Shapes & Decorations

Intermediate · 8 min read

Overview

Chitmunk's shape element gives you 22 shape types: all available to every user: for card borders, decorative frames, layout structure, and thematic decorations. Shapes are vector-based, so they stay crisp at any card size or export resolution.

Every shape supports a full set of styling options:

To add a shape, click the Shape button in the tool strip (left edge of the canvas) to open the visual palette. Click any shape tile to add it to your canvas. You can also change the shape type from the Shape Type dropdown in the properties panel.

Shape Types

All 22 shape types are available to every user:

Switch between types at any time using the Shape dropdown in the properties panel. Styling properties carry over when you switch types.

Fill & Stroke

Every shape has independent fill and stroke controls in the properties panel.

Fill:

Stroke:

Tip: Set fill opacity to 0 for an outline-only shape. Pair with a colored stroke to create a clean decorative border that lets the card art show through underneath.

Corner Radius

Corner radius applies to Rectangle shapes only. A uniform radius slider rounds all four corners by the same amount. For more control, toggle the per-corner switch to set each corner independently:

Per-corner control is great for speech bubbles (one sharp corner pointing toward a character), info boxes with a distinctive notched corner, and card borders where only the top two corners are rounded.

Polygon & Star Sides

Two shape types let you configure how many sides or points they have:

The sides/points slider appears in the properties panel when either shape type is selected. Changing the count updates the shape live on the canvas.

Gradients

Shapes support three gradient types, all applied via the Gradient dropdown in the properties panel:

Each gradient type uses two color stops. Click each swatch to change the start and end colors. Gradients replace the solid fill color when active.

Tip: Use a radial gradient on a circle to create a gem or orb effect. A linear gradient on a rectangle at a shallow angle gives a metallic sheen that works well on buttons and cost badges. Conic gradients make convincing color-wheel or radar-sweep decorations.

SVG Pattern Fills

Instead of a solid color or gradient, you can fill a shape with any of Chitmunk's 32 built-in SVG tiling patterns. Click Choose Pattern in the properties panel to open the pattern picker.

The 32 patterns are organized into 4 categories:

Patterns tile seamlessly at any shape size: no stretching or seams. The pattern color is controlled by the shape's fill color, so you can apply any tint without switching patterns. To remove a pattern and go back to a solid fill, click Remove Pattern in the picker.

Shadows

Drop shadows give shapes visual depth, making them read as floating above the card surface. Shadow controls in the properties panel:

Shadows are especially effective on shapes used as card borders or info panels, where the slight lift helps them stand apart from background art.

Common Uses

A few patterns that come up frequently in card design:

Tip: Combine shapes with blend modes for advanced layering effects. Setting a shape's blend mode to Multiply or Overlay lets the card art show through while the shape still contributes color and tone. Find blend mode controls in the Advanced section of the properties panel.

Shapes vs. Generators

Shapes are static geometric paths: great for borders, decorations, and simple graphics. For complex, multi-part game components (grids, tracks, spinners, stat displays), use Generators instead. Generators produce rich parametric visuals from configurable settings.

You can also convert any generator into a group of shapes via right-click → "Convert to Shapes" for manual editing.

Tips

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