Draw Rectangles and Ellipses in Kdenlive Titler

Creating visual elements directly inside your video editor saves time and streamlines your workflow. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to draw and customize basic geometric shapes, such as rectangles and ellipses, using the built-in Titler tool in Kdenlive.

Step 1: Open the Kdenlive Titler

To start drawing shapes, you must first create a new Title Clip:

1. Go to the Project Bin panel.
2. Right-click in an empty space within the bin and select Add Title Clip (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T).
3. The Titler window will open over your workspace.

Step 2: Draw a Rectangle

1. Locate the toolbar inside the Titler window (usually situated at the top or left side).
2. Click on the Add Rectangle tool (represented by a square icon).
3. Click and drag your cursor across the edit canvas to define the size of your rectangle.
4. Release the mouse button to place the shape.

Step 3: Draw an Ellipse or Circle

1. In the same toolbar, click on the Add Ellipse tool (represented by a circle icon).
2. Click and drag your cursor on the canvas to draw an ellipse.
3. Pro Tip: To constrain the proportions and draw a perfect circle, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard while dragging.

Step 4: Customize the Shape Properties

After drawing a shape, you can customize its appearance using the properties panel on the right side of the Titler window:

• Select the Shape: Use the Selection Tool (the arrow icon in the toolbar) and click on your shape to edit it.
• Change Fill Color: Locate the Color options in the properties panel to select a solid color or create a gradient.
• Adjust Opacity: Use the Alpha slider to make the shape semi-transparent, which is ideal for creating background lower-thirds.
• Add an Outline (Stroke): Increase the Shadow or Border width values to add an outline around your shape, and select a contrasting outline color.
• Precise Sizing and Positioning: Use the Geometry fields (X, Y, W, and H) to manually enter exact pixel coordinates and dimensions.

Step 5: Save and Add to Timeline

Once you are satisfied with your geometric shapes:

1. Click the Create Clip (or Update Clip if editing an existing one) button in the bottom right corner of the Titler window.
2. Drag the newly created Title Clip from your Project Bin onto a video track in your timeline.