How to take a font/glyph and add a background to create a new map icon

(Instructions created by Judith Arney 2009)

1. Open Illustrator
2. Create New Basic RGB Document
3. New Document (e.g. 64 x 64 pixels)
4. Open Window > Layer
   
5. Create Layers for backgrounds
   
6. Double Click the New Layer in list to access Layer Options
   
7. To access the Tools, click Window > Tools
8. Click & hold Rectangle Tool to access nested menu for Rounded Rectangle tool or circle tool...
   
9. Open Type > Font - select a font you like (GM , VGM)
10. Open Window > Type > Glyphs
11. Click Type tool into icon area
12. Select glyph
13. Turn off all extraneous Layers (choose 1 icon, 1 background - click Eye)
14. File > Save for Web & Devices
15. Choose PNG24, transparency, Change size to 32x32 (Apply!)
16. Save!

How to create an ORIGINAL icon using a current glyph

1. New Layer
2. Add glyph "model"
3. Select glyph
4. Left click object > Create Outlines
5. Right-Click object and release compound path & ungroup
6. Use open arrow tool (lower) to select and move vertices
7. Hold down Pen tool to select peaked hat tool to create bezier curve bars?
8. Use Pen tool to create new vectors, e.g. polygons...