This filter applies a checkerboard appearance to the active layer, replacing the current layer content. Colours used will be the colour of the active layer in your Layers Palette, or black when applying this filter to an image.
Instructions
- Open the Filter Browser, and add a new filter set using the small + icon located in the middle of the browser. This will create a new ‘untitled’ filter set for you. This will appear in the top section of the Filter Browser. If you already have filter sets created, clicking the + button will duplicate the selected filter set.
- Select Checkerboard from the list of available filters in the lower section of the Filter Browser
- Double click on the name of the new filter set in the top section of the browser, and name it appropriately
Edit the variables to achieve the result you need.
Type:
- Checkerboard - will produces checks
-
Stripes - will produces stripes
- Width - adjusts the width of the checks / strips
- Sharpness - adjusts the edges of the checks and stripes, from very soft to very hard
- Centre - specify a new origin using a pin or selection. Without selecting one of these options, the centre of the effect will be the centre of the design. To learn more, go to the next tab - Using the Centre options
The tow images below demonstrate some of the possible effects using the Checkerboard Filter on the two different Types; Checkerboard and Stripes:
Using the Centre options
The origin of the effect applied by this filter will be the centre of the design, unless you specify a new origin using a pin or selection.
Around a pin
- Select the Pin Tool from the Tools Palette
- Click in the area of the design you want to apply this effect around. This will place a pin in that area.
- Click the Pin button under the filters variables. The new origin will be shown in brackets underneath.
- Edit the variables of the filter until you achieve the effects you need, and use one of the three options described in the next tab to apply the filter
In relation to a selection
- Draw a selection around the area you wish to apply the filter, and press the Selection button under the filters variables. The new origin will be shown in brackets underneath, and the effect will now be centred within the selection.
Clearing the Centre options
Press the X at any time to clear the new origins. 
Applying the filter
There are several ways to apply a filter:
- Click Apply - this will apply the filter to the active layer(s), and within a selection if there is one present in your file
- Click Make Layer - this will make a new layer in your file containing the filtered effect, leaving the original layer untouched
- Apply the filter using the Brush Tool - when you have finished building your filter set, simply close the Filter Browser. Then, open the Brushes Library, and select the filter you have just made from the drop down menu shown in the snapshot below. You can now paint with your filter.
Note: The default setting for the Brush Tool is ‘Brush”, located at the top of this drop down menu. To prevent you from becoming confused between the default setting and a filter setting, do not name any filters ‘Brush’. When you have finished painting with your filter, set the drop down menu back to the Brush setting, otherwise the Brush Tool may not behave as you would expect later on.
Applying the filter over a repeat join
Due to the nature of the filter, it does not repeat well over repeat joins, but this is very easy to resolve. If you are trying to achieve a checked or striped pattern to use in the background of a design, you could create a new file at the same resolution as the original file, and use the filter in a singe repeat to achieve the effect required.
You can then crop out a repeat of the new file.
Then you can drag and drop the filtered layer from the Layers Palette of the new file to the Layers Palette for the original design, placing it in the correct layer order.