How to Draw Circle Wreaths – 3 Simple Ways

 

If you haven’t noticed, I LOVE using circles in my bullet journal, but I also enjoy using them for quotes or drawing floral wreaths. Drawing circles for floral wreaths isn’t as hard as it seems. Here are 3 simple ways showing you how to draw circles for floral wreaths or any other circle outlines.

Ways to Use Circles

I like to add mini-floral circular wreaths for the numbers on my weeklies. I filled My May Plan With Me with circle floral wreaths.  Floral wreaths are also a great element to add to quotes. Check out my other posts using circles in your bullet journal or art projects.

Note: I drew these circles in pen so you could see them better in the video and I would recommend drawing with a pencil so you can change elements if needed.

Watch How to Draw Circle Wreaths

Can’t see the video? View it on Youtube.

Tools Needed to Draw Circle Wreaths

Paper
Pen/Pencil/Marker
Compass/Circle Maker (optional depending on the type of circle)
Good Music (optional)

Notes about the tools for drawing circle wreaths:

If You’re Watercoloring:

• Paper – Canson Watercolor Paper
• Pen –  use an archival pen like Pigma Micron Pens – be careful about how hard you press on the tips of these pens.
• Watercolor Paints + Brushes of your choice

If You’re NOT Watercoloring:

• Paper – if you’re not watercoloring I use HP 32 lb paper
• Pen – if you’re NOT watercoloring, using a felt-tip pen like PaperMate Flair or the bullet tip of a Tombow Dual Brush Marker will work and creates great lines

Need ideas for drawing your floral elements?

Check out my post highlighting my favorite Flower Drawing & Reference Books.

Create a Single Circle Wreath

Using a compass or a circle maker, choose your center point and how big you want the circle. I always mark the center point with a pencil, by marking the center point makes it easier to add circles in the future if you wish.

Follow the path around and then end your wreath. There! You have a single line wreath that you can add additional elements along the whole way or just partially.

Because there the circle maker has moving parts, it does shift a little when making the circle. I tend to pull outwards with my pen, so my pen doesn’t shift within the little circle and the ring ends up the same size. Try it out, you’ll see what I mean when circle start and ending points don’t exactly match up. A little practice will turn you into a circle-making pro!

How to Draw Circles in Multiples

Following the same pattern for the single circle, create a circle once then slightly move the compass up and over and trace in the same selection as the first circle. Then move the compass again just somewhat off your first center mark. (Didn’t I say making that mark would come in handy?) Do this as many times as you like and then add your other floral & leaf elements.

Alternate Technique:

Mark the center point of your circle, that way you could make a single circle as a reference, then draw your floral elements and add more circles afterward.

How to Draw Circle Wreaths – Freehand – Organic “Nest”

This technique might seem the most daunting, but it’s also the most fun (in my opinion). The trick is to use your shoulder not your wrist to draw the circles and let it do the work. I’ll try and explain it the best I can here, but watching the video gives you a better idea of what I do.

First of all, I raise my hand above the paper so I’m not tempted to use my wrist to make the circular motions (you’ll get weird, uneven circles if you use your wrist). I hold the pen higher than usual so that I can increase the distance from the paper and my hand.

While still holding the pen in the air and not touching the paper, I start to draw circles using my shoulder to guide my arm around. I do this a few times without writing anything, so I can gauge the movement in my shoulder and see how big I’ll make the circles with the current flow.

After I’m happy with the size of circles, I follow the same movement with my shoulder only and gently touch the tip of the pen to the paper and keep going. I usually go around 7-10 times because none of the circles will be perfect. Making several passes helps even out the circles. It also gives a more organic feel, and I think it looks like the start to a bird’s nest.

Go and Create!

Where will you use your circle-making skills now? I’d love to see how you draw circle wreaths and how you use them! Tag me on Instagram @ChocolateMusingsCreates