Artlandia SymmetryMill is a tool for creating seamless repeating patterns from virtually any image in a standalone application on your desktop. See this video tutorial for a quick overview.
SymmetryWorks and SymmetryShop are for professionals. They are more versatile and powerful, and require Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to run, respectively. SymmetryMill, on the other hand, is a tool for both professionals and the rest of us, and it does not require any additional software. A more detailed point-by-point comparison of the pattern design tools is here.
There are several good reasons to add SymmetryMill to your arsenal. You will be able to quickly
Just drop an image on any of the SymmetryMill windows (or use the built-in demo image) and SymmetryMill immediately constructs its first pattern for you. Then you move or modify the control path, the symmetry, or blending, and all these changes bring you new patterns. SymmetryMill's tooltips and dynamically changing cursors help you along the way.
No, you simply use the control path to select a part of the image as a motif and SymmetryMill makes all the necessary transformations (rotations, reflections, and so on) for you. The seventeen symmetry controls let you choose a type of pattern with a click of the mouse. These controls are exactly the same as in SymmetryWorks and SymmetryShop.
Yes, the seventeen symmetry controls in SymmetryMill are provided exactly for that purpose. See examples of the seventeen wallpaper groups here, or all the 17 symmetry types in a diagram here.
The control path in the Source Image window lets you interactively change the repeat size of your patterns. The shape of the control path depends on symmetry (and will be familiar to SymmetryWorks and SymmetryShop users too). You can learn about the control path from this short tutorial.
Yes, in SymmetryMill, it is called "saving a pattern snapshot." Snapshots are stored in sets (groups) that are kept in your user account on Artlandia servers. If you like, you can share some of your private snapshot sets publicly on Pattern Central. See this video tutorial about pattern sharing.
Virtually any GIFF, JPG (JPEG), or PNG image from your local computer or the internet.
No, unless you want to share it. Otherwise, your local file remains on your computer.
Yes, just make sure that your scan is saved as a JPEG, PNG, or GIFF file.
Yes, but first you will have to save your Photoshop image as a JPEG, PNG, or GIFF file.
Easily. Here is a video tutorial with detailed step-by-step instructions for creating brick and drop repeats.
SymmetryMill comes with an online user guide, which gives short instructions for creating popular types of repeating patterns. Many more pattern design terms are defined and illustrated in the Artlandia Glossary of Pattern Design. And then there is a large collection of free repeating patterns on Pattern Central, sorted by categories, with some examples that are specifically tagged as "repeating patterns" and "seamless patterns". You can load all these patterns in SymmetryMill and learn by example. See more about pattern lookup here.
SymmetryMill always uses the resolution of the source image. If you want to create a pattern with a higher (or lower) resolution, simply use a higher (lower) resolution in the source image.
Yes, you can export a SymmetryMill pattern as a rectangular tile that will perfectly tile an entire web page or part of a page.
Yes, you can create plaid, stripe, check, and many other types of repeating patterns.
Easily. Kaleidoscope is one of the available symmetry types.
Definitely. SymmetryMill's snapshots are simple recipes that you can apply to the image after you edit it—or to a completely different image for that matter. See Advanced Use of Snapshots.
Just click the Share button in SymmetryMill and follow the instructions. You can share your patterns publicly or with a group of people of your choice. For more info about sharing, see this video tutorial.
Yes, everyone can load your shared patterns in SymmetryMill and see them exactly as you do. The only limitation is that people without a SymmetryMill subscription will not be able to edit your patterns (unless your patterns are created from the built-in demo image).
On Pattern Central, you can browse shared patterns by date, rating, category, and more. There is also a special group of Featured Patterns.
Yes, you can follow @symmetrystream on Twitter. As soon as a new submission is received, SymmetryMill automatically posts a message there:
Of course. Feel free to browse!
Yes, you can extensively try the free limited version before subscribing to the full version. All patterns that you make with the limited version can later be used with the full version too. Feel free to download SymmetryMill and give it a try.
The very first version of SymmetryMill was indeed created as a browser plug-in. The current, improved version works as a standalone application on all modern versions of Mac OS and Windows. The detailed system requirements are here.
Yes and there are two way to do it:
You may want to check our Illustrator and Photoshop plug-ins for pattern design: Artlandia SymmetryWorks and SymmetryShop. Click here for a comparison chart.
You've come to the right place. If you work in Photoshop, consider Artlandia SymmetryShop. If you'd rather work in a standalone application, then SymmetryMill is for you. Our homage to Terrazzo is here.
