matplotlib · tacaswell · Sep 8, 2021 · Jun 25, 2021 · Jun 25, 2021 · Jun 30, 2021
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
@@ -690,6 +690,9 @@ def set_sketch_params(self, scale=None, length=None, randomness=None):
             The scale factor by which the length is shrunken or
             expanded (default 16.0)
 
+            The PGF backend uses this argument as an RNG seed and not as
+            described above. Using the same seed yields the same random shape.
+
             .. ACCEPTS: (scale: float, length: float, randomness: float)
         """
         if scale is None:

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
@@ -600,6 +600,30 @@ def _print_pgf_path(self, gc, path, transform, rgbFace=None):
                         r"{\pgfqpoint{%fin}{%fin}}"
                         % coords)
 
+        # apply pgf decorators
+        sketch_params = gc.get_sketch_params() if gc else None
+        if sketch_params is not None:
+            # Only "length" directly maps to "segment length" in PGF's API.
+            # PGF uses "amplitude" to pass the combined deviation in both x-
+            # and y-direction, while matplotlib only varies the length of the
+            # wiggle along the line ("randomness" and "length" parameters)
+            # and has a separate "scale" argument for the amplitude.
+            # -> Use "randomness" as PRNG seed to allow the user to force the
+            # same shape on multiple sketched lines
+            scale, length, randomness = sketch_params
+            if scale is not None:
+                # make matplotlib and PGF rendering visually similar
+                length *= 0.5
+                scale *= 2
+                # PGF guarantees that repeated loading is a no-op
+                writeln(self.fh, r"\usepgfmodule{decorations}")
+                writeln(self.fh, r"\usepgflibrary{decorations.pathmorphing}")
+                writeln(self.fh, r"\pgfkeys{/pgf/decoration/.cd, "
+                        f"segment length = {(length * f):f}in, "
+                        f"amplitude = {(scale * f):f}in}}")
+                writeln(self.fh, f"\\pgfmathsetseed{{{int(randomness)}}}")
+                writeln(self.fh, r"\pgfdecoratecurrentpath{random steps}")
+
     def _pgf_path_draw(self, stroke=True, fill=False):
         actions = []
         if stroke:

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py
@@ -337,3 +337,30 @@ def test_minus_signs_with_tex(fig_test, fig_ref, texsystem):
     mpl.rcParams["pgf.texsystem"] = texsystem
     fig_test.text(.5, .5, "$-1$")
     fig_ref.text(.5, .5, "$\N{MINUS SIGN}1$")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.backend("pgf")
+def test_sketch_params():
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(3, 3))
+    ax.set_xticks([])
+    ax.set_yticks([])
+    ax.set_frame_on(False)
+    handle, = ax.plot([0, 1])
+    handle.set_sketch_params(scale=5, length=30, randomness=42)
+
+    with BytesIO() as fd:
+        fig.savefig(fd, format='pgf')
+        buf = fd.getvalue().decode()
+
+    baseline = r"""\pgfpathmoveto{\pgfqpoint{0.375000in}{0.300000in}}%
+\pgfpathlineto{\pgfqpoint{2.700000in}{2.700000in}}%
+\usepgfmodule{decorations}%
+\usepgflibrary{decorations.pathmorphing}%
+\pgfkeys{/pgf/decoration/.cd, """ \
+    r"""segment length = 0.150000in, amplitude = 0.100000in}%
+\pgfmathsetseed{42}%
+\pgfdecoratecurrentpath{random steps}%
+\pgfusepath{stroke}%"""
+    # \pgfdecoratecurrentpath must be after the path definition and before the
+    # path is used (\pgfusepath)
+    assert baseline in buf