[Tex/LaTex] There is a TikZ-impostor Among us

tikz-pgftikzduckstikzpeopletikzsymbols

There is a TikZ-impostor Among us.

Background

After learning about some amazing TikZ packages such as tikzducks, tikzpeople and tikzsymbols, which I let some examples below, I harvested some inspiration to starting learning skills in order to be able to create my own set of flexible TikZ drawings.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{tikzducks}
\usepackage{tikzpeople}
\usepackage{tikzsymbols}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \duck;
  \duck[body=blue,scale=.3, xshift=150pt];
  \node[duck] at (2,0) {};
  \node at (3,0) {\Smiley[2] \dNinja[2][green!50!black][blue]};
  \node at (4,0) {\Strichmaxerl[5]};
  \node[red] at (5,0) {\Strichmaxerl[5][45]};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

When I just had an insight …

Among us

… “I could draw an Among Us Crewmate in TikZ!''.

The basic sketch came from this video: HOW TO DRAW AMONG US.
And I also checked some ideas to draw torsos.

Question

What could be improved in order to evolve this basic sketch into something worth to become an TikZ package?

For example, tikzducks and tikzpeople has many optional extra features and, although tikzsymbols has a quite different approach, tikzsymbols still has some interesting options.

I will let an answer of my own as initial sketch.

Best Answer

The sketch below has a newcommand to insert a TikZ code to draw an Among us Crewmate.

This is not a fully functional design, but there are options of colors and two emotions: angry and very angry.

This is just a kick start in order to (one day) become something as good as other packages.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{xifthen}

\newcommand{\FHZamongUs}[3][]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[every path/.style={very thick}]
  % Backpack
  \draw[fill=#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (1,1) rectangle ++(0.8,3.2);
  % Body
  \draw[fill=#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (1.5,0) -- (1.5,5)
  arc (124.8074:103.8454:5) arc (80.6307:58.1808:5)-- (5,0) -- (3.7,0)
  {[rounded corners = 0mm] -- (3.7,1) coordinate(A) -- (2.7,1)}
  -- (2.7,0) -- cycle;
  % Eyes
  \ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{angry}}
    {\draw[fill=#3]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
      {(4.3,4.7) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};}
    {\ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{very angry}}
      {\draw[fill=#3]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
        {(4.4,4.3) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.6) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};}
      {\draw[fill=#3]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
        {(4.3,4.9) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};}
    }
  % Leg detail
  \draw plot[smooth, tension=.7] coordinates {(A) (3.9,1) (4.2,1.1)};
\end{tikzpicture}
}

\begin{document}
  \FHZamongUs{white}{white}
  \FHZamongUs[angry]{yellow}{white}
  \FHZamongUs[very angry]{red}{cyan}
\end{document}

Update

New Styles with shadows

Using the idea of a scope inside a newcommand from this answer and the shade style from this video, I updated the previous drawing into a style spliting each part and creating newcommands to combine them.

It is still not the best approach to create shades but the result and new implementation are much better than the previous attempt.

I still intend to add a hand, create the emotions in the shade-ish style and update it as a package in CTAN.

The FHZ-amongUs.sty file:

\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}[1994/06/01]
\ProvidesPackage{FHZ-amongUs}[2020-10-18 Custom Package for my AmongUs sketch]

\RequirePackage{tikz}
\RequirePackage{xifthen}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\usetikzlibrary{shadings}

%  ======================================= Style 0 -- Original Idea
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsOriginal}[3][]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[every path/.style={very thick}]
  % Backpack
  \draw[fill=#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (1,1) rectangle ++(0.8,3.2);
  % Body
  \draw[fill=#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (1.5,0) -- (1.5,5)
  arc (124.8074:103.8454:5) arc (80.6307:58.1808:5)-- (5,0) -- (3.7,0)
  {[rounded corners = 0mm] -- (3.7,1) coordinate(A) -- (2.7,1)}
  -- (2.7,0) -- cycle;
  % Eyes
  \ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{angry}}
    {\draw[fill=#3]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
      {(4.3,4.7) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};}
    {\ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{very angry}}
      {\draw[fill=#3]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
        {(4.4,4.3) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.6) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};}
      {\draw[fill=#3]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
        {(4.3,4.9) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};}
    }
  % Leg detail
  \draw plot[smooth, tension=.7] coordinates {(A) (3.9,1) (4.2,1.1)};
\end{tikzpicture}
}
%  =======================================

%  ======================================= Style I -- Manual Shade
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsPackbackI}[2][]{
  \begin{scope}[#1]
    \fill[#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (1,1) coordinate(R1) rectangle ++(0.8,3.2) coordinate(R2);
    \fill[black!30!#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (R1) -| ($(R2)+(0,-0.2)$)
    {[sharp corners]-- (1,3.5)}
    -- cycle;
    \draw[rounded corners = 3mm] (1,1) rectangle ++(0.8,3.2);
  \end{scope}
}
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsBodyI}[2][]{
  \begin{scope}[#1]
    \fill[black!30!#2, rounded corners = 3mm] (1.5,0) -- (1.5,5)
    arc (124.8074:103.8454:5) arc (80.6307:58.1808:5)-- (5,0) -- (3.7,0)
    {[rounded corners = 0mm] -- (3.7,1) -- (2.7,1)}
    -- (2.7,0) -- cycle;
    \fill[#2] plot[smooth, tension=.7]
    coordinates {(1.9436,5.2721) (2.0594,2.4257) (2.9347,1.3971)
      (4.4826,1.7343) (4.9666,3.0446) (4.9686,4.0294)
      (4.9797,4.7974) (4.6523,5.2436) (3.4183,5.6907) (2.5265,5.5757)};
    \draw[rounded corners = 3mm] (1.5,0) -- (1.5,5)
    arc (124.8074:103.8454:5) arc (80.6307:58.1808:5)-- (5,0) -- (3.7,0)
    {[sharp corners] -- (3.7,1) coordinate(A) -- (2.7,1)}
    -- (2.7,0) -- cycle;
    % Leg detail
    \draw plot[smooth, tension=.7] coordinates {(A) (3.9,1) (4.2,1.1)};
  \end{scope}
}
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsEyesI}[2][]{
  \begin{scope}[#1]
    \fill[#2] plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
    {(4.3,4.9) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};
    \fill[black!50!#2]
    {plot[smooth, tension=.7] coordinates {(3.1,4.7) (3.2964,4.8157) (3.2633,4.3111) (3.4423,3.8301)
        (3.794,3.6464) (4.3087,3.5904) (4.9485,3.5904) (5.2338,3.5723) (4.7492,3.2515) (3.5071,3.2661) (3.0208,3.6849) (2.9691,4.3844)}};
    \draw plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
    {(4.3,4.9) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};
    \fill[white] plot[smooth cycle, tension=0.7]
    coordinates {(4.3069,4.7316) (4.581,4.7457) (4.8219,4.7029) (4.9541,4.5887) (4.7168,4.5055) (4.3152,4.525) (4.168,4.6295)};
  \end{scope}
}
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsI}[3][]{
  \FHZamongUsPackbackI[#1]{#2};
  \FHZamongUsBodyI[#1]{#2};
  \FHZamongUsEyesI[#1]{#3};
}
%  =======================================

%  ======================================= Style II -- shade
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsPackbackII}[2][]{
  \begin{scope}[#1]
    \draw[shade, top color=#2, bottom color=#2!5!black, middle color=#2, rounded corners = 3mm]
    (1,1) rectangle ++(0.8,3.2);
  \end{scope}
}
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsBodyII}[2][]{
  \begin{scope}[#1]
    \draw[shade, top color=#2, bottom color=#2!5!black, middle color=#2,
    rounded corners = 3mm]
    (1.5,0) -- (1.5,5)
    arc (124.8074:103.8454:5) arc (80.6307:58.1808:5)-- (5,0) -- (3.7,0)
    {[rounded corners = 0mm] -- (3.7,1) coordinate(A) -- (2.7,1)}
    -- (2.7,0) -- cycle;
    % Leg detail
    \draw plot[smooth, tension=.7] coordinates {(A) (3.9,1) (4.2,1.1)};
  \end{scope}
}
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsEyesII}[2][]{
  \begin{scope}[#1]
    \draw[shade, inner color=white!95!black, outer color=#2]  plot[smooth cycle, tension=.7] coordinates
    {(4.3,4.9) (5.2,4.6) (5.2,3.5) (4.2,3.2) (3.1,3.5) (3.1,4.7)};
  \end{scope}
}
\newcommand{\FHZamongUsII}[3][]{
  \FHZamongUsPackbackII[#1]{#2};
  \FHZamongUsBodyII[#1]{#2};
  \FHZamongUsEyesII[#1]{#3};
}
%  =======================================

\endinput

The main.tex file:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[margin=2cm,landscape]{geometry}
\usepackage{FHZ-amongUs}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \FHZamongUsPackbackI[shift={(0,0)}]{yellow};
  \FHZamongUsBodyI[shift={(0,0)}]{yellow};
  \FHZamongUsEyesI[shift={(0,0)}]{cyan};
  % ===========
  \FHZamongUsI[shift={(5,0)}]{red}{blue};
  \FHZamongUsI[shift={(10,0)}]{green}{gray};
  \FHZamongUsI[shift={(15,0)}]{blue}{orange};
  % ===========
  \FHZamongUsPackbackII[shift={(0,7)}]{yellow};
  \FHZamongUsBodyII[shift={(0,7)}]{yellow};
  \FHZamongUsEyesII[shift={(0,7)}]{cyan};
  % ===========
  \FHZamongUsII[shift={(5,7)}]{red}{blue};
  \FHZamongUsII[shift={(10,7)}]{green}{gray};
  \FHZamongUsII[shift={(15,7)}]{blue}{orange};
\end{tikzpicture}

\FHZamongUsOriginal{yellow}{cyan}
\FHZamongUsOriginal[angry]{yellow}{cyan}
\FHZamongUsOriginal{black}{white}
\FHZamongUsOriginal[angry]{gray}{white}
\FHZamongUsOriginal[very angry]{white}{black}
\end{document}

and the results are:

Update 2

Avaliable in CTAN

I updated drawings, syntax and names creating a package that is now avaliable at https://www.ctan.org/pkg/tikz-among-us.

The documentation also presents some interesting applications such as animation and page numbering.

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] Differences among commands in coloring node labels in tikz

The last two belong to xcolor package. From its manual:

\color{<color>}[<model-list>]{<spec-list>} Switches to the color given either by name/expression or by model/specification. This color will stay in effect until the end of the current TeX group.
\textcolor{<color>}{<text>}[<model-list>]{<spec-list>}{<text>} are just alternative syntax for \color, in which the groups are added implicitly. Thus <text> appears in the specified color, but then the color reverts to its previous value. Additionally, it calls \leavevmode to ensure the start of horizontal mode.

The first one is TikZ related and it recognizes the color name. Then, sets

fill=red,draw=red,text=red

This command doesn't operate on the text inside the box and lets the regular mechanism work for the color change. Others operate directly inside the node text box.

Example:

\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[blue] (a) {\color{red}This should be blue};
\end{tikzpicture}

enter image description here