Using the Symbol Stainer tool


    Use the Symbol Stainer tool to colorize symbol instances. Colorizing a symbol instance changes the hue toward the tint color, while preserving the original luminosity. (It works in the same way as the Tints and Shades colorization method of tinting brushes.) This method uses the luminosity of the original color and the hue of the colorization color to generate the resulting color. Consequently, colors with very high or very low luminosity change very little; black or white objects don't change at all.

    Tip iconTo achieve a method of colorization that will also affect black and white objects, use the Symbol Styler tool with a graphic style that uses the desired fill color.

    Note: Using the Symbol Stainer tool results in increased file size and decreased performance. When memory or exported Flash/SVG file size is a concern, do not use this tool.

To stain symbol instances:

  1. In the Color palette, select the fill color that you want to use as the colorization color.
  2. Select the Symbol Stainer tool Symbol Stainer tool and do one of the following:
    • Click or drag over the symbol instances you want to stain with the colorization color. The amount of colorization gradually increases, and the symbol instance's color gradually changes to the colorization color.
    • Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you click or drag to decrease the colorization amount and reveal more of the original symbol color.
    • Hold down Shift as you click or drag to keep the colorization amount constant, while gradually changing the color of the symbol instances to the colorization color.

To set options for the Symbol Stainer tool:

  1. Open the Symbolism Tools Options dialog box, and set the general options as desired. (See Setting options for symbolism tools.)
  2. Click the symbol stainer icon in the dialog box.
  3. Choose an option from the Method pop-up menu, and click OK:
    • User Defined to gradually increase or decrease the colorization of the symbol instances toward the currently selected tint color.
    • Random to change the colorizaton and amounts randomly.
    • Average to smooth out the colorization and amounts over symbols in the same set.