How to Add a Symbol in Illustrator

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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.

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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.
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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.
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.
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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."
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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.

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Tips

Using symbols is a great way to reduce file size; because the symbol is being used in many instances, you are not loading new large file sizes every time you use the graphic.

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