5.4 Using symbols in designs

All graphics programs allow you to import images or sketches. Some provide their own library of symbol images that can be used to enhance designs. To illustrate the use of symbols in Adobe Illustrator, a garden scene will be created using the symbols it provides.

Computer graphics exercise 3

Creating the background
Skills practised
  • Rectangle tool
  • Fill and stroke colours
  • Locking objects
  • Copy and paste
  • Importing symbols
  • Adjusting symbols

Rectangles will be used to create the sky and grass areas.

  1. Start a new Adobe Illustrator document with the same settings as in Exercise 1.
    0011.png
  2. Select the RECTANGLE TOOL, set the FILL COLOUR to a sky blue, the STROKE COLOUR to NONE and drag a rectangle around the whole canvas.
  3. The rectangle can be locked so that it does not get accidentally moved. Display the OBJECT menu, highlight LOCK and select SELECTION.
  4. Drag another rectangle over the lower one-third of the canvas and set the FILL COLOUR to GREEN.
  5. Lock this rectangle by repeating step 3.

Adding the symbols

Symbols are added from the SYMBOLS panel in the Panel Group at the right of the screen.

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  1. Click on the SYMBOLS icon in the PANEL GROUP and click on the SYMBOLS LIBRARY MENU icon at the bottom left of the panel.
  2. Open the NATURE symbols and drag some clouds onto the sky.
  3. The SELECTION TOOL can be used to move the cloud symbols into place and to resize any of the symbols.
    0013.jpg
  4. Add some trees from the NATURE panel onto the grass area and resize them.
  5. Click on the SYMBOLS LIBRARY MENU icon at the bottom of the NATURE panel, open the 3D SYMBOLS and drag the SUN symbol onto the sky.
  6. Click on the SYMBOLS LIBRARY MENU icon at the bottom of the 3D SYMBOLS panel, open the LOGO ELEMENTS symbols and drag the HOUSE symbol onto the grass and resize it.
    0014.jpg
  7. Try adding some other symbols to the scenes, such as flowers to the front of the house, grass and a table in the garden, butterflies in the sky, etc.
    Note: If a symbol is behind another symbol, but you want it to be in the front, select the symbol and select BRING TO FRONT from ARRANGE in the OBJECT menu.
  8. Select the TYPE TOOL, click near the base of the canvas, set the FILL COLOUR to WHITE, the FONT SIZE to 24 PT and enter your name.
  9. Close the Symbols panels by clicking on their close box and save the document in your storage folder as: Symbols.
Video 5.3 Using symbols in designs (05:19)