Drawing Basic Shapes

Many models start with basic shapes. In SketchUp, the shape tools help y'all depict rectangles, circles, and polygons. You find these tools on the Getting Started toolbar, the Drawing toolbar, and the Large Tool Gear up toolbar.

Table 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, you lot can draw rectangles pretty much anywhere:

  • On the ground aeroplane
  • On a vertical plane
  • On existing faces
  • Dissever from existing geometry (aligned to an axes plane)
  • 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 first over at whatsoever point during these steps, printing Esc.

  2. Click to gear up the kickoff corner point of the rectangle. .
  3. Click to set the beginning corner point of the rectangle. To align the plane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment, as explained afterward in this section.
  4. Click to set the start corner indicate of the rectangle. To align the airplane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the arrow cardinal that corresponds your desired alignment, equally explained later in this department. If you prefer to draw the rectangle from the center, press the Ctrl central (Windows) or the Option fundamental (macOS).
  5. Move the cursor diagonally to find the desired size and shape for your rectangle. To draw the rectangle with precise dimensions, use the Measurements box, which at this indicate displays your rectangle'south dimensions as you move the cursor. To help yous identify the rectangle in relation to the cartoon axes or other geometry, SketchUp's inference engine displays on-screen cues. When the inference yous need appears, move to Step iv. Both the Measurements box and the Rectangle tool inferences are explained a petty after in this section.
  6. Click again to set the 2nd corner point of the rectangle. Your shape appears with a face, equally shown in the following figure.
  7. Click over again to set the 2nd corner point of the rectangle. Or if yous're cartoon the rectangle from eye, click over again to set whatsoever corner point. Your shape appears with a confront, as shown in the following figure.
In SketchUp, many 3D models begin with a basic rectangle

Every bit you describe a rectangle, the Measurements box helps yous model precisely every bit follows:

  • Set the length and width. Type a length value, a comma, a width value, and then press Enter. For example, blazon viii',20' and press Enter. If you type simply a number or numbers, SketchUp uses the electric current document units setting. You can also override the certificate units setting by specifying royal (such every bit 1'half dozen") or metric (such as 3.652m) units.
  • Specify only a length or width. If you lot enter a value and a comma (3',), the new value is applied to the first dimension, and the second dimension doesn't change. Similarly, if you lot type a comma then a value (,3'), merely the 2nd dimension changes.
  • Modify the rectangle's position with negative numbers. If y'all enter a negative value (–24, –24), SketchUp applies that value in a management opposite to the one that y'all indicated while drawing.

Tip: You don't demand to click in the Measurements box before you lot blazon a value. As you draw, the Measurements box is waiting for y'all to type precise measurements if you choose to do and then. Too, until you select another tool or depict another rectangle, you tin use the Measurements box to alter a rectangle's dimensions as many times every bit y'all similar.

Annotation: If you're using a non-English keyboard, utilize a comma to indicate the decimal place and a semi-colon to separate the dimensions. For example, y'all might enter two sides of a rectangle every bit: 7,6m;iv,3m

Every bit you motility 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 appear. See Callout 1.
  • Golden section: A gilded 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 gilt section, blue dots and the Golden Section Screen tip appear. See Callout 2.

    You tin 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 action.

Drawing a rotated rectangle

The Rotated Rectangle Tool can come in handy when you demand to draw a rectangle whose face is at an angle to SketchUp's default red, 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 lot every bit y'all depict. However, when yous create a rectangle with the Rotated Rectangle tool, you position the rectangle at an angle as well. 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 pointer key to set the plane for your rotated rectangle, per the table that appears earlier in this article. For example, press the left arrow key to constrain the plane of your rotated rectangle to the greenish plane.
  3. Click one time to gear up the showtime corner of your rectangle.
  4. Create the showtime edge of your rotated rectangle. You tin do this in two ways:
    • Type a precise measurement and press Enter.
    • Or move the cursor where yous want 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, equally shown in the post-obit effigy, then click.

      Tip: You lot can utilize a few modifier keys as you complete this step. Agree down the Shift key to constrain the first border to its current direction. The Alt (Windows) or Control (macOS) key locks the protractor plane. Or the arrow keys can again assist y'all align the starting time edge to an axis. Simply printing the pointer key that corresponds your desired alignment, equally explained earlier in this section. For example, press the right pointer primal to constrain the first edge and so information technology's aligned with the cerise axis.

      Create the first edge of a rotated rectangle in SketchUp
  5. At this point, you lot gear up the width and bending of your rectangle. You can fix these values in a few different ways:
    • Type an angle and width into the Measurements box, post-obit the prompt.
    • Type a width and angle into the Measurements box, following the prompt.
    • Motion effectually the protractor to prepare the angle, and move your cursor abroad from the middle of the protractor to set the width, equally shown in the post-obit figure. To constrain the angle, concord downwards the Shift key. Click to cease creating the rotated rectangle.

Tip: Press the Alt (Windows) or Command (macOS) cardinal to ready the protractor baseline at the cursor's current position and then move the cursor to measure the angle from the baseline you lot set. This method is helpful if you want to measure the angle from a bespeak other than the baseline set in Step 3. A dashed line appears so 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

Annotation: if yous're using a not-English keyboard, you'll want to use a comma to indicate 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 second edge as 43,2;viii,2m to become an bending that'southward 43,2 degrees and 8,ii meters long.

Notation: if yous're using a non-English keyboard, you'll want to use a comma to indicate the decimal identify and a semi-colon to divide the values in the Measurements box. For example, you might enter the width and angle of the second edge as 8,2m; 43,2 to get a width that'due south viii,2 meters long and angle that's 43,2 degrees .

Drawing a circumvolve or ellipse

Earlier you draw a circumvolve, it's helpful to understand how SketchUp creates circle entities:

  • Circumvolve entities have a radius and connect multiple line segments.
  • These segments human action every bit a single line in that they can define the edge of a face and split a face. Additionally, selecting one segment selects the unabridged circle entity.
  • SketchUp'southward inference engine still sees the segments in the circle. So, if you hover your mouse around the circumference of the circle entity, you'll meet endpoint and midpoint inferences.

To draw a circumvolve, follow these steps:

  1. On the toolbar, select the Circumvolve tool () from the drop-down carte du jour next to the Rectangle tool. Or press the C central. The cursor changes to a pencil with a circle, and the Measurements box indicates the default number of sides: 24, as shown in the figure. To change the number of sides, you can blazon a value now or wait until after you're done drawing the circumvolve.
  2. Click to identify the center point of the circle. The Measurements box changes to display the circle's radius. Y'all can type a radius value now or immediately later on you lot depict the circumvolve.
  3. Click to place the eye point of the circumvolve. To align the plane of your circle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the pointer cardinal that corresponds your desired alignment. For example, the upwards pointer aligns the circumvolve's airplane with the blue axis. See the table in Drawing a rectangle or square for details.The Measurements box changes to brandish the circumvolve's radius. You can type a radius value now or immediately after you draw the circle.
  4. Move the cursor out from the center point to define the circle's radius. As you motion the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. Press Esc at any point to commencement over.
  5. Click to terminate the circle. SketchUp creates a circle-shaped face, as shown in the figure.

  6. (Optional) Until you select a new tool or draw a new circumvolve, you can apply the Measurements box to change the circumvolve's radius or the number of sides every bit follows:
    • To change the number of sides: Blazon a number and the letter S (for example, type 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter.
    • To change the number of sides: Type a number and the letter Due south (for instance, type 5s for v sides or 42s for 42 sides). And so press Enter. Alternately, you can hold downwardly the Ctrl key (Microsoft Windows) or the Choice cardinal (macOS) while pressing the + or - to increase or subtract the number of sides, respectively. If you're using a French Canadian keyboard, concur down the Ctrl fundamental (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= cardinal to increase the segments. For macOS, press Command and = to increase segments or - to subtract segments.
    • To change the radius: Blazon a number and a unit (if desired), such equally 6", eight', 34cm, or 7m. Then printing Enter or Render.

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

To draw an ellipse or oval, follow these steps:

  1. Describe a circle with the Circle tool.
  2. Select the Calibration tool ().
  3. Click the circle. A bounding box with eight green grips is displayed effectually the circumvolve.
  4. Click 1 of the middle grips (not one of the corner grips) and motility the mouse to pull the circle into an ellipse, as shown here.
  5. Click again when you're done scaling the circle.

Cartoon a polygon

You can create polygon entities with the Polygon tool. (No surprise there.) However, hither are a few facts that yous may not know virtually polygons, just that are handy to know equally you draw them:

  • In SketchUp, a polygon has a radius and 3 or more sides. So the size of your polygon is measured from a center indicate, and the number of sides determines the type of polygon y'all draw. A pentagon as 5 sides; an octagon has 8 sides.
  • Polygon entities act as a single line in that they tin define the edge of a face and also divide a face. Selecting one side of the polygon selects the unabridged polygon.
  • The SketchUp inference engine interprets each side of a polygon as a segment. As you hover your cursor over a polygon, yous see endpoint, midpoint, and from point inferences.
  • You tin can depict 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 change the number of sides in your polygon, y'all tin type a number value now or expect until after you're done drawing.
  2. Click to place the eye point of the polygon. The Measurements box changes to display the radius. You can type a radius value now or immediately after you draw the polygon.
  3. Click to place the centre bespeak 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 instance, the up arrow marshal's the polygon's plane with the blueish axis. See the earlier tabular array in Drawing a rectangle or foursquare for details.The Measurements box changes to display the radius. You can type a radius value at present or immediately after you draw the polygon.
  4. Move the cursor out from the middle point to define the radius of your polygon. Every bit you move the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. To specify the radius, blazon a value and press Enter. Y'all can too press Esc to beginning over.
  5. Click a second time to end the polygon. Here, y'all encounter a 5-sided polygon.
  6. (Optional) Until you select a new tool or depict a new polygon, yous can use the Measurements box to alter the radius or the number of sides every bit follows:
    • To alter the number of sides: Type a number and the alphabetic character S (for example, blazon 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter.
    • To alter the number of sides: Type a number and the letter of the alphabet S (for instance, blazon 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then printing Enter. Alternately, you can concord down the Ctrl fundamental (Microsoft Windows) or the Option primal (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 key (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= cardinal to increment the segments. For macOS, printing Control and = to increment 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 departure between the tools becomes apparent when you push/pull a circle or polygon into a 3D shape. The circumvolve's edges await polish, but a polygon's edges prove distinct sides, equally shown here.


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

Editing shapes

The Entity Info dialog box enables you lot to modify a circumvolve or polygon's radius or sides someday after you create the shape. Here's how:

  1. Context-click an edge (not the confront) of a circumvolve or polygon that you want to edit.
  2. Select Entity Info from the context menu that appears, equally 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 lot 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 drawn additional rectangles, you need to erase the rectangle you want to change and redraw it. See Drawing a rectangle for details. Or resize the rectangle with the Calibration tool if you lot don't demand to enter precise dimensions.

Of course, you tin can do much more but alter a shape's size. You can turn a 2D shape into a 3D shape with the Button/Pull tool. You tin can distort shapes with the Movement tool or scale all or part of your model.