diff --git a/examples/dune b/examples/dune
index a88c9b8..f716550 100644
--- a/examples/dune
+++ b/examples/dune
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@
  (modules rotate)
  (libraries joy))
 
+(executable
+ (name rotate_ellipse)
+ (modules rotate_ellipse)
+ (libraries joy))
+
 (executable
  (name line)
  (modules line)
@@ -127,3 +132,8 @@
  (name fill_rect)
  (modules fill_rect)
  (libraries joy))
+
+(executable
+ (name smile)
+ (modules smile)
+ (libraries joy))
diff --git a/examples/rotate_ellipse.ml b/examples/rotate_ellipse.ml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4877d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/rotate_ellipse.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+open Joy
+
+let max = 32.
+let rec range a b = if a > b then [] else a :: range (a +. 1.) b
+
+let _ =
+  init ();
+  let ell = ellipse 100 50 |> translate 60 60 in
+  let nums = range 0. max in
+  let rotated =
+    List.map (fun i -> rotate (int_of_float (i /. max *. 360.0)) ell) nums
+  in
+  show rotated;
+  write ~filename:"rotate_ellipse.png" ()
diff --git a/examples/smile.ml b/examples/smile.ml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89ca1d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/smile.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+open Joy
+
+let make_nose () =
+    let l = line (point 0 50)|> translate 0 (-25) in
+    let l1 = l in
+    let l2 = l |> rotate 90|> translate 0 (-25) in
+    let nose = complex [l1; l2] in
+    nose
+
+let make_arc rx ry = 
+    let r = rectangle ~c:(point 0 (ry / 2)) (2 * rx) ry in 
+    let col = r |> with_fill white |> with_stroke white in
+    let e = ellipse ~c:(point 0 0) rx ry in
+    complex [e; col]
+
+let () =
+    init ();
+    let a = circle 200 in
+    let d = circle ~c:(point 50 50) 20 in
+    let b = circle ~c:(point (-50) 50) 20 in
+    let nose = make_nose () in
+    let leb = make_arc 26 14 |> rotate 180 |> translate 50 70  in
+    let reb = make_arc 26 14 |> rotate 180 |> translate (-50) 70  in 
+    let mouth = make_arc 80 40 |>translate 0 (-60) in 
+    show [mouth;leb;reb;a;d;b;nose];
+    write ()
+
diff --git a/lib/backend_cairo.ml b/lib/backend_cairo.ml
index f592f3b..2912856 100644
--- a/lib/backend_cairo.ml
+++ b/lib/backend_cairo.ml
@@ -37,12 +37,13 @@ let draw_circle ctx (cx, cy) radius stroke fill =
   Cairo.fill_preserve ctx.cairo_ctx;
   Cairo.Path.clear ctx.cairo_ctx
 
-let draw_ellipse ctx (cx, cy) rx ry stroke fill =
+let draw_ellipse ctx (cx, cy) rx ry rotation stroke fill =
   (* Save the current transformation matrix *)
   let save_matrix = Cairo.get_matrix ctx.cairo_ctx in
 
   (* Translate and scale to create an ellipse from a circle *)
   Cairo.translate ctx.cairo_ctx cx (Float.neg cy);
+  Cairo.rotate ctx.cairo_ctx rotation;
   Cairo.scale ctx.cairo_ctx rx ry;
   Cairo.arc ctx.cairo_ctx 0. 0. ~r:1. ~a1:0. ~a2:(2. *. Float.pi);
 
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ let show ctx shapes =
           circle.fill
     | Shape.Ellipse ellipse ->
         draw_ellipse ctx (ellipse.c.x, ellipse.c.y) ellipse.rx ellipse.ry
-          ellipse.stroke ellipse.fill
+          ellipse.rotation ellipse.stroke ellipse.fill
     | Shape.Line line ->
         draw_line ctx (line.a.x, line.a.y) (line.b.x, line.b.y) line.stroke
     | Shape.Polygon polygon ->
diff --git a/lib/shape.ml b/lib/shape.ml
index c804238..50451b5 100644
--- a/lib/shape.ml
+++ b/lib/shape.ml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ type ellipse = {
   c : float point;
   rx : float;
   ry : float;
+  rotation : float;
   stroke : color;
   fill : color;
 }
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ let rectangle ?(c = origin) width height =
 
 let ellipse ?(c = origin) rx ry =
   let rx, ry = (float_of_int rx, float_of_int ry) in
-  Ellipse { c; rx; ry; stroke = Color.black; fill = Color.transparent }
+  Ellipse { c; rx; ry; stroke = Color.black; fill = Color.transparent; rotation = 0. }
 
 let line ?(a = origin) b = Line { a; b; stroke = Color.black }
 
diff --git a/lib/shape.mli b/lib/shape.mli
index d0a01a5..aae48a3 100644
--- a/lib/shape.mli
+++ b/lib/shape.mli
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ type ellipse = {
   c : float point;
   rx : float;
   ry : float;
+  rotation : float;
   stroke : color;
   fill : color;
 }
diff --git a/lib/transform.ml b/lib/transform.ml
index fa71aa2..22dec76 100644
--- a/lib/transform.ml
+++ b/lib/transform.ml
@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ let rotate_point degrees point =
 let rec rotate degrees = function
   | Circle circle' -> Circle { circle' with c = rotate_point degrees circle'.c }
   | Ellipse ellipse' ->
-      Ellipse { ellipse' with c = rotate_point degrees ellipse'.c }
+      Ellipse
+        {
+          ellipse' with
+          c = rotate_point degrees ellipse'.c;
+          rotation = ellipse'.rotation +. to_radians degrees;
+        }
   | Line line' ->
       Line
         {
diff --git a/lib/util.ml b/lib/util.ml
index ec23ded..ffd8e19 100644
--- a/lib/util.ml
+++ b/lib/util.ml
@@ -36,3 +36,4 @@ let rec partition n ?(step = 0) lst =
 
 (* Misc *)
 let range n = List.init n Fun.id
+let to_radians degrees = degrees *. Stdlib.Float.pi /. 180.
diff --git a/lib/util.mli b/lib/util.mli
index 74cadbd..c892687 100644
--- a/lib/util.mli
+++ b/lib/util.mli
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@ val ( >> ) : ('a -> 'b) -> ('b -> 'c) -> 'a -> 'c
 val take : int -> 'a list -> 'a list * 'a list
 val partition : int -> ?step:int -> 'a list -> 'a list list
 val range : int -> int list
+val to_radians : float -> float