How to Create Custom Shapes Online with Bezier Curves

Shape mode basics

Shape mode in Camisual lets you draw rectangles, circles, polygons, stars, arrows, and custom bezier paths. Once drawn, every shape can be edited by selecting it and entering vertex edit mode, where you drag bezier handles to curve any edge.

Step-by-step: Draw and customise a shape

1. 1

   Switch to Shape mode

   In the top mode switcher, click "Shape". The left panel will switch to the Shape section showing your shape type options.

2. 2

   Choose a shape type

   In the left Shape section, look for the shape type selector. Options include Rectangle, Circle/Ellipse, Polygon, Star, Arrow, Triangle, and Line. Click the shape you want to start with.

3. 3

   Draw the shape on the canvas

   Click and drag on the canvas to draw the shape. Hold Shift while dragging to constrain proportions (for example, to make a perfect circle or square).

4. 4

   Set fill and stroke

   With the shape selected, look at the left Shape section. You can set a fill colour using the fill swatch, adjust stroke colour using the stroke swatch, and change the stroke width with the width slider. Toggle fill on or off by clicking the fill toggle.

5. 5

   Adjust corner radius

   For rectangles, the Shape section shows a "Corner Radius" slider. Drag it to round the corners. Useful for buttons, cards, and speech bubbles.

6. 6

   Enter vertex edit mode

   To curve any edge with bezier handles, select the shape with the Select tool, then look for the "Edit Vertices" button that appears in the top toolbar when a shape is selected. Click it to enter vertex edit mode. Handles will appear on each corner and edge.

7. 7

   Drag bezier handles to curve edges

   Each vertex has two control handles. Drag a handle to curve the edge on that side. Pull handles far out for a wide curve or close in for a sharp corner. Click and drag a vertex point itself to reposition the corner entirely.

8. 8

   Exit vertex edit mode and style the shape

   Click anywhere outside the shape or press Escape to exit vertex edit mode. Your custom shape is ready. Apply gradients, adjust the fill opacity, or place an image inside the shape using the clip shape feature in the Image section.

Combining shapes

Select two shapes at the same time by holding Shift and clicking each one. The Shape section offers Boolean operations: Union (merge into one), Subtract (cut one from the other), and Intersect (keep only the overlapping area). Use these to build complex custom icons and graphics from simple building blocks.