How to: Paint an Area with a Drawing

This example shows how to paint an area with a drawing. To paint an area with a drawing, you use a DrawingBrush and one or more Drawing objects. The following example uses a DrawingBrush to paint an object with a drawing of two ellipses.

Example

<!-- Demonstrates the use of DrawingBrush. -->
<Page  
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
  Background="White">
  <StackPanel Margin="20">

    <Rectangle Width="150" Height="150" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="1">
      <Rectangle.Fill>
        <DrawingBrush>
          <DrawingBrush.Drawing>
            <GeometryDrawing Brush="MediumBlue">
              <GeometryDrawing.Geometry>
                <GeometryGroup>
                  <EllipseGeometry RadiusX="20" RadiusY="45" Center="50,50" />
                  <EllipseGeometry RadiusX="45" RadiusY="20" Center="50,50" />
                </GeometryGroup>
              </GeometryDrawing.Geometry>
              <GeometryDrawing.Pen>
                <Pen Thickness="10">
                  <Pen.Brush>
                    <LinearGradientBrush>
                      <GradientStop Offset="0.0" Color="Black" />
                      <GradientStop Offset="1.0" Color="Gray" />
                    </LinearGradientBrush>
                  </Pen.Brush>
                </Pen>
              </GeometryDrawing.Pen>
            </GeometryDrawing>
          </DrawingBrush.Drawing>
        </DrawingBrush>
      </Rectangle.Fill>
    </Rectangle>
  </StackPanel>
</Page>

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Animation;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Shapes;

namespace Microsoft.Samples.DrawingBrushExamples
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Paints a Rectangle element with a DrawingBrush.
    /// </summary>
    public class DrawingBrushExample : Page
    {
        public DrawingBrushExample()
        {
            Background = Brushes.White;
            StackPanel mainPanel = new StackPanel();

            // Create a drawing of two ellipses.
            GeometryDrawing aDrawing = new GeometryDrawing();

            // Use geometries to describe two overlapping ellipses.
            EllipseGeometry ellipse1 = new EllipseGeometry();
            ellipse1.RadiusX = 20;
            ellipse1.RadiusY = 45;
            ellipse1.Center = new Point(50, 50);
            EllipseGeometry ellipse2 = new EllipseGeometry();
            ellipse2.RadiusX = 45;
            ellipse2.RadiusY = 20;
            ellipse2.Center = new Point(50, 50);
            GeometryGroup ellipses = new GeometryGroup();
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse1);
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse2);

            // Add the geometry to the drawing.
            aDrawing.Geometry = ellipses;

            // Specify the drawing's fill.
            aDrawing.Brush = Brushes.Blue;

            // Specify the drawing's stroke.
            Pen stroke = new Pen();
            stroke.Thickness = 10.0;
            stroke.Brush = new LinearGradientBrush(
                Colors.Black, Colors.Gray, new Point(0, 0), new Point(1, 1));
            aDrawing.Pen = stroke;

            // Create a DrawingBrush
            DrawingBrush myDrawingBrush = new DrawingBrush();
            myDrawingBrush.Drawing = aDrawing;

            // Create a Rectangle element.
            Rectangle aRectangle = new Rectangle();
            aRectangle.Width = 150;
            aRectangle.Height = 150;
            aRectangle.Stroke = Brushes.Black;
            aRectangle.StrokeThickness = 1.0;

            // Use the DrawingBrush to paint the rectangle's
            // background.
            aRectangle.Fill = myDrawingBrush;

            mainPanel.Children.Add(aRectangle);

            this.Content = mainPanel;
        }
    }
}

Imports System.Windows.Media.Animation


Namespace Microsoft.Samples.DrawingBrushExamples
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Paints a Rectangle element with a DrawingBrush.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Class DrawingBrushExample
        Inherits Page
        Public Sub New()
            Background = Brushes.White
            Dim mainPanel As New StackPanel()

            ' Create a drawing of two ellipses.
            Dim aDrawing As New GeometryDrawing()

            ' Use geometries to describe two overlapping ellipses.
            Dim ellipse1 As New EllipseGeometry()
            ellipse1.RadiusX = 20
            ellipse1.RadiusY = 45
            ellipse1.Center = New Point(50, 50)
            Dim ellipse2 As New EllipseGeometry()
            ellipse2.RadiusX = 45
            ellipse2.RadiusY = 20
            ellipse2.Center = New Point(50, 50)
            Dim ellipses As New GeometryGroup()
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse1)
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse2)

            ' Add the geometry to the drawing.
            aDrawing.Geometry = ellipses

            ' Specify the drawing's fill.
            aDrawing.Brush = Brushes.Blue

            ' Specify the drawing's stroke.
            Dim stroke As New Pen()
            stroke.Thickness = 10.0
            stroke.Brush = New LinearGradientBrush(Colors.Black, Colors.Gray, New Point(0, 0), New Point(1, 1))
            aDrawing.Pen = stroke

            ' Create a DrawingBrush
            Dim myDrawingBrush As New DrawingBrush()
            myDrawingBrush.Drawing = aDrawing

            ' Create a Rectangle element.
            Dim aRectangle As New Rectangle()
            aRectangle.Width = 150
            aRectangle.Height = 150
            aRectangle.Stroke = Brushes.Black
            aRectangle.StrokeThickness = 1.0

            ' Use the DrawingBrush to paint the rectangle's
            ' background.
            aRectangle.Fill = myDrawingBrush

            mainPanel.Children.Add(aRectangle)

            Me.Content = mainPanel

        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

The following illustration shows the example's output.

(The center of the shape is white for reasons described in Control the Fill of a Composite Shape.)

By setting a DrawingBrush object's Viewport and TileMode properties, you can create a repeating pattern. The following example paints an object with a pattern created from a drawing of two ellipses.

<!-- Demonstrates the use of DrawingBrush. -->
<Page  
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
  Background="White">
  <StackPanel Margin="20">

    <Rectangle Width="150" Height="150" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="1">
      <Rectangle.Fill>
        <DrawingBrush Viewport="0,0,0.25,0.25" TileMode="Tile">
          <DrawingBrush.Drawing>
            <GeometryDrawing Brush="MediumBlue">
              <GeometryDrawing.Geometry>
                <GeometryGroup>
                  <EllipseGeometry RadiusX="20" RadiusY="45" Center="50,50" />
                  <EllipseGeometry RadiusX="45" RadiusY="20" Center="50,50" />
                </GeometryGroup>
              </GeometryDrawing.Geometry>
              <GeometryDrawing.Pen>
                <Pen Thickness="10">
                  <Pen.Brush>
                    <LinearGradientBrush>
                      <GradientStop Offset="0.0" Color="Black" />
                      <GradientStop Offset="1.0" Color="Gray" />
                    </LinearGradientBrush>
                  </Pen.Brush>
                </Pen>
              </GeometryDrawing.Pen>
            </GeometryDrawing>
          </DrawingBrush.Drawing>
        </DrawingBrush>
      </Rectangle.Fill>
    </Rectangle>
  </StackPanel>
</Page>

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Animation;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Shapes;

namespace Microsoft.Samples.DrawingBrushExamples
{

    /// <summary>
    /// Paints a Rectangle element with a tiled DrawingBrush.
    /// </summary>
    public class TiledDrawingBrushExample : Page
    {

        public TiledDrawingBrushExample()
        {
            Background = Brushes.White;
            StackPanel mainPanel = new StackPanel();

            // Create a drawing of two ellipses.
            GeometryDrawing aDrawing = new GeometryDrawing();

            // Use geometries to describe two overlapping ellipses.
            EllipseGeometry ellipse1 = new EllipseGeometry();
            ellipse1.RadiusX = 20;
            ellipse1.RadiusY = 45;
            ellipse1.Center = new Point(50, 50);
            EllipseGeometry ellipse2 = new EllipseGeometry();
            ellipse2.RadiusX = 45;
            ellipse2.RadiusY = 20;
            ellipse2.Center = new Point(50, 50);
            GeometryGroup ellipses = new GeometryGroup();
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse1);
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse2);

            // Add the geometry to the drawing.
            aDrawing.Geometry = ellipses;

            // Specify the drawing's fill.
            aDrawing.Brush = Brushes.Blue;

            // Specify the drawing's stroke.
            Pen stroke = new Pen();
            stroke.Thickness = 10.0;
            stroke.Brush = new LinearGradientBrush(
                Colors.Black, Colors.Gray, new Point(0, 0), new Point(1, 1));
            aDrawing.Pen = stroke;

            // Create a DrawingBrush
            DrawingBrush myDrawingBrush = new DrawingBrush();
            myDrawingBrush.Drawing = aDrawing;

            // Set the DrawingBrush's Viewport and TileMode
            // properties so that it generates a pattern.
            myDrawingBrush.Viewport = new Rect(0, 0, 0.25, 0.25);
            myDrawingBrush.TileMode = TileMode.Tile;

            // Create a Rectangle element.
            Rectangle aRectangle = new Rectangle();
            aRectangle.Width = 150;
            aRectangle.Height = 150;
            aRectangle.Stroke = Brushes.Black;
            aRectangle.StrokeThickness = 1.0;

            // Use the DrawingBrush to paint the rectangle's
            // background.
            aRectangle.Fill = myDrawingBrush;

            mainPanel.Children.Add(aRectangle);

            this.Content = mainPanel;
        }
    }
}

Imports System.Windows.Media.Animation


Namespace Microsoft.Samples.DrawingBrushExamples

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Paints a Rectangle element with a tiled DrawingBrush.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Class TiledDrawingBrushExample
        Inherits Page

        Public Sub New()
            Background = Brushes.White
            Dim mainPanel As New StackPanel()

            ' Create a drawing of two ellipses.
            Dim aDrawing As New GeometryDrawing()

            ' Use geometries to describe two overlapping ellipses.
            Dim ellipse1 As New EllipseGeometry()
            ellipse1.RadiusX = 20
            ellipse1.RadiusY = 45
            ellipse1.Center = New Point(50, 50)
            Dim ellipse2 As New EllipseGeometry()
            ellipse2.RadiusX = 45
            ellipse2.RadiusY = 20
            ellipse2.Center = New Point(50, 50)
            Dim ellipses As New GeometryGroup()
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse1)
            ellipses.Children.Add(ellipse2)

            ' Add the geometry to the drawing.
            aDrawing.Geometry = ellipses

            ' Specify the drawing's fill.
            aDrawing.Brush = Brushes.Blue

            ' Specify the drawing's stroke.
            Dim stroke As New Pen()
            stroke.Thickness = 10.0
            stroke.Brush = New LinearGradientBrush(Colors.Black, Colors.Gray, New Point(0, 0), New Point(1, 1))
            aDrawing.Pen = stroke

            ' Create a DrawingBrush
            Dim myDrawingBrush As New DrawingBrush()
            myDrawingBrush.Drawing = aDrawing

            ' Set the DrawingBrush's Viewport and TileMode
            ' properties so that it generates a pattern.
            myDrawingBrush.Viewport = New Rect(0, 0, 0.25, 0.25)
            myDrawingBrush.TileMode = TileMode.Tile

            ' Create a Rectangle element.
            Dim aRectangle As New Rectangle()
            aRectangle.Width = 150
            aRectangle.Height = 150
            aRectangle.Stroke = Brushes.Black
            aRectangle.StrokeThickness = 1.0

            ' Use the DrawingBrush to paint the rectangle's
            ' background.
            aRectangle.Fill = myDrawingBrush

            mainPanel.Children.Add(aRectangle)

            Me.Content = mainPanel

        End Sub

    End Class
End Namespace

The following illustration shows the tiled DrawingBrush output.

For more information about drawing brushes, see Painting with Images, Drawings, and Visuals. For more information about Drawing objects, see the Drawing Objects Overview.