Choosing the Best Circle Tools for Drawing
Circles can be challenging to draw, but there are a variety of circle tools for drawing available to make the process so much easier. Whether you are drawing mandalas or creating circular shapes, choosing the right circle tool can make or break your project.
I have recently discovered some inexpensive but super useful tools for drawing circles. Today I will review my favorite circle tools for drawing and how to choose the best circle maker for your creative practice.
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Why Use a Circle Tool for Drawing?
For years I’ve been using tape rolls, cups, and a variety of household objects to make circles on my projects. Using found objects work, but they don’t always lead to easy and consistent results. It can sometimes make adding circles to your projects challenging and tedious. I recently discovered several circle tools for drawing that make adding circles to your projects easy, convenient, and repeatable.
Circle Tools for Drawing
There are a variety of circle tools for drawing that are available in different styles. I’ll be sharing my experience with these circle tools and how they can help you create circles in your creative projects.
Compass
A compass is the oldest tool used for drawing circles. This tool has a long history dating back to ancient times. I still have one I use for creating circles on my art projects.
The compass can be adjusted to make larger or smaller circles. You place the sharp point into the paper, adjust the compass to the size that you would like, and draw your circle.
It is a straightforward tool to use and easy to adjust the size of the circle. My compass will make circles from less than an inch to 14.5 inches. I have an additional attachment that will allow me to make circles up to 26” in size.
Pros and Cons of the Compass
The compass works well as a drawing tool, but it can be a little hard to control. It takes practice to get a smooth and even circle. The compass I have only allows me to use graphite (pencil lead) to make the circle. I tend to use pen, acrylic, and other mediums to draw my circles. This means that I must go over these lines again free hand to use the drawing mediums I prefer.
The biggest draw back from the compass is it will pierce your paper, and this can detract from your art piece. One solution for this problem is to use a folded piece of paper on the spot that you will place your compass. The extra layers of paper should prevent the compass from going all the way through the paper.
Helix Circle and Angle Maker
I recently learned about this circle and angle making tool in a creative journaling class and this is now my favorite tool! This has made a positive change to my creative practice. I generally avoided adding circles to my art because it was such a hassle. Since I purchased this circle maker, I have made several projects with it. I love the convenience and ease of use!
The Helix Circle and Angle Maker is a fantastic tool especially for the art journal. This is due to the size of the circle maker. This tool works for circles that are 5 6/8” and smaller. There is also a variety of small circles inside the template that are easy to trace. The circle maker itself can quickly create circles from 1” to a 4” by using a series of holes in the center of the circle maker.
This circle drawing tool also creates angles, which makes it useful when creating mandalas and other shapes that require accuracy. The circle tool has measurements around the outside rim, which makes it very easy for measuring angles.
Things to Consider
The circle and angle maker works with a variety of pens, pencils, and markers. When using the small circle shapes within the tool, any width of tool can be used.
When making the 1” to 4” circles, thicker pens will not work due to the small hole sizes. Faber-Castell Pitt Pens, Micron pens and fine tipped acrylic paint pens work well with this circle tool.
I love that this circle tool works so well in the art journal. If it can be laid flat this tool will make beautiful, even circles. The circle and angle maker are made of two parts, an outer rim with measurements and an inner piece that will spin as you draw circles. Because of this, you don’t always need a perfectly even surface to get the circle maker to work.
Helix Circle Ruler
If you want larger circle tool for drawing, try the Helix Circle Ruler. This tool makes even larger circles, up to 12” in size. To use this tool, apply pressure to the center circle and add your pen to a small hole in the circle ruler. The circle ruler will spin around the center, making it very easy to create large circles.
This tool is a bit more difficult to use in an art journal as the edges of the circle ruler can get caught between the centerfold of the art journal. My general use for this tool is with canvas art or on a flat piece of paper. I like that you can draw a 12” circle without punching holes in the paper or canvas. This tool can easily add circles to a large surface.
What Is Your Favorite Tool?
Do you have a favorite circle tool for drawing that you use in your projects? Or do you avoid adding circles to your art? I would love to hear what you are using in your creative projects! Please leave a comment below and I would love to start a conversation!
I would highly suggest checking out one of these circle tools for your art journal. They are relatively inexpensive and helpful for drawing circles on your projects! These tools have been a new discovery for me and it has made adding geometric shapes to my projects so much easier!
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