LightBurn has a powerful set of tools for creating basic shapes directly in the workspace. These can be accessed via the Tools menu or via the Tools toolbar located along the left side of the default window.
- Lets you draw lines.
- Lines will automatically snap to existing vertices of objects as well as center points on shapes.
- Hold Ctrl (
on Mac) to bypass snapping behavior.
Video Tutorial #2: Rectangle and Ellipse
- Quickly draw rectangle or ellipse.
- Holding Shift locks the aspect to create squares or circles.
- Holding Ctrl (on Mac) creates them from the center out.
You can create rounded corners on rectangles by selecting the shape and going to the Shape Properties tool window. In this window you can edit the base path properties including Width, Height and Corner Radius.
The Polygon tool allows you to draw an N-sided polygon. Select the polygon tool and draw a shape on the screen. Then select the shape and go into the Shape Properties dialog box. You will see a Sides option below Width and Height to allow you to set the number of sides you want.
Video Tutorial #2: Node Editing
- Allows you to move the vertices of a selected shape.
- Pressing the S key when hovering over a node will convert it to a smooth node, and if required, creates tangent handles that can be manipulated from it.
- Pressing S while hovering over a line will convert the line to a smooth curve, with tangent handles, but leaves the shape of the original line intact.
- Pressing L while hovering over a smooth curve will convert it back to a straight line.
- Pressing C while hovering over a node will convert it to a corner, allowing the two handles to be manipulated independently of each other.
- Pressing D when hovering over a node will delete it and connect the lines on either side together.
- Pressing D when hovering over a line will delete it and open or split the shape.
- Pressing I when hovering over a line or curve will insert a new node at that point along the line
- Pressing B when hovering over a point will break the curve at that point
- Create text on the screen, or edit existing text by clicking within it.
- Quickly change font and size.
- Alignment (Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Center).
More information about creating text in LightBurn can be found here.
Video Tutorial #2: Offset Tool
- Create an offset line around the selected objects.
- Can increase or decrease the offset distance, either outward, inward or both.
- Corner style can be set to round, bevel or corner
- Options to delete the original, select the resulting objects and optimize/simplify results
- Resulting shape is grouped automatically.
- You can ungroup and remove unwanted outline portions .
- Resulting shape can be auto-converted to splines.
- Can auto-delete the source shape(s) if desired.
- Pressing the Offset button with the Ctrl key pressed (on Mac) executes with the last used options.
- Offsets can now be applied to open vectors, as well as closed shapes.
Vector shapes can be modified using the Boolean Tools
When using script fonts, Lightburn will autoweld the letters together.