusheezy, Deviantart Patterns are one of the best sites where u get background patters and these are in my top list.
cool.. i search patern like this in the long time, thanx.
this place has 40+ patterns, and more are uploaded all the time
http://thevariant.com
I like your layout! lol
Seriously, great post. Will probably need some of these soon!
Thanks!
nice patterns, thanks for sharing.
Good resources. I’m bookmarking this article for the “Best design resources of August 2008″ article.
@ Eli - Thanks for the request
@ Lauren - Nice site thanks for requesting
@ BeyondRandom - Cool, gladd this can help
@ Crazyleaf - Thats awesome, Nice blog you have aswell.
Nice collection, definitely one to keep in mind when a project pops up where I can use patterns.
Your own design is awesome! Well done!
Nice collection, awesome!
I like this one:
http://www.colourlovers.com/
Some really cool patterns, all of which you color urself!
Couldn’t be easier
Oh and I use this one for stripes
http://www.stripegenerator.com/
@ Youri - yea true, ill find it helpful myself at some point
@ Buttons by Benny - Thanks
@ Ghulam Abbas Khatri - Thanks
@ Jonze - Thanks for reccomendations ive added them to the list
So cool! those background images are really good ones! Thanks
Nice resource. You can find lots of vector patterns at http://www.patternhead.com
What a great resource. Thanks!
I like some of these patterns. Are you going to be adding any news ones soon??
Nice! You are using a free wordpress template to talk about design, oh the irony.
@ Sean - Hmm seems you didnt read the about page and you would have seen that iam currently working on my own wordpress theme for this blog, it kinda like saying to a programmer you are using a wordpress theme oh the irony, when they could have coded the whole thing themselves. Using someone elses theme allowed me to get this blog of the ground without me even taking the time to learn how to code for wordpress other wise i would have had to put this off more months :(
Думаю понравится любому!
I think that the background is really attractive…
The background tiles are too good…
If you can add some more designs to increase it beauty…
Nice collection thanks for sharing.
I like the patterns at everyday icons, but unfortunately I don’t read Japanese and can’t run the site through a translator as it’s Flash-based, so I have no idea what their terms of use are :(
http://patterns.ava7.com
over 600 patterns ;)
Thanks for the patterns these can be useful
thanks for these :)
here is another good source
http://www.theinspirationgallery.com/wallpaper/index.htm
Fantastic list!
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Really, really useful list of resources here. Thanks very much, perfect to find a new background image for my blog!
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this is really great a very useful sites.good thing i stumbled your site.thanks for sharing.
great resource, thanks for the list.
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Nice collection!
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thanks for sharing these great resources.
Brilliant, Cheers! Some of those are a bit crazy. When used wisely though they should do the job. I think the best way to use backgrounds is to work with them gradients and splitting up a couple of backgrounds one colour one pattern.
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