How to Work with Symbols in Adobe Illustrator
Posted on 17th June 2023
3 to 5 times each
Introduction
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful vector drawing program that can be used for a wide variety of graphic design purposes. One of the program’s most useful features is its symbol library, which allows you to save and reuse complex artwork or groups of objects. In this article, we’ll give an overview of how to work with symbols in Adobe Illustrator.
Creating Symbols
To create a symbol in Adobe Illustrator, simply select the object or group of objects that you want to turn into a symbol and drag it into the Symbols panel. You can also create a symbol by choosing New Symbol from the Symbols menu. Once you’ve created a symbol, you can give it a name and choose a symbol type from the options in the Symbol Options dialog box.
Using Symbols
Once you’ve created a symbol, you can use it in your artwork by dragging it from the Symbols panel onto the artboard. You can also use the Symbol Spray tool to spray symbols onto the artboard, or the Symbol Screener tool to create a raster image from a symbol. If you need to make changes to a symbol, simply double-click on it to edit the original artwork.
Conclusion
Symbols are a powerful feature in Adobe Illustrator that can save you time and effort when creating complex artwork. We hope this article has given you a basic understanding of how to work with symbols in Adobe Illustrator.
How to Work with Symbols in Adobe Illustrator
Symbols are a handy feature in Adobe Illustrator that can be used to quickly create duplicates of an object. In this article, we’ll show you how to create and work with symbols in Illustrator.
Creating Symbols
To create a symbol, select the object you want to turn into a symbol and drag it into the Symbols panel. Alternatively, you can go to Insert > Symbol or press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + S.
Once you’ve created a symbol, you can double-click on it in the Symbols panel to edit it. This will open up the Symbol Options dialog, where you can change the symbol’s name, color, and other properties.
Using Symbols
To use a symbol, select the Type tool and click on the symbol in the Symbols panel. This will insert a copy of the symbol at the cursor location.
You can also use the Symbol Sprayer tool to insert multiple copies of a symbol in a spray-like fashion. To do this, select the Symbol Sprayer tool and click and drag over the area where you want to insert the symbols.
Replacing Symbols
To replace a symbol, select it and click the Replace button in the Symbols panel. This will open the Replace Symbol dialog, where you can select the symbol you want to use as a replacement.
Editing Symbols
When you edit a symbol, the changes will be applied to all instances of that symbol in your document. To edit a symbol, double-click on it in the Symbols panel to open the Symbol Options dialog. Alternatively, you can right-click on the symbol and select Edit Symbol.
Breaking Apart Symbols
To break a symbol apart, select it and press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + B. This will break the symbol apart into its individual parts.
Converting Objects to Symbols
To convert an object to a symbol, select the object and drag it into the Symbols panel. Alternatively, you can go to Insert > Symbol or press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + S.
Deleting Symbols
To delete a symbol, select it in the Symbols panel and press the Delete key. Alternatively, you can right-click on the symbol and select Delete.
Exporting Symbols
To export symbols, select the symbols you want to export in the Symbols panel and click the Export Selected button. This will open the Export dialog, where you can choose a location to save the exported symbols.
How to Work with Symbols in Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector drawing program that is frequently used by graphic designers. One of the things that makes it so popular is its wide range of features, including the ability to work with symbols.
Symbols are a great way to save time and keep your design consistent. For example, if you’re creating a website design, you might want to use the same button throughout the site. Rather than creating a new button each time, you can create a symbol and then place it wherever you need it.
There are two types of symbols in Adobe Illustrator: graphic and movie. Graphic symbols are static images, while movie symbols are animated. In this article, we’ll focus on graphic symbols.
Creating a Symbol
To create a symbol, select the object that you want to turn into a symbol and then go to Edit > Symbols. This will open the Symbols panel.
In the Symbols panel, you’ll see a list of all the symbols that are currently in your document. To create a new symbol, click the “New Symbol” button at the bottom of the panel.
This will open the “New Symbol” dialog box. Here, you can give your symbol a name and choose whether it’s a graphic or movie symbol. For this example, we’ll choose “Graphic.”
You can also choose where the symbol will be placed. The default option is “Document,” but you can also choose “Current Layer” or “New Layer.”
Once you’ve chosen all the options for your symbol, click “OK.”
Editing a Symbol
Once you’ve created a symbol, you can edit it at any time by double-clicking on the symbol in the Symbols panel. This will open the symbol in a new window.
Make any changes that you need to and then close the window. Your changes will be saved automatically.
Placing a Symbol
To place a symbol, select the “Symbol Sprayer” tool from the Tools panel. Then, click on the symbol that you want to place and drag your mouse to spray the symbol across the canvas.
You can also use the “Symbol Stainer” tool to color the symbols that you’ve placed.
If you want more control over how the symbols are placed, you can use the “Symbol Scruncher” tool. This tool will randomly resize and rotate the symbols that you’ve placed.
Deleting a Symbol
If you no longer need a symbol, you can delete it by selecting it in the Symbols panel and then clicking the “Delete” button at the bottom of the panel.
You can also delete a symbol by dragging it into the trash can icon at the bottom of the Symbols panel.
