How to Add a Symbol in Illustrator

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Open the Adobe Illustrator application.

   A Symbols Palette will appear.
   
   It is included in a tab next to the "Brushes" and "Swatches" Palettes.
   
   There may be 4 or 5 symbols that are already pre-loaded into your palette.
   
   Now, you want to access more pre-loaded symbols. , Near the bottom you will see "Symbol Libraries." Drag your cursor to Symbol Libraries and a pop out menu with a large list of options will appear. , You may need to experiment a little to identify the library that you like; however, there are some general guidelines that can help you choose more quickly.
   
   Any library that says "Vector Pack" will likely have some graphics that include buttons and ribbons that follow the same theme.
   
   For example, the "Grime Vector Pack" has buttons that are styled like street art.
   
   Any library that has a culture-specific theme like "Fashion" and "Sushi" will have a number of images that relate to that specific theme. , The Illustrator symbol library palette will add the libraries as another tab as you open them, even if you close the library out. , Add as many symbols as you believe will be useful to your document. , Drag it to the place on your document where you would like to use it.
   
   You can also click on the symbol and then click on the small button at the bottom of your Symbols Palette that says "Place Symbol Instance." Each time you use the symbol in your document it is called an "Instance." You can use the symbol as many times as you want, but if you edit the symbol, it will change it in all instances.
   
   You can also click on the Symbol Palette Menu, which is a small arrow to the right of the symbols.
   
   It will bring up a pop-out menu.
   
   Select "Place Symbol Instance."
   
   It will stay there and you can use it an unlimited number of times.
   
   This option is very helpful for illustrating a logo or layering an image very quickly.
   
   For instance, if you are drawing a sun, you can use a symbol to insert many identical rays.
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   Step 2: Open an existing document or create a new print or web document in the dialogue box that pops up.

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   Step 3: Click on the word "Window" in the top horizontal toolbar above your document.

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   Step 4: Choose "Symbols" in the drop down menu.

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   Step 5: Return to the "Window" drop down menu and scroll down to the bottom of the options.

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   Step 6: Choose from the Symbol Libraries that will fit your document's purposes.

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   Step 7: Open any library that you think will be useful.

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   Step 8: Click on a symbol in a library to add it to your Illustrator Symbols Palette.

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   Step 9: Select a symbol that you want to use on your Symbols Palette.

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    Step 10: Use a piece of artwork that you have found or created as a symbol by opening it up in your document and dragging it onto your Symbols Palette.

Detailed Guide

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