A geometrical shape is a structure that has a definitive shape comprised of curves, lines, and/or points.

You are probably already familiar with many common 2D geometric shapes like circles, ovals, squares, and rectangles, in addition to common 3D geometric shapes such as cubes, spheres, and cylinders.

The main concept behind understanding geometric shapes is that every shape has unique properties and features that distinguish them from other shapes. Each geometric shape has a unique name (ex. rectangle, square, oval, etc) and geometrical shapes can be easily identified by looking at an image and seeing the shape’s characteristics, such as number of sides, angles, curves, or points.

In fact, geometric shapes are all around you all of the time. Figure 01 below shows examples of common 2D geometric shapes and 3D geometric shapes and how they relate to objects in the real world. Later in this guide, we will take a look at geometric shapes art and design examples.