Web Development: How to Make a Grid Pattern in Photoshop

How to Make a Grid Pattern in Photoshop

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to make four different types of grid patterns in Photoshop and discover how to create a Photoshop grid overlay.

What You'll Learn in This Photoshop Tutorial

How to create a grid in Photoshop
How to create a square pattern in Photoshop
How to make a grid pattern in Photoshop
How to create a grid texture in Photoshop
How to make a grid overlay in Photoshop

If you don't have the time to learn how to create a grid in Photoshop, you can always check out Envato Elements, where you can find a massive collection of Photoshop grid patterns.

This collection of Photoshop grid overlay masks is the perfect example and is ideal for a creative photography presentation. The pack includes circle grid patterns, hexagonal grid patterns, isometric grid patterns, dot grid patterns, polar grid patterns, and Photoshop square patterns.

What You Will Need:

You will need the following resource in order to create your Photoshop grid overlay:

Tree photo

1. How to Create a New Document and Set Up a Photoshop Grid

Step 1

Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu and set the Width and Height to 80. Select RGB for the Color Mode, and then click the Create button.

Enable the Grid (View > Show > Grid) and Snap to Grid (View > Snap to > Grid).

You will need a grid every 1 px, so let's go to Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grid & Slices, and enter 1 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. Change the grid color to Medium Blue, select the dashed grid style, and try not to get discouraged by all that grid—it will make your work easier, and keep in mind that you can easily enable or disable the Photoshop grid using the Control-" keyboard shortcut.

Now that your Photoshop grid is set up, let's learn how to make a grid pattern in Photoshop.

Step 2

Focus on the Layers panel (Window > Layers), hold down the Alt key, and double-click your 'Background' layer to unlock it.

2. How to Create a Grid Pattern in Photoshop

Step 1

Focus on your toolbar, set the foreground color to black (R=0 G=0 B=0), and select the Paint Bucket Tool (G). Simply click on your canvas to fill your selected layer with black.

Step 2

Set the foreground color to white (R=255 G=255 B=255) and grab the Rectangle Tool (U) from your toolbar.

Create a 4 x 80 px shape and place it exactly as shown in the following image—the Photoshop grid and Snap to Grid should make it easier.

Step 3

Using the same tool and color, create an 80 x 4 px shape and place it exactly as shown below.

Step 4

Focus on the Layers panel and turn off the visibility of your black layer, and then go to Edit > Define Pattern. Type in a name for your grid pattern, and then click OK to save it.

At the end of this tutorial, after you've learned several techniques to create a grid in Photoshop, I will show you where you can find this grid pattern and how you can use it.

3. How to Create a Square Pattern in Photoshop

Focus on the Layers panel and turn off the visibility for your white rectangles.

Make sure that the Rectangle tool (U) is still active, hold down the Shift key, and create a 16 px square. Place this shape exactly as shown below, and then go again to Edit > Define Pattern. Type in a name for this new grid pattern, and then click OK to save it.

4. How to Create a Hexagon Grid Texture in Photoshop

Step 1

Hit Control-N to create a 304 x 380 px new document. Make sure that the Grid (View > Show > Grid) and Snap to Grid (View > Snap to > Grid) are enabled, and focus on the Layers panel.

Again, unlock your 'Background' layer and fill it with black.

Step 2

Select the Polygon Tool (U) from your toolbar, and click on your canvas to open the Create Polygon window.

Make sure that you check the Symmetric box, enter all the settings shown in the following image, and then click the OK button to create your hexagon.

Move to the control panel to remove the Fill color, set the Stroke color to white, increase the stroke width to 8 px, and then click the stroke type button and make sure that the alignment is set to Center.

Step 3

Make sure that your hexagon is still selected and press Control-T as you need to rotate your shape 90 degrees. This can be done manually, or you can set the rotation angle to 90 degrees in the control panel.

When you're done, just press Enter to apply the transformation.

Step 4

Pick the Move Tool (V), hold down the Alt key, and add a copy of your hexagon exactly as shown in the following image.

You can select both shapes from the Layers panel and then switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A) to be sure that those two sides overlap perfectly.

Step 5

Using the same technique, add another two copies of your hexagon, as shown below.

Step 6

Focus on the Layers panel, select all your hexagon shapes, and press Control-G to Group them.

Press Control-A to load a selection around your entire canvas, focus on the control panel, and then click the Align horizontal center and Align vertical center buttons to easily move your group of shapes to the center of the canvas.

Step 7

Select the Rectangle Tool (U) and create a 104 x 180 px shape. Fill this rectangle with R=255 G=26 B=121 and lower its Opacity to 30% just so you can see what lies behind it.

With this shape selected and the selection around your canvas still active, return to the control panel and click the Align horizontal center and Align vertical center buttons to move your rectangle to the center of the canvas, as shown in the following image.

Step 8

Focus on the Layers panel, hold down the Control key, and click your red rectangle to load a selection around it.

Go to Image > Crop to crop the canvas around your selection, and then you can press Control-D to get rid of that selection.

Step 9

Focus on the Layers panel, select your red rectangle, and simply delete it, and then go to Edit > Define Pattern. Type in a name for this new grid pattern and then click OK to save it.

5. How to Create an Isometric Grid Pattern in Photoshop

Step 1

Press Control-Z a few times to Undo the latest commands and return to the larger canvas, and then focus on the bottom hexagon shape.

Using the Line Tool (U) or the Pen Tool (P), create a 120 px vertical path. You can hold down the Shift key as you create this path to easily create a perfectly straight path.

Again, apply a white stroke to this path and set the width to 8 px. Switch to the Move Tool (V) and make sure that you place this line exactly as shown in the following image.

Step 2

Make sure that your line is still selected, and press Control-J to duplicate it. With this copy selected, press Control-T to rotate it 60 degrees, and then press Enter.

Reselect your vertical path, press Control-J again to duplicate it, and then rotate the copy -60 degrees.

Step 3

Grab the Move Tool (V), select your three lines from the Layers panel, and drag the copies on top of your other hexagon shapes.

Step 4

Load a selection around your red rectangle and then go to Image > Crop.

Step 5

Get rid of that red rectangle and then go to Edit > Define Pattern. Type in a name for this final grid pattern and click OK to save it.

6. How to Create a Grid Overlay in Photoshop

Now that you've created your own Photoshop grid patterns, let's see how you can use them.

Open this Tree photo in Photoshop, go to the Layers panel, and double-click it to open the Layer Style window.

Enable the Pattern Overlay, and when you click that pattern thumbnail, you will find your four patterns. Select a grid pattern, enter the rest of the settings shown in the following image, click OK, and that's how you create a grid overlay in Photoshop.

Congratulations! You're Done!

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and don't hesitate to use these techniques to create your own grid patterns in Photoshop.

Remember that you can find some great sources of inspiration at Envato Elements, with interesting solutions to improve your Photoshop grid texture.

Popular Grid Pattern From Envato Elements

Envato Elements is an excellent resource for Photoshop grid patterns. Here's a short list of some of the most popular grid patterns that you can find.

Photoshop Grid Overlay Masks (EPS, PSD)

If you don't have the time to learn how to make a grid in Photoshop, you can always try this collection of Photoshop grid overlay masks, which is ideal for a creative photography presentation. This pack includes circle grid patterns, hexagonal grid patterns, isometric grid patterns, dot grid patterns, polar grid patterns, and Photoshop square patterns.

20 Space Grid Backgrounds (JPG)

Cut the hassle of learning how to make a grid in Photoshop and use one of these sleek and colorful grid patterns instead.

Gold Geometric Patterns (PSD)

Don't have the time to learn how to make a grid pattern in Photoshop? In this case, you can use one of these 3D grid patterns to create mesmerizing designs.

Geometric Vector Patterns (AI, EPS, PSD, PNG)

Save the time that you would spend learning how to create a grid in Photoshop and use this massive pack of 40 seamless hexagon patterns.

50 Hexagonal Backgrounds (EPS, JPG)

If you're in a hurry or you simply can't be bothered to learn how to create a grid in Photoshop, this small pack of hexagonal backgrounds might be the perfect solution.