Lesson 02 - Your First Sketch

Estimated time: 12 minutes | Prerequisite: What is a Body?

By the end of this lesson you will:

Create a sketch on a standard plane.
Draw a simple profile.
Understand why the first sketch does not need to be perfect.

Step 1 - Create a sketch

With your Body active, click Create Sketch. Choose the XY plane.

Why?A sketch is a 2D profile that can become a 3D feature. Choosing a plane tells FreeCAD where that profile starts.

Step 2 - Draw a rectangle

Select the rectangle tool and draw a rectangle near the origin.

Screenshot placeholder: rough rectangle sketch

Do not worry about exact size yetIn parametric CAD, the final size normally comes from dimensions and constraints, not from perfect mouse placement.

Summary

You created a sketch and drew the first rough profile. Next, we will use Pad to turn it into a 3D solid.