xkcd style graphs in MATLAB

Question

So talented people have figured out how to make xkcd style graphs in Mathematica, in LaTe

Answer 1

OK then, here's my less-crude-but-still-not-quite-there-yet attempt:

%# init
%# ------------------------

noise = @(x,A) A*randn(size(x));
ns    = @(x,A) A*ones(size(x));


h = figure(2); clf, hold on
pos = get(h, 'position');
set(h, 'position', [pos(1:2) 800 450]);


blackline = {
    'k', ...
    'linewidth', 2};
axisline = {
    'k', ...
    'linewidth', 3};

textprops = {
    'fontName','Comic Sans MS',...
    'fontSize', 14,...
    'lineWidth',3};


%# Plot data
%# ------------------------
x  = 1:0.1:10;

y0 = sin(x).*exp(-x/30) + 3;
y1 = sin(x).*exp(-x/3) + 3;
y2 = 3*exp(-(x-7).^6/.05) + 1;

y0 = y0 + noise(x, 0.01);
y1 = y1 + noise(x, 0.01);
y2 = y2 + noise(x, 0.01);

%# plot
plot(x,y0, 'color', [0.7 0.7 0.7], 'lineWidth',3);

plot(x,y1, 'w','lineWidth',7);
plot(x,y1, 'b','lineWidth',3);

plot(x,y2, 'w','lineWidth',7);
plot(x,y2, 'r','lineWidth',3);




%# text
%# ------------------------
ll(1) = text(1.3, 4.2,...
    {'Walking back to my'
    'front door at night:'});

ll(2) = text(5, 0.7, 'yard');
ll(3) = text(6.2, 0.7, 'steps');
ll(4) = text(7, 0.7, 'door');
ll(5) = text(8, 0.7, 'inside');

set(ll, textprops{:});


%# arrows & lines
%# ------------------------

%# box around "walking back..."
xx = 1.2:0.1:3.74;
yy = ns(xx, 4.6) + noise(xx, 0.007);
plot(xx, yy, blackline{:})

xx = 1.2:0.1:3.74;
yy = ns(xx, 3.8) + noise(xx, 0.007);
plot(xx, yy, blackline{:})

yy = 3.8:0.1:4.6;
xx = ns(yy, 1.2) + noise(yy, 0.007);
plot(xx, yy, blackline{:})

xx = ns(yy, 3.74) + noise(yy, 0.007);
plot(xx, yy, blackline{:})

%# left arrow
x_arr = 1.2:0.1:4.8;
y_arr = 0.65 * ones(size(x_arr)) + noise(x_arr, 0.005);
plot(x_arr, y_arr, blackline{:})
x_head = [1.1 1.6 1.62];
y_head = [0.65 0.72 0.57];
patch(x_head, y_head, 'k')

%# right arrow
x_arr = 8.7:0.1:9.8;
y_arr = 0.65 * ones(size(x_arr)) + noise(x_arr, 0.005);
plot(x_arr, y_arr, blackline{:})
x_head = [9.8 9.3 9.3];
y_head = [0.65 0.72 0.57];
patch(x_head, y_head, 'k')

%# left line on axis
y_line = 0.8:0.1:1.1;
x_line = ns(y_line, 6.5) + noise(y_line, 0.005);
plot(x_line, y_line, blackline{:})

%# right line on axis
y_line = 0.8:0.1:1.1;
x_line = ns(y_line, 7.2) + noise(y_line, 0.005);
plot(x_line, y_line, blackline{:})

%# axes
x_xax = x;
y_xax = 0.95 + noise(x_xax, 0.01);
y_yax = 0.95:0.1:5;
x_yax = x(1) + noise(y_yax, 0.01);
plot(x_xax, y_xax, axisline{:})
plot(x_yax, y_yax, axisline{:})


% finalize 
%# ------------------------

xlim([0.95 10])
ylim([0 5])
axis off

Result:

Things to do:

1. Find better functions (better define them piece-wise)
2. Add "annotations" and wavy lines to the curves they describe
3. Find a better font than Comic Sans!
4. Generalize everything into a function plot2xkcd so that we can convert any plot/figure to the xkcd style.