General options, such as diameter, intensity, and density, appear at the top of the dialog box. Tool-specific options appear at the bottom of the dialog box. To switch to options for a different tool, click a tool icon in the dialog box.

General options

The General options appear at the top of the Symbolism Tools Options dialog box regardless of which symbolism tool is selected.

Diameter

Specifies the tool’s brush size.

At any time while using a symbolism tool, press [ to decrease the diameter or ] to increase it.

Intensity

Specifies the rate of change (higher values equal faster changes), or select Use Pressure Pen to use the input from a tablet or pen instead of the Intensity value.

Symbol Set Density

Specifies an attraction value for the symbol set (higher values result in more densely packed symbol instances). This setting applies to an entire symbol set. If a symbol set is selected, the density changes for all symbol instances in the set, not just newly created instances.

Method

Specifies how the Symbol Scruncher, Sizer, Spinner, Stainer, Screener, and Styler tools adjust symbol instances.

Select User Defined to gradually adjust symbols in relation to the position of the cursor. Select Random to modify the symbols randomly in the area under the cursor. Select Average to gradually smooth out the symbol values.

Show Brush Size And Intensity

Displays the size as you use the tool.

Symbol Sprayer options

The Symbol Sprayer options (Scrunch, Size, Spin, Screen, Stain, and Style) appear under the General options in the Symbolism Tools Options dialog box only when the Symbol Sprayer tool is selected, and control how new symbol instances are added to symbol sets. Each of these offers two choices:

Average

To add a new symbol with the average value of existing symbol instances within the brush radius. For example, an instance added to an area where the average existing symbol instance is 50% transparent will be 50% transparent; an instance added to an area with no instances will be opaque.

Note: The Average setting only takes into account other instances within the Symbol Sprayer tool’s brush radius, which you set using the Diameter option. To see the radius as you work, select Show Brush Size and Intensity.

User Defined

To apply specific preset values for each parameter: Scrunch (density) is based on the original symbol size; Size uses the original symbol size; Spin uses the mouse direction (or no orientation if the mouse doesn’t move); Screen uses 100% opacity; Stain uses the current fill color and full tint amount; Style uses the current style.

Symbol Sizer options

The Symbol Sizer options appear under the General options in the Symbolism Tools Options dialog box only when the Symbol Sizer tool is selected.

Proportional Resizing

Keep each symbol instance shape uniform as you resize.

Resizing Affects Density

Move symbol instances away from each other when they are scaled up and move them toward each other when they are scaled down.