TikZ: Define pattern with reference to external picture

Question

I want to fill a tikz-picture with a pattern, based on an external picture. Is this possible? If yes, how?

I tried to define a new pattern with \pgfdeclarepatternformonly, but \pgfuseimage seems to be no valid command inside \pgfdeclarepatternformonly.

Remark:

• In my example I used a marble-picture, but my question is independend from this special picture.
• I force the tile to 1cm. Probably it would be better to use the real size of the tile image.
• If I define \pgfdeclarepatternformonly after \begin{document} the LaTeX error disappear, but the pattern does not work.

My MNWE (minimal not working Example):

\documentclass[]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{patterns}

%Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/thumb/f/f9/LapG.jpg/83px-LapG.jpg
%But could be any other picture
\pgfdeclareimage[width=1cm,height=1cm]{marble}{83px-LapG}%force quadratic tile

\pgfdeclarepatternformonly{marble}{\pgfpoint{0cm}{0cm}}{\pgfpoint{1cm}{1cm}}{\pgfpoint{1cm}{1cm}}{
\pgfuseimage{marble}%! LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}.
}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}
% This should create a rectangle with 15*15 tiles.
\draw[pattern=marble] (0,0) rectangle (15,15);
\end{tikzpicture} 

\end{document}

Answer 1

It is not possible with pattern, but with the path picture key and a few calculations.

I have used patterns available at texture-s.blogspot.de.

---

I have turned the code into a small TikZ library which is part of my tikz-ext package.

Its usage can be seen below or in the manual.

Code

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes.geometric, ext.patterns.images}
\pgfsetupimageaspattern[width=1cm]{marble}{marble.jpg}
\pgfsetupimageaspattern[width=2cm]{wall}{concretewall8.jpg}
\pgfsetupimageaspattern[width=2cm]{floor}{pattern4183.jpg}
\begin{document}
\tikz\matrix[column sep=2mm]{
  \path[image as pattern={name=marble}] (0,0) circle[radius=1cm];
& \node[image as pattern={name=wall},star, star point ratio=2, minimum size=2cm] {};
& \path[even odd rule, image as pattern={name=floor}]
  (0,0) circle[radius=1cm] circle[radius=5mm];
& \draw[green, even odd rule, image as pattern={name=floor}]
  (0,0) circle[radius=1cm] circle[radius=5mm];
  \draw[blue, image as pattern={name=floor}]
    (-1cm, -1cm) (0,0) to[bend left] (2,1)
    --++(right:.1) to[bend left] (.1,0) -- cycle;
\\};
\end{document}

Output

Answer 2

It is possible with PSTricks.

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{pst-fill}
\psboxfill{\includegraphics[scale=0.1]{example-image-A}}
\begin{document}
\begin{pspicture}(4,4)
    \pscircle[fillstyle=boxfill](2,2){2}
    \pscircle(2,2){2}
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}

Answer 3

For non-repetitive patterns, path picture={\node{whatever thing to draw};} offers a great flexibility, allowing you for instance to draw an image in background at absolute position. Otherwise, you can use the TikZ image fill extensions from the tcolorbox package as proposed here:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[skins]{tcolorbox}

\begin{document}

\noindent\begin{tikzpicture}
  \path[fill overzoom image=example-image-a] (0,0) rectangle (\textwidth,4cm);
\end{tikzpicture}

\medskip

\noindent\begin{tikzpicture}
  \path[fill stretch image=example-image-b] (0,0) rectangle (\textwidth,4cm);
\end{tikzpicture}

\medskip

\noindent\begin{tikzpicture}
  \path[fill tile image*={height=3cm}{example-image-c}] (0,0) rectangle (\textwidth,4cm);
\end{tikzpicture}

Absolute positioning:
% absolute coordinates
\noindent\begin{tikzpicture}
  [
    remember picture,
    absolute fill image/.style={
      path picture={
        \node[anchor=center] at (current page.center) {\includegraphics[width=\paperwidth,height=\paperheight]{#1}};
      }
    }
  ]
  \path[draw=green,absolute fill image={example-image-b}] (0,0) circle[radius=1cm];
  \path[draw=red,absolute fill image={example-image-b}] (.5,.5) circle[radius=1cm];
\end{tikzpicture}


\end{document}