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Create diagonal line or how to shear a rectangle

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Learn how to make diagonal shapes in CSS Code and Adobe products, including demonstrations for Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

Shear a rectangle in Adobe Illustrator

If you’re looking to create a diagonal shape in Illustrator, here’s how. You’ll use your Rectangle tool to draw your shape. Now, with your shape selected go to Object > Transform > Shear. Choose your angle settings. The WVU diagonals are at a 33.75 degree angle (learn more about this design element in the WVU Brand Guide).

Video: Creating a Diagonal Shape in Illustrator


Create a Diagonal in CSS and HTML

The West Virginia University website uses diagonals as a design element. The Diagonals are created with CSS.

On this page, the Diagonal is attached using H1::before with this CSS.

.addyourownclass h1:before {
    background-color: #EAAA00;
    content: '';
    position: absolute;
    right: 0;
    left: -2.75em;
    height: 3em;
    top: 0em;
    width: 1.25em;
    opacity: 1;
    z-index: 1;
    transform: skewX(146.25deg);
}

Create a Diagonal in Photoshop

In Photoshop, use the Rectangle Tool to create a shape. Then choose, Edit > Transform Path > Skew. Use the horizontal skew field and type in your degrees. For the same alignment as the WVU diagonal use -33.75 or 146.25 degrees.

About the author

Kelly Barkhurst

Designer to Fullstack is my place to geek out and share tech solutions from my day-to-day as a graphic designer, programmer, and business owner (portfolio). I also write on Arts and Bricks, a parenting blog and decal shop that embraces my family’s love of Art and LEGO bricks!

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