Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
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To modify the properties of a single brushstroke,
select it, then choose Options of
Selected Object in the Brush panel's menu. If you've used the Width tool to modify
the stroke, your options include using the width points to calculate the profile for
your next strokes.
•
To choose how to apply modifications
to existing brushstrokes, in the brush's Options
dialog choose Leave Strokes to create a duplicate brush, or Apply to Strokes to
modify every use of the brush in the document.
•
When Keep Selected and Edit Selected Paths are both enabled,
the last drawn path stays
selected; drawing a new path close to the selected path will redraw that path.
Disabling either of these options will allow you to draw multiple brushstrokes near
each other, instead of redrawing the last drawn path.
If you've modified a brushed path using the Width tool or by as-
signing a profile, you can make global ad-
justments by choosing Options of Selected
Object from the Brushes panel menu
SYMBOLS
Working with symbols in Illustrator saves file size (since objects converted to
symbols aren't duplicated in the file), provides consistency whenever the same
artwork needs to be used more than once, and makes it easy to update objects in your
artwork simply by editing the symbol to change it wherever it has been used.
Symbols can be made from almost any art you create in Illustrator. The only
exceptions are a few kinds of complex groups, such as groups of graphs, and placed
art (which must be
embedded
, not linked). Symbols are edited and stored using the
Symbols and Control panels, and are manipulated like other objects, or with the
Symbolism tools:
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To store selected artwork as a symbol,
drag it into the Symbols panel (or click on the
New Symbol icon in the panel). Use the Libraries Menu icon to save the current
symbols to a new library, or to load other libraries.
