Cartoon Basic Shapes

Many models offset with bones shapes. In SketchUp, the shape tools assistance yous draw rectangles, circles, and polygons. You find these tools on the Getting Started toolbar, the Drawing toolbar, and the Large Tool Fix toolbar.

Tabular array of Contents
  1. Drawing a rectangle or square
  2. Drawing a rotated rectangle
  3. Cartoon a circle or ellipse
  4. Drawing a polygon
  5. Editing shapes

Drawing a rectangle or square

In SketchUp, yous can depict rectangles pretty much anywhere:

  • On the basis plane
  • On a vertical plane
  • On existing faces
  • Split from existing geometry (aligned to an axes plane)
  • Inferenced from existing geometry

To depict a rectangle with the Rectangle tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Rectangle tool () from the toolbar or press the R key. The cursor changes to a pencil with a rectangle.

    Tip: To start over at any point during these steps, press Esc.

  2. Click to ready the first corner betoken of the rectangle. .
  3. Click to gear up the first corner point of the rectangle. To align the plane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, printing the arrow fundamental that corresponds your desired alignment, as explained afterward in this section.
  4. Click to set the offset corner signal of the rectangle. To marshal the plane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, printing the arrow primal that corresponds your desired alignment, as explained later in this department. If yous adopt to draw the rectangle from the center, press the Ctrl fundamental (Windows) or the Choice key (macOS).
  5. Move the cursor diagonally to observe the desired size and shape for your rectangle. To describe the rectangle with precise dimensions, apply the Measurements box, which at this point displays your rectangle'south dimensions equally y'all move the cursor. To aid you place the rectangle in relation to the cartoon axes or other geometry, SketchUp's inference engine displays on-screen cues. When the inference you need appears, motion to Step 4. Both the Measurements box and the Rectangle tool inferences are explained a little later in this department.
  6. Click again to ready the second corner signal of the rectangle. Your shape appears with a face, as shown in the post-obit effigy.
  7. Click once again to prepare the second corner point of the rectangle. Or if y'all're drawing the rectangle from centre, click over again to set any corner indicate. Your shape appears with a confront, as shown in the following figure.
In SketchUp, many 3D models begin with a basic rectangle

As you describe a rectangle, the Measurements box helps you lot model precisely every bit follows:

  • Set the length and width. Blazon a length value, a comma, a width value, and and so press Enter. For instance, type 8',20' and press Enter. If y'all blazon only a number or numbers, SketchUp uses the current certificate units setting. You can also override the document units setting by specifying regal (such as i'6") or metric (such equally 3.652m) units.
  • Specify only a length or width. If you enter a value and a comma (3',), the new value is applied to the commencement dimension, and the 2nd dimension doesn't alter. Similarly, if yous type a comma and then a value (,3'), simply the second dimension changes.
  • Change the rectangle's position with negative numbers. If you lot enter a negative value (–24, –24), SketchUp applies that value in a direction opposite to the one that you indicated while cartoon.

Tip: Y'all don't need to click in the Measurements box before yous type a value. Equally yous draw, the Measurements box is waiting for you to type precise measurements if you choose to practice so. Also, until you select another tool or draw another rectangle, you tin can use the Measurements box to change a rectangle's dimensions as many times as yous like.

Note: If you lot're using a non-English keyboard, employ a comma to bespeak the decimal place and a semi-colon to dissever the dimensions. For example, you might enter two sides of a rectangle every bit: 7,6m;4,3m

As you move your cursor with the Rectangle tool selected, the SketchUp inference engine displays the following cues:

  • Square: When the rectangle's proportions are a perfect square, you run across blue dots and the Square ScreenTip appear. See Callout 1.
  • Gold department: A golden section is a rectangle in which the ratio of the longer side to the shorter side is a golden ratio. When a rectangle is a gold section, blue dots and the Gold Section Screen tip appear. Meet Callout 2.

    You tin concord down the Shift cardinal to lock this inference while dragging.

When you draw a rectangle in SketchUp, the inference engine tells you when your rectangle is a square or golden section

In the video, you can see these features of the Rectangle tool in action.

Drawing a rotated rectangle

The Rotated Rectangle Tool can come in handy when y'all need to draw a rectangle whose face is at an bending to SketchUp'due south default red, green, or blueish axes or to other geometry.

Similar the Rectangle tool, the Rotated Rectangle tool enables you to create precise rectangles and squares and displays inferences to help you equally you draw. Even so, when you create a rectangle with the Rotated Rectangle tool, you position the rectangle at an angle besides. The following figure is an example of a rectangle created with the Rotated Rectangle tool.

A rotated rectangle in SketchUp

To create a rotated rectangle, follow these steps:

  1. On the toolbar, from the Shape Tools bill of fare, select the Rotated Rectangle tool (). Or select Draw > Shapes > Rotated Rectangle from the menu bar.
  2. (Optional) Press an arrow key to set the aeroplane for your rotated rectangle, per the table that appears earlier in this article. For case, press the left arrow central to constrain the plane of your rotated rectangle to the green plane.
  3. Click one time to set the beginning corner of your rectangle.
  4. Create the get-go edge of your rotated rectangle. Yous can practice this in two ways:
    • Type a precise measurement and printing Enter.
    • Or movement the cursor where you lot want to identify the 2nd endpoint of this border, using the SketchUp inference engine to position the endpoint in relation to the axes or other geometry, as shown in the post-obit figure, then click.

      Tip: You lot can use a few modifier keys equally y'all complete this step. Concur down the Shift key to constrain the first edge to its current direction. The Alt (Windows) or Command (macOS) fundamental locks the protractor plane. Or the arrow keys can over again help you align the get-go border to an axis. Simply press the arrow cardinal that corresponds your desired alignment, every bit explained before in this section. For case, press the right arrow cardinal to constrain the beginning edge so information technology'southward aligned with the red centrality.

      Create the first edge of a rotated rectangle in SketchUp
  5. At this point, you set the width and angle of your rectangle. You can set these values in a few unlike ways:
    • Blazon an angle and width into the Measurements box, post-obit the prompt.
    • Blazon a width and angle into the Measurements box, following the prompt.
    • Motion around the protractor to set the angle, and move your cursor away from the center of the protractor to set the width, as shown in the following figure. To constrain the angle, concur down the Shift key. Click to finish creating the rotated rectangle.

Tip: Printing the Alt (Windows) or Command (macOS) key to set the protractor baseline at the cursor'due south current position and then move the cursor to measure the angle from the baseline you set. This method is helpful if you want to mensurate the bending from a point other than the baseline fix in Step 3. A dashed line appears so you can come across the new baseline.

Inferences can help you align a rotated rectangle with nearby geometry

Inferences can help you align a rotated rectangle with nearby geometry

Annotation: if you're using a non-English keyboard, you lot'll want to use a comma to betoken the decimal place and a semi-colon to separate the values in the Measurements box. For example, you might enter the angle and width of the 2nd edge as 43,2;8,2m to get an angle that'due south 43,2 degrees and 8,2 meters long.

Notation: if you're using a non-English keyboard, you'll desire to employ a comma to indicate the decimal identify and a semi-colon to separate the values in the Measurements box. For instance, you lot might enter the width and angle of the second edge as 8,2m; 43,2 to get a width that'southward viii,2 meters long and angle that's 43,2 degrees .

Cartoon a circumvolve or ellipse

Before yous depict a circle, information technology's helpful to understand how SketchUp creates circle entities:

  • Circle entities have a radius and connect multiple line segments.
  • These segments deed equally a unmarried line in that they tin define the edge of a face and divide a face. Additionally, selecting ane segment selects the unabridged circle entity.
  • SketchUp's inference engine still sees the segments in the circle. Then, if yous hover your mouse effectually the circumference of the circumvolve entity, you'll see endpoint and midpoint inferences.

To depict a circle, follow these steps:

  1. On the toolbar, select the Circle tool () from the drop-downward carte next to the Rectangle tool. Or printing the C key. The cursor changes to a pencil with a circumvolve, and the Measurements box indicates the default number of sides: 24, as shown in the figure. To change the number of sides, you lot tin type a value now or look until later you lot're done drawing the circle.
  2. Click to place the middle indicate of the circle. The Measurements box changes to brandish the circle's radius. Y'all can blazon a radius value now or immediately after y'all draw the circle.
  3. Click to identify the center point of the circle. To align the airplane of your circle with a specific drawing centrality or other geometry, press the arrow fundamental that corresponds your desired alignment. For example, the upwardly arrow aligns the circumvolve's aeroplane with the blueish axis. See the table in Cartoon a rectangle or foursquare for details.The Measurements box changes to display the circle's radius. You tin type a radius value now or immediately after you draw the circumvolve.
  4. Movement the cursor out from the center point to define the circle'south radius. As yous move the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. Press Esc at any bespeak to start over.
  5. Click to finish the circle. SketchUp creates a circle-shaped face, equally shown in the effigy.

  6. (Optional) Until yous select a new tool or draw a new circle, you can use the Measurements box to change the circle's radius or the number of sides equally follows:
    • To change the number of sides: Type a number and the letter S (for instance, type 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter.
    • To alter the number of sides: Blazon a number and the letter of the alphabet S (for example, blazon 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter. Alternately, you can hold downwardly the Ctrl key (Microsoft Windows) or the Option key (macOS) while pressing the + or - to increment or subtract the number of sides, respectively. If you're using a French Canadian keyboard, hold downwardly the Ctrl cardinal (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= key to increase the segments. For macOS, press Command and = to increase segments or - to decrease segments.
    • To change the radius: Type a number and a unit (if desired), such every bit 6", 8', 34cm, or 7m. Then press Enter or Return.

      Tip: The Entity Info dialog box offers a handy fashion to edit the sides and radius values anytime. See Editing shapes later in this commodity for details.

To draw an ellipse or oval, follow these steps:

  1. Draw a circle with the Circle tool.
  2. Select the Scale tool ().
  3. Click the circle. A bounding box with eight green grips is displayed around the circumvolve.
  4. Click i of the center grips (not one of the corner grips) and move the mouse to pull the circumvolve into an ellipse, as shown here.
  5. Click again when yous're done scaling the circumvolve.

Drawing a polygon

You can create polygon entities with the Polygon tool. (No surprise there.) However, hither are a few facts that you may not know about polygons, but that are handy to know as y'all describe them:

  • In SketchUp, a polygon has a radius and 3 or more sides. And then the size of your polygon is measured from a center bespeak, and the number of sides determines the blazon of polygon yous describe. A pentagon as v sides; an octagon has eight sides.
  • Polygon entities act equally a unmarried line in that they can define the edge of a face and likewise split up a face. Selecting one side of the polygon selects the unabridged polygon.
  • The SketchUp inference engine interprets each side of a polygon equally a segment. Equally you hover your cursor over a polygon, you come across endpoint, midpoint, and from bespeak inferences.
  • You can draw polygons on faces or separate from existing geometry.

Follow these steps to draw a polygon:

  1. Select the Polygon tool () on the toolbar. The cursor changes to a pencil with a polygon. The Measurements box indicates the current number of sides. To alter the number of sides in your polygon, you can type a number value now or wait until subsequently you're done cartoon.
  2. Click to place the center betoken of the polygon. The Measurements box changes to display the radius. You can type a radius value now or immediately later on y'all draw the polygon.
  3. Click to place the center point of the polygon. To marshal the plane of your polygon with a specific cartoon centrality or other geometry, press the pointer key that corresponds your desired alignment. For example, the up pointer align'southward the polygon's plane with the blueish axis. See the before table in Drawing a rectangle or square for details.The Measurements box changes to display the radius. Yous can type a radius value now or immediately afterward you draw the polygon.
  4. Move the cursor out from the center point to define the radius of your polygon. Every bit you motility the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. To specify the radius, blazon a value and press Enter. You can also printing Esc to start over.
  5. Click a second fourth dimension to finish the polygon. Hither, y'all run across a 5-sided polygon.
  6. (Optional) Until you select a new tool or describe a new polygon, you can use the Measurements box to change the radius or the number of sides as follows:
    • To change the number of sides: Blazon a number and the letter S (for example, type 5s for five sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then printing Enter.
    • To alter the number of sides: Type a number and the letter of the alphabet South (for instance, type 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter. Alternately, you can concur downwardly the Ctrl cardinal (Microsoft Windows) or the Option cardinal (macOS) while pressing the + or - to increase or subtract the number of sides, respectively. If you're using a French Canadian keyboard, hold down the Ctrl key (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= key to increase the segments. For macOS, press Command and = to increase segments or - to decrease segments.
    • To change the radius: Blazon a number and a unit (if desired), such as 6", eight', 34cm, or 7m. Then press Enter or Return.

    Tip: Although the Polygon tool works similarly to the Circle tool, the difference between the tools becomes credible when y'all push/pull a circumvolve or polygon into a 3D shape. The circle'due south edges look smooth, but a polygon's edges evidence distinct sides, as shown here.


In this alive-action video, y'all tin can meet the Circumvolve and Polygon tools demonstrate all their stunts.

Editing shapes

The Entity Info dialog box enables you to change a circle or polygon's radius or sides anytime after y'all create the shape. Here's how:

  1. Context-click an edge (not the face) of a circumvolve or polygon that you lot desire to edit.
  2. Select Entity Info from the context carte that appears, as shown here.
  3. In the Entity Info console, click in the Radius or Segments box, change the value, and press Enter (Microsoft Windows) or Return (Mac). After you printing Enter or Return, your shape immediately reflects your changes.

SketchUp doesn't enable you to modify the width or length of a rectangle at someday. If y'all've already selected some other tool or drawn additional rectangles, yous need to erase the rectangle you want to modify and redraw it. Meet Cartoon a rectangle for details. Or resize the rectangle with the Scale tool if you don't need to enter precise dimensions.

Of grade, you can do much more than than simply change a shape's size. You can plow a 2D shape into a 3D shape with the Push/Pull tool. You tin can distort shapes with the Motility tool or calibration all or role of your model.