How to Add a Symbol in Illustrator

Last Updated: December 29, 2021

Adobe Illustrator is a graphics-editing software used commonly for logo creation, 3D graphics and publishing. Illustrator documents are produced in layers, so that the user can independently edit parts of their document without affecting other elements. It is also known for its ability to produce typographically pleasing text. There are many options for customizing text, such as color, shading and symbols. An Adobe Illustrator symbol is a graphic that can be used unlimited times in your document. You can select a symbol from a pre-loaded gallery or create a symbol yourself. This article will tell you how to add a symbol in Illustrator.

Steps

1
Open the Adobe Illustrator application.
2
Open an existing document or create a new print or web document in the dialogue box that pops up.

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3
Click on the word "Window" in the top horizontal toolbar above your document.
4
Choose "Symbols" in the drop down menu. 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.
5
Return to the "Window" drop down menu and scroll down to the bottom of the options. 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.
6
Choose from the Symbol Libraries that will fit your document's purposes. 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.
7
Open any library that you think will be useful. The Illustrator symbol library palette will add the libraries as another tab as you open them, even if you close the library out.
8
Click on a symbol in a library to add it to your Illustrator Symbols Palette. Add as many symbols as you believe will be useful to your document.
9
Select a symbol that you want to use on your Symbols Palette. 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."
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. 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.