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Colored Patterns and Stencil (Uncolored) Patterns

Colored patterns have inherent colors associated with them. Change the coloring used to create the pattern cell, and the pattern loses its meaning. A Scottish tartan (such as the sample one shown in Figure 6-8) is an example of a colored pattern. The color in a colored pattern is specified as part of the pattern cell creation process, not as part of the pattern drawing process.

Other patterns are defined solely on their shape and, for that reason, can be thought of as stencil patterns, uncolored patterns, or even as an image mask. The red and black stars shown in Figure 6-9 are each renditions of the same pattern cell. The cell itself consists of one shape—a filled star. When the pattern cell was defined, no color was associated with it. The color is specified as part of the pattern drawing process, not as part of the pattern cell creation.

You can create either kind of pattern—colored or stencil—in Quartz 2D.

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