Creating a Polka Dot Pattern

Create a new document (File > New > Blank File) at 2 inches by 2 inches and a resolution of 72 pixels/inch.

Create a new layer by clicking the new layer icon on the layers palette . Next you will fill it with the color you want to use for your background. Select Edit > Fill and select the color you prefer. I choose an orange color.

Create another new layer . Turn on your grid (View > Show> Grid) as a guide in order to make your dots appeared to be distributed equally.

Also select View > Snap to > Grid to give you more control on placing your dots in the squares.

Now we are ready to add our dots. Click on the Brush Tool and using a hard round brush add dots to your tile. I used a the brush preset below:

Now begin clicking in the squares as shown below:

To turn off the grid simply select View > Show > Grid. Now we will save this to use as a pattern. Click Edit > Define Pattern.

At the define pattern dialog box enter a name for the pattern and click OK. I called mine Black and Yellow Polka Dot.

To use this pattern again in the future you will need to take one more step. Click Edit > Preset Manager.

You are going to use this pattern in the next activity.