Polygon Tool

Draw polygons with adjustable side counts and smooth stroke control. Draw in Normal or Centre mode and fine-tune coordinates with precision controls.

How to Draw a Polygon

  1. 1
    Select the Polygon Tool
    Click on the Polygon button in the left toolbar. It looks like a polygon shape. The button will light up to show it's selected, and the bottom toolbar will show polygon-specific controls.
  2. 2
    Choose Your Colour
    Pick a colour from the colour palette on the right side. Your polygon's border will use this colour. The stroke is applied in real-time as you draw.
  3. 3
    Adjust Stroke Controls
    Use the 'Stroke' controls in the bottom toolbar. You can use either the slider (0-100 pixels) for quick adjustments or type an exact number in the input box. Both controls are synchronised - changing one updates the other instantly.
  4. 4
    Set Sides and Precision (Optional)
    Use the 'Sides' input to choose how many corners your polygon has (3-99). Then adjust the 'Precision' setting (0-4 decimal places) to control how precisely polygon points are calculated.
  5. 5
    Choose Your Drawing Mode
    Choose Normal (bounding-box drag) or Centre (drag from the polygon's centre). On desktop hold Alt/⌥ for Centre mode. On touch devices tap the Normal or Centre button in the context toolbar.
  6. 6
    Click and Drag to Draw
    Click anywhere on the canvas where you want to start your polygon. Hold down the mouse button and drag to make it the size you want. The behaviour depends on your selected mode. Release when it's perfect!

Drawing Modes

The Polygon tool offers two drawing modes. On desktop hold keyboard shortcuts whilst drawing. On touch devices tap Normal or Centre in the context toolbar — the active mode is highlighted.

Normal Mode
Default
Click and drag diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner. This is the standard way to draw polygons - perfect for when you want to fit shapes into specific areas.
Centre-Out Mode
Alt/⌥ key · or tap Centre
Your click becomes the centre point, and you drag outward to set the size. Great when you know exactly where the centre should be! Perfect for symmetric designs and precise positioning.

Touch Device Gestures

On touch-enabled devices (tablets, phones, touch-screen laptops), you can use special gestures to control drawing modes:

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Double-Tap to Cycle Modes
Quickly tap twice (within 0.3 seconds) when the tool is active to cycle between Normal and Centre-Out. Visual feedback shows your current mode.
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Mode Buttons
Tap Normal or Centre in the context toolbar to switch drawing mode directly. The active mode is highlighted.
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Visual Feedback
When you activate the tool or change modes, you'll see helpful messages like 'Polygon tool ready' and 'Mode: Centre-out drawing'.
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Pro Tips for All Modes!
Desktop Users: Hold Alt/⌥ whilst drawing for Centre mode.
Touch Users: Tap Normal or Centre in the toolbar to switch modes directly, or double-tap the canvas to cycle.
Centre-Out Magic: This mode is brilliant for creating perfectly centred layouts and symmetric designs!

Tool Controls

Two buttons in the context toolbar — tap to switch instantly:

  • Normal: Bounding-box drag (default)
  • Centre: Drag outward from the polygon's circumscribed centre

Dual controls for maximum flexibility:

  • Slider: Drag from 0-100 pixels for quick adjustments
  • Number Input: Type exact values for precision
  • Live Sync: Both controls update each other automatically

Set decimal places (0-4) for coordinate precision. Higher values give more exact positioning but may result in longer coordinate numbers.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Desktop Controls

Draw from centre (Windows/Linux):Hold Alt
Draw from centre (Mac):Hold ⌥
Constrain to equal width and height (inscribe in a circle):Hold Shift
Cancel current polygon:Escape

Touch Device Controls

Cycle through drawing modes:Double-Tap (0.3s)
Switch mode directly:Normal / Centre
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How Mode Switching Works
On desktop, keyboard shortcuts temporarily activate modes whilst you hold the key. On touch devices, tap Normal or Centre in the context toolbar to switch instantly.

Special Features

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Two Drawing Modes
Choose Normal or Centre from the context toolbar. Normal draws by bounding-box; Centre sets the polygon's circumscribed circle from your touch/click point outward.
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Smart Cleanup
Polygons smaller than 0.5 pixels are automatically removed to keep your canvas clean. This prevents accidental tiny shapes from cluttering your artwork.
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Precise Measurements
Coordinate precision settings (0-4 decimal places) let you control exactly how precise your polygon positioning is, perfect for technical drawings.
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Live Colour Updates
Your polygons automatically use the currently selected colour from the palette, and the colour updates in real-time as you draw.
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Dual Input Controls
Both slider and number input for stroke width work together - change one and the other updates instantly. Perfect for both quick adjustments and precise values.
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Safe Coordinates
Built-in coordinate safety limits prevent invalid or extreme values that could cause display issues, ensuring reliable performance.
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Touch-Optimised
All controls meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards with 44px+ touch targets. The Normal and Centre mode buttons and double-tap gesture work seamlessly on all touch devices.
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Visual Feedback
Get instant feedback when switching modes or activating tools. Messages show current mode and provide helpful hints for both desktop and touch users.

Technical Details

Drawing Modes:Normal (bounding-box), Centre (from circumscribed centre outward)
Stroke Width Range:0 to 100 pixels
Coordinate Precision:0 to 4 decimal places
Minimum Valid Size:0.5 pixels (smaller polygons are auto-removed)
Touch Targets:Minimum 44px (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant)
Double-Tap Threshold:300 milliseconds between taps
Shape Properties:Stroke-only (no fill), rounded line joins, scalable stroke
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Practice Ideas!
Try these exercises: Create a simple house outline with polygons, make a comic strip panel layout, design a basic floor plan, create geometric patterns with overlapping polygons using centre-out mode, or practise different stroke widths to see their effects. Hold Shift to constrain the polygon to equal width and height so it sits in a perfect circle, and try Alt/⌥ for centre-based drawing!
Polygon Tool Help | Version 1.4.0 | Updated for touch modes and gestures