diff --git a/libvips/Makefile.am b/libvips/Makefile.am
index d0240d68..7640d325 100644
--- a/libvips/Makefile.am
+++ b/libvips/Makefile.am
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ SUBDIRS = \
 	$(C_COMPILE_DIR) \
 	freqfilt \
 	histogram \
-	inplace \
+	draw \
 	iofuncs \
 	morphology \
 	mosaicing \
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ libvips_la_LIBADD = \
 	foreign/libforeign.la \
 	freqfilt/libfreqfilt.la \
 	histogram/libhistogram.la \
-	inplace/libinplace.la \
+	draw/libdraw.la \
 	iofuncs/libiofuncs.la \
 	morphology/libmorphology.la \
 	mosaicing/libmosaicing.la \
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/Makefile.am b/libvips/draw/Makefile.am
similarity index 78%
rename from libvips/inplace/Makefile.am
rename to libvips/draw/Makefile.am
index 1210f4cd..b8070fb1 100644
--- a/libvips/inplace/Makefile.am
+++ b/libvips/draw/Makefile.am
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libinplace.la
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libdraw.la
 
-libinplace_la_SOURCES = \
+libdraw_la_SOURCES = \
 	draw.c \
-	draw.h \
+	pdraw.h \
 	flood.c \
 	im_draw_circle.c \
 	im_draw_line.c \
diff --git a/libvips/draw/circle.c b/libvips/draw/circle.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50f6fbb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libvips/draw/circle.c
@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+/* draw a circle on an image
+ *
+ * Author N. Dessipris
+ * Written on 30/05/1990
+ * Updated on:
+ * 22/7/93 JC
+ *	- im_incheck() call added
+ * 16/8/94 JC
+ *	- im_incheck() changed to im_makerw()
+ * 5/12/06
+ * 	- im_invalidate() after paint
+ * 6/3/10
+ * 	- don't im_invalidate() after paint, this now needs to be at a higher
+ * 	  level
+ * 18/8/10
+ *	- gtkdoc
+ *	- rewritten: clips, fills, any bands, any format
+ * 27/9/10
+ * 	- break base out to Draw
+ * 3/2/14
+ * 	- redo as a class
+ */
+
+/*
+
+    This file is part of VIPS.
+    
+    VIPS is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+    Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
+    02110-1301  USA
+
+ */
+
+/*
+
+    These files are distributed with VIPS - http://www.vips.ecs.soton.ac.uk
+
+ */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif /*HAVE_CONFIG_H*/
+#include <vips/intl.h>
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <vips/vips.h>
+
+#include "pdraw.h"
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsCircle, vips_circle, VIPS_TYPE_DRAW );
+
+typedef struct _VipsCircle {
+	VipsDraw parent_object;
+
+	int x, y;
+	int radius;
+	gboolean fill;
+
+	VipsPel *centre;
+} VipsCircle;
+
+typedef VipsDrawClass VipsCircleClass;
+
+static int
+vips_circle_build( VipsObject *object )
+{
+	VipsConversion *conversion = VIPS_CONVERSION( object );
+	VipsCircle *circle = (VipsCircle *) object;
+
+	if( VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_falsecolour_parent_class )->
+		build( object ) )
+		return( -1 );
+	if( x + radius >= 0 && x - radius < image->Xsize &&
+		y + radius >= 0 && y - radius < image->Ysize ) {
+		VipsCircle *circle;
+
+		if( !(circle = circle_new( image, x, y, radius, fill, ink )) )
+			return( -1 );
+		circle_draw( circle );
+
+		circle_free( circle );
+	}
+
+	return( 0 );
+}
+
+
+	return( 0 );
+}
+
+static void
+vips_circle_class_init( VipsFalsecolourClass *class )
+{
+	GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS( class );
+	VipsObjectClass *vobject_class = VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( class );
+	VipsOperationClass *operation_class = VIPS_OPERATION_CLASS( class );
+
+	gobject_class->set_property = vips_object_set_property;
+	gobject_class->get_property = vips_object_get_property;
+
+	vobject_class->nickname = "circle";
+	vobject_class->description = _( "draw a circle on an image" );
+	vobject_class->build = vips_circle_build;
+
+	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "x", 2, 
+		_( "x" ), 
+		_( "Centre of circle" ),
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT,
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsCircle, x ),
+		-1000000000, 1000000000, 0 );
+
+	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "y", 3, 
+		_( "y" ), 
+		_( "Centre of circle" ),
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT,
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsCircle, y ),
+		-1000000000, 1000000000, 0 );
+
+	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "radius", 3, 
+		_( "radius" ), 
+		_( "Radius in pixels" ),
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT,
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsCircle, radius ),
+		0, 1000000000, 0 );
+
+	VIPS_ARG_BOOL( class, "fill", 3, 
+		_( "fill" ), 
+		_( "Draw a solid object" ),
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT,
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsCircle, fill ),
+		0, 1000000000, 0 );
+
+}
+
+static void
+vips_circle_init( VipsCircle *circle )
+{
+}
+
+
+
+
+
+static void
+vips_circle_octants( VipsCircle *circle, int x, int y )
+{
+	Draw *draw = DRAW( circle );
+
+	if( circle->fill ) {
+		const int cx = circle->cx;
+		const int cy = circle->cy;
+
+		im__draw_scanline( draw, cy + y, cx - x, cx + x );
+		im__draw_scanline( draw, cy - y, cx - x, cx + x );
+		im__draw_scanline( draw, cy + x, cx - y, cx + y );
+		im__draw_scanline( draw, cy - x, cx - y, cx + y );
+	}
+	else if( DRAW( circle )->noclip ) {
+		const size_t lsize = draw->lsize;
+		const size_t psize = draw->psize;
+		VipsPel *centre = circle->centre;
+
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre + lsize * y - psize * x );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre + lsize * y + psize * x );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre - lsize * y - psize * x );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre - lsize * y + psize * x );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre + lsize * x - psize * y );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre + lsize * x + psize * y );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre - lsize * x - psize * y );
+		im__draw_pel( draw, centre - lsize * x + psize * y );
+	}
+	else {
+		const int cx = circle->cx;
+		const int cy = circle->cy;
+
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx + y, cy - x );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx + y, cy + x );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx - y, cy - x );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx - y, cy + x );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx + x, cy - y );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx + x, cy + y );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx - x, cy - y );
+		im__draw_pel_clip( draw, cx - x, cy + y );
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+vips_circle_free( VipsCircle *circle )
+{
+	im__draw_free( DRAW( circle ) );
+	im_free( circle );
+}
+
+static VipsCircle *
+vips_circle_new( IMAGE *im, int cx, int cy, int radius, gboolean fill, VipsPel *ink )
+{
+	VipsCircle *circle;
+
+	if( im_check_coding_known( "im_draw_circle", im ) )
+		return( NULL );
+	if( !(circle = IM_NEW( NULL, VipsCircle )) )
+		return( NULL );
+	if( !im__draw_init( DRAW( circle ), im, ink ) ) {
+		circle_free( circle );
+		return( NULL );
+	}
+
+	circle->cx = cx;
+	circle->cy = cy;
+	circle->radius = radius;
+	circle->fill = fill;
+	circle->centre = IM_IMAGE_ADDR( im, cx, cy );
+
+	if( cx - radius >= 0 && cx + radius < im->Xsize &&
+		cy - radius >= 0 && cy + radius < im->Ysize )
+		DRAW( circle )->noclip = TRUE;
+
+	return( circle );
+}
+
+static void
+vips_circle_draw( VipsCircle *circle )
+{
+	int x, y, d;
+
+	y = circle->radius;
+	d = 3 - 2 * circle->radius;
+
+	for( x = 0; x < y; x++ ) {
+		circle_octants( circle, x, y );
+
+		if( d < 0 )
+			d += 4 * x + 6;
+		else {
+			d += 4 * (x - y) + 10;
+			y--;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if( x == y ) 
+		circle_octants( circle, x, y );
+}
+
+/**
+ * vips_circle:
+ * @image: image to draw on
+ * @x: centre of circle
+ * @y: centre of circle
+ * @radius: circle radius
+ * @fill: fill the circle
+ * @ink: value to draw
+ *
+ * Draws a circle on @image. If @fill is %TRUE then the circle is filled,
+ * otherwise a 1-pixel-wide perimeter is drawn.
+ *
+ * @ink is an array of bytes containing a valid pixel for the image's format.
+ * It must have at least IM_IMAGE_SIZEOF_PEL( @image ) bytes.
+ *
+ * See also: im_draw_line().
+ *
+ * Returns: 0 on success, or -1 on error.
+ */
+int
+vips_circle( VipsImage *image, 
+	int x, int y, int radius, gboolean fill, VipsPel *ink )
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	int result;
+
+	va_start( ap, out );
+	result = vips_call_split( "circle", ap, in, out );
+	va_end( ap );
+
+	return( result );
+}
+
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/draw.c b/libvips/draw/draw.c
similarity index 94%
rename from libvips/inplace/draw.c
rename to libvips/draw/draw.c
index c39b696c..4ebac8e3 100644
--- a/libvips/inplace/draw.c
+++ b/libvips/draw/draw.c
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@
 #include "draw.h"
 
 /** 
- * SECTION: inplace
- * @short_description: in-place paintbox operations: flood, paste, line,
- * circle
+ * SECTION: draw
+ * @short_description: drawing operations: flood, paste, line, circle
  * @stability: Stable
  * @include: vips/vips.h
  *
@@ -55,9 +54,7 @@
  * machines they will be limited to 2GB images, and a little care needs to be
  * taken if you use them as part of an image pipeline. 
  *
- * They are mostly supposed to be useful 
- * for paintbox-style programs.
- *
+ * They are mostly supposed to be useful for paintbox-style programs.
  */
 
 G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE( VipsDraw, vips_draw, VIPS_TYPE_OPERATION );
@@ -105,7 +102,7 @@ vips_draw_class_init( VipsDrawClass *class )
 	vobject_class->description = _( "Draw operations" );
 	vobject_class->build = vips_draw_build;
 
-	VIPS_ARG_IMAGE( class, "im", 1, 
+	VIPS_ARG_IMAGE( class, "image", 1, 
 		_( "Image" ), 
 		_( "Image to draw on" ),
 		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT, 
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/flood.c b/libvips/draw/flood.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/flood.c
rename to libvips/draw/flood.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_circle.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_circle.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_circle.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_circle.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_image.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_image.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_image.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_image.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_line.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_line.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_line.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_line.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_mask.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_mask.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_mask.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_mask.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_point.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_point.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_point.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_point.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_rect.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_rect.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_rect.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_rect.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/im_draw_smudge.c b/libvips/draw/im_draw_smudge.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/im_draw_smudge.c
rename to libvips/draw/im_draw_smudge.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/inplace_dispatch.c b/libvips/draw/inplace_dispatch.c
similarity index 100%
rename from libvips/inplace/inplace_dispatch.c
rename to libvips/draw/inplace_dispatch.c
diff --git a/libvips/inplace/draw.h b/libvips/draw/pdraw.h
similarity index 94%
rename from libvips/inplace/draw.h
rename to libvips/draw/pdraw.h
index f2c9a0d8..ad31a225 100644
--- a/libvips/inplace/draw.h
+++ b/libvips/draw/pdraw.h
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@
 
  */
 
-#ifndef VIPS_DRAW_H
-#define VIPS_DRAW_H
+#ifndef VIPS_PDRAW_H
+#define VIPS_PDRAW_H
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ typedef struct _VipsDraw {
 
 	/* Parameters.
 	 */
-	VipsImage *im;		/* Draw here */
+	VipsImage *image;	/* Draw here */
 	VipsArea *ink;		/* With this */
 
 	/* Derived stuff.
@@ -120,10 +120,10 @@ vips__draw_painted( VipsDraw *draw, VipsPel *p )
 	return( j == draw->psize );
 }
 
-void vips__draw_scanline( Draw *draw, int y, int x1, int x2 );
+void vips__draw_scanline( VipsDraw *draw, int y, int x1, int x2 );
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif /*__cplusplus*/
 
-#endif /*VIPS_DRAW_H*/
+#endif /*VIPS_PDRAW_H*/
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/Makefile.am b/libvips/include/vips/Makefile.am
index 6ced549d..9f7b796e 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/Makefile.am
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pkginclude_HEADERS = \
 	operation.h \
 	format.h \
 	foreign.h \
-	inplace.h \
+	draw.h \
 	generate.h \
 	header.h \
 	histogram.h \
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/inplace.h b/libvips/include/vips/draw.h
similarity index 96%
rename from libvips/include/vips/inplace.h
rename to libvips/include/vips/draw.h
index 0e2c3bb3..11f26bc9 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/inplace.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/draw.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* inplace.h
+/* draw.h
  *
  * 3/11/09
  * 	- from proto.h
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
 
  */
 
-#ifndef IM_INPLACE_H
-#define IM_INPLACE_H
+#ifndef VIPS_DRAW_H
+#define VIPS_DRAW_H
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -74,4 +74,4 @@ int im_draw_smudge( VipsImage *image,
 }
 #endif /*__cplusplus*/
 
-#endif /*IM_INPLACE_H*/
+#endif /*VIPS_DRAW_H*/