Turtle Programming in Python

Last Updated : 21 Mar, 2024

“Turtle” is a Python feature like a drawing board, which lets us command a turtle to draw all over it! We can use functions like turtle.forward(...) and turtle.right(...) which can move the turtle around. Commonly used turtle methods are :

Method	Parameter	Description
Turtle()	None	Creates and returns a new turtle object
forward()	amount	Moves the turtle forward by the specified amount
backward()	amount	Moves the turtle backward by the specified amount
right()	angle	Turns the turtle clockwise
left()	angle	Turns the turtle counterclockwise
penup()	None	Picks up the turtle's Pen
pendown()	None	Puts down the turtle's Pen
up()	None	Picks up the turtle's Pen
down()	None	Puts down the turtle's Pen
color()	Color name	Changes the color of the turtle's pen
fillcolor()	Color name	Changes the color of the turtle will use to fill a polygon
heading()	None	Returns the current heading
position()	None	Returns the current position
goto()	x, y	Move the turtle to position x,y
begin_fill()	None	Remember the starting point for a filled polygon
end_fill()	None	Close the polygon and fill with the current fill color
dot()	None	Leave the dot at the current position
stamp()	None	Leaves an impression of a turtle shape at the current location
shape()	shapename	Should be 'arrow', 'classic', 'turtle' or 'circle'

Plotting using Turtle

To make use of the turtle methods and functionalities, we need to import turtle."turtle" comes packed with the standard Python package and need not be installed externally. The roadmap for executing a turtle program follows 4 steps:

Import the turtle module
Create a turtle to control.
Draw around using the turtle methods.
Run turtle.done().

So as stated above, before we can use turtle, we need to import it. We import it as :

from turtle import *
# or
import turtle

After importing the turtle library and making all the turtle functionalities available to us, we need to create a new drawing board(window) and a turtle. Let's call the window as wn and the turtle as skk. So we code as:

wn = turtle.Screen()
wn.bgcolor("light green")
wn.title("Turtle")
skk = turtle.Turtle()

Now that we have created the window and the turtle, we need to move the turtle. To move forward 100 pixels in the direction skk is facing, we code:

skk.forward(100)

We have moved skk 100 pixels forward, Awesome! Now we complete the program with the done() function and We're done!

turtle.done()

So, we have created a program that draws a line 100 pixels long. We can draw various shapes and fill different colors using turtle methods. There's plethora of functions and programs to be coded using the turtle library in python. Let's learn to draw some of the basic shapes.

Shape 1: Square

Python

# Python program to draw square 
# using Turtle Programming
import turtle 
skk = turtle.Turtle()

for i in range(4):
    skk.forward(50)
    skk.right(90)
    
turtle.done()

Output:

Shape 2: Star

Python3

# Python program to draw star
# using Turtle Programming
import turtle
star = turtle.Turtle()

star.right(75)
star.forward(100)

for i in range(4):
    star.right(144)
    star.forward(100)
    
turtle.done()

Output:

Shape 3: Hexagon

Python

# Python program to draw hexagon
# using Turtle Programming
import turtle 
polygon = turtle.Turtle()

num_sides = 6
side_length = 70
angle = 360.0 / num_sides 

for i in range(num_sides):
    polygon.forward(side_length)
    polygon.right(angle)
    
turtle.done()

Output:

Shape 4: parallelogram

Python

import turtle

# Initialize the turtle
t = turtle.Turtle()

# Set the turtle's speed
t.speed(1)

# Draw the parallelogram
for i in range(2):
    t.forward(100)
    t.left(60)
    t.forward(50)
    t.left(120)

Output:

Shape 5 : Circle

Python

import turtle

# Set up the turtle screen and set the background color to white
screen = turtle.Screen()
screen.bgcolor("white")

# Create a new turtle and set its speed to the fastest possible
pen = turtle.Turtle()
pen.speed(0)

# Set the fill color to red
pen.fillcolor("red")
pen.begin_fill()

# Draw the circle with a radius of 100 pixels
pen.circle(100)

# End the fill and stop drawing
pen.end_fill()
pen.hideturtle()

# Keep the turtle window open until it is manually closed
turtle.done()

Output:

Visit pythonturtle.org to get a taste of Turtle without having python pre-installed. The shell in PythonTurtle is a full Python shell, and you can do with it almost anything you can with a standard Python shell. You can make loops, define functions, create classes, etc.

Some amazing Turtle Programs

1. Spiral Square Outside In and Inside Out

Python

import turtle  #Inside_Out
wn = turtle.Screen()
wn.bgcolor("light green")
skk = turtle.Turtle()
skk.color("blue")

def sqrfunc(size):
    for i in range(4):
        skk.fd(size)
        skk.left(90)
        size = size + 5

sqrfunc(6)
sqrfunc(26)
sqrfunc(46)
sqrfunc(66)
sqrfunc(86)
sqrfunc(106)
sqrfunc(126)
sqrfunc(146)

Output:

2. User Input Pattern

Python

# Python program to user input pattern
# using Turtle Programming
import turtle   #Outside_In
import turtle
import time
import random

print ("This program draws shapes based on the number you enter in a uniform pattern.")
num_str = input("Enter the side number of the shape you want to draw: ")
if num_str.isdigit():
    squares = int(num_str)

angle = 180 - 180*(squares-2)/squares

turtle.up

x = 0 
y = 0
turtle.setpos(x, y)


numshapes = 8
for x in range(numshapes):
    turtle.color(random.random(), random.random(), random.random())
    x += 5
    y += 5
    turtle.forward(x)
    turtle.left(y)
    for i in range(squares):
        turtle.begin_fill()
        turtle.down()
        turtle.forward(40)
        turtle.left(angle)
        turtle.forward(40)
        print (turtle.pos())
        turtle.up()
        turtle.end_fill()

time.sleep(11)
turtle.bye()

3. Spiral Helix Pattern

Python

# Python program to draw 
# Spiral  Helix Pattern
# using Turtle Programming

import turtle
loadWindow = turtle.Screen()
turtle.speed(2)

for i in range(100):
    turtle.circle(5*i)
    turtle.circle(-5*i)
    turtle.left(i)

turtle.exitonclick()

Output:

4. Rainbow Benzene

Python

# Python program to draw 
# Rainbow Benzene
# using Turtle Programming
import turtle
colors = ['red', 'purple', 'blue', 'green', 'orange', 'yellow']
t = turtle.Pen()
turtle.bgcolor('black')
for x in range(360):
    t.pencolor(colors[x%6])
    t.width(x//100 + 1)
    t.forward(x)
    t.left(59)

Output:

Trees using Turtle Programming

References:

Turtle documentation for Python 3 and 2
eecs.wsu.edu [PDF] !

Turtle Programming in Python

Amartya Ranjan Saikia

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Turtle Programming in Python

Shape 4: parallelogram

Shape 5 : Circle

Output:

Some amazing Turtle Programs

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