Drawing Bones Shapes

Many models start with basic shapes. In SketchUp, the shape tools assist you lot depict rectangles, circles, and polygons. Y'all discover these tools on the Getting Started toolbar, the Drawing toolbar, and the Large Tool Set toolbar.

Table of Contents
  1. Drawing a rectangle or foursquare
  2. Cartoon a rotated rectangle
  3. Drawing a circle or ellipse
  4. Cartoon a polygon
  5. Editing shapes

Drawing a rectangle or square

In SketchUp, you tin can draw rectangles pretty much anywhere:

  • On the ground plane
  • On a vertical aeroplane
  • On existing faces
  • Split up 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 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 showtime corner point of the rectangle. .
  3. Click to set the get-go corner point of the rectangle. To align the aeroplane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment, as explained later in this section.
  4. Click to set up the first corner point of the rectangle. To marshal the plane of your rectangle with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the arrow fundamental that corresponds your desired alignment, as explained later in this section. If you adopt to depict the rectangle from the middle, printing the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Option key (macOS).
  5. Move the cursor diagonally to observe 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 every bit you movement the cursor. To help you lot place 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 footling later in this section.
  6. Click again to gear up the 2nd corner point of the rectangle. Your shape appears with a face, every bit shown in the following figure.
  7. Click again to set the second corner point of the rectangle. Or if y'all're drawing the rectangle from eye, click again to set any corner point. Your shape appears with a face, every bit shown in the post-obit effigy.
In SketchUp, many 3D models begin with a basic rectangle

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

  • Set the length and width. Type a length value, a comma, a width value, and and so press Enter. For example, type 8',20' and press Enter. If you type only a number or numbers, SketchUp uses the current document units setting. You tin also override the document units setting past specifying purple (such as 1'vi") or metric (such every bit 3.652m) units.
  • Specify merely a length or width. If y'all enter a value and a comma (3',), the new value is practical to the first dimension, and the 2d dimension doesn't alter. Similarly, if you lot type a comma and so a value (,3'), only 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 ane that you indicated while drawing.

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

Note: If you're using a not-English language keyboard, use a comma to bespeak the decimal identify and a semi-colon to dissever the dimensions. For example, you lot might enter ii sides of a rectangle as: vii,6m;four,3m

Every bit 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 see bluish dots and the Square ScreenTip appear. Meet Callout one.
  • Gilded section: A aureate 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 golden section, blue dots and the Gold Section Screen tip announced. Run across Callout 2.

    You can concur downwards the Shift primal 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 come across these features of the Rectangle tool in action.

Drawing a rotated rectangle

The Rotated Rectangle Tool can come up in handy when you need 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 assist you as you depict. However, when you lot create a rectangle with the Rotated Rectangle tool, you position the rectangle at an angle as well. The following figure is an instance 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 carte du jour, select the Rotated Rectangle tool (). Or select Describe > Shapes > Rotated Rectangle from the menu bar.
  2. (Optional) Press an pointer key to fix 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 green plane.
  3. Click once to set the first corner of your rectangle.
  4. Create the first border of your rotated rectangle. You lot can do this in ii ways:
    • Blazon 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, as shown in the following figure, and and then click.

      Tip: Yous can utilise a few modifier keys as you lot complete this pace. Concur downwardly the Shift key to constrain the showtime edge to its current management. The Alt (Windows) or Command (macOS) key locks the protractor plane. Or the pointer keys can once again help you marshal the first edge to an axis. Simply press the pointer key that corresponds your desired alignment, as explained earlier in this department. For example, press the right arrow key to constrain the first edge and so information technology'due south aligned with the ruddy axis.

      Create the first edge of a rotated rectangle in SketchUp
  5. At this point, yous set the width and bending of your rectangle. You lot can ready 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.
    • Motility effectually the protractor to set up the angle, and motion your cursor away from the heart of the protractor to fix the width, equally shown in the following figure. To constrain the angle, hold down the Shift key. Click to finish creating the rotated rectangle.

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

Note: if you lot're using a non-English keyboard, you'll want to apply a comma to indicate the decimal place and a semi-colon to dissever the values in the Measurements box. For instance, yous might enter the bending and width of the 2d edge as 43,2;viii,2m to become an bending that's 43,2 degrees and 8,2 meters long.

Note: if you lot'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 width and angle of the 2d edge every bit 8,2m; 43,2 to get a width that's 8,2 meters long and angle that's 43,2 degrees .

Cartoon a circle or ellipse

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

  • Circle entities take a radius and connect multiple line segments.
  • These segments act equally a single line in that they can define the edge of a face and divide a face. Additionally, selecting one segment selects the entire circumvolve entity.
  • SketchUp's inference engine yet sees the segments in the circle. So, if yous hover your mouse effectually the circumference of the circle entity, you lot'll run into endpoint and midpoint inferences.

To draw a circle, follow these steps:

  1. On the toolbar, select the Circle tool () from the drib-down card next to the Rectangle tool. Or press the C key. 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 change the number of sides, you can type a value now or wait until after you're done drawing the circle.
  2. Click to place the eye bespeak of the circle. The Measurements box changes to display the circle'south radius. You tin type a radius value at present or immediately afterwards you draw the circumvolve.
  3. Click to place the middle point of the circle. To align the airplane of your circle with a specific drawing centrality or other geometry, press the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment. For case, the up arrow aligns the circle'southward aeroplane with the bluish axis. Encounter the tabular array in Drawing a rectangle or foursquare for details.The Measurements box changes to display the circle's radius. You can type a radius value now or immediately after you draw the circle.
  4. Move the cursor out from the center indicate to define the circumvolve's radius. Equally you move the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. Press Esc at whatsoever point to showtime over.
  5. Click to finish the circumvolve. SketchUp creates a circumvolve-shaped face, every bit shown in the figure.

  6. (Optional) Until yous select a new tool or draw a new circle, you can employ the Measurements box to modify the circle'due south 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 v sides or 42s for 42 sides). And then press Enter.
    • To modify the number of sides: Blazon a number and the alphabetic character S (for example, type 5s for 5 sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter. Alternately, you tin can agree down the Ctrl central (Microsoft Windows) or the Selection key (macOS) while pressing the + or - to increment or decrease the number of sides, respectively. If y'all're using a French Canadian keyboard, concord down the Ctrl central (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= key to increment the segments. For macOS, press Command and = to increase segments or - to subtract segments.
    • To change the radius: Type a number and a unit (if desired), such as 6", 8', 34cm, or 7m. And then press Enter or Render.

      Tip: The Entity Info dialog box offers a handy way to edit the sides and radius values anytime. See Editing shapes later in this article 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 8 green grips is displayed effectually the circumvolve.
  4. Click one of the heart grips (not ane 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 circle.

Cartoon a polygon

You tin create polygon entities with the Polygon tool. (No surprise in that location.) All the same, here are a few facts that you lot may not know about polygons, only 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 heart point, and the number of sides determines the type of polygon y'all describe. A pentagon as 5 sides; an octagon has viii sides.
  • Polygon entities act equally a single line in that they tin define the border of a face up and also split up a face. Selecting ane 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, yous encounter endpoint, midpoint, and from signal inferences.
  • You tin can draw polygons on faces or split up from existing geometry.

Follow these steps to depict 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 tin can type a number value now or expect until later on yous're done drawing.
  2. Click to identify the center point of the polygon. The Measurements box changes to display the radius. Y'all can blazon a radius value at present or immediately after you draw the polygon.
  3. Click to place the centre bespeak of the polygon. To align the plane of your polygon with a specific drawing axis or other geometry, press the arrow key that corresponds your desired alignment. For example, the up pointer align's the polygon's plane with the blue centrality. Run across the earlier table in Drawing a rectangle or foursquare for details.The Measurements box changes to display the radius. Yous tin blazon a radius value now or immediately after you draw the polygon.
  4. Move the cursor out from the center signal to define the radius of your polygon. As y'all motility the cursor, the radius value is displayed dynamically in the Measurements box. To specify the radius, type a value and press Enter. Y'all can also press Esc to start over.
  5. Click a second time to finish the polygon. Hither, you see a five-sided polygon.
  6. (Optional) Until you lot select a new tool or draw a new polygon, y'all tin utilize the Measurements box to modify the radius or the number of sides as follows:
    • To modify the number of sides: Type a number and the letter Southward (for example, type 5s for five sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter.
    • To modify the number of sides: Type a number and the letter S (for example, blazon 5s for v sides or 42s for 42 sides). Then press Enter. Alternately, you can concur down the Ctrl fundamental (Microsoft Windows) or the Option central (macOS) while pressing the + or - to increase or decrease the number of sides, respectively. If you're using a French Canadian keyboard, hold downwardly the Ctrl key (Microsoft Windows) and the +/= primal to increase the segments. For macOS, press Control and = to increment segments or - to subtract segments.
    • To modify the radius: Blazon a number and a unit of measurement (if desired), such as 6", 8', 34cm, or 7m. Then printing Enter or Return.

    Tip: Although the Polygon tool works similarly to the Circle tool, the difference between the tools becomes apparent when you push/pull a circle or polygon into a 3D shape. The circle's edges look smoothen, just a polygon's edges show singled-out sides, every bit shown hither.


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

Editing shapes

The Entity Info dialog box enables you to alter a circumvolve or polygon'south radius or sides anytime after you create the shape. Hither'south how:

  1. Context-click an edge (non the face) of a circle or polygon that you want to edit.
  2. Select Entity Info from the context carte that appears, equally shown hither.
  3. In the Entity Info panel, click in the Radius or Segments box, modify the value, and press Enter (Microsoft Windows) or Return (Mac). Later on yous 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 yous've already selected another tool or drawn additional rectangles, you demand to erase the rectangle you want to alter and redraw information technology. See Cartoon a rectangle for details. Or resize the rectangle with the Scale tool if yous don't need to enter precise dimensions.

Of course, you can do much more just modify a shape's size. You lot tin turn a 2nd shape into a 3D shape with the Push/Pull tool. Y'all tin misconstrue shapes with the Move tool or scale all or part of your model.