Rectangle

The Rectangle tool offers several different ways to construct a rectangle.

  • Corner to opposite corner
  • Center to corner
  • Corner to center
  • Define one side with Mark Button and then drag to define other side
  • Define dividing center line with Mark Button and then drag to define other side
  • Define dividing center line from center with Mark Button and then drag to define other side

You can use Drag Constraints for the last three options to restrict the sides horizontally, vertically, or freely (no constraints). Here’s an example.

Why would you need all these construction options? Well, say, for instance, you’d like to center a rectangle in a circle. This is difficult to do if you construct the rectangle using opposite corners, but if you use the center-to-corner construction method it’s simple. Make sure Snapping is enabled. Touch near the center of the circle and drag outward until you reach the circumference. The rectangle is perfectly centered. If you find yourself struggling to place something correctly, often times you can make your life easier by looking for a different method. One other construction option you can use is the Bezier Points button. It looks like this and controls how many Bezier Points are created for each side. See the Move Bezier Point tool for how to use these invisible points.