diff --git a/Adafruit_GFX.cpp b/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
index cd7d2ae..498b266 100755
--- a/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
+++ b/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
@@ -411,6 +411,7 @@ void Adafruit_GFX::drawCircleHelper(int16_t x0, int16_t y0, int16_t r,
   int16_t ddF_y = -2 * r;
   int16_t x = 0;
   int16_t y = r;
+  int xold = x;
 
   while (x < y) {
     if (f >= 0) {
@@ -421,22 +422,25 @@ void Adafruit_GFX::drawCircleHelper(int16_t x0, int16_t y0, int16_t r,
     x++;
     ddF_x += 2;
     f += ddF_x;
-    if (cornername & 0x4) {
-      writePixel(x0 + x, y0 + y, color);
-      writePixel(x0 + y, y0 + x, color);
-    }
-    if (cornername & 0x2) {
-      writePixel(x0 + x, y0 - y, color);
-      writePixel(x0 + y, y0 - x, color);
-    }
-    if (cornername & 0x8) {
-      writePixel(x0 - y, y0 + x, color);
-      writePixel(x0 - x, y0 + y, color);
-    }
-    if (cornername & 0x1) {
-      writePixel(x0 - y, y0 - x, color);
-      writePixel(x0 - x, y0 - y, color);
-    }
+    if (f >= 0 || x == y) { // time to draw the new line segment
+        if (cornername & 0x4) {
+            drawFastHLine(x0 + xold+1, y0 + y, x-xold, color);
+            drawFastVLine(x0 + y, y0 + xold+1, x-xold, color);
+        }
+        if (cornername & 0x2) {
+            drawFastHLine(x0 + xold+1, y0 - y, x-xold, color);
+            drawFastVLine(x0 + y, y0 - x, x-xold, color);
+        }
+        if (cornername & 0x8) {
+            drawFastVLine(x0 - y, y0 + xold+1, x-xold, color);
+            drawFastHLine(x0 - x, y0 + y, x-xold, color);
+        }
+        if (cornername & 0x1) {
+            drawFastVLine(x0 - y, y0 - x, x-xold, color);
+            drawFastHLine(x0 - x, y0 - y, x-xold, color);
+        }
+    xold = x;
+    } // draw the line segment
   }
 }
 
@@ -1148,21 +1152,29 @@ void Adafruit_GFX::drawChar(int16_t x, int16_t y, unsigned char c,
 
     startWrite();
     for (int8_t i = 0; i < 5; i++) { // Char bitmap = 5 columns
-      uint8_t line = pgm_read_byte(&font[c * 5 + i]);
-      for (int8_t j = 0; j < 8; j++, line >>= 1) {
-        if (line & 1) {
-          if (size_x == 1 && size_y == 1)
-            writePixel(x + i, y + j, color);
-          else
-            writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + j * size_y, size_x, size_y,
-                          color);
-        } else if (bg != color) {
-          if (size_x == 1 && size_y == 1)
-            writePixel(x + i, y + j, bg);
-          else
-            writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + j * size_y, size_x, size_y, bg);
+      int count = 0;
+      uint8_t jo, j, line = pgm_read_byte(&font[c * 5 + i]);
+      j = jo = 0;
+      while (j < 8) {
+        while (jo < 8 && (line & 1) == 0) { // bg pixels
+           count++; // count up bg pixels in a row
+           jo++;
+           line >>= 1;
         }
-      }
+        if (count && bg != color) { // need to draw background color
+          writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + j * size_y, size_x, size_y * count, bg);
+        }
+        count = 0;
+        j = jo;
+        while (jo < 8 && (line & 1) == 1) { // fg pixels
+          count++; // count up fg pixels
+          jo++;
+          line >>= 1;
+        }
+        if (count) { // need to draw foreground color
+          writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + j * size_y, size_x, size_y * count, color);
+        }
+      } // while (j < 8)
     }
     if (bg != color) { // If opaque, draw vertical line for last column
       if (size_x == 1 && size_y == 1)