How to Create Circular Patterns with Circular Array tool

The Circular Array tool is a powerful feature that allows you to create duplicate copies of an object arranged in a circle or an arc. It’s perfect for creating symmetrical patterns, decorative wreaths, or any design that requires repeating elements around a central point.

1. Locating and Activating the Tool

First, you’ll need to select an object on your canvas that you wish to duplicate. You must have an object selected to activate the array tools.

Once you’ve selected your shape:

1. Navigate to the main Tools Bar on the left side of the workspace.
2. Locate the Arrays section.
3. Click on the section to expand it and select the Circular Array tool.

As soon as you activate the tool, a live preview of the array will appear on your screen, centered on the workspace axis by default.

2. Customizing via the Tool Options Panel

You can precisely control every aspect of your array using the options panel.

• Start and End Angle: These values determine the arc on which your objects are placed.
  • Pro Tip: To create a full circle, set the Start and End angles to the same value (e.g., 0° and 360°, or 90° and 90°).
• Number of Copies: Enter the exact number of objects you want in your array.
• Step Angle: This value shows the angle between each copy. It updates automatically when you change the number of copies, but you can also set it manually to adjust the total span of your arc.
• Clockwise/Counterclockwise: A simple checkbox to control the direction in which the array is created from the start angle.
• Clones: Enable this powerful option to link all the copies to the original. Editing any one of the “cloned” objects will update all the others simultaneously! We’ll cover this more below.
• Contour Steps: Use this to create concentric circles of your array. You can also choose to have the outer contours contain the same number of copies or add extra copies for a denser, better fit.
• Presets: This dropdown menu provides quick actions. The Full Circle Preset is especially useful, as it automatically arranges your selected object(s) in a complete circle with calculated spacing.

3. Adjusting the Array Visually

For a more hands-on approach, you can manipulate the array directly on the canvas using its interactive handles.

• The green line represents the Start Angle.
• The red line represents the End Angle.
• The blue lines show the position of each intermediate copy.
• The central handle marks the array’s center of rotation.

To change the array’s radius and position:

• Click and drag the handle on the green line or any of the blue lines.
• Moving the handle away from the center increases the radius.
• Moving the handle toward the center decreases the radius.
• Moving the handle around the center changes the position of the entire arc.

To change the array’s length and spacing:

• Click and drag the handle on the red line. This adjusts the End Angle, which changes the spacing between your objects while keeping the number of copies the same.

4. Precision Control with Keyboard Shortcuts

Combine mouse movements with keyboard keys for precise adjustments.

• Hold the Ctrl key: While dragging any angle handle, this will snap the movement to 15-degree increments, which is perfect for creating precise angles.
• Hold the Shift key:
  • When dragging the start (green) handle, this locks the angle, allowing you to only change the radius (distance from the center).
  • When dragging the end (red) handle, this locks the spacing between objects, allowing you to add or remove copies by moving the mouse outwards or inwards.
• Hold the Alt key:
  • When dragging the start (green) handle, this locks the radius, allowing you to only change the arc’s angular position.
  • When dragging the end (red) handle, this also locks the radius, allowing you to change the spacing between copies without altering their distance from the center.

5. Advanced Visual Controls

• Moving the Center: Simply click and drag the handle at the very center of the array to reposition its pivot point anywhere on the canvas.
• Action Handles: When you hover your mouse over a control node on any copy, small action handles will appear. These allow you to perform quick transformations like mirroring or rotating an object by 90 degrees. This effect can be applied in a pattern (e.g., to every second object) for creating more complex designs.

6. Pro Tip: The Power of the “Clones” Option

If you enabled the Clones option in the properties panel, all copies in the array are linked. This is incredibly efficient!

If you edit the shape, size, or color of any single object in the array, all the other objects will automatically update with the exact same change. This saves a massive amount of time compared to editing each object individually.

7. Applying Your Array

Once you are satisfied with your design:

• Click “Apply” to finalize the array and create the objects.
• If you want to start over with a different shape, click “Select new” to change your base selection without exiting the tool.