Placing symbol instances


    You place instances of symbols in your document in one of two ways: using the Symbols palette or a symbol library to place individual instances of a symbol, or using the Symbol Sprayer tool to create multiple symbol instances as a set. When you use the symbol sprayer, all of the symbols that appear from each spray become one instance set that you manipulate and edit as a whole. (See Using the symbolism tools.)

    Artwork with symbol instances
    Artwork with symbol instances

    Symbol instances placed using the Symbols palette or a symbol library are exact replicas of the original. When selected in the artboard, symbol instances have a bounding box around them, similar to grouped artwork.

To place an individual symbol instance:

  1. Select a symbol in the Symbols palette or a symbol library.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click the Place Symbol Instance button Place Symbol Instance button in the Symbols palette to place the instance in the center of the artboard.
    • Drag the symbol to the artboard where you want it to appear.
    • Choose Place Symbol Instance from the Symbols palette menu.

To duplicate a symbol instance:

  1. Select the instance on the artboard.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the symbol instance to another location on the artboard.
    • Copy and paste the symbol instance.