# Blank Page before a standalone

The problem is, when I'm compiling the grafic(s) as a standalone, latex inserts a blank page. By defining the documentclass as an article this doesn't happen. (How can i fix this [and why is it happening?] I have to use standalone.) Thank you in advance.

Here is my code:

\documentclass[tikz] {standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.markings}
\begin{document}
\begin{figure}
\begin{tikzpicture} [scale=1]
%
\tikzset{->-/.style={decoration={
markings,
mark=at position .5 with {\arrow{>}}},postaction={decorate}}}
%
\coordinate (0) at (0,0);
%
\fill (0) circle (0.5mm) node [below=1.5mm, right=0.5mm] {$x^*$};
%
\draw (0) -- (-11mm,11.5mm);
\draw (0) circle (16mm) node [left=4.5 mm, above=4.8mm] {$\eta$};
%
\coordinate (1) at (-0.5,-0.5);
\coordinate (2) at (-2.5,-3);
\coordinate (3) at (0,-4);
\coordinate (4) at (3,-3.5);
\coordinate (5) at (4.5, 0);
\coordinate (6) at (2.5,3.5);
\coordinate (7) at (-0.5,3.5);
\coordinate (8) at (-2,3.5);
\coordinate (9) at (-4,1.5);
\coordinate (10) at (-3.2,0);
\coordinate (11) at (-1,0);
\coordinate (12) at (-0.2,0);
%
\draw [line width=0.8] (1) to [out=180,in=130] (2);
\draw [line width=0.8] (2) to [out=310,in=210] (3);
\draw [line width=0.8] (3) to [out=30,in=170] (4);
\draw [line width=0.8] (4) to [out=350,in=220] (5);
\draw [line width=0.8] (5) to [out=40,in=290] (6);
\draw [line width=0.8] (6) to [out=110,in=80] (7);
\draw [line width=0.8] (7) to [out=260,in=340] (8);
\draw [line width=0.8] (8) to [out=160,in=140] (9);
\draw [line width=0.8] (9) to [out=320,in=170] (10);
\draw [->-, line width=0.8] (10) to [out=350,in=140] (11);
\draw [->-, line width=0.8] (11) to [out=320,in=180] (12);
%
\fill (1) circle (0.5mm) node [right=0.5, below=0.5mm]{$x$};
%
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

• Don't use the figure environment. – Ulrike Fischer Apr 27 '18 at 20:08
• Solved it perfect and way easier then i thought, thank you very much! – Don Ky Apr 27 '18 at 20:10
• @UlrikeFischer -- i think this one is worth an answer. although the solution was obvious to me, it probably won't be to someone using standalone for the first time. so this question shouldn't be lost (unless there's already a duplicate; i haven't looked). – barbara beeton Apr 28 '18 at 19:00