# Java Notes

# Graphics class

## Description

The Graphics class contains drawing methods. A Graphics object is passed to your `paintComponent(Graphics g)`.

You need to write a `paintComponent()` method which contains all your drawing calls. The `paintComponent()` method should be defined in a JPanel.

You can set the color and font for all drawing.

The "draw" methods all draw lines, and the "fill" methods fill in the areas. It isn't necessary to use a draw method followed by a fill method, just use the fill method.

The rectangle, oval, and arc methods all define the shape starting from a point (x,y) in the upper left corner, and with a width of w and a height of h.

Arc angles start at 0 pointing to the right. They move counterclockwise to 360 when the angle is again horizontally to the right.

You can draw a circle by drawing an oval with the width equal to the height.

## Advanced

There are also Graphics methods for drawing images, polylines, polygons, and filling polygons. There are additional drawing and imaging methods in the Java 2 `javax.swing.Graphics2D` class. There are also packages for 3-D graphics and more advanced imaging with operations something like some that are available in Photoshop.