SOLIDWORKS: Sketching Fundamentals

SOLIDWORKS • LESSON 2

Sketching Fundamentals

Learn the complete beginner workflow for creating clean, dimensioned, fully defined 2D sketches that are ready to drive 3D features.

Lesson goal → Create a sketch from scratch and explain exactly why it is fully defined.
1

The Sketching Workflow

Study the whole workflow first, then open each concept below.

SOLIDWORKS Sketching Fundamentals overview
2

Learn Every Essential Concept

Each concept uses its own dedicated image. No image is reused for a different topic.

What is it?
Where?
Why / Use
Image file
Instructor Note / Beginner Hack
3

The Three Sketch States You Must Understand

Under Defined

Some degrees of freedom remain. With default SOLIDWORKS sketch colors, under-defined entities are normally blue.

Ask: What can still move, rotate, or change size?

Fully Defined

The required degrees of freedom are constrained. With default colors, fully defined sketch entities are normally black.

Target: dimensions + relations that express design intent.

Over Defined

A dimension or relation conflicts with, or redundantly constrains, the existing definition.

Fix the cause; do not delete constraints randomly.
4

Guided Practice — Fully Define a Plate Sketch

1. File → New → Part.
2. Select Front Plane → Sketch.
3. Draw a Center Rectangle with its center at the sketch origin.
4. Apply width and height with Smart Dimension.
5. Add a circle for a hole and deliberately locate its center.
6. Dimension the hole diameter.
7. Inspect relations and remaining degrees of freedom. Gently drag only if you need to diagnose movement.
8. Continue until the sketch is Fully Defined without using unnecessary Fix relations.
9. Explain aloud what controls position, size, and orientation.
10. Exit Sketch and locate Sketch1 in the FeatureManager tree.
5

Beginner Rules Worth Remembering

Relations before clutter

Use geometric intent such as Horizontal, Coincident, Concentric, Tangent, Equal, Parallel, and Perpendicular instead of unnecessary dimensions.

Dimension design intent

A dimension should describe how the part is meant to behave when edited, not simply stop an entity moving.

Do not “Fix” everything

Fix can remove freedom, but beginners should learn why geometry is constrained rather than freezing an unclear sketch.

Use the origin deliberately

A stable reference reduces floating geometry and often makes symmetric designs easier to control.

Use S

The default S key opens the customizable Shortcut Bar, including a Sketch-specific shortcut bar.

Selection matters

Ctrl allows multiple selections. Exit a command and return to Select mode when the active tool is getting in your way.

6

Scenario-Based Check

Score: 0 / 8
SOLIDWORKS terminology and sketch-state guidance reviewed against SOLIDWORKS Design Help. Default display colors can be customized in System Options.