Lines and Paths in TikZ
Master the fundamental drawing commands for lines, curves, and complex paths in TikZ.
Drawing Straight Lines
The basic line command connects two points with a straight line:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Simple line from (0,0) to (3,0)
\draw (0,0) -- (3,0);
% Line with multiple segments (polyline)
\draw (0,1) -- (1,2) -- (2,1) -- (3,2);
% Closed shape (triangle)
\draw (0,3) -- (1.5,4) -- (3,3) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}Use -- cycle to close a path back to its starting point.
Line Style Options
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
thin | 0.4pt line width |
thick | 0.8pt line width |
very thick | 1.2pt line width |
ultra thick | 1.6pt line width |
line width=2pt | Custom line width |
dashed | Dashed line |
dotted | Dotted line |
dash dot | Alternating dash-dot |
dash pattern=on 2pt off 1pt | Custom dash pattern |
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw[thick] (0,0) -- (3,0);
\draw[dashed] (0,0.5) -- (3,0.5);
\draw[dotted, very thick] (0,1) -- (3,1);
\draw[line width=2pt, blue] (0,1.5) -- (3,1.5);
\end{tikzpicture}Curved Lines with Bezier Curves
Create smooth curves using .. controls .. for Bezier curves:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Quadratic Bezier (one control point)
\draw (0,0) .. controls (1,1) .. (2,0);
% Cubic Bezier (two control points)
\draw (0,2) .. controls (0.5,3) and (1.5,3) .. (2,2);
% Show control points for reference
\draw[gray, dashed] (0,2) -- (0.5,3);
\draw[gray, dashed] (1.5,3) -- (2,2);
\filldraw[red] (0.5,3) circle (2pt);
\filldraw[red] (1.5,3) circle (2pt);
\end{tikzpicture}Smooth Curves Through Points
Use plot[smooth] to draw curves through multiple points:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Smooth curve through points
\draw plot[smooth] coordinates {
(0,0) (1,1) (2,0.5) (3,1) (4,0)
};
% Smooth cycle (closed curve)
\draw plot[smooth cycle] coordinates {
(0,2) (1,3) (2,2.5) (3,3) (2,2)
};
% Control smoothness with tension
\draw[red] plot[smooth, tension=0.5] coordinates {
(0,-1) (1,0) (2,-0.5) (3,0) (4,-1)
};
\end{tikzpicture}Horizontal and Vertical Lines
Use -| and |- for right-angle paths:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Horizontal then vertical (-|)
\draw (0,0) -| (2,1);
% Vertical then horizontal (|-)
\draw[red] (0,0) |- (2,1);
% Combined in a path
\draw[blue] (0,2) -| (1,3) -| (2,2);
\end{tikzpicture}Rounded Corners
Add rounded corners to any path:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Default rounded corners
\draw[rounded corners] (0,0) -- (1,0) -- (1,1) -- (0,1) -- cycle;
% Custom radius
\draw[rounded corners=5pt] (2,0) rectangle (4,1);
% Mixed sharp and rounded
\draw[rounded corners=3mm]
(0,2) -- (1,2) -- (1,3)
[sharp corners] -- (0.5,3) -- (0,2.5)
[rounded corners] -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}Arc Paths
Draw circular arcs with the arc command:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Arc: start angle, end angle, radius
\draw (2,0) arc (0:90:2cm);
% Arc with different x and y radii (elliptical)
\draw (4,0) arc (0:180:1cm and 0.5cm);
% Arc as part of a path
\draw (0,2) -- ++(1,0) arc (180:0:0.5cm) -- ++(1,0);
\end{tikzpicture}Grid Lines
Draw grids for reference or backgrounds:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Basic grid
\draw[step=1cm, gray, very thin] (0,0) grid (4,3);
% Custom step size
\draw[step=0.5cm, lightgray] (5,0) grid (8,3);
% Different x and y steps
\draw[xstep=0.5cm, ystep=1cm, blue!20] (0,4) grid (4,6);
\end{tikzpicture}Line Caps and Joins
Control how line ends and corners are drawn:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Line caps
\draw[line width=4pt, line cap=butt] (0,0) -- (2,0);
\draw[line width=4pt, line cap=round] (0,0.5) -- (2,0.5);
\draw[line width=4pt, line cap=rect] (0,1) -- (2,1);
% Line joins
\draw[line width=4pt, line join=miter] (3,0) -- (4,0.5) -- (5,0);
\draw[line width=4pt, line join=round] (3,1) -- (4,1.5) -- (5,1);
\draw[line width=4pt, line join=bevel] (3,2) -- (4,2.5) -- (5,2);
\end{tikzpicture}Double Lines
Create double lines (useful for roads, walls, etc.):
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw[double, double distance=2pt] (0,0) -- (3,0);
\draw[double=red, double distance=3pt] (0,0.5) -- (3,0.5);
\draw[double, double distance=4pt, thick] (0,1) -- (3,1);
\end{tikzpicture}Next Steps
Continue learning TikZ drawing techniques:
- Basic Shapes - Circles, rectangles, and polygons
- Arrows - Arrow tips and styles
- Colors and Styles - Color fills and custom styles
Lines and Paths in TikZ
Master the fundamental drawing commands for lines, curves, and complex paths in TikZ.
Drawing Straight Lines
The basic line command connects two points with a straight line:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Simple line from (0,0) to (3,0)
\draw (0,0) -- (3,0);
% Line with multiple segments (polyline)
\draw (0,1) -- (1,2) -- (2,1) -- (3,2);
% Closed shape (triangle)
\draw (0,3) -- (1.5,4) -- (3,3) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}Use -- cycle to close a path back to its starting point.
Line Style Options
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
thin | 0.4pt line width |
thick | 0.8pt line width |
very thick | 1.2pt line width |
ultra thick | 1.6pt line width |
line width=2pt | Custom line width |
dashed | Dashed line |
dotted | Dotted line |
dash dot | Alternating dash-dot |
dash pattern=on 2pt off 1pt | Custom dash pattern |
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw[thick] (0,0) -- (3,0);
\draw[dashed] (0,0.5) -- (3,0.5);
\draw[dotted, very thick] (0,1) -- (3,1);
\draw[line width=2pt, blue] (0,1.5) -- (3,1.5);
\end{tikzpicture}Curved Lines with Bezier Curves
Create smooth curves using .. controls .. for Bezier curves:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Quadratic Bezier (one control point)
\draw (0,0) .. controls (1,1) .. (2,0);
% Cubic Bezier (two control points)
\draw (0,2) .. controls (0.5,3) and (1.5,3) .. (2,2);
% Show control points for reference
\draw[gray, dashed] (0,2) -- (0.5,3);
\draw[gray, dashed] (1.5,3) -- (2,2);
\filldraw[red] (0.5,3) circle (2pt);
\filldraw[red] (1.5,3) circle (2pt);
\end{tikzpicture}Smooth Curves Through Points
Use plot[smooth] to draw curves through multiple points:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Smooth curve through points
\draw plot[smooth] coordinates {
(0,0) (1,1) (2,0.5) (3,1) (4,0)
};
% Smooth cycle (closed curve)
\draw plot[smooth cycle] coordinates {
(0,2) (1,3) (2,2.5) (3,3) (2,2)
};
% Control smoothness with tension
\draw[red] plot[smooth, tension=0.5] coordinates {
(0,-1) (1,0) (2,-0.5) (3,0) (4,-1)
};
\end{tikzpicture}Horizontal and Vertical Lines
Use -| and |- for right-angle paths:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Horizontal then vertical (-|)
\draw (0,0) -| (2,1);
% Vertical then horizontal (|-)
\draw[red] (0,0) |- (2,1);
% Combined in a path
\draw[blue] (0,2) -| (1,3) -| (2,2);
\end{tikzpicture}Rounded Corners
Add rounded corners to any path:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Default rounded corners
\draw[rounded corners] (0,0) -- (1,0) -- (1,1) -- (0,1) -- cycle;
% Custom radius
\draw[rounded corners=5pt] (2,0) rectangle (4,1);
% Mixed sharp and rounded
\draw[rounded corners=3mm]
(0,2) -- (1,2) -- (1,3)
[sharp corners] -- (0.5,3) -- (0,2.5)
[rounded corners] -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}Arc Paths
Draw circular arcs with the arc command:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Arc: start angle, end angle, radius
\draw (2,0) arc (0:90:2cm);
% Arc with different x and y radii (elliptical)
\draw (4,0) arc (0:180:1cm and 0.5cm);
% Arc as part of a path
\draw (0,2) -- ++(1,0) arc (180:0:0.5cm) -- ++(1,0);
\end{tikzpicture}Grid Lines
Draw grids for reference or backgrounds:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Basic grid
\draw[step=1cm, gray, very thin] (0,0) grid (4,3);
% Custom step size
\draw[step=0.5cm, lightgray] (5,0) grid (8,3);
% Different x and y steps
\draw[xstep=0.5cm, ystep=1cm, blue!20] (0,4) grid (4,6);
\end{tikzpicture}Line Caps and Joins
Control how line ends and corners are drawn:
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Line caps
\draw[line width=4pt, line cap=butt] (0,0) -- (2,0);
\draw[line width=4pt, line cap=round] (0,0.5) -- (2,0.5);
\draw[line width=4pt, line cap=rect] (0,1) -- (2,1);
% Line joins
\draw[line width=4pt, line join=miter] (3,0) -- (4,0.5) -- (5,0);
\draw[line width=4pt, line join=round] (3,1) -- (4,1.5) -- (5,1);
\draw[line width=4pt, line join=bevel] (3,2) -- (4,2.5) -- (5,2);
\end{tikzpicture}Double Lines
Create double lines (useful for roads, walls, etc.):
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw[double, double distance=2pt] (0,0) -- (3,0);
\draw[double=red, double distance=3pt] (0,0.5) -- (3,0.5);
\draw[double, double distance=4pt, thick] (0,1) -- (3,1);
\end{tikzpicture}Next Steps
Continue learning TikZ drawing techniques:
- Basic Shapes - Circles, rectangles, and polygons
- Arrows - Arrow tips and styles
- Colors and Styles - Color fills and custom styles