Create a really simple seamless Diamond Plate pattern to fill most any text or objects within Illustrator and get that edgy look.

Step 1

Create a new Illustrator document 460px wide by 230px high with the color mode set to RGB color.

Step 2

Select the Ellipse Tool (L) and click anywhere on the art-board to bring up the Ellipse Tool dialog.

Step 3

Create an ellipse 5px wide by 25px high and set its color to dark gray (RGB 127, 127, 127). Center the ellipse both horizontally and vertically on the art-board.

Step 4

Once again select the Ellipse Tool (L) and click anywhere on the art-board to bring up the Ellipse Tool dialog.

Step 5

Create a smaller ellipse 7px wide by 7px high that is the same dark gray color. Center the smaller ellipse both horizontally and vertically on the art-board.

Step 6

Add the two ellipses together by Option-clicking the Add to shape area button on the Pathfinder palette.

Step 7

Add a black (RGB 0, 0, 0) stroke with a weight of 0.625pt. Pull up the Appearance palette and move the black stroke behind the dark grey fill color.

Step 8

Create a duplicate copy of the dark gray shape (Command C) and paste it directly in front of the first shape (Command F). Change the fill color of the new shape to light gray (RGB 191, 191, 191) and remove the black stroke.

Step 9

Offset a copy of the new shape to the right.

• Object > Transform > Move (Shift + Command + M)
• Horizontal: 0.75px
• Vertical: 0px
• Make sure to click Copy instead of OK

Step 10

Subtract the second copy of the light gray shape from the first by Option-clicking the Subtract from shape area button on the Pathfinder palette.

Step 11

Select all of the shapes and group them together (Command G) to make one easy to handle object.

Step 12

Rotate the grouped object 45°.

• Object > Transform > Rotate
• Angle: 45°

Step 13

Shift a copy of the newly the rotated object to the right.

• Object > Transform > Move (Shift + Command + M)
• Horizontal: 40px
• Vertical: 0px
• Make sure to click Copy instead of OK

Step 14

Select both objects and move a copy of the down.

• Object > Transform > Move (Shift + Command + M)
• Horizontal: 0px
• Vertical: 40px
• Make sure to click Copy instead of OK

Step 15

Select all four objects and move them once more.

• Object > Transform > Move (Shift + Command + M)
• Horizontal: 20px
• Vertical: -20px
• Make sure to click Copy instead of OK

Step 16

Select all four of the new objects and reflect them vertically.

• Object > Transform > Reflect
• Vertical: Selected

Step 17

Finally select all eight object and drag-and-drop them inside of the Swatches palette to create a Swatch Pattern. Once you have the pattern as a swatch you can apply it as a fill or stroke to any shape object inside of Illustrator.

Conclusion

No you have a full vector pattern that you can seamlessly fill any shape, object, or text within Illustrator. Thanks again for visiting The Design Playbook and feel free to comment below… And don’t forget to download the project files (down a little lower)!

Download Project Files

Extra Credit

Since your pattern is now a swatch you can scale it up or down in size to fit any application. You can also play with other shapes (see below) or colors to get different looks.