How to Install Patterns, Layers, Brushes and Gradients

Installing Patterns, Layers, Brushes and Gradients in Photoshop or Illustrator.

Patterns, layers, brushes, gradients installation. Star Print Brokers prints books and designs books. This is a quick tutorial to make a book’s design that much more appealing. It may be advanced, so it is for accomplished graphic artists, or quick learners!

We do not give personal instruction in using Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, or Illustrator. Please see more guidance in our tutorial category.

Remember to double check your files when using patterns, layers, brushes, gradients. Just make sure everything is in CMYK.

Installing Patterns

To install patterns in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator:

Photoshop: Patterns are .PAT files

1. Go to Edit > Preset > Preset Manager. Select the Patterns preset type.
2. Click Load. Go to the file you want to install ending in .pat. Click open.
3. The new patterns will be located in Layer > Layer Styles > Pattern Overlay.

Illustrator: Patterns are .AI or .ASE Swatches

1. Go to Window > Swatch Libraries > Other Library
2. Locate the Illustrator pattern swatch file ending in .ai or .ase. Click open.
3. Your swatches will be in a separate Swatch Panel.
4. You can also open the .AI file as a normal Illustrator file. The file might look blank, but the swatches will appear in your Swatches Panel (Window > Swatches.)

Installing Layer Styles

Installing layer styles requires the following steps:

Photoshop: Styles are .ASL files

1. Go to Edit > Preset > Preset Manager.Select the Styles preset type.
2. Click Load. Locate the file ending in .ASL. Click open.
3. Your new patterns will be in the Styles Panel (Window > Styles).

Illustrator: Graphic Styles are .AI files

1. Go to Window > Graphic Style Libraries > Other Library
2. Locate the Illustrator graphic style file ending in .ai, then click open.
3. Your swatches will show up as a separate Graphic Styles Panel.
4. You can instead open the .AI file as a normal Illustrator file. The file might look blank, but the swatches will appear in your Graphic Styles Panel (Window > Graphic Styles.)

Installing Photoshop Gradients

Here’s how to install gradients (GRD files) in Photoshop:

1. Go to Edit > Preset > Preset Manager. Select the Gradients preset type.
2. Click Load. Locate the file(s) ending in .GRD. Click open.
3. Your new patterns will be in your Gradient tool, or where gradients are found in Layer Styles (Window > Tools or Layer > Layer Styles).

Installing Brushes and Tool Presets

Brushes and tool presets installation:

ABR – Photoshop Brushes
Installation:

1. Go to Edit > Preset > Preset Manager. Select the Brushes preset type.
2. Click Load. Locate the file ending in .ABR. Click open.
3. Your brushes will be in the Brush Tool in the Brushes Panel (Window > Brush)

AI – Illustrator Brushes
Installation:

1. Go to Window > Brush Libraries > Other Library
2. Locate the Illustrator brush file ending in .ai. Click open.
3. Your new brushes will be in a separate Brush Panel.
4. You can instead open the .AI file as a normal Illustrator file. The file might look blank, but the brushes will appear in your Brushes Panel (Window > Brushes.)

TPL – Photoshop Tool Presets
Installation:

1. With your Tool Presets Panel open (Window > Tool Presets). Click the small menu button in the top right corner. Choose “Load Tool Presets…”
2. Locate the .TPL file in your files, and click open. Your new Tool Presets will appear in your Tool Presets panel.

When you a preparing a book for printing with Star Print Brokers, all images need to be provided at 300 dpi (or greater), and at the approximate size they will be in the book. We suggest 350 dpi to allow for some enlargement. Images that will bleed must be sized to include an extra image bleed of 0.125” (or 3 mm) for all four sides. TIFs are preferred, but JPG format is acceptable.

Photos must be U.S. Sheetfed Coated v2 (we can apply if we do conversion). Black & white photos can simply be in Greyscale.

Enjoy a new look by installing patterns, layers, brushes, gradients to update your design! Remember to print your book with Star Print Brokers. While Amazon prints books, we print better books!