---
title: Creating and Editing Primary Shapes in LightBurn
description: Learn how to create and edit Primary Shapes like rectangles, ellipses, and polygons in LightBurn. Explore shape properties, control handles, and node editing for enhanced design flexibility.
---
[Skip to content](https://support.salasers.com/primary-shapes-lightburn#main-content)
English
Show submenu for translations
[Submit a Ticket](https://support.salasers.com/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en)
![MicrosoftTeams-image.png\]](https://support.salasers.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/MicrosoftTeams-image.png?height=50&name=MicrosoftTeams-image.png)
Open main navigation
Close main navigation
- English
Show submenu for translations
- [Submit a Ticket](https://support.salasers.com/kb-tickets/new)
- Go to salasers.com
Go to salasers.com
Hello. How can we help you?
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
1. [SA Laser Knowledge Base](https://support.salasers.com/?hsLang=en)
2. [Tools & Features](https://support.salasers.com/tools-features?hsLang=en)
3. [Layout and Design](https://support.salasers.com/tools-features?hsLang=en#layout-and-design)
# Creating and Editing Primary Shapes in LightBurn
## Rectangles, Ellipses, and Polygons as Design Foundations
Primary Shapes—**rectangles, ellipses, and polygons**—are fundamental tools for building designs. These shapes can be used individually or combined with other objects to create complex designs.
---
### What Are Primary Shapes?
- **Rectangles and Squares:** Editable with adjustable corner radius.
- **Ellipses and Circles:** Flexible for creating ovals or perfect circles.
- **Polygons:** Configurable with any number of sides (triangles, pentagons, hexagons, etc.).
These shapes are **Built-in Shapes**, meaning they retain editable properties like corner radius for rectangles or the number of sides for polygons, even after creation.
---
### Shape Creation
#### **Tools and Shortcuts**
Access Primary Shape tools from:
- **Tools Toolbar**
- **Tools Menu**
- **Keyboard Shortcuts:**
- **Rectangle/Square:** `Ctrl/Cmd + R`
- **Ellipse/Circle:** `Ctrl/Cmd + E`
- **Polygon:** No default shortcut; select from the toolbar.
#### **How to Draw a Shape**
1. Select a Primary Shape tool.
2. Click, hold, and drag in your Workspace to create the shape.
3. **Modifiers:**
- Hold **Ctrl/Cmd**: Draw the shape from the center outward.
- Hold **Shift**: Constrain the shape to its regular form (square, circle, or equal-sided polygon).
- Hold **Ctrl/Cmd + Shift**: Combine both effects.
---
### Editing Primary Shapes
Primary Shapes can be modified through:
- **Shape Properties Window**
- **Control Handles** in the Workspace
#### **Dimensions**
- Adjust **Width** and **Height** via:
- **Shape Properties Window**
- **Numeric Edits Toolbar**
---
#### **Corner Radius (Rectangles Only)**
- **Round Corners:** Adjust the corner radius while maintaining proportionality.
- **How to Edit:**
- Select the rectangle and hold **Ctrl/Cmd**.
- Drag the **blue control handle** near a corner:
- Drag outward to increase the radius.
- Drag inward to decrease it.
- Drag vertically for an inverted radius effect.
- Alternatively, set the radius numerically in the **Shape Properties Window**.
---
#### **Number of Sides (Polygons Only)**
- **Customize Shape:** Change the number of sides to create different polygons (e.g., triangle, hexagon, octagon).
- **How to Edit:**
- Adjust sides in the **Shape Properties Window**.
- Or hold **Ctrl/Cmd** and drag the **purple control handle** near the polygon to interactively modify the sides.
---
### Node Editing for Primary Shapes
To edit the nodes of a Primary Shape, you must **Convert to Path**.
- **What Happens:**
- This conversion permanently removes editable properties (e.g., Corner Radius, number of sides).
- You gain the ability to modify individual nodes for fine-tuned adjustments.
---
### Tips for Using Primary Shapes
1. **Foundation of Designs:** Use Primary Shapes as building blocks for more complex compositions.
2. **Shape Refinement:** Combine the Draw Lines and Edit Nodes tools to enhance the details.
3. **Retain Properties:** Avoid converting to a path unless detailed node editing is necessary.
---
### Summary
Primary Shapes—rectangles, ellipses, and polygons—are versatile tools in LightBurn, offering adjustable properties for efficient design. By mastering creation, editing, and control handle adjustments, you can create precise and complex graphics effortlessly. Save node editing for advanced customization to maintain flexibility during the design process.
- [Lightburn](https://support.salasers.com/lightburn?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [Lightburn For Galvo (Fiber)](https://support.salasers.com/lightburn?hsLang=en#lightburn-for-galvo-fiber)
- [Lightburn For Gantry (Co2,RF)](https://support.salasers.com/lightburn?hsLang=en#lightburn-for-gantry-co2rf)
- [Fiber (Galvo) Lasers](https://support.salasers.com/fiber-galvo-lasers?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [Troubleshooting](https://support.salasers.com/fiber-galvo-lasers?hsLang=en#troubleshooting)
- [Co2 Lasers](https://support.salasers.com/co2-lasers?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [Razor Series](https://support.salasers.com/co2-lasers?hsLang=en#razor-series)
- [Troubleshooting](https://support.salasers.com/troubleshooting?hsLang=en)
- [EzCad 2](https://support.salasers.com/ezcad-2?hsLang=en)
- [How-To Guides](https://support.salasers.com/how-to-guides?hsLang=en)
- [Explainers](https://support.salasers.com/explainers?hsLang=en)
- [Tools & Features](https://support.salasers.com/tools-features?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [User Interface](https://support.salasers.com/tools-features?hsLang=en#user-interface)
- [Essential Functions](https://support.salasers.com/tools-features?hsLang=en#essential-functions)
- [Layout and Design](https://support.salasers.com/tools-features?hsLang=en#layout-and-design)
# San Antonio Laser
SALasers.com Help Center
Copyright © 2026, San Antonio Laser