How to Draw a Hamster Wheel

Draw from a photograph of a hamster wheel, positioned in a straight-on view, rather than a view from an angle.

Hamsters are rodents that are kept as pets and usually live alone in cages. To keep them healthy and busy, they are given toys like hamster balls and hamster wheels. Most hamster wheels attach to the side of the cage by a bolt made to screw through the bars of the cage and latch on. Drawing a hamster wheel from a side view that is straight-on is easier than drawing it from an angle. If you're drawing a hamster wheel, try to look at a picture of one to inform your process, and choose an image that presents a straight on view of the hamster wheel, rather than from an angle.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Compass
• Ruler

1. Draw a circle on the page the size of the hamster wheel. In order to make the wheel perfectly round, use a compass.

2. Draw a second circle, centered within in the first circle, only slightly smaller than the first circle. This represents the far side of the hamster wheel. Use a compass to draw this circle.

3. Draw a line straight through the inner circle, cutting the circle into two symmetrical halves; use a ruler. This line may be drawn in whatever direction you like, as long as it cuts the circle in half. In the center of the line, draw a small circle and shade it in so it appears solid. This represents the part of the wheel that attaches to the cage.

4. Draw radiating spokes from the outer circle of the hamster wheel to inner circle -- the far side of the hamster wheel -- representing the spokes of the hamster wheel; use a ruler. You may draw as many of these lines as you like and put them as close together as you like. What is important is to make sure the lines all point toward the direct center of the circles, so that if they were extended, they would go straight to the center.

Tips & Warnings

• For fun, try drawing a hamster in the hamster wheel. Look at a picture of a hamster for inspiration.

• It helps to have a basic understanding of one-point perspective when making this drawing. If you have an understanding of vanishing points and how they work, you'll be able to vary this drawing according to your own specifications or desires.

References

• One Point Perspective
• Sketchfu.com; Hamster's Wheel