Interactive studio

Add a Shape — live workspace

Geometric building blocks — banners, badges, underlines, and backgrounds in one click. Every control below is live: configure, run, and watch the results.

Live workspace Ready

Try it: add a shape

No output yet.
Configure the controls above, then press Run — your result appears here.

Onboarding checklist

  1. Choose the design and the shape kind — rectangle, circle, triangle, line, star, or polygon.
  2. Set the size, the fill color, and optionally a stroke color and width.
  3. Polygons get a sides field: enter 3–12.
  4. Click Add shape . The shape lands centered on your canvas and the live preview updates instantly.

Steps tick themselves off as you work — or tap any step to toggle it.

Add a Shape techniques

Woman posing in a jumpsuit in an abandoned building — Geometric accents for modern layouts
Geometric accents for modern layouts
Colleagues having a discussion — Frames that pull the eye to the subject
Frames that pull the eye to the subject
Crop man using laptop while making music — Dividers with real visual rhythm
Dividers with real visual rhythm
Faceless man working on computer with montage — Badges and stickers that lift a design
Badges and stickers that lift a design

Shapes are the quiet workhorses of graphic design: rectangles become banners and buttons, circles become badges and avatars, stars become sale stickers, and polygons become custom geometric accents. The Add Shape tool drops any of them onto your canvas in one click, with full control over size, fill, and outline.

Every shape is a real editable layer — not a flattened decoration. Fill it with any color, give it a stroke up to 200 pixels wide, and for polygons choose exactly how many sides you want: hexagons for tech badges, octagons for stop-sign callouts, triangles for arrows and pennants.

Shapes compose beautifully with the other layout tools on this site. Add a circle behind your headline text, then use the align tool to center them, or stack several shapes and fine-tune the stacking order with reorder-layer. From simple underlines to full geometric backgrounds, shapes are where designs start to feel designed.

How it works

  1. Choose the design and the shape kind — rectangle, circle, triangle, line, star, or polygon.
  2. Set the size, the fill color, and optionally a stroke color and width.
  3. Polygons get a sides field: enter 3–12.
  4. Click Add shape. The shape lands centered on your canvas and the live preview updates instantly.

Tips

  • Set stroke width to 0 to keep shapes clean, or add a bold outline for sticker-style graphics.
  • A wide, short rectangle in a brand color makes an instant text banner.
  • Star shapes are perfect for sale stickers and rating badges — drop one behind a price.

What it costs

Free on this site — and it can't be metered. Add a Shape uses no AI and runs entirely in your browser: no usage counters, nothing sent to our servers to bill. When credit metering arrives in the app, local operations like this one will never consume AI credits — only server-side AI generations will.

Frequently asked questions

Which shapes can I add?

Rectangle, circle, triangle, line, star, and polygon. Polygons let you choose the number of sides from 3 to 12 — hexagons, octagons, and more.

Can I make a hexagon?

Yes. Pick the polygon shape and set the sides field: 6 gives a hexagon, 8 an octagon. The sides field only appears when polygon is selected.

Can shapes have outlines?

Absolutely. Set a stroke color and a stroke width above zero and the shape gets an outline in that color — great for badges, frames, and callout boxes.

Where does the new shape appear?

The shape lands centered on your canvas by default. For exact placement, move or resize it afterward with the full photoaicompany editor, or layer several shapes with the reorder-layer tool.

Related layout tools

See the transformation

Add a Shape — before & after

Man editing photographs on computer — before Add a Shape
Creative workspace with designer at desk — after Add a Shape
BeforeAfter photoaicompany

Drag the handle — it glides with physics when you let go. Add a Shape, transformed in one pass.

Watch it work

See Add a Shape in motion

Drag the cards, scroll the scene — the tool explains itself.

InputTransformOutput
A photographer taking photos of the model sitting on a wooden platform — Add a Shape motion card

A canvas that keeps upAdd a Shape — frame 1 of 4

A woman drawing on white paper — Add a Shape motion card

Type that performsAdd a Shape — frame 2 of 4

Close up shot of a monitor screen — Add a Shape motion card

Photos with presenceAdd a Shape — frame 3 of 4

Close up of lights — Add a Shape motion card

Export without fearAdd a Shape — frame 4 of 4

Drag the cards — they glide with inertia. Scroll — the blob morphs and the dot traces the flow.

The full walkthrough

How Add a Shape works, step by step

Add shapes to your photoaicompany design — rectangles, circles, triangles, lines, stars, and polygons — with fill, stroke, and size controls. Free.

1

Design

The Design picker chooses which canvas receives the work. Keep one design per purpose — mixing campaigns in one file breeds confusion. Name designs by outcome (“Launch-Post-v3”), not by date; future-you searches by intent.

Pro tip: One design, one job. Split multi-purpose files early.

AdjustFlipTemplatesStylesShare
Add a Shape — Align
4.9kIcons
312Fonts
98%Canvas
Blue paint on wall — Add a Shape annotated figure
Step 1: Design — Add a Shape, annotated
  1. 1
    Design control This is where you set design — changes preview live on the canvas.
  2. 2
    Live canvas Every adjustment renders instantly — what you see is what exports.
  3. 3
    Result Happy with it? The design updates in place, ready for the next step.
2

Shape

Circles feel friendly, rectangles feel serious, and rounded corners split the difference. Use shapes to create rhythm: repeated badges down a page pull the eye forward.

Pro tip: Shapes at low opacity become premium textures.

Add a ShapeZoom
Beautiful woman in beige sleeveless dress — Add a Shape annotated figure
1:14:516:99:16
Step 2: Shape — Add a Shape, annotated
  1. 1
    Shape control This is where you set shape — changes preview live on the canvas.
  2. 2
    Live canvas Every adjustment renders instantly — what you see is what exports.
  3. 3
    Result Happy with it? The design updates in place, ready for the next step.
3

Fill color

Color carries meaning before words do: one accent color for actions, neutrals for everything else. The control keeps your palette honest. Never place body copy on a busy photo region — add a scrim or move the text to quiet space.

Pro tip: Limit yourself to three colors per design: background, ink, accent.

Add a ShapeBrand kit
White crumpled paper — Add a Shape annotated figure
1:14:516:99:16
Step 3: Fill color — Add a Shape, annotated
  1. 1
    Fill color control This is where you set fill color — changes preview live on the canvas.
  2. 2
    Live canvas Every adjustment renders instantly — what you see is what exports.
  3. 3
    Result Happy with it? The design updates in place, ready for the next step.
4

Stroke color

Color carries meaning before words do: one accent color for actions, neutrals for everything else. The control keeps your palette honest. Never place body copy on a busy photo region — add a scrim or move the text to quiet space.

Pro tip: Check contrast by converting your design to grayscale mentally — if the text vanishes, the color failed.

A woman using a computer — Add a Shape annotated figure
Arrange — Add a Shape
PNGJPGPDFMP4
ResizeColors
Step 4: Stroke color — Add a Shape, annotated
  1. 1
    Stroke color control This is where you set stroke color — changes preview live on the canvas.
  2. 2
    Live canvas Every adjustment renders instantly — what you see is what exports.
  3. 3
    Result Happy with it? The design updates in place, ready for the next step.
5

Width (px)

Dimensions decide where this design is allowed to live. A square post, a story, a thumbnail — each has its own grammar. Set dimensions before styling: reflowing a finished design is surgery, starting at the right size is hygiene.

Pro tip: Lock aspect ratio when scaling photos; free-scale only graphics.

Add a ShapeCanvas
A person holding colors samples — Add a Shape annotated figure
Export
Projects
Icons
Step 5: Width (px) — Add a Shape, annotated
  1. 1
    Width (px) control This is where you set width (px) — changes preview live on the canvas.
  2. 2
    Live canvas Every adjustment renders instantly — what you see is what exports.
  3. 3
    Result Happy with it? The design updates in place, ready for the next step.
6

Height (px)

The control speaks pixels, but think in placements: where will eyes meet this, and how big will it be? Design at 2x the smallest size you’ll export — downscaling stays sharp, upscaling never does.

Pro tip: Lock aspect ratio when scaling photos; free-scale only graphics.

Modern spacious walk in closet design — Add a Shape annotated figure
Opacity — Add a Shape
PNGJPGPDFMP4
LayersColors
Step 6: Height (px) — Add a Shape, annotated
  1. 1
    Height (px) control This is where you set height (px) — changes preview live on the canvas.
  2. 2
    Live canvas Every adjustment renders instantly — what you see is what exports.
  3. 3
    Result Happy with it? The design updates in place, ready for the next step.
Know your workspace

Anatomy of the Add a Shape workspace

Five regions do all the work. Learn them once and every tool on this site feels familiar.

Add a Shape — untitled.pacArrange
RotateCropBrand kitProjectsZoom
A girl with sunglasses holding a helmet — Add a Shape annotated figure
Fill
History
Blend
Shadow
Anatomy of the Add a Shape workspace
  1. 1
    Toolbar Every tool lives here — pick one and the canvas listens.
  2. 2
    Canvas Your design, live. Drag, resize, and edit directly.
  3. 3
    Layers The stack your design is built from — top wins.
  4. 4
    Export One click sends the finished design out as PNG, JPG, or PDF.
  5. 5
    Properties Fine-tune whatever is selected, right where you work.
Level up

Add a Shape techniques that look professional

Four field-tested techniques, each shown on real photography. Steal them all.

Clean sheets of white paper scattered on surface — Add a Shape technique
Squint test everything. Blur your vision: whatever still reads is your true hierarchy — fix the rest. Apply this inside Add a Shape today — the improvement is instant.
Paint brushes and a palette knife in brown ceramic cup on a wooden surface — Add a Shape technique
Design the system, not the page. Styles, spacing, and components that repeat become a language — speak it fluently. Try it on your next Add a Shape project and compare the result.
Male hand drawing on a graphic tablet with a pencil — Add a Shape technique
Steal structure, not style. Borrow the layout logic you admire, then dress it in your own voice. Make it part of your Add a Shape routine.
Brush on canvas held by a painter — Add a Shape technique
Start from the message, not the decoration. Write the one sentence this design must communicate, then build everything in service of it. Your Add a Shape work will show the difference immediately.
Avoid the traps

Three mistakes to avoid with Add a Shape

✕

Tiny text on busy photos

Small type disappears into photographic detail. Fix: grow the size, add a soft scrim behind it, or move the copy to a quiet zone.

✕

Decorating before messaging

Effects applied before the words are final get redone. Fix: lock the copy first, style second.

✕

Ignoring the safe zones

Platforms crop edges and cover corners with UI. Fix: keep critical content inside the central 80%.

End to end

A complete Add a Shape workflow

Five moves, start to shipped. This is how the work actually flows.

  1. 1

    Start in the editor

    Open a blank canvas or a template — Add a Shape works on anything with pixels. The tool never asks you to start over.

  2. 2

    Do the core move

    Run Add a Shape the way the walkthrough above shows. Get the big decision right before touching details.

  3. 3

    Refine with a second tool

    Pair it with All tools — tools compose, and two simple moves beat one complicated one.

  4. 4

    Check it on a phone

    Most designs are consumed on phones. Preview small, fix what breaks, then continue.

  5. 5

    Export and ship

    Export in the format your destination wants, keep the master design, and move on to the next one.

Good to know

More Add a Shape answers

What’s the single most useful tip for Add a Shape?

Set stroke width to 0 to keep shapes clean, or add a bold outline for sticker-style graphics.

What do beginners get wrong with Add a Shape?

A wide, short rectangle in a brand color makes an instant text banner. Start simple, then layer on complexity once the basics feel automatic.

Is Add a Shape really free?

Yes — Add a Shape is free to use in your browser, and your work saves to your account. Premium plans add AI credits, team features, and higher export limits; the tool itself never holds your design hostage.

Visual guides

Every fact, visualized

Ten detailed infographics — every number real, every label earned. Built for Add a Shape, only on this page.

How Add a Shape worksThe exact control order, from blank canvas to finisheddesign.1DesignSet design and watch the canvas answer instantly — everycontrol in this tool previews live.2ShapeSet shape and watch the canvas answer instantly — everycontrol in this tool previews live.3Fill colorSet fill color and watch the canvas answer instantly —every control in this tool previews live.4Stroke colorSet stroke color and watch the canvas answer instantly —every control in this tool previews live.5Width (px)Set width (px) and watch the canvas answer instantly —every control in this tool previews live.6Height (px)Set height (px) and watch the canvas answer instantly —every control in this tool previews live.
Add a Shape step-by-step workflow
Anatomy of the Add a Shape workspaceFive regions do all the work — learn them once.ToolbarEvery tool lives here. Pick one andthe canvas listens.CanvasYour design, live. Drag, resize, editdirectly.LayersThe stack your design is built from —top wins.PropertiesFine-tune whatever is selected, rightwhere you work.TemplatesStarting points that are 70% rightbefore you touch them.ExportOne click out as PNG, JPG, PDF, orMP4.
Add a Shape workspace anatomy
Export formats, decodedPick the format your destination actually wants.PNG — crisp graphicsText, logos, transparency. The default for anything withletterforms.JPG — photosSmall files for photographic images. Never for text-heavygraphics.PDF — print & documentsMulti-page, print-ready, keeps vectors sharp at any size.MP4 — motionAnimated designs and video exports for social and ads.
Add a Shape export guide: the right format, every time
Which format for which jobA quick matrix — screenshot it.PNGJPGSocial graphics with text✓Photographic posts✓Print flyers✓Video & animation
Which format for Add a Shape: the quick matrix
Add a Shape vs doing it manuallyWhat the tool actually saves you.✓Runs entirely in your browserNo install, no updates, no disk space sacrificed.✓Free tier that is a real workspaceNot a trial — the editor, templates, and core tools stayfree.✓Every control previews liveChange a setting and see the result instantly.✓Templates + AI assistance built inStart from 70% done instead of a blank canvas.✓One-click export in every formatPNG, JPG, PDF, MP4 — sized for each placement.
Add a Shape advantages
Keyboard shortcuts that pay offLearn these once — they work across the whole editor.Ctrl/⌘ + ZUndo. The most-usedshortcut in any creativetool.Ctrl/⌘ + C / VCopy and paste anyelement, across designs.Ctrl/⌘ + DDuplicate the selectionin place.DeleteRemove the selectedelement instantly.Ctrl/⌘ + SSave your design rightnow.+ / −Zoom the canvas in andout.
Shortcuts that speed up Add a Shape
Contrast rules that keep text readableReal standards, not opinions.4.5 : 1 — body text minimumWCAG AA: regular text needs this contrast against itsbackground.3 : 1 — large text minimumHeadlines 24px+ (or 19px bold+) get a lower bar — still abar.Grayscale testConvert mentally to gray: if the text vanishes, the colorfailed.Scrim rescueA soft dark veil behind white text saves impossiblephotos.
Contrast rules for Add a Shape text
Mistakes → fixesThe three traps, and the way out of each.✓Tiny text on busy photosSmall type disappears into photographic detail. Fix: growthe size, add a soft scrim behind it, or move the copy toa quiet zone.✓Text touching the edgesCopy crammed against the canvas edge feels accidental.Fix: give every text block breathing room — margins arefree.✓Ignoring the safe zonesPlatforms crop edges and cover corners with UI. Fix: keepcritical content inside the central 80%.
Add a Shape mistakes and fixes
Where Add a Shape earns its keepFour jobs this tool was born for.SocialPosts & storiesSized right,exported sharp,shipped daily.BrandMarketing assetsOn-palette,on-font, everysingle time.DocsPresentationsSlides andone-pagers thatlook designed.PrintFlyers & cardsPDF export keepsevery edge crisp.
Add a Shape use cases
Quick answersStraight from this page — no digging required.Which shapes can I add?Rectangle, circle, triangle, line,star, and polygon. Polygons let youchoose the number of sides from 3 to12 — hexagons, octagons, and morCan I make a hexagon?Yes. Pick the polygon shape and setthe sides field: 6 gives a hexagon, 8an octagon. The sides field onlyappears when polygon is selected.Can shapes have outlines?Absolutely. Set a stroke color and astroke width above zero and the shapegets an outline in that color — greatfor badges, frames, and calWhere does the new shape appear?The shape lands centered on yourcanvas by default. For exactplacement, move or resize itafterward with the full
Add a Shape quick answers

Live telemetry

ADD A SHAPE — CAPABILITY TELEMETRY

Live counts from this page · hover any bar

0Form controls
0Guided steps
0Pro tips
0Use cases
Breakdownlive
Canvas
Content
Style
Position
Action
Canvas
Content
Style
Position
Action
Cumulative depthlive
Lab controls: 8Lab controls+ Steps: 12+ Steps+ Tips: 15+ Tips+ FAQs: 19+ FAQs+ Use cases: 25+ Use cases

Complete guide

Everything Add a Shape can do

The full capability picture — features by plan, every control explained, real use cases, and the spec sheet.

Feature availability

Every capability of this tool, and which plan includes it.

CapabilityFreeProBusiness
The design and the shape kind — rectangle, circle, triangle, line, star, or polygon.✓✓✓
The size, the fill color, and optionally a stroke color and width.✓✓✓
Polygons get a sides field: enter 3–12.✓✓✓
Add shape. The shape lands centered on your canvas and the live preview updates instantly.✓✓✓

Control map — every field, explained

Each control on this page, and what it actually does when you run the tool.

ControlWhat it does
DesignChoose the design and the shape kind — rectangle, circle, triangle, line, star, or polygon.
ShapeStar shapes are perfect for sale stickers and rating badges — drop one behind a price.
Fill colorSet the size, the fill color, and optionally a stroke color and width.
Stroke colorSet the size, the fill color, and optionally a stroke color and width.
Width (px)Set stroke width to 0 to keep shapes clean, or add a bold outline for sticker-style graphics.
Height (px)Set this control, then run the tool — the canvas updates live.
Stroke width (px, 0 = none)Set stroke width to 0 to keep shapes clean, or add a bold outline for sticker-style graphics.
Sides (polygon, 3–12)Polygons get a sides field: enter 3–12.

Use it for — Add a Shape in real work

1

Badges and seals behind headline text

2

Color-block backgrounds for quote cards

3

Arrows and pointers in how-to graphics

4

Frames around profile photos

5

Dividers between content sections

6

Polygons as abstract art elements

Spec sheet

ShapesRectangle, ellipse, triangle, polygon, star, arrow, line
Polygon sides3–12, adjustable
FillAny color
Stroke0–40 px, any color
SizingExact width/height in px
FreeUnlimited

Keyboard reference

KeysActionScope
Ctrl/⌘ + ZUndo the last changeBrowser-standard
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + ZRedoBrowser-standard
Tab / Shift+TabMove between fields in orderBrowser-standard
EnterActivate the focused buttonBrowser-standard
EscClose dialogs and menusBrowser-standard
DeleteRemove the selected layer on canvasEditor