Cartoon Basic Shapes

Many models starting time with basic shapes. In SketchUp, the shape tools help you draw rectangles, circles, and polygons. You find these tools on the Getting Started toolbar, the Cartoon toolbar, and the Big Tool Set toolbar.

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

Drawing a rectangle or square

In SketchUp, y'all can draw rectangles pretty much anywhere:

  • On the footing airplane
  • On a vertical plane
  • On existing faces
  • Separate from existing geometry (aligned to an axes aeroplane)
  • Inferenced from existing geometry

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

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

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

  2. Click to ready the start corner signal of the rectangle. .
  3. Click to gear up the offset corner betoken of the rectangle. To align the airplane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the pointer primal that corresponds your desired alignment, every bit explained after in this section.
  4. Click to set the first corner point of the rectangle. To align the plane of your rectangle with a specific drawing centrality or other geometry, press the arrow central that corresponds your desired alignment, equally explained later on in this section. If you lot prefer to depict the rectangle from the center, press the Ctrl cardinal (Windows) or the Option cardinal (macOS).
  5. Move the cursor diagonally to find the desired size and shape for your rectangle. To depict the rectangle with precise dimensions, use the Measurements box, which at this point displays your rectangle'due south dimensions as you move the cursor. To help you place the rectangle in relation to the drawing axes or other geometry, SketchUp's inference engine displays on-screen cues. When the inference yous demand appears, move to Step iv. Both the Measurements box and the Rectangle tool inferences are explained a petty later in this section.
  6. Click again to set the second corner signal of the rectangle. Your shape appears with a face, as shown in the post-obit effigy.
  7. Click again to set the 2d corner point of the rectangle. Or if you're drawing the rectangle from center, click again to set any corner point. Your shape appears with a face, as shown in the following figure.
In SketchUp, many 3D models begin with a basic rectangle

As you lot draw a rectangle, the Measurements box helps yous model precisely as follows:

  • Set the length and width. Type a length value, a comma, a width value, so press Enter. For case, type 8',xx' and printing Enter. If you type only a number or numbers, SketchUp uses the electric current certificate units setting. Yous can also override the certificate units setting by specifying imperial (such as one'six") or metric (such every bit three.652m) units.
  • Specify only a length or width. If you enter a value and a comma (3',), the new value is applied to the kickoff dimension, and the second dimension doesn't change. Similarly, if you blazon a comma and and so a value (,3'), but the 2nd dimension changes.
  • Change the rectangle'southward position with negative numbers. If you enter a negative value (–24, –24), SketchUp applies that value in a direction opposite to the one that you indicated while drawing.

Tip: You don't need to click in the Measurements box before you type a value. As you lot draw, the Measurements box is waiting for yous to type precise measurements if you choose to practise so. Also, until you select some other tool or draw another rectangle, y'all can use the Measurements box to modify a rectangle'south dimensions every bit many times as you like.

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

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

  • Square: When the rectangle'southward proportions are a perfect square, y'all see blue dots and the Square ScreenTip announced. See Callout one.
  • Golden department: A golden department is a rectangle in which the ratio of the longer side to the shorter side is a gilded ratio. When a rectangle is a gilded section, blue dots and the Golden Department Screen tip appear. See Callout 2.

    You can hold down the Shift key 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 tin can see these features of the Rectangle tool in activity.

Drawing a rotated rectangle

The Rotated Rectangle Tool can come in handy when you need to describe a rectangle whose face is at an bending to SketchUp'due south default ruddy, green, or blue axes or to other geometry.

Like the Rectangle tool, the Rotated Rectangle tool enables you to create precise rectangles and squares and displays inferences to help you equally yous draw. However, when yous create a rectangle with the Rotated Rectangle tool, you position the rectangle at an bending too. 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 menu, select the Rotated Rectangle tool (). Or select Draw > Shapes > Rotated Rectangle from the menu bar.
  2. (Optional) Printing an arrow central to set the aeroplane for your rotated rectangle, per the table that appears earlier in this article. For example, press the left arrow primal to constrain the plane of your rotated rectangle to the greenish aeroplane.
  3. Click in one case to set up the showtime corner of your rectangle.
  4. Create the first edge of your rotated rectangle. You can exercise this in two ways:
    • Type a precise measurement and press Enter.
    • Or move the cursor where you desire to place the second endpoint of this edge, using the SketchUp inference engine to position the endpoint in relation to the axes or other geometry, as shown in the following figure, and and then click.

      Tip: You can use a few modifier keys as you lot complete this step. Hold downwards the Shift key to constrain the start edge to its current direction. The Alt (Windows) or Command (macOS) key locks the protractor plane. Or the pointer keys can again aid y'all align the showtime border to an centrality. Simply printing the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment, equally explained earlier in this section. For case, press the right arrow key to constrain the first edge so it's aligned with the red axis.

      Create the first edge of a rotated rectangle in SketchUp
  5. At this betoken, y'all ready the width and bending of your rectangle. You can set these values in a few unlike ways:
    • Type an angle and width into the Measurements box, following the prompt.
    • Type a width and angle into the Measurements box, following the prompt.
    • Move around the protractor to set the angle, and move your cursor away from the center of the protractor to set the width, every bit shown in the following figure. To constrain the angle, hold down the Shift key. Click to end creating the rotated rectangle.

Tip: Press the Alt (Windows) or Command (macOS) key to set the protractor baseline at the cursor's current position and then move the cursor to measure the angle from the baseline y'all set. This method is helpful if yous want to measure the angle from a point other than the baseline set up in Footstep three. A dashed line appears and then you can see 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

Note: if you lot're using a non-English keyboard, you'll want to use a comma to indicate the decimal identify and a semi-colon to split up the values in the Measurements box. For example, you might enter the bending and width of the 2nd edge as 43,2;eight,2m to get an angle that's 43,two degrees and 8,2 meters long.

Notation: if yous're using a non-English keyboard, you'll want to utilise a comma to indicate the decimal identify and a semi-colon to split the values in the Measurements box. For instance, you might enter the width and angle of the second edge equally 8,2m; 43,two to get a width that's viii,ii meters long and bending that'southward 43,ii degrees .

Cartoon a circle or ellipse

Before y'all depict a circle, it's helpful to understand how SketchUp creates circle entities:

  • Circumvolve entities have a radius and connect multiple line segments.
  • These segments human activity as a single line in that they tin define the edge of a face and divide a face. Additionally, selecting 1 segment selects the entire circle entity.
  • SketchUp'southward inference engine still sees the segments in the circle. And so, if yous hover your mouse around the circumference of the circle entity, you'll run into endpoint and midpoint inferences.

To describe a circle, follow these steps:

  1. On the toolbar, select the Circle tool () from the drop-downwards menu next to the Rectangle tool. Or press the C fundamental. The cursor changes to a pencil with a circle, and the Measurements box indicates the default number of sides: 24, as shown in the effigy. To modify the number of sides, you can type a value now or expect until after yous're done drawing the circumvolve.
  2. Click to place the eye point of the circle. The Measurements box changes to brandish the circle'southward radius. You can type a radius value now or immediately subsequently you describe the circle.
  3. Click to identify the center bespeak of the circle. To marshal the plane of your circle with a specific cartoon axis or other geometry, press the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment. For example, the upwardly arrow aligns the circle'due south plane with the blue axis. See the table in Drawing a rectangle or square for details.The Measurements box changes to display the circle's radius. You tin can type a radius value now or immediately afterwards you draw the circle.
  4. Move the cursor out from the center indicate to define the circle'due south radius. Equally yous move the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. Press Esc at any signal to first over.
  5. Click to finish the circle. SketchUp creates a circle-shaped face, as shown in the figure.

  6. (Optional) Until you lot select a new tool or draw a new circumvolve, you tin can use the Measurements box to change the circle's radius or the number of sides every bit follows:
    • To change the number of sides: Type a number and the letter S (for example, blazon 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). And then press Enter.
    • To alter the number of sides: Type a number and the letter of the alphabet S (for instance, type 5s for five sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter. Alternately, you tin can concur down 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 down the Ctrl key (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= key to increase the segments. For macOS, press Command and = to increment segments or - to decrease segments.
    • To change the radius: Type a number and a unit (if desired), such equally 6", viii', 34cm, or 7m. Then printing Enter or Return.

      Tip: The Entity Info dialog box offers a handy way to edit the sides and radius values anytime. Come across Editing shapes later in this article for details.

To depict an ellipse or oval, follow these steps:

  1. Describe a circumvolve with the Circumvolve tool.
  2. Select the Scale tool ().
  3. Click the circle. A bounding box with 8 green grips is displayed effectually the circumvolve.
  4. Click one of the middle grips (not i of the corner grips) and move the mouse to pull the circumvolve into an ellipse, every bit shown here.
  5. Click again when you're done scaling the circumvolve.

Drawing a polygon

Y'all tin can create polygon entities with the Polygon tool. (No surprise there.) However, here are a few facts that you lot may not know nigh polygons, but that are handy to know as you describe them:

  • In SketchUp, a polygon has a radius and 3 or more sides. So the size of your polygon is measured from a centre point, and the number of sides determines the type of polygon you draw. A pentagon every bit 5 sides; an octagon has 8 sides.
  • Polygon entities act equally a unmarried line in that they can ascertain the edge of a face and also separate a face. Selecting one side of the polygon selects the entire polygon.
  • The SketchUp inference engine interprets each side of a polygon as a segment. As you hover your cursor over a polygon, you see endpoint, midpoint, and from betoken inferences.
  • You can describe polygons on faces or divide 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 change the number of sides in your polygon, you lot can type a number value now or look until subsequently you're done drawing.
  2. Click to place the centre point of the polygon. The Measurements box changes to brandish the radius. Y'all tin type a radius value at present or immediately subsequently you draw the polygon.
  3. Click to place the center point of the polygon. To align the plane of your polygon with a specific drawing centrality or other geometry, press the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment. For example, the up arrow marshal's the polygon's plane with the bluish axis. See the earlier tabular array in Drawing a rectangle or square for details.The Measurements box changes to display the radius. You can type a radius value now or immediately after you draw the polygon.
  4. Move the cursor out from the centre point to define the radius of your polygon. As you move 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 kickoff over.
  5. Click a 2nd time to finish the polygon. Here, you see a five-sided polygon.
  6. (Optional) Until you select a new tool or depict a new polygon, you tin use the Measurements box to alter the radius or the number of sides as follows:
    • To modify the number of sides: Type a number and the letter S (for example, blazon 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter.
    • To change the number of sides: Type a number and the letter S (for example, type 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter. Alternately, yous can hold down the Ctrl primal (Microsoft Windows) or the Selection key (macOS) while pressing the + or - to increase or decrease the number of sides, respectively. If you're using a French Canadian keyboard, agree down the Ctrl central (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= cardinal 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 as 6", 8', 34cm, or 7m. Then press Enter or Render.

    Tip: Although the Polygon tool works similarly to the Circle tool, the difference betwixt the tools becomes apparent when you push/pull a circle or polygon into a 3D shape. The circle'due south edges look smooth, but a polygon'southward edges bear witness distinct sides, as shown hither.


In this live-action video, you lot can see the Circle and Polygon tools demonstrate all their stunts.

Editing shapes

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

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

SketchUp doesn't enable you to modify the width or length of a rectangle at anytime. If you've already selected some other tool or fatigued additional rectangles, y'all need to erase the rectangle you lot desire to change and redraw it. See Drawing a rectangle for details. Or resize the rectangle with the Scale tool if you lot don't need to enter precise dimensions.

Of grade, you can do much more than than merely change a shape's size. Y'all can turn a 2nd shape into a 3D shape with the Push button/Pull tool. You can misconstrue shapes with the Movement tool or scale all or part of your model.