Saturn and its tilted rings

Use a round planet and a tilted ellipse to practice overlap. A few broad bands and a small ring shadow add depth while keeping the drawing approachable.

A way into the drawing

1. Set the planet and ring angle

   Draw a loose circle and a light tilted ellipse through it. Give the ring enough width to show both its inner and outer edges.

2. Work out the overlap

   Hide the far ring behind the planet and keep the near ring in front. Add one thin division line inside the ring.

3. Curve the cloud bands

   Draw a few broad curved bands that follow the sphere. Use a small pale shadow at the overlap, leaving most of the planet open.

A small thing to tryDraw the full ellipse lightly first. Decide which sections to hide only after its overall shape feels smooth.