Having trouble drawing a straight line? Losing your mind trying to draw a perfect circle? Fear not. Using PaintTool SAI rulers can help turn your design process from a headache-inducing nightmare into smooth sailing.
My name is Elianna. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and have been using PaintTool SAI for over seven years. I know what it’s like to spend hours making perspective grids and planning circles. I feel your pain.
In this post, I will show you how to use PaintTool SAI’s rulers so your design process stays productive, fun, and void of stress.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- PaintTool SAI has five main ruler options: Straight, Ellipse, Parallel Lines, Concentric Ellipse, and Vanishing Point.
- PaintTool SAI’s default ruler is Straight. To access the other ruler options, locate them in the Ruler menu.
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R to quickly show or hide your ruler.
- Hold down Ctrl or Alt to edit your ruler.
What are PaintTool SAI’s Ruler Options
PaintTool SAI has five primary ruler options. They are as follows:
- Straight – Allows you to draw straight lines of various angles
- Eclipse – Allows you to draw perfect Ellipses
- Parallel Lines – Allows you to draw perfect, parallel lines of various angles
- Concentric Eclipse – Allows you to draw concentric Ellipses
- Vanishing Point – Allows you to draw lines emanating from a central vanishing point.
In this post, I will talk about the first four, as I will discuss the fifth, Vanishing Point, in another article “How to Draw a One-Point Perspective Grid in PaintTool SAI”
Let’s get into it!
How to Use PaintTool SAI’s Straight Ruler
PaintTool SAI’s default ruler is the Straight Ruler. It allows you to draw straight lines along the ruler’s edge. Here is how to use it effectively.
Step 1: Hold down Ctrl and R on your keyboard. This is the keyboard shortcut to show or hide your ruler. This will default show the straight ruler and is the fastest way to access it.
Alternatively, click Ruler > Straight in the top menu bar.
You will now see a straight green line. This is your ruler.
Step 2: Holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard, reposition it to where you want it on your canvas.
Step 3: Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard to adjust the ruler’s angle.
Step 4: Select a tool and point size from the tool menu. For this example, I am using the Pencil tool at 10px.
Step 5: Outline your ruler.
Step 6: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R to hide the ruler.
Enjoy!
How to Use PaintTool SAI’s Ellipse Ruler
The second useful ruler in PaintTool SAI is the Ellipse Ruler. This ruler allows you to draw perfect eclipses at different angles and has saved me many tears of frustration in the past few years. Follow these steps to learn how to use it:
Step 1: Click on Ruler in the top menu bar and select Ellipse Ruler.
A green circle will appear in the center of your canvas. This is your Ellipse Ruler.
Step 2: Hold down Ctrl on your keyboard, and using the center point of the Ellipse, reposition the ruler on your canvas as desired.
Step 3: Still holding down the Alt key, click and drag the endpoints or rotate to further edit your ruler as needed.
Step 4: Select a tool and point size from the tool menu. For this example, I am using the Pencil tool at 8px.
Step 5: Outline your ruler.
Step 6: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R to hide the ruler.
Enjoy!
How to Use PaintTool SAI’s Parallel Lines Ruler
PaintTool SAI’s third ruler, the Parallel Lines Ruler allows you to draw multiple straight parallel lines. I find this perfect for outlining isometric drawings. Here’s how to use it:
Step 1: Click on Ruler in the top menu bar and select Parallel Lines.
A green line will appear in the center of your canvas. This is your Parallel Lines Ruler.
However, unlike the Straight Ruler, you will also see a live blue line that moves with your cursor. This is the line you will be outlining with. But first, here is how to edit your ruler:
Step 2: Holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard, reposition the ruler to where you want it on your canvas.
Step 3: Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard to adjust the ruler’s angle.
Step 4: Select a tool and point size from the tool menu. For this example, I am using the Pencil tool at 8px.
Step 5: Outline your first line.
Step 6: Move your cursor and outline another parallel line.
Step 7: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R to hide the ruler.
Enjoy!
How to Use PaintTool SAI’s Concentric Ellipse Ruler
PaintTool SAI’s Concentric Ellipse Ruler is similar to the Ellipse Ruler but differs as it allows users to draw multiple ellipses within one another. This is how:
Step 1: Click on Ruler in the top menu bar and select Concentric Ellipse.
A green circle will appear in the center of your canvas. This is your Concentric Ellipse Ruler.
Step 2: Hold down Ctrl on your keyboard, and using the center point of the concentric ellipse, reposition the ruler on your canvas as desired.
Step 3: Still holding down Ctrl, click and drag the endpoints or rotate to further edit your ruler as needed.
Step 4: Hold down the Alt key to edit your ruler.
Step 5: Select a tool and point size from the tool menu. For this example, I am using the Pencil tool at 8px.
Step 6: Outline your ruler. Note that the blue line that moves with your cursor is the ellipse you will be outlining.
Step 7: Online your concentric Ellipse.
Step 8: When finished, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R to hide the ruler.
Enjoy!
Final Thoughts
PaintTool SAI’s rulers can turn a daunting task into a fun, efficient process. Learning how to use them can save you time, frustration, and a headache. No more struggling to draw a perfect circle, or matching parallel lines. The world is your design oyster.
Which Ruler in PaintTool SAI is your favorite? Which one do you use the most? Let me know in the comments below!