Work smart with symbols

The main goal of this tutorial is to demonstrate how to use Illustrator's Symbolism tools to create a realistic Chinese bamboo illustration. It is fun and easy. All you need is just one symbol, from where you can create a group of symbol instances in no time at all using Illustrator's Symbol Sprayer tool.

The appearance of these symbol instances can then be manipulated using various Symbolism tools. You can selectively change the transparency, size, colour, location, rotation and style of each individual instance within the group. For example, you can increase or decrease the size of an instance using the Symbol Sizer tool, or change its Opacity with the Symbol Screener tool. You can also colourise the instances, apply graphic styles, and much more.

Once you've finished this tutorial, you will be amazed how easy it is to create a complicated illustration with a minimum of fuss. From here, you could transform your image once more by instantly creating a group of flying butterflies, falling leaves, or using the same technique to create a realistic grass field.

Click here to download the tutorial for free