Creating a Print Pattern Cover in Microsoft Publisher

Getting Started

This Publisher uses Microsoft Publisher 2010 (32 bit) to demonstrate the process for creating a print pattern cover in Microsoft Publisher. Users who do not have Publisher installed can download it as part of the Microsoft Office 2010 trial version that is available from the Microsoft Office Web site.

Once Publisher is installed, users should open the program and then choose a template to begin.

This example chooses “Newsletter” and then chose “Real Estate: from the several varieties of newsletter topics on the following screen.

When the template is loaded, the cover page should be displayed in the document window.

This is where we will be creating a print pattern cover in Microsoft Publisher. This tutorial is for illustration purposes only, so readers should remain aware that more options are available than those that are presented here.

Adding the Pattern Cover

Now that a basic document has been created, it’s time to begin ccreating a print pattern cover in Microsoft Publisher. On the main menu ribbon, select the “Page Design” tab. It is usually about the fourth option from the top left corner of the Publisher Window.

Now look toward the right of the “Page Design” ribbon and select the “Page Design”

click the “Background” option and then choose the “More Backgrounds” option at the bottom of the menu. This will open a separate window that will be used to navigate to the available patterns.

In the “Fill Effects” window, click the “Pattern” tab, browse until a suitable pattern is found. There are a variety of stripe patterns, dots, checkers, and other patterns to choose from.

Here the foreground and background colors can be selected from the “Scheme Colors,” “Standard Colors,” and the “More Colors” palettes. With the selection of different colors, the patterns change in the selection window. A larger preview of the chosen pattern is visible at the lower right corner of the selection window.

Also in this window, the option to rotate the pattern fill is not applicable because the settings here apply to the background, not to a shape, text, or other object. When the selections are complete, click the “OK” button.

The pattern cover is now in place.

The pattern cover can now by edited for content and appearance as desired. Now will be a good time to save the file so all this hard work doesn’t get lost.

Wrapping it Up

This Microsoft Publisher tutorial took you through the steps required for creating a print pattern cover in Microsoft Publisher. Users should keep in mind that this can work for any type of cover including brochures, flyers and booklets. In addition, if the cover pattern is to be reused throughout the current publication, users should consider creating it on a master page to eliminate the need for a redundant effort.

Image Credits: Screen shots taken by Bruce Tyson