Making Custom Textures
(Adobe PhotoShop 4)
~ Creating Textures ~

Creating tiling textures.

I use an Action File to create tiling textures. It is freeware by Andre Bode. The Action file is like a Macro, automating a lot of steps for you. It is very easy to use and includes prompts and instructions as you are running it. Click here to download Action File if you do not already have it.
 
1. Download the Tile Action file and unzip it anywhere. Your Photoshop directory would be good. 
2. Find your Action Palette, its one of the floating tool boxes with one tab in it called Actions. If your Action Palette is not displayed, from the menu, select Window > Show Actions
3. Load the Action File from the Action Palette menu. Just click on the little Right Arrow near the top of the Action Palette and a large Submenu opens up. From the Action Palette Submenu select Load Actions.  The standard Windows Load dialog box pops up and you just need to find the tile.atn file you unzipped in step 1. 
4. Then switch the Action Palette to Button mode from the same Action Palette Submenu if you aren’t there already. 
5. You will see 18 new buttons in your Action Palette now, starting with Textured Tile-Instructions, and ending with Test Your Tile
6. When you start making a tile with this Action, you can specify the background color you have selected in your Toolbox to be the base color. The two color swatches at the bottom of the Toolbox show the current selections. You can change them by clicking on them to call up the Color Picker Dialog box. 
7. Press the instructions button and follow along. When you are prompted to enter the tile size, just pick 64 pixels by 64 pixels. The rest of the instructions are very thorough, with suggestions and tips to follow. Just play with it, some of the included filters are great. I was amazed at how easy it is to use. I have tried making tiling textures manually and I know I’ll never go back to that. 
8. When you are done playing with the filters, press the Finish Textured Tile button.  A Hue/Saturation box pops up, and suddenly your colors look screwy, don't panic.  Uncheck the Colorize selection in the lower right and the correct colors are restored.  If everything looks ok, then select OK. 
9. Next select the last button, Test Your Tile.  If you are happy with the Test results, you are ready to Save the new texture.

 
 
 
 
 

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