diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c334bbc..10cf31d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ String value representing the color of the annotation sketch. Default value is `
 #### strokeWidth
 Width of the annotation strokes. Default value is `1`. 
 
-
 #### padding
 Padding between the element and roughly where the annotation is drawn. Default value is `5` (in pixels).
+If you wish to specify different `top`, `left`, `right`, `bottom` paddings, you can set the value to an array akin to CSS style padidng `[top, right, bottom, left]` or just `[top & bottom, left & right]`.
 
 ## Annotation Object
 
diff --git a/src/model.ts b/src/model.ts
index 85f439e..48aafe8 100644
--- a/src/model.ts
+++ b/src/model.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ export interface Rect {
 }
 
 export type RoughAnnotationType = 'underline' | 'box' | 'circle' | 'highlight' | 'strike-through' | 'crossed-off';
+export type FullPadding = [number, number, number, number];
+export type RoughPadding = number | [number, number] | FullPadding;
 
 export interface RoughAnnotationConfig {
   type: RoughAnnotationType;
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ export interface RoughAnnotationConfig {
   animationDelay?: number; // default = 0
   color?: string; // defaults to currentColor
   strokeWidth?: number; // default based on type
-  padding?: number; // defaults to 5px
+  padding?: RoughPadding; // defaults to 5px
   iterations?: number; // defaults to 2
 }
 
diff --git a/src/render.ts b/src/render.ts
index b012ac5..106be7e 100644
--- a/src/render.ts
+++ b/src/render.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Rect, RoughAnnotationConfig, SVG_NS, DEFAULT_ANIMATION_DURATION } from './model.js';
+import { Rect, RoughAnnotationConfig, SVG_NS, DEFAULT_ANIMATION_DURATION, FullPadding } from './model.js';
 import { ResolvedOptions, OpSet } from 'roughjs/bin/core';
 import { line, rectangle, ellipse } from 'roughjs/bin/renderer';
 
@@ -29,16 +29,42 @@ const highlightOptions = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(defaultOptions));
 highlightOptions.roughness = 3;
 highlightOptions.disableMultiStroke = true;
 
+function parsePadding(config: RoughAnnotationConfig): FullPadding {
+  const p = config.padding;
+  if (p || (p === 0)) {
+    if (typeof p === 'number') {
+      return [p, p, p, p];
+    } else if (Array.isArray(p)) {
+      const pa = p as number[];
+      if (pa.length) {
+        switch (pa.length) {
+          case 4:
+            return [...pa] as FullPadding;
+          case 1:
+            return [pa[0], pa[0], pa[0], pa[0]];
+          case 2:
+            return [...pa, ...pa] as FullPadding;
+          case 3:
+            return [...pa, pa[1]] as FullPadding;
+          default:
+            return [pa[0], pa[1], pa[2], pa[3]];
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return [5, 5, 5, 5];
+}
+
 export function renderAnnotation(svg: SVGSVGElement, rect: Rect, config: RoughAnnotationConfig, animationGroupDelay: number) {
   const opList: OpSet[] = [];
   let strokeWidth = config.strokeWidth || 2;
-  const padding = (config.padding === 0) ? 0 : (config.padding || 5);
+  const padding = parsePadding(config);
   const animate = (config.animate === undefined) ? true : (!!config.animate);
   const iterations = config.iterations || 2;
 
   switch (config.type) {
     case 'underline': {
-      const y = rect.y + rect.h + padding;
+      const y = rect.y + rect.h + padding[2];
       for (let i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
         if (i % 2) {
           opList.push(line(rect.x + rect.w, y, rect.x, y, singleStrokeOptions));
@@ -60,10 +86,10 @@ export function renderAnnotation(svg: SVGSVGElement, rect: Rect, config: RoughAn
       break;
     }
     case 'box': {
-      const x = rect.x - padding;
-      const y = rect.y - padding;
-      const width = rect.w + (2 * padding);
-      const height = rect.h + (2 * padding);
+      const x = rect.x - padding[3];
+      const y = rect.y - padding[0];
+      const width = rect.w + (padding[1] + padding[3]);
+      const height = rect.h + (padding[0] + padding[2]);
       for (let i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
         opList.push(rectangle(x, y, width, height, singleStrokeOptions));
       }
@@ -91,11 +117,10 @@ export function renderAnnotation(svg: SVGSVGElement, rect: Rect, config: RoughAn
       break;
     }
     case 'circle': {
-      const p2 = padding * 2;
-      const width = rect.w + (2 * p2);
-      const height = rect.h + (2 * p2);
-      const x = rect.x - p2 + (width / 2);
-      const y = rect.y - p2 + (height / 2);
+      const width = rect.w + (padding[1] + padding[3]);
+      const height = rect.h + (padding[0] + padding[2]);
+      const x = rect.x - padding[3] + (width / 2);
+      const y = rect.y - padding[0] + (height / 2);
       const fullItr = Math.floor(iterations / 2);
       const singleItr = iterations - (fullItr * 2);
       for (let i = 0; i < fullItr; i++) {