Before you add a copyright symbol to indicate ownership of an illustration, consider that U.S. law no longer requires one for works published on or after March 1, 1989. Regardless, adding a copyright symbol to an Adobe Illustrator creation remains a beneficial means of indicating original authorship. In addition to adding a copyright symbol to your illustration, include the copyright owner's name as well as the illustration's first year of publication. Courts recognize this information as proper notice during infringement defenses.
Open the illustration in need of a copyright notice in Adobe Illustrator by choosing "File" and "Open."
Select the "Type" tool and position its cursor where you want the copyright symbol to appear, then click.
Press the "Number Lock" key to enable your laptop or standard computer's number keypad.
Hold the "Alt" key down and type "0169" on the number pad.
Release the Alt key and the copyright symbol will appear.
Deactivate the number lock feature by clicking the "Number Lock" key again.
Hit the space bar once or twice to add a space or two to the line that contains the copyright symbol.
Type the illustration's first year of publication online or in print.
Add another space and enter the copyright holder's name.
- Use of the numbers resting above your alphabetical keyboard will not create a copyright notice symbol.
- Position the copyright symbol and notice where it can be easily seen for maximum protection.
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