I’m trying to draw an eclipse in the front view but I can’t keep it flat to the construction plan. Is there some setting I’ve misapplied here?
Hi James- if you are snapping to geometry at any point, make sure Project is on the Osnaps.
-Pascal
I don’t quite understand that. I do have some snaps on as well as the planar option.
The Osnap panel/toolbar has a ‘Project’ setting - this eiliminates the Z component of any snaps - i.e. they stick to the current construction plane.
-Pascal
got it, thanks
What also works in using the vertical option in circles and ellipses to draw vertical to the C-plane.
My first ellipse is draw on the plane and the one I am in the process of drawing is done only with the Vertical option clicked.
«Randy
@JKayten: you are not alone in being a little befuddled by the complexities of some very basic acts of drawing in Rhino – especially in Orthogonal views. The biggest challenge for many is that Ortho lock turns off when any other snap is encountered for objects not on that cplane (which is a big problem).
Juggling Ortho, Planar, and Project is a bit of a black art, but after a while can be mastered. (Definition of “mastery” commonly being 10,000 hours?) 
While you “can” get basic drawing tools to work, just don’t expect them to “intuitively” work!
You may find that spending some time learning to create your own CPlanes (easily and quickly) and drawing in Perspective view may simplify life in some (many?) cases.
~Dave