Some people call them a compass, other people refer to them as rounders… I call them a headache. I’ve been using the traditional compass ever since 4th grade in school, and the only thing I’ve managed to successfully achieve are holes in my sheets, thanks to the compass’ age-old pin-point design. The compass has always been a decent tool with the potential to be a great one, but hasn’t really seen a redesign in a while. It still makes holes in papers, still slips past (often ruining your diagram or even tearing through the paper), or if you don’t hold it precariously enough, the pivot on top comes loose, changing the angle and resulting in your circle turning into a spiral.
Like I said, the compass has always been a decent tool with the potential to be a great one… the Rotio aims very clearly at being the latter. Redesigned to look nothing like a traditional compass, but be just as intuitive (if not more), the Rotio needs no explaining and can easily be figured out from the second you set your eyes on it. With a ball-bearing hub that makes it feel a lot like a fidget spinner, the Rotio is safe, easy-to-use, and incredibly fun to fidget with after using, as you admire your perfect circles. The central hub comes with a hole that lets you perfectly align the Rotio’s pivoting point, and a depression on top into which you can rest your finger, securing the Rotio in place so that it doesn’t shift while you make circles. Rotio does this much more effectively than traditional compasses and doesn’t even make a hole in your drawing paper/surface. With a freely rotating spoke that has demarkations on it, you can easily rest your pencil/pen in the spot of your choice and rotate away. The Rotio has demarkations spaced at 5mm apart, which makes it ideal for ideators and creatives who just want to make perfect circles and arcs without the hassle of using a compass, and the inaccuracy of relying on freehand strokes. Designed by two Industrial Designers, the Rotio was made to give you perfect circles and confident lines, empowering the creative in you and uplifting your sketches to another level.
Available in two sizes, the Rotio comes made from machined aluminum, with black and metallic finishes. The ball-bearing center gives it incredible fluidity, while a nitrile(rubber) o-ring at its base holds it in place and prevents it from slipping, while leaving absolutely no marks behind. The result is perfect, accurate circles with no signs of having used instruments… and sketches that showcase your creativity and ideas, and not holes and bullet/wounds from the age-old traditional instruments you used to draw them.
Designers: David Cullimore & Vinnay Chhabildas
Simple but intuitive.
The most simple and intuitive design tool to complement natural creativity and add a new layer to the design process.
Story.
The Rotio Compass was created by two professional industrial designers after noticing how many people are reluctant to draw and express their creativity through fear of being judged.
‘Part of this issue is that the bar has been set so high, people don’t have the confidence to draw’.
Their aim is to encourage more people to be creative.
Two sizes. Two colors.
Introducing the Rotio Standard and the Rotio Plus compass. Both size compass are available in black or silver finish.
The holes are spaced at 5mm radius increments and has a circle range of 40mm to 140mm for the standard size and to 40mm to 200mm for the plus size.
The proportions were developed around the standard A4 paper size. The largest circle of the Plus size fits within the width of an A4 paper sheet.
Undecided on which size? Most designers prefer the Rotio Set, one of each size.
Why the Rotio® Compass is not just another compass.
1. Precise and considered design. We have worked hard to create an intuitive and efficient design tool that gives a completely new drawing experience. Simply place on the page, your finger on the centre and rotate with a pen.
2. Designed to last. The body and centre are manufactured from recyclable materials, the machined aluminium compass is tough and robust. While the cartridge bearing at the centre allows for smooth and accurate arcs, curves and circles, the evenly spaced holes have been sized to accommodate a range of pens and pencils.
3. Built to for control and accuracy. While other compasses can be hard to use, the Rotio Compass has a stable base for accurate and defined line work. With greater control over the pen, the Rotio Compass allows you to go over and vary the line weight for greater depth and contrast to your sketching. Compared to a traditional compass, drawing full circles using the Rotio Compass is much easier, particularly for younger users.
4. Leave no mark. As the Rotio Compass has no sharp point, it grips the page using a concealed nitrile o-ring. There are no marks or unsightly damage on the page leaving your work pristine.
5. Accurate line up. The hole in the centre is sized to make it easy to line up on specific points.
