Adobe Illustrator

Symbols

Symbols are different than an object that is assembled using shapes and paths, grouped together, then copied and pasted when needed in a document. A symbol is an object that can be reused. The advantages of using a symbol instead of copying and pasting a grouped object multiple times is that a symbol can be edited and all instances of the symbol will reflect the edits. Symbols can be scaled, rotated, and resized using the Symbol tools. Using symbols can save you time and reduce file size.

Creating Symbols

Create or use the artwork you want to make into a symbol. I usually group all the pieces of the artwork together so none are left behind when the symbol is created. Open the Symbols panel from the Window menu. Drag the artwork into ...