Circle & Ellipse Tool

Create perfect circles and smooth ellipses with multiple drawing modes! Switch between circle and ellipse modes, draw from corners or centre, and customise with precision controls.

What Can You Create?

Perfect Circles

Ellipses (Ovals)

Thick Strokes

How to Draw Shapes

  1. 1
    Select the Shape Tool
    Click on the Shape button in the left toolbar. It looks like a circle. The button will light up to show it's selected, and you'll see a small submenu appear with circle and ellipse options.
  2. 2
    Choose Circle or Ellipse Mode
    Use the shape type buttons in the bottom toolbar OR the small submenu that appears on the tool button. Circle creates perfect round shapes, whilst Ellipse lets you make ovals of any proportion.
  3. 3
    Pick Your Colour
    Select a colour from the colour palette on the right side. Your shape's outline will use this colour automatically, updating in real-time as you draw.
  4. 4
    Adjust Controls
    Use the bottom toolbar controls: 'Stroke' slider/input (0-100 pixels) for border thickness, and 'Precision' setting (0-4 decimal places) for coordinate accuracy. Both stroke controls work together - change one and the other updates automatically.
  5. 5
    Choose Your Drawing Mode
    Select how you want to draw: Normal (corner-to-corner), Centre (from centre point), or Circle (perfect circles only). On desktop use keyboard shortcuts. On touch devices tap the Normal, Centre, or Circle buttons in the context toolbar.
  6. 6
    Click and Drag to Draw
    Click where you want to start and drag to create your shape. The behaviour depends on your selected mode: Normal draws corner-to-corner, Centre-Out draws from centre, and Constrained forces perfect circles. Release when it's the perfect size!

Drawing Modes

The Circle & Ellipse tool offers three powerful drawing modes to suit different needs. On desktop computers, use keyboard shortcuts whilst drawing. On touch devices, switch modes using the mode button or double-tap gesture.

Normal Mode
Default
Click and drag diagonally to create a shape that fits in the invisible bounding box you draw. This is the standard way to draw shapes - perfect for when you want to fit shapes into specific areas.
radius
Centre-Out Mode
Alt/⌥ key · or tap Centre
Your click becomes the centre point, and you drag outward to set the size. Great when you know exactly where the centre should be! Perfect for symmetric designs and precise positioning.
Constrained Mode
Shift key · or tap Circle
Forces perfect circles even in Ellipse mode by constraining both radii to be equal. Excellent for creating perfectly round shapes regardless of how you drag!

Touch Device Gestures

On touch-enabled devices (tablets, phones, touch-screen laptops), you can use special gestures to control drawing modes:

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Double-Tap to Cycle Modes
Quickly tap twice (within 0.3 seconds) when the tool is active to cycle through modes: Normal → Centre-Out → Constrained → Normal. Visual feedback shows your current mode.
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Mode Buttons
Tap Normal, Centre, or Circle in the context toolbar to switch mode directly. The active mode is highlighted.
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Visual Feedback
When you activate the tool or change modes, you'll see helpful messages like 'Circle tool ready (Circle mode)' and 'Mode: Centre-out drawing'.
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Pro Tips for All Modes!
Desktop Users: Hold Alt/⌥ whilst drawing for centre-out mode, or Shift for constrained (perfect circle) mode.
Touch Users: Tap Normal, Centre, or Circle in the toolbar, or double-tap the canvas to cycle.
Quick Switching: Change modes anytime before starting to draw - even between shapes!

Tool Controls

Switch between Circle and Ellipse drawing modes. Also available as a submenu on the main tool button.

Three buttons in the context toolbar — tap to switch instantly:

  • Normal: Corner-to-corner bounding-box drag (default)
  • Centre: Drag outward from the centre point
  • Circle: Constrain both radii to be equal — always a perfect circle

Dual synchronised controls:

  • Slider: Quick adjustments from 0-100 pixels
  • Number Input: Exact values for precision
  • Live Updates: Changes apply in real-time whilst drawing

Set coordinate decimal places (0-4) for positioning precision. Higher values give more exact measurements.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Desktop Controls

Draw from centre (Windows/Linux):Hold Alt
Draw from centre (Mac):Hold ⌥
Constrain to perfect circle:Hold Shift
Cancel current shape:Escape

Touch Device Controls

Cycle through drawing modes:Double-Tap (0.3s)
Switch mode directly:Normal / Centre / Circle
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How Mode Switching Works
On desktop, keyboard shortcuts temporarily activate modes whilst you hold the key. On touch devices, tap any of the three mode buttons in the context toolbar to switch instantly — the selected mode stays active until you change it.

Special Features

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Three Drawing Modes
Choose Normal, Centre, or Circle from the context toolbar. Each mode is perfect for different situations — switch instantly with a single tap or button click.
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Quick Mode Switching
Toggle between circle and ellipse modes using either the bottom toolbar buttons or the convenient submenu that appears on the main tool button.
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Precise Positioning
Use Centre-Out mode when you need exact centre placement. Perfect for symmetric designs, concentric shapes, and precise positioning.
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Smart Cleanup
Shapes smaller than 0.5 pixels are automatically removed to keep your canvas clean and prevent accidental tiny artefacts.
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Dual Input Controls
Both slider and number input for stroke width work together seamlessly - change one and the other updates instantly for maximum flexibility.
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Live Colour & Stroke Updates
Your shapes automatically use the currently selected colour and stroke width, with changes applying in real-time as you draw.
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Touch-Optimised
All controls meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards with 44px+ touch targets. The three mode buttons and double-tap gesture work seamlessly on all touch devices.
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Visual Feedback
Get instant feedback when switching modes or activating tools. Messages show current mode and provide helpful hints for both desktop and touch users.

Technical Details

Circle Mode:Creates perfect circles with equal radius in all directions
Ellipse Mode:Creates ellipses with independent horizontal and vertical radii
Drawing Modes:Normal (corner-to-corner), Centre (from centre point), Circle (equal radii)
Stroke Width Range:0 to 100 pixels
Coordinate Precision:0 to 4 decimal places
Touch Targets:Minimum 44px (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant)
Double-Tap Threshold:300 milliseconds between taps
Shape Properties:Stroke-only (no fill), scalable stroke, mathematically perfect
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Practice Ideas!
Try these fun exercises: Draw a snowman with circles, create a flower with ellipse petals, make a target with concentric circles using centre-out mode, design a simple face, create bubble patterns, or practise switching between modes. Use Centre-Out mode for precise centre-based designs! Try constrained mode to ensure perfect circles every time.
Circle & Ellipse Tool Help | Version 1.4.0 | Updated for touch modes and gestures