21 Easy Circle Drawing Ideas

Ready to expand your drawing skills but not sure what to draw? These circle drawing ideas are sure to get your creative juices flowing.

Drawing can be overwhelming to some new or even experienced artists. Others may find a snippet into another world more compelling altogether.

That’s where we’ve found ourselves today: twenty-one different peeks into different windows!

My list, ranging from abstract to a little more clear cut in the depictions, these circle drawings are accessible to everyone!

My essentials for these drawings are just a few, but mighty–these skinny pens, these thicker ones, this drawing notebook, and this mini ruler.

A quick tip before we begin is to play around with the size of the circle you’d like to compose inside.

I’ve found starting small is an excellent way to practice. But, recently, I’ve been playing with larger surface areas–do what works for you!

And with that, let’s start!

1. Fishing

I’ve always loved the Dreamworks logo–someone fishing from the moon, so this is my embellished version.

Place whoever you’d like as the person fishing, and add any array of planetary cosmos down below!

Before we head further, I hope it goes without saying–feel free to color your drawings in if you, please! Most mediums should do fine in the space unless you’re starting small.

I wouldn’t use anything that bleeds too much.

Store your drawing tools in the best way with this DIY zipper pouch!

Watch: 21 Easy Circle Drawing Ideas

2. Catching Stars

As we continue on from the first drawing amongst the stars, a scene of a net catching stars was surprisingly very nice to draw. Draw as much or little as you want in this window.

 I added a planet, as you can see, so feel free to add an astronaut, alien, or any other fun cosmic character.

3. Mountains

These mountains are some of the most fun and easy to make and are a fun thing to gift someone. Throw it into a fun frame, and there you go–perfect art for someone’s walls.

Anyways, try to fill up the bottom half with mountain bases and fill each one in with a specific pattern.

This idea of the pattern will fill the space better and create more dimension, then fill in the sky as day or night!

4. Waves

This drawing is for the ocean lovers! To compose this idea well, start with the ocean and any wave anywhere in the foreground.

For the background, draw the sun around the silhouette of the wave, and fill in any of the textural elements and minor details.

I love the dotting surrounding the sun–it makes me feel like I’m there soaking up the sun and sea.

5. Clouds

The clouds are for those that love patterns, someone learning how to draw, or doodle lovers! Draw the clouds in–as many or as few as you’d like.

Fill the negative space in with spirals or other wiggly lines.

A good tip for this drawing is to mirror the shape of the clouds with the negative space doodling or vice versa to make the whole scene more cohesive.

6. Universe

Returning to space again for this circle, drawing a specific slice of the universe sits well within this diameter.

You can focus on the Milky Way, the planets, the sun, and the moon; as we all know, the options are endless!

The detailing in this image is essential to the quality here. Whatever you choose to draw specifically, like the others I’ve mentioned. The texture brings all of these to life!

7. Rain

Another idea similar to the clouds, this rainy drawing is perfect for some doodling patterns in multiple places! The main thing to illustrate clearly is the umbrella structure.

Once completed, that’s where the fun is. 

The umbrella’s panels get styled as a patchwork, so there’s free reign on what you decide to fill them in. The same goes for the raindrops–all patterns paired altogether.

The idea will come across even if a little out of the ordinary for rain shape.

8. Fish

The fish drawing is one of the most fun things–playing around with different sizes in the fish makes this one more special exercise than anything.

I start with where I want to place the biggest fish and go from there with filling in the other elements and details.

Find more fish drawing ideas here.

9. Globe

You’ve heard of thinking outside the box and coloring outside the lines, but have you heard about drawing outside the circle?

Regardless of what you’ve heard, why not draw on the inside and outside of the allotted space?

It’s the perfect opportunity to draw a globe–on a list of circle drawings. Anyways, the countries’ silhouettes can be as defined or abstract as you’d like in both shape and design.

Looking for more cool drawing ideas? Check out these mesmerizing doodle pattern ideas!

10. Owls

My kids love owls, so I generally find myself drawing them semi-regularly. For this one, I wanted to express a nighttime look.

So, the owls are more minimal but still distinct enough to get the idea across.

If you loved these cute owls, you must try these easy cat drawing ideas!

11. Beach

I don’t know if I like this beach scene or the surf wave better, but for both. It’s all about those details that bring them to life!

I did use my mini ruler to get those equal and straight lines for the sunshine and a lot of little pen strokes for the palm tree.

FInd more tree drawing ideas here!

12. Universe

Some of you may think that this universe drawing looks complex, but worry not. It’s easier than you think!

We’ll take it in steps, starting with an abstract shape for the space rock our figure is sitting on.

To make that multidimensional, draw a mirroring line below it, fill it with marks, and draw the figure and craters on the surface.

From there, create whatever the subject is looking at, detail it, draw any small circles or minor details in the sky, and then fill in with black pen.

13. Water in a Bottle

This drawing is another fun one to spend an afternoon doing. Begin with your initial circle lightly–even in pencil, initially.

Draw a second larger circle and leave a small opening–that’s where the neck of the bottle will get added.

Erase parts of the inner circle and go over them in pen. Add some water at the bottom and do the same as the previous directions–draw in any minor detailing and fill in the negative space in black.

Get more aesthetic drawing ideas here!

14. Night Time

Another drawing, you can practice the night sky by drawing details first, followed by coloring in negative space. Play around with the area and section them if you’d like some depth to your circle like mine.

And then any geographical scene you’d like will do well here.

15. Desert

However you compose your desert scene, take note of how mine feels arid, dry, and sparse. The details you decide to add in will really add to the feeling of the end product.

Find more easy drawing ideas here!

16. Nature

Again, I’m playing with space in this nature scene–it sounds simple but with the given area. It gets trickier than you think!

Whatever you choose, aim for grandeur landscapes that get set farther away–perspective is everything in these bubbles.

17. Air Balloons

Perspective is so fun and essential to an artist! Without the ability, I wouldn’t be able to illustrate these hot air balloons.

So, maybe actually being able to translate it onto the page is pretty important, too.

Draw the whole circle in pencil, and erase the top half. You can draw balloons, clouds, and other airborne details from there!

18. The Power of Music

Practicing movement in little scenes like this little one dancing to music is a great low-stakes investment in the skill. The human dancing to the music can be in full motion.

Or, if you are still learning movement, do more minor details that still illicit moving, like their limbs seen here.

The motion can come from the musical notes coming out of the music player.

19. JellyFish

Jellyfish are another great exercise to practice movement in drawings! Start with the main part of the sea creature, then jump to the bubbles around the lower circle.

Return to the legs after the bubbles get drawn–and for those that are really looking for detail. Draw a few bubbles overtop the legs to show how the jellyfish is moving through the bubbles.

Keep your favorite drawing pens in this easy DIY pencil case!

20. Trees

A more classic one as we round out our list of circle drawings, a simple string of trees is easy for almost anyone to do. Start about a third from the bottom with a horizontal line to plant your foliage.

The fun of it–draw any size or type of tree for your scene! Fill the other details in as you wish to illuminate the picture’s simplicity.

These fun flower painting ideas will help you get more in touch with nature creatively!

21. River

As we come to close this list, one of my favorites–is a natural life surrounding a river. Remember, perspective is essential as you try your hand at this one!

Start with deciding where and what size your river will be and section it out from there. As you can see, I set my skyline about ⅔ up from the bottom of the circle for the depth.

Draw in the river–leaving space to draw a line to help the depth of the water falling off the page, and then fill in the foreground and background with the details that will help illicit your vision.