Why closures fail
Most closures fail because the final few millimeters are treated like a target to hit. That invites a jab and a kink in the curve. A circle isn’t a destination—it’s a direction. The end must blend into the start with the same tangent direction and radius. Think “merge,” not “land.”
Tangent matching 101
Visualize the tangent of your starting point—its direction along the circle. As you approach the end, align your stroke with that direction before you meet the point. When your tangent already matches, the join is invisible even if the coordinates aren’t mathematically identical. This is why artists can draw “perfect‑looking” circles even with microscopic gaps.
Approach pacing and “aim through”
Don’t slow to a crawl: it exaggerates tremor. Keep your metronome pace steady and aim through the start point, as if your stroke will continue past it. Let the line fade into the start rather than snap to it. If you consistently overshoot, shorten your radius slightly on the final quadrant and restore it during the blend.
Closure drills (5 minutes)
- Ghost & Blend (2 min). Air‑draw once, then draw two circles focusing entirely on matching the start tangent. Repeat.
- Portal Drill (2 min). Place a tiny imaginary portal at the start point. Close inside the portal. Reduce its size each rep.
- Exam Reps (1 min). Two best closures. Compare seams; keep the better pacing next set.
Fast fixes for common seams
- Hooked seam. You turned too sharply at the end. Aim through and match tangent earlier.
- Gap seam. You slowed excessively. Keep tempo and reduce radius drift in the last quadrant.
- Step seam. You changed radius at the end. Practice steady shoulder motion and relax the wrist.
A micro‑plan to improve this week
Five minutes per day after your main practice: Ghost & Blend (2), Portal (2), Exam (1). Most users see closure gaps shrink by half within a week. Combine with the centering skills from Centering Techniques and the roundness concepts in Roundness Explained.