[Tex/LaTex] How to draw a Christmas tree with decorations, using TikZ

funtikz-pgftrees

I would like to use TikZ for drawing a christmas tree. Here's a start, I used the lindenmayersystems library for drawing a tree:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{lindenmayersystems}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw [color=green!50!black, l-system={rule set={S -> [+++G][---G]TS,
  G -> +H[-G]L, H -> -G[+H]L, T -> TL, L -> [-FFF][+FFF]F}, step=4pt, angle=18,
 axiom=+++++SLFFF, order=11}] lindenmayer system -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Fractal tree

I found the tree in "The Science of fractal images" by Peitgen and Saupe.

Who can help to decorate it? Or to draw another tree with Christmas decorations, such as tinsel garland (lametta), candles, baubles (Christmas balls), a tree topper? Perhaps add a shading to the green?

For celebrating Christmas, I would like to put the tree on our blog, and on the TikZ example gallery.

Best Answer

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas tree with balls, candles and snowflakes

Now pic is very useful. An update was necessary

Instead of

\newsavebox{\mycandle}
\savebox{\mycandle}{ 
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=.1]
\shade[top color=yellow,bottom color=red] (0,0) .. controls (1,.2) and (1,.5) .. (0,2) .. controls (-1,.5)  and  (-1,.2) .. (0,0);
\fill[yellow!90!black] (.8,0) rectangle (-.8,-5); 
\end{tikzpicture} }

\tikzset{ mycandle/.pic ...

The code

% !TEX TS-program = pdflatex
\documentclass[border=2mm]{standalone}
\usepackage[usenames,dvipsnames]{xcolor} 
\usepackage{tikz}

\usetikzlibrary{ shapes,decorations.shapes,decorations.fractals,decorations.markings,shadows}

\tikzset{ mycandle/.pic={
\shade[top color=yellow,bottom color=red] (0,0) .. controls (1,.2) and (1,.5) .. (0,2) .. controls (-1,.5)  and  (-1,.2) .. (0,0);
\fill[yellow!90!black] (.8,0) rectangle (-.8,-5); }}

\tikzset{
  paint/.style={draw=#1!50!black, fill=#1!50},
  my star/.style={decorate,decoration={shape backgrounds,shape=star},star points=#1}}

\begin{document}
  \begin{tikzpicture}[every pic/.style={scale=.1,transform shape}  ,
    ball red/.style={
    decorate, decoration={ markings,mark=between positions .2 and 1 step 3cm
      with
      { \pgfmathsetmacro{\sz}{2 + .5 * rand}
        \path[shading=ball,ball color=red] (0,0) circle[radius=\sz mm]; }}},
        ball blue/.style={decorate, decoration={ markings, mark=between positions 0.1 and .9 step 3cm
      with {\pgfmathsetmacro{\sz}{2 + .5 * rand}
        \path[shading=ball,ball color=blue] (0,0) circle[radius=\sz mm]; }}}]

\draw[fill=Maroon,ultra thick] 
      (.75,-1)  ..  controls (.5,.5)  and   (.5,3)    .. (0.5,4) 
   -- (-0.5,4)  ..  controls (-.5,3) and (-.5,.5)     .. (-.75,-1) ;
\draw[ultra thick,fill=green!50!black] 
      (0,10) .. controls  (0,8)     and   (1,7)    .. (1.5,7) 
             ..  controls (1,7)     and   (1,7)    .. (0.5,7.25) 
             ..  controls (1.5,5)   and   (2.5,4)  .. (3,4)
             ..  controls (2,4)     and   (1.25,4) .. (1,4.5)
             ..  controls (2,2)     and   (3.5,2)  .. (4,2)
             ..  controls (1,1)     and   (-1,1)   .. (-4,2) 
             ..  controls (-3.5,2)  and   (-2,2)   .. (-1,4.5)
             ..  controls (-1.25,4) and   (-2,4)   .. (-3,4) 
             ..  controls (-2.5,4)  and   (-1.5,5) .. (-0.5,7.25) 
             ..  controls  (-1,7)   and   (-1,7)   .. (-1.5,7)
             ..  controls  (-1,7)   and   (0,8)    .. (0,10)
              ;

\pic foreach \candle in {(2,5),(-2,5),(0.5,7.5),(-0.5,7.5),(-3,2.5), (3,2.5),
                    (1.5,1.75),(-1.5,1.75)} at \candle {mycandle} ; 

\node [star, star point height=.5cm, minimum size=.5cm,draw,fill=yellow,thick]
      at (0,10) {};
\begin{scope}[decoration={shape sep=.2cm, shape size=.25cm}] 
    \draw [my star=6, paint=red]  (-4,2)
             ..  controls (0,2)     and   (1,3.5)   .. (1,4.40); 
    \draw [my star=6, paint=red]  (-1.5,5.40)
             ..  controls (0,5.40)     and   (0.5,6.5)      .. (0.5,7);  
    \draw [my star=6, paint=blue]  (4,2)
             ..  controls  (0,2) and (-1,3.5)      .. (-1,4.40);             
    \draw [my star=6, paint=blue]  (1.5,5.40)
             ..  controls (0,5.40)     and   (-0.5,6.5)      .. (-0.5,7);     
\end{scope} 
% the balls
\path[ball red] 
      (0,10) .. controls  (0,8)     and   (1,7)    .. (1.5,7) 
             ..  controls (1,7)     and   (1,7)    .. (0.5,7.25) 
             ..  controls (1.5,5)   and   (2.5,4)  .. (3,4)
             ..  controls (2,4)     and   (1.25,4) .. (1,4.5)
             ..  controls (2,2)     and   (3.5,2)  .. (4,2)
             ..  controls (1,1)     and   (-1,1)   .. (-4,2) 
             ..  controls (-3.5,2)  and   (-2,2)   .. (-1,4.5)
             ..  controls (-1.25,4) and   (-2,4)   .. (-3,4) 
             ..  controls (-2.5,4)  and   (-1.5,5) .. (-0.5,7.25) 
             ..  controls  (-1,7)   and   (-1,7)   .. (-1.5,7)
             ..  controls  (-1,7)   and   (0,8)    .. (0,10)
              ; 
\path[ball blue] 
      (0,10) .. controls  (0,8)     and   (1,7)    .. (1.5,7) 
             ..  controls (1,7)     and   (1,7)    .. (0.5,7.25) 
             ..  controls (1.5,5)   and   (2.5,4)  .. (3,4)
             ..  controls (2,4)     and   (1.25,4) .. (1,4.5)
             ..  controls (2,2)     and   (3.5,2)  .. (4,2)
             ..  controls (1,1)     and   (-1,1)   .. (-4,2) 
             ..  controls (-3.5,2)  and   (-2,2)   .. (-1,4.5)
             ..  controls (-1.25,4) and   (-2,4)   .. (-3,4) 
             ..  controls (-2.5,4)  and   (-1.5,5) .. (-0.5,7.25) 
             ..  controls  (-1,7)   and   (-1,7)   .. (-1.5,7)
             ..  controls  (-1,7)   and   (0,8)    .. (0,10)
              ; 
 % the snow
\foreach \i in {0.5,0.6,...,1.6}
     \fill [white!80!blue,decoration=Koch snowflake,opacity=.9]
           [shift={(rand*5,rnd*8)},scale=\i]
           [double copy shadow={opacity=0.2,shadow xshift=0pt,
           shadow yshift=3*\i pt,fill=white,draw=none}]
        decorate {
          decorate {
            decorate {
              (0,0) -- ++(60:1) -- ++(-60:1) -- cycle
            }
          }
        };                  
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Rotate a node but not its content: the case of the ellipse decoration

The source of the difficulty is that ellipses are constructed in a particular way in TikZ. They are paths that start from the x-axis and proceed counter-clockwise around their centre. The vast majority of the time, the exact parametrisation doesn't matter. You appear to have found the one situation where it does!

In the actual question, you only want to be able to mirror the ellipse, and so draw it starting from the negative x-axis (the title of the question suggests a more flexible approach). That's actually not too hard since we can exploit the symmetry of the ellipse. The key is to provide it with a negative x-radius, since then it will start from the negative x-axis (and proceed clockwise, but we could correct for that by negating the y-radius as well). To do this, we interrupt the call from the node shape to the drawing command and flip the sign of the x-radius. The simplest way to do this is to redefine the \pgfpathellipse macro to do the negation and then call the original macro. The following code does this.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations,shapes,decorations.markings}
\makeatletter
\let\origpgfpathellipse=\pgfpathellipse
\def\revpgfpathellipse#1#2#3{%
  #2%
  \pgf@xa=-\pgf@x
  \origpgfpathellipse{#1}{\pgfqpoint{\pgf@xa}{0pt}}{#3}}
\makeatother

\tikzset{
  reversed ellipse/.style={
    ellipse,
    reverse the ellipse%
  },
  reverse the ellipse/.code={
    \let\pgfpathellipse=\revpgfpathellipse
  }
}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[ellipse,
  draw,
  postaction={
    decorate,
    decoration={
      markings,
      mark=at position 1 with {
        \arrow[line width=5pt,blue]{>}
      }
    }
  }
] at (0,0) {hello world};

\node[reversed ellipse,
  draw,
  postaction={
    decorate,
    decoration={
      markings,
      mark=at position 1 with {
        \arrow[line width=5pt,blue]{>}
      }
    }
  }
] at (0,-2) {hello world};
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Here's the result:

rotated ellipse

(the arrow got clipped, but you can see where it lies)

[Tex/LaTex] How to draw a Hannukah Menorah with decorations, using TikZ

Here is my humble attempt:

enter image description here

The code:

\documentclass[x11names]{article}
\usepackage[width=16cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,positioning,shadows,decorations,decorations.pathmorphing,
   hobby,shapes.geometric}

% original code by percusse:
% http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/39296/simulating-hand-drawn-lines#49961
\makeatletter
\pgfdeclaredecoration{penciline}{initial}{
    \state{initial}[width=+\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance,auto corner on length=3mm,]{
        \pgfpathcurveto%
        {% From
            \pgfqpoint{\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance}
                            {\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}
        }
        {%  Control 1
        \pgfmathrand
        \pgfpointadd{\pgfqpoint{\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance}{0pt}}
                        {\pgfqpoint{-\pgfdecorationsegmentaspect\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance}%
                                        {\pgfmathresult\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}
                        }
        }
        {%TO 
        \pgfpointadd{\pgfpointdecoratedinputsegmentlast}{\pgfpoint{1pt}{1pt}}
        }
    }
    \state{final}{}
}
\makeatother

\tikzset{candle decoration/.style={decorate, decoration={random steps,segment length=2pt,amplitude=0.3pt}}}
\tikzset{candle shadow/.style={drop shadow={shadow xshift=.4ex,shadow yshift=-.3ex}}}
\tikzset{stick candle/.style={
            draw,decorate, decoration={penciline,amplitude=3pt},rectangle, 
            anchor=north, minimum width=0.5cm, minimum height=#1,
            left color=white, right color=Honeydew2!80
            },
            stick candle/.default={2cm}
}

\tikzset{candle support style/.style={
            draw,rectangle, 
            decorate, decoration={penciline,amplitude=1.5pt},
            anchor=north, minimum width=0.9cm, minimum height=0.2cm,
            left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,
            candle shadow
            },
}

\tikzset{candle base style/.style={
            draw,semicircle,rotate=183,
            candle decoration,
            minimum width=0.6cm, minimum height=0.2cm,
            left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,
            candle shadow
            },
}

\newcounter{candles}
\setcounter{candles}{1}
\tikzset{candle/.code={
        \draw[candle decoration, left color=Gold1!20, right color=Goldenrod1, candle shadow]
        (0,1) to[curve through={(-0.1,0.5)..(-0.2,0) .. (0.2,0) .. (0.1,0.5)}] (0,1);       
        \draw[draw=none,candle decoration, fill=LemonChiffon1]
        (0,0.45) to[curve through={(-0.05,0.25)..(-0.1,0) .. (0.1,0) .. (0.05,0.25)}] (0,0.45);
        \draw[decorate, decoration=penciline](0,0.125)--(0,-0.25)node(candle\thecandles){};     
        \node[stick candle=#1, candle shadow] (candlesupport\thecandles) at (candle\thecandles){}; 
        \node[candle support style, below=-0.1cm of candlesupport\thecandles](basecandle\thecandles) {};
        \node[candle base style, below=0.275cm of basecandle\thecandles](downbasecandle\thecandles){};
        \stepcounter{candles}
    }
}

\tikzset{candelabrum style/.style={
            anchor=north,draw,trapezium, trapezium stretches=true, 
            candle decoration,
            minimum height=5cm, minimum width=0.9cm,
            left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,
            candle shadow
            },
}

% original code by Paul Gaborit:
% tex.stackexchange.com/questions/72784/arrow-with-two-colors-with-tikz/#72793
\tikzset{
  double path/.style args={#1 colored by #2 and #3}{
    -,line join=bevel,line cap=rect,
    shorten >=0.04cm,
    shorten <=0.04cm,
    line width=#1,#2, % first path
    postaction={draw,-,#3,line width=(#1)/1.5,
                shorten <=(#1)/4,shorten >=2*(#1)/4}, % second path
  }
}

\tikzset{candelabrum branch/.style={
        double path=3pt colored by black!80!Goldenrod1 and Goldenrod1!60,bend #1,
        candle decoration,
    }
}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture]
\foreach \xpos in {0,1.2,2.4,3.6}{
\begin{scope}[xshift=\xpos cm,yshift=-1cm]
\node[candle=1cm]{};
\end{scope}
}
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture]
\node[candle]{};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture]
\foreach \xpos in {0,1.2,2.4,3.6}{
\begin{scope}[xshift=\xpos cm,yshift=-1cm]
\node[candle=1cm]{};
\end{scope}
}
\end{tikzpicture}
% Candelabrum
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture, overlay]
\node[candelabrum style] (candelabrum) at (downbasecandle5.north){};
%\node[candelabrum base] at (candelabrum.south){};
\draw[left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,candle decoration, candle shadow]
($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.6)$) parabola[bend at end] (candelabrum.bottom left corner)--
(candelabrum.bottom right corner) parabola ($(candelabrum.bottom right corner)+(0.4,-0.6)$)
--($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.6)$);
\draw[left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,candle decoration, candle shadow]($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.6)$)-- ($(candelabrum.bottom right corner)+(0.4,-0.6)$)-- ($(candelabrum.bottom right corner)+(0.4,-0.9)$)--($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.9)$)--cycle;
% left
\path (downbasecandle1.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.195);
\path (downbasecandle2.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.115);
\path (downbasecandle3.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.100);
\path (downbasecandle4.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.97);
% right
\path (downbasecandle6.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.83);
\path (downbasecandle7.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.80);
\path (downbasecandle8.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.65);
\path (downbasecandle9.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.345);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Disclaimer

Since I started drawing candles, at a given moment I stuck in shifting them with scope: from that the awful attempt with several tikzpictures needed to be remembered. This means that two compilation runs are necessary.

A very simple animation:

enter image description here

The code:

\documentclass[x11names]{beamer}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}
\usepackage{textpos}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,positioning,shadows,decorations,decorations.pathmorphing,
   hobby,shapes.geometric}

% Animations:
% http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/84513/highlighting-in-beamer-using-tikz-nodes/#84608
\tikzset{
    alt/.code args={<#1>#2#3}{%
      \alt<#1>{\pgfkeysalso{#2}}{\pgfkeysalso{#3}} 
    },
}

\tikzset{
  background shade/.style={#1},
  background shade/.default={left color=Gold1!20, right color=Goldenrod1},
  shade on/.style={alt=#1{}{background shade}},
}


% original code by percusse:
% http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/39296/simulating-hand-drawn-lines#49961
\makeatletter
\pgfdeclaredecoration{penciline}{initial}{
    \state{initial}[width=+\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance,auto corner on length=3mm,]{
        \pgfpathcurveto%
        {% From
            \pgfqpoint{\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance}
                            {\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}
        }
        {%  Control 1
        \pgfmathrand
        \pgfpointadd{\pgfqpoint{\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance}{0pt}}
                        {\pgfqpoint{-\pgfdecorationsegmentaspect\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentremainingdistance}%
                                        {\pgfmathresult\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}
                        }
        }
        {%TO 
        \pgfpointadd{\pgfpointdecoratedinputsegmentlast}{\pgfpoint{1pt}{1pt}}
        }
    }
    \state{final}{}
}
\makeatother

\tikzset{candle decoration/.style={decorate, decoration={random steps,segment length=2pt,amplitude=0.3pt}}}
\tikzset{candle shadow/.style={drop shadow={shadow xshift=.4ex,shadow yshift=-.3ex}}}
\tikzset{stick candle/.style={
            draw,decorate, decoration={penciline,amplitude=3pt},rectangle, 
            anchor=north, minimum width=0.5cm, minimum height=#1,
            left color=white, right color=Honeydew2!80
            },
            stick candle/.default={2cm}
}

\tikzset{candle support style/.style={
            draw,rectangle, 
            decorate, decoration={penciline,amplitude=1.5pt},
            anchor=north, minimum width=0.9cm, minimum height=0.2cm,
            left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,
            candle shadow
            },
}

\tikzset{candle base style/.style={
            draw,semicircle,rotate=183,
            candle decoration,
            minimum width=0.6cm, minimum height=0.2cm,
            left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,
            candle shadow
            },
}

\newcounter{candles}
\setcounter{candles}{1}
\tikzset{candle/.code={
        \draw[candle decoration, candle shadow,
        background shade={bottom color=Snow2!30, top color=Snow4},
        shade on=<{1,4,5,7,9,11,14}>]
        (0,1) to[curve through={(-0.1,0.5)..(-0.2,0) .. (0.2,0) .. (0.1,0.5)}] (0,1);       
        \draw[draw=none,candle decoration, fill=LemonChiffon1]
        (0,0.45) to[curve through={(-0.05,0.25)..(-0.1,0) .. (0.1,0) .. (0.05,0.25)}] (0,0.45);
        \draw[decorate, decoration=penciline](0,0.125)--(0,-0.25)node(candle\thecandles){};     
        \node[stick candle=#1, candle shadow] (candlesupport\thecandles) at (candle\thecandles){}; 
        \node[candle support style, below=-0.1cm of candlesupport\thecandles](basecandle\thecandles) {};
        \node[candle base style, below=0.275cm of basecandle\thecandles](downbasecandle\thecandles){};
        \stepcounter{candles}
    }
}

\tikzset{candelabrum style/.style={
            anchor=north,draw,trapezium, trapezium stretches=true, 
            candle decoration,
            minimum height=5cm, minimum width=0.9cm,
            left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,
            candle shadow
            },
}

% original code by Paul Gaborit:
% tex.stackexchange.com/questions/72784/arrow-with-two-colors-with-tikz/#72793
\tikzset{
  double path/.style args={#1 colored by #2 and #3}{
    -,line join=bevel,line cap=rect,
    shorten >=0.04cm,
    shorten <=0.04cm,
    line width=#1,#2, % first path
    postaction={draw,-,#3,line width=(#1)/1.5,
                shorten <=(#1)/4,shorten >=2*(#1)/4}, % second path
  }
}

\tikzset{candelabrum branch/.style={
        double path=3pt colored by black!80!Goldenrod1 and Goldenrod1!60,bend #1,
        candle decoration,
    }
}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\begin{textblock}{2}[0.5,0.5](3,-1)
\scalebox{0.7}{
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture]
\pgfmathsetseed{12345}   
\foreach \xpos in {0,1.2,2.4,3.6}{
\begin{scope}[xshift=\xpos cm,yshift=-1cm]
\node[candle=1cm]{};
\end{scope}
}
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture]
\pgfmathsetseed{12345}   
\node[candle]{};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture]
\pgfmathsetseed{12345}   
\foreach \xpos in {0,1.2,2.4,3.6}{
\begin{scope}[xshift=\xpos cm,yshift=-1cm]
\node[candle=1cm]{};
\end{scope}
}
\end{tikzpicture}
% Candelabrum
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture, overlay]
\pgfmathsetseed{12345}   
\node[candelabrum style] (candelabrum) at (downbasecandle5.north){};
%\node[candelabrum base] at (candelabrum.south){};
\draw[left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,candle decoration, candle shadow]
($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.6)$) parabola[bend at end] (candelabrum.bottom left corner)--
(candelabrum.bottom right corner) parabola ($(candelabrum.bottom right corner)+(0.4,-0.6)$)
--($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.6)$);
\draw[left color=Goldenrod1!40, right color=Goldenrod2,candle decoration, candle shadow]($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.6)$)-- ($(candelabrum.bottom right corner)+(0.4,-0.6)$)-- ($(candelabrum.bottom right corner)+(0.4,-0.9)$)--($(candelabrum.bottom left corner)-(0.4,0.9)$)--cycle;
% left
\path (downbasecandle1.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.195);
\path (downbasecandle2.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.115);
\path (downbasecandle3.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.100);
\path (downbasecandle4.north)edge[candelabrum branch=right](candelabrum.97);
% right
\path (downbasecandle6.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.83);
\path (downbasecandle7.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.80);
\path (downbasecandle8.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.65);
\path (downbasecandle9.north)edge[candelabrum branch=left](candelabrum.345);
\end{tikzpicture}
}
\end{textblock}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Rotate a node but not its content: the case of the ellipse decoration

[Tex/LaTex] How to draw a Hannukah Menorah with decorations, using TikZ

Disclaimer

Related Question