Creating Shapes with Py5

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Ready to make some cool shapes using Python? Imagine wielding a magic wand that conjures up circles, squares, and intricate polygons just with a few lines of code. Well, with the Py5 library, you can do just that! Let's dive into the fascinating world of shapes and see how this library can turn your screen into a canvas.

Getting Started with Py5

First things first, we need to get Py5 installed and ready to go. You can easily install Py5 using pip:

pip install py5

Once installed, let's import it and set up a basic sketch. Think of this as setting up your canvas:

import py5

def setup():
    py5.size(400, 400)  # Set the size of the canvas

def draw():
    py5.background(255)  # Set the background color to white
    draw_shapes()  # Call our custom function to draw shapes

def draw_shapes():
    pass  # We will fill this in soon

py5.run_sketch()

Here, we have the setup function to initialize our canvas and the draw function, which continuously updates the display. The draw_shapes function is where we'll be creating our magic.

Drawing Basic Shapes

Let's start with some basic shapes. Py5 makes it easy to draw shapes like rectangles, ellipses, and lines.

Rectangles

To draw a rectangle, use the rect function. Here's how to draw a simple rectangle at position (50, 50) with a width of 100 and height of 50:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.rect(50, 50, 100, 50)

Ellipses

Drawing an ellipse is equally straightforward. Use the ellipse function to draw an ellipse at position (200, 200) with a width and height of 80:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.ellipse(200, 200, 80, 80)

Lines

How about a line? The line function draws a line from one point to another. Here's a line from (300, 300) to (350, 350):

def draw_shapes():
    py5.line(300, 300, 350, 350)

Adding Colors

Shapes look more interesting with colors. You can set the fill color for shapes and the stroke color for their outlines.

Fill Color

Use the fill function to set the color inside the shapes. Here's a red rectangle:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.fill(255, 0, 0)
    py5.rect(50, 50, 100, 50)

Stroke Color

To set the outline color, use the stroke function. Let's set a blue outline for our ellipse:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.stroke(0, 0, 255)
    py5.ellipse(200, 200, 80, 80)

Creating Complex Shapes

Now that we have the basics down, let's move on to more complex shapes like polygons. Py5 provides a beginShape and endShape function to define vertices of polygons.

Polygons

Here's an example of how to draw a triangle:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.begin_shape()
    py5.vertex(150, 100)
    py5.vertex(200, 200)
    py5.vertex(100, 200)
    py5.end_shape(py5.CLOSE)

In this example, begin_shape starts the shape, vertex adds points, and end_shape(py5.CLOSE) closes the shape by connecting the last point to the first.

Stars

How about a star? By strategically placing vertices, we can create a star shape:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.begin_shape()
    py5.vertex(200, 50)
    py5.vertex(217, 90)
    py5.vertex(260, 90)
    py5.vertex(227, 120)
    py5.vertex(240, 160)
    py5.vertex(200, 140)
    py5.vertex(160, 160)
    py5.vertex(173, 120)
    py5.vertex(140, 90)
    py5.vertex(183, 90)
    py5.end_shape(py5.CLOSE)

Play around with the vertex positions to create different star shapes and sizes.

Rotating and Scaling Shapes

To add more dynamic effects, you can rotate and scale shapes. Py5 offers rotate and scale functions for this purpose.

Rotating

To rotate a shape, use the rotate function. This rotates the shape by a specified angle (in radians):

def draw_shapes():
    py5.push_matrix()  # Save the current transformation state
    py5.translate(200, 200)  # Move the origin to the center of the ellipse
    py5.rotate(py5.PI / 4)  # Rotate by 45 degrees
    py5.ellipse(0, 0, 80, 80)  # Draw the ellipse
    py5.pop_matrix()  # Restore the original transformation state

Scaling

Similarly, use the scale function to resize shapes:

def draw_shapes():
    py5.push_matrix()
    py5.translate(200, 200)
    py5.scale(1.5)  # Scale by 150%
    py5.ellipse(0, 0, 80, 80)
    py5.pop_matrix()

Conclusion

With Py5, creating basic and complex shapes is a breeze. From simple rectangles and circles to intricate stars and polygons, the library provides a set of intuitive functions that make drawing fun and easy. Experiment with different shapes, colors, rotations, and scales to create your unique artwork!

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