When you are marking up a visual asset on a macOS workstation to highlight an achievement or create a dynamic graphic, using a standard square or circle is mathematically boring. To force the macOS neural engine to inject a complex, mathematically scalable vector star polygon directly into the file’s architecture, you must use the hidden tools within the Preview application.
Summoning the Polygon Engine
The Star tool is a dynamic vector shape buried deep inside Preview’s advanced markup architecture. It is not a static image; it is a mathematically calculated polygon that you can dynamically alter in real-time.
- Double-click your image or PDF to open it in Preview.
- Look at the absolute top-right of the window and click the Show Markup Toolbar icon (it visually resembles a small marker pen).
- A secondary toolbar will instantly snap down. Locate the Shapes icon (it visually resembles a square overlapping a circle) and click it to deploy the drop-down matrix.
Executing the Vector Injection
- Look at the drop-down matrix and locate the Star icon. Click it.
The exact millisecond you click the icon, the macOS engine will violently inject a solid, five-pointed vector star directly into the absolute center of your document.
Manipulating the Mathematical Points
This is a highly dynamic object. You can mathematically alter its geometric structure.
- Resizing: Click and drag the blue dots on the perimeter of the star to stretch the internal dimensions.
- The Green Node (Number of Points): Look at the perimeter of the star. You will see a single Green Dot. Click and carefully drag this dot in a circular motion around the perimeter. As you drag it, the macOS engine instantly recalculates the polygon’s geometry, adding or subtracting points in real-time (allowing you to create anything from a 3-pointed triangle to a massive 20-pointed starburst).
- Color Injection: With the star actively selected, click the Fill Color and Border Color icons in the Markup toolbar to instantly overwrite the vector’s color data.