Draw Perfect Circles with This Simple Trick

Struggling to Draw a Perfect Circle? Try This!

Hi, art lovers! It’s me, Emma. Have you ever struggled to draw a nice, even circle? If so, that struggle ends today! I’m going to show you a trick that will help you draw perfect circles every time with confidence and ease.

Why Is It Important to Draw Perfect Circles?

You might be wondering, *Why should I care about drawing circles?* Well, circles are one of the most important basic shapes in drawing!

Think about all the fun things we love to draw that are made with circles—snow kids, bunny rabbits, pepperonis on pizza. The list is endless! Plus, practicing circles helps improve your line quality, marker control, and confidence. Instead of taking forever to make scratchy shapes, you’ll be able to quickly sketch strong, clean circles that look amazing!

Bonus: Closing Your Circle Smoothly

I’ll also share my tried-and-true technique for smoothly closing your circle, so you can avoid those lumpy spots where your lines overlap. Let’s get started!

Caption: First step- draw perfect circles. Second step- awesome cartoons!
Alt Text: Emma Tipping using her ability to draw perfect circles to make snowmen and other cute cartoons.

How to Draw Perfect Circles Step by Step

Materials: What You’ll Need

Before we begin, grab a piece of paper and any drawing supply. Choose a darker color and try to avoid using a pencil with an eraser—with this trick, we never erase! I’m using my favorite broad-tip Crayola marker in Wild Orchid Violet.

Caption: In my video about how to draw perfect circles, I used a blue lagoon broad tip marker by Crayola.
Alt Text: Emma Tipping uses a broad tip marker in blue lagoon to draw perfect circles.

Step 1: Draw a Dot

Start by drawing one small, clear dot on your paper. This will be the anchor point for your circle.

Caption: Start by drawing a single, clear dot.
Alt Text: Emma Tipping draws a clear, single dot on her page, as she practices how to draw perfect circles.

Step 2: Imagine Your Circle

Lift your marker and visualize the size of the circle you want to draw. Imagine starting and ending on the dot. Start small! The bigger the circle, the harder it is to make.

(Fun fact: “Circumference” is a fancy math word for how big a circle is!)

Step 3: Draw Your Circle While Staring at the Dot

Now, place your marker on the dot. As you draw your circle, keep your eyes locked on the dot—ignore your hand! This technique helps your hand naturally follow the correct path.

If your circle turns out wonky, don’t fix it! Just move on to the next one.

Caption: Stare with all of your focus at the dot!
Alt Text: Emma Tipping draws a circle on her page, as she practices how to draw perfect circles.

Caption: Don’t worry if your circles are wonky. It takes time to learn to draw perfect circles! I practice a LOT and still make mistakes sometimes.
Alt Text: Example of a mistake Emma made as she practiced how to to draw perfect circles.

Step 4: Repeat!

Now, keep practicing! Try different sizes and use different colors to keep things fun.

Mistakes are okay! You might need to make 100 wonky circles before you get a good one, and that’s normal. If you’re practicing, you’re progressing!

Caption: Make sure you keep looking at the dot as you practice!
Alt Text: Emma Tipping practices how to draw perfect circles.

Step 5: Drop the Dot

Once you’re drawing good-looking circles consistently, it’s time for the next challenge—imagining the dot instead of drawing it. Visualize your starting point and keep your focus there as you draw.

Caption: Time to Drop the Dot!
Alt Text: Emma Tipping practices how to draw perfect circles.

Step 6: Make Your Circles Smoother

At first, you’ll probably notice where your line starts and stops. That’s okay! Here’s how to fix it:

1. Keep your line thickness even – Start and end your circle with a line of the same thickness.
2. Lift your pen as you overlap – As your circle meets the starting point, lighten your touch slightly to create a seamless connection.

Caption: You can make your circles smoother with some simple marker control. If it seems awkward or hard at first, just keep trying!
Alt Text: Emma Tipping practices how to draw perfect circles.

Even experienced artists struggle with this! But with practice, your circles will start looking smooth, organic, and confident.

Caption: Practice makes progress!
Alt Text: Emma Tipping practices how to draw perfect circles.

Time for Fun!

Now that we have all these beautiful circles, let’s turn them into something fun! Use them to draw people, bunny rabbits, snow peeps, planets, and more!

Caption: Woohoo, time to have fun! When we learn how to draw perfect circles, we improve ALL of our drawing skills.
Alt Text: Emma Tipping practices how to draw perfect circles.

Congratulations!

Great job practicing how to draw perfect circles! Even if your circles weren’t perfect every time, art is about practice and progress. The more you practice this important basic shape, the faster you’ll grow as an artist.

This technique isn’t just for circles! I used a similar dot method to train myself to draw straight lines without a ruler. If you haven’t seen that trick yet, check it out!

If you’re excited to grow your art skills with me, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and keep practicing. See you at the drawing board!

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FAQ: How to Draw Perfect Circles

1. Why is it so hard to draw perfect circles freehand?
Drawing perfect circles is difficult because our hands naturally create ovals or uneven curves. The trick is to focus on a single point (like a dot) and train your muscle memory through repetition.

2. Can I use this method to draw perfect circles with a pen or pencil?
Yes! You can use any drawing tool, but avoid erasers. The goal is to train your hand to move confidently, so working with markers or pens is ideal.

3. How long does it take to get better at drawing circles?
It depends on how much you practice! Some people see improvement in just one session, while others need a few days of consistent drawing. The key is repetition and patience.

4. What are some fun ways to practice drawing circles?
Make it fun by drawing circle-based characters, doodling overlapping circles, or even turning mistakes into creative designs. The more you enjoy the process, the faster you’ll improve!