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Use a compass to lay out five evenly spaced points on a circle, then join them in one of two ways: connect neighboring points for a regular pentagon, or connect alternate points for a five-point star. The compass-and-straightedge construction needs no protractor or angle calculations.
What you need
- A compass
- A ruler or other straightedge
- A pencil and paper, or the surface you plan to draw or paint on
The compass draws the guide circle and transfers distances; the straightedge makes the final lines. For a painted design, make the construction lightly in pencil first.
How to lay out five evenly spaced points
- Find the center of your paper or workpiece. On a rectangular surface, one way is to draw light diagonals between opposite corners; their crossing marks the center.
- Place the compass point at the center and draw a circle sized to the space available for the design.
- Choose a point on the circle and mark the midpoint of the radius between that point and the center.
- Set the compass to the distance from that midpoint to the circle edge, then use the compass construction to transfer distances and establish five marks around the circumference. Keep the compass setting fixed while making each transfer, and follow the sequence shown in WOOD magazine’s compass construction.
The marks are meant to be equally spaced around the circle. Each gap corresponds to 72 degrees, but this construction establishes the spacing by transferring lengths rather than by measuring or calculating angles.
Choose the shape by how you connect the points
Regular pentagon
Use the five points in their order around the circle. With a ruler, draw a straight segment from each point to the next, then connect the final point back to the first. The result is a regular pentagon.
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Five-point star
Skip one point each time you draw a segment. Connect each point to the alternate point across the circle until the line returns to its starting point. Those same five outer points now form a five-point star.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Drawing a star without a compass
For a quick paper activity, you can use a folded sheet to locate its center, then measure and plot five points around it with a ruler. Connect them continuously in this order: top → lower-right → upper-left → upper-right → lower-left → back to top. This measured plotting approach is an option when you do not have a compass, but it is not measurement-free; the symmetry depends on careful folds and accurately placed points. DIY.org’s guide illustrates this alternative.
Quick Recap
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Why a star or pentagon may look uneven
- The center is off: Recheck the crossing of the diagonals, or refold the paper carefully if using the measured plotting method.
- The points are not equally spaced: On the compass construction, verify that the compass setting did not change as you transferred the distances. For measured plotting, remeasure from the center.
- A line missed its mark: Erase the incorrect segment or point and redraw it with a ruler. Avoid adjusting only one side by eye; a small correction at a point can affect the overall symmetry.
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