Drawing a clock with Python and the Cairo graphics library

Around the Clock

© Lead Image © rawpixel, 123RF.com

© Lead Image © rawpixel, 123RF.com

Article from Issue 296/2025
Author(s):

Build graphic elements into your Python programs with the Cairo graphics library. We'll show you how to draw an analog clock face that displays the current time.

Tutorials and guides for programming and using command-line tools abound for Linux. Graphics programming, however, is rarely even touched upon. Although drawing graphics is indeed more tedious than printing text on a terminal, and some knowledge of mathematics is usually required, graphics programming is not terribly difficult. In this article, I will demonstrate how to write a functional, usable program to draw an analog clock face to an image file. By the end of this article, you will have a Python program that generates a stylish analog clock depicting the current time (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The results of the completed clock program.

For this article, I will use the Cairo [1] graphics library to draw the images. Cairo might not be the most intuitive graphics library at first, but it is ubiquitous: Once you know how to use it, you can quickly adapt to drawing with other libraries, such as the GTK [2] graphical user interface toolkit, which also uses Cairo.

[...]

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Graphics in Python with Cairo and GTK

    Add graphics that automatically update. We show you how to build an analog clock widget with the Cairo and GTK libraries.

  • Blender

    With a little help from Blender you can create your own 3D models – including animations. This article shows you how to assemble a partially automated virtual watch model with Blender and Python.

  • DIY Alarm Clock

    A few electronic components, some code, and a hand-made wooden case make a fine retro-style bedside clock.

  • Bang! Ding! Crash!

    To create an action-packed game with LÖVE, these are a few last things you should learn how to do – overlay fancy images to "physical" objects, detect collisions, and get input from the keyboard or mouse.

  • Programming Snapshot – Go Racing Game

    The fastest way through a curve on a racetrack is along the racing line. Instead of heading for Indianapolis, Mike Schilli trains his reflexes with a desktop application written in Go, just to be on the safe side.

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News