2D Plots: Styling

Customize plot appearance with colors, markers, line styles, and custom ticks.

from tikzfigure import TikzFigure, marks, styles

Colors and markers

pgfplots supports named colors and various marker types:

fig = TikzFigure()

ax = fig.axis2d(
    xlabel="Month",
    ylabel="Temperature",
    xlim=(0, 13),
    grid=True,
)

months = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]
temp_seattle = [-5, -4, 0, 5, 10, 15, 18, 17, 12, 6, 0, -4]
temp_phoenix = [12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36, 38, 37, 33, 26, 18, 12]

ax.add_plot(
    months,
    temp_seattle,
    label="Seattle",
    color="blue",
    mark=marks.circle,
)
ax.add_plot(
    months,
    temp_phoenix,
    label="Phoenix",
    color="red",
    mark=marks.square,
)

ax.set_legend(position="north west")
fig.show()

Show Tikz code

Tikz Code

print(fig)

% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=Month, ylabel=Temperature, xmin=0, xmax=13, grid=major, legend pos=north west]
        \addplot[color=blue, mark=o] coordinates {(1,-5) (2,-4) (3,0) (4,5) (5,10) (6,15) (7,18) (8,17) (9,12) (10,6) (11,0) (12,-4)};
        \addplot[color=red, mark=square] coordinates {(1,12) (2,15) (3,18) (4,24) (5,30) (6,36) (7,38) (8,37) (9,33) (10,26) (11,18) (12,12)};
        \legend{Seattle, Phoenix}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

Standalone LaTeX Document

print(fig.generate_standalone())

\documentclass[border=10pt]{standalone}
\PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names}{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=newest}
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\begin{document}
% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=Month, ylabel=Temperature, xmin=0, xmax=13, grid=major, legend pos=north west]
        \addplot[color=blue, mark=o] coordinates {(1,-5) (2,-4) (3,0) (4,5) (5,10) (6,15) (7,18) (8,17) (9,12) (10,6) (11,0) (12,-4)};
        \addplot[color=red, mark=square] coordinates {(1,12) (2,15) (3,18) (4,24) (5,30) (6,36) (7,38) (8,37) (9,33) (10,26) (11,18) (12,12)};
        \legend{Seattle, Phoenix}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Available markers: raw strings still work, and so do objects like marks.circle, marks.asterisk, marks.square, marks.triangle, marks.diamond, marks.x, and marks.plus

Available colors: red, blue, green, black, plus mixing like blue!50!red

Line styles and thickness

Customize line appearance with options and line_width:

fig = TikzFigure()

ax = fig.axis2d(
    xlabel="$X$",
    ylabel="$Y$",
    xlim=(0, 10),
    grid=True,
)

x = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
y1 = [0, 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100]
y2 = [0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20]

ax.add_plot(
    x,
    y1,
    label="Thick solid",
    color="red",
    line_width="2pt",
)
ax.add_plot(
    x,
    y2,
    label="Thin dashed",
    color="blue",
    options=[styles.dashed],
)

ax.set_legend()
fig.show()

Show Tikz code

Tikz Code

print(fig)

% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=$X$, ylabel=$Y$, xmin=0, xmax=10, grid=major, legend pos=north east]
        \addplot[color=red, line width=2pt] coordinates {(0,0) (1,1) (2,4) (3,9) (4,16) (5,25) (6,36) (7,49) (8,64) (9,81) (10,100)};
        \addplot[dashed, color=blue] coordinates {(0,0) (1,2) (2,4) (3,6) (4,8) (5,10) (6,12) (7,14) (8,16) (9,18) (10,20)};
        \legend{Thick solid, Thin dashed}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

Standalone LaTeX Document

print(fig.generate_standalone())

\documentclass[border=10pt]{standalone}
\PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names}{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=newest}
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\begin{document}
% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=$X$, ylabel=$Y$, xmin=0, xmax=10, grid=major, legend pos=north east]
        \addplot[color=red, line width=2pt] coordinates {(0,0) (1,1) (2,4) (3,9) (4,16) (5,25) (6,36) (7,49) (8,64) (9,81) (10,100)};
        \addplot[dashed, color=blue] coordinates {(0,0) (1,2) (2,4) (3,6) (4,8) (5,10) (6,12) (7,14) (8,16) (9,18) (10,20)};
        \legend{Thick solid, Thin dashed}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

options accepts pgfplots flags: "dashed", "dotted", "densely dashed", "only marks".

Custom ticks and labels

Control tick positions and labels:

fig = TikzFigure()

ax = fig.axis2d(
    xlabel="Grade",
    ylabel="Count",
    xlim=(0.5, 4.5),
    ylim=(0, 30),
)

ax.add_plot(
    [1, 2, 3, 4],
    [5, 12, 18, 10],
    label="Students",
    color="green",
    mark="*",
)

# Custom x-axis labels
ax.set_ticks(
    "x",
    [1, 2, 3, 4],
    labels=["A", "B", "C", "D"],
)

# Y-axis ticks at multiples of 5
ax.set_ticks("y", [0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30])

ax.set_legend()
fig.show()

Show Tikz code

Tikz Code

print(fig)

% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=Grade, ylabel=Count, xmin=0.5, xmax=4.5, ymin=0, ymax=30, grid=major, legend pos=north east]
        \addplot[color=green, mark=*] coordinates {(1,5) (2,12) (3,18) (4,10)};
        \legend{Students}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

Standalone LaTeX Document

print(fig.generate_standalone())

\documentclass[border=10pt]{standalone}
\PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names}{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=newest}
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\begin{document}
% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=Grade, ylabel=Count, xmin=0.5, xmax=4.5, ymin=0, ymax=30, grid=major, legend pos=north east]
        \addplot[color=green, mark=*] coordinates {(1,5) (2,12) (3,18) (4,10)};
        \legend{Students}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Scatter plots (only marks)

Use options=["only marks"] to show only markers without connecting lines:

fig = TikzFigure()

ax = fig.axis2d(
    xlabel="X",
    ylabel="Y",
    xlim=(-1, 5),
    ylim=(-2, 10),
    grid=True,
)

# Noisy data points
x_data = [0, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4]
y_data = [0, 0.9, 2.2, 3.8, 4.5, 6.2, 8.1]

# Fitted line
x_fit = [i * 0.1 for i in range(50)]
y_fit = [2 * x + 0.5 for x in x_fit]

ax.add_plot(
    x_data,
    y_data,
    label="Data",
    color="red",
    mark="o",
    mark_size="2pt",
    options=["only marks"],
)
ax.add_plot(
    x_fit,
    y_fit,
    label="Fit: y = 2x + 0.5",
    color="blue",
)

ax.set_legend(position="north west")
fig.show()

Show Tikz code

Tikz Code

print(fig)

% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=X, ylabel=Y, xmin=-1, xmax=5, ymin=-2, ymax=10, grid=major, legend pos=north west]
        \addplot[only marks, color=red, mark=o, mark size=2pt] coordinates {(0,0) (1,0.9) (1.5,2.2) (2,3.8) (2.5,4.5) (3,6.2) (4,8.1)};
        \addplot[color=blue] coordinates {(0.0,0.5) (0.1,0.7) (0.2,0.9) (0.30000000000000004,1.1) (0.4,1.3) (0.5,1.5) (0.6000000000000001,1.7000000000000002) (0.7000000000000001,1.9000000000000001) (0.8,2.1) (0.9,2.3) (1.0,2.5) (1.1,2.7) (1.2000000000000002,2.9000000000000004) (1.3,3.1) (1.4000000000000001,3.3000000000000003) (1.5,3.5) (1.6,3.7) (1.7000000000000002,3.9000000000000004) (1.8,4.1) (1.9000000000000001,4.300000000000001) (2.0,4.5) (2.1,4.7) (2.2,4.9) (2.3000000000000003,5.1000000000000005) (2.4000000000000004,5.300000000000001) (2.5,5.5) (2.6,5.7) (2.7,5.9) (2.8000000000000003,6.1000000000000005) (2.9000000000000004,6.300000000000001) (3.0,6.5) (3.1,6.7) (3.2,6.9) (3.3000000000000003,7.1000000000000005) (3.4000000000000004,7.300000000000001) (3.5,7.5) (3.6,7.7) (3.7,7.9) (3.8000000000000003,8.100000000000001) (3.9000000000000004,8.3) (4.0,8.5) (4.1000000000000005,8.700000000000001) (4.2,8.9) (4.3,9.1) (4.4,9.3) (4.5,9.5) (4.6000000000000005,9.700000000000001) (4.7,9.9) (4.800000000000001,10.100000000000001) (4.9,10.3)};
        \legend{Data, Fit: y = 2x + 0.5}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

Standalone LaTeX Document

print(fig.generate_standalone())

\documentclass[border=10pt]{standalone}
\PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names}{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=newest}
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\begin{document}
% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xlabel=X, ylabel=Y, xmin=-1, xmax=5, ymin=-2, ymax=10, grid=major, legend pos=north west]
        \addplot[only marks, color=red, mark=o, mark size=2pt] coordinates {(0,0) (1,0.9) (1.5,2.2) (2,3.8) (2.5,4.5) (3,6.2) (4,8.1)};
        \addplot[color=blue] coordinates {(0.0,0.5) (0.1,0.7) (0.2,0.9) (0.30000000000000004,1.1) (0.4,1.3) (0.5,1.5) (0.6000000000000001,1.7000000000000002) (0.7000000000000001,1.9000000000000001) (0.8,2.1) (0.9,2.3) (1.0,2.5) (1.1,2.7) (1.2000000000000002,2.9000000000000004) (1.3,3.1) (1.4000000000000001,3.3000000000000003) (1.5,3.5) (1.6,3.7) (1.7000000000000002,3.9000000000000004) (1.8,4.1) (1.9000000000000001,4.300000000000001) (2.0,4.5) (2.1,4.7) (2.2,4.9) (2.3000000000000003,5.1000000000000005) (2.4000000000000004,5.300000000000001) (2.5,5.5) (2.6,5.7) (2.7,5.9) (2.8000000000000003,6.1000000000000005) (2.9000000000000004,6.300000000000001) (3.0,6.5) (3.1,6.7) (3.2,6.9) (3.3000000000000003,7.1000000000000005) (3.4000000000000004,7.300000000000001) (3.5,7.5) (3.6,7.7) (3.7,7.9) (3.8000000000000003,8.100000000000001) (3.9000000000000004,8.3) (4.0,8.5) (4.1000000000000005,8.700000000000001) (4.2,8.9) (4.3,9.1) (4.4,9.3) (4.5,9.5) (4.6000000000000005,9.700000000000001) (4.7,9.9) (4.800000000000001,10.100000000000001) (4.9,10.3)};
        \legend{Data, Fit: y = 2x + 0.5}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Axes on different layers

Axes can be assigned to layers to control stacking with other TikZ elements:

fig = TikzFigure()

ax = fig.axis2d(
    xlabel="X",
    ylabel="Y",
    xlim=(0, 5),
    ylim=(0, 5),
    layer=1,
)
ax.add_plot(
    [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
    [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
    label="data",
    color="red",
)
ax.set_legend(position="north west")

# Background shape on layer 0
fig.node(
    (2.5, 2.5),
    label="bg",
    content="Background",
    shape="circle",
    minimum_size="4cm",
    fill="gray!20",
    draw="none",
    layer=0,
)

# Foreground annotation on layer 2
fig.node(
    (4, 4),
    label="fg",
    content="Foreground!",
    shape="rectangle",
    fill="yellow!30",
    layer=2,
)

fig.show()

Show Tikz code

Tikz Code

print(fig)

% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    % Define the layers library
    \pgfdeclarelayer{0}
    \pgfdeclarelayer{1}
    \pgfdeclarelayer{2}
    \pgfsetlayers{0,1,2}

    % Layer 0
    \begin{pgfonlayer}{0}
        \node[shape=circle, fill=gray!20, draw=none, minimum size=4cm] (bg) at ({2.5}, {2.5}) {Background};
    \end{pgfonlayer}{0}

    % Layer 2
    \begin{pgfonlayer}{2}
        \node[shape=rectangle, fill=yellow!30] (fg) at ({4}, {4}) {Foreground!};
    \end{pgfonlayer}{2}

    % Layer 1
    \begin{pgfonlayer}{1}
        \begin{axis}[xlabel=X, ylabel=Y, xmin=0, xmax=5, ymin=0, ymax=5, grid=major, legend pos=north west]
            \addplot[color=red] coordinates {(0,0) (1,1) (2,2) (3,3) (4,4) (5,5)};
            \legend{data}
        \end{axis}
    \end{pgfonlayer}{1}
\end{tikzpicture}

Standalone LaTeX Document

print(fig.generate_standalone())

\documentclass[border=10pt]{standalone}
\PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames,x11names}{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=newest}
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\begin{document}
% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.3.1     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    % Define the layers library
    \pgfdeclarelayer{0}
    \pgfdeclarelayer{1}
    \pgfdeclarelayer{2}
    \pgfsetlayers{0,1,2}

    % Layer 0
    \begin{pgfonlayer}{0}
        \node[shape=circle, fill=gray!20, draw=none, minimum size=4cm] (bg) at ({2.5}, {2.5}) {Background};
    \end{pgfonlayer}{0}

    % Layer 2
    \begin{pgfonlayer}{2}
        \node[shape=rectangle, fill=yellow!30] (fg) at ({4}, {4}) {Foreground!};
    \end{pgfonlayer}{2}

    % Layer 1
    \begin{pgfonlayer}{1}
        \begin{axis}[xlabel=X, ylabel=Y, xmin=0, xmax=5, ymin=0, ymax=5, grid=major, legend pos=north west]
            \addplot[color=red] coordinates {(0,0) (1,1) (2,2) (3,3) (4,4) (5,5)};
            \legend{data}
        \end{axis}
    \end{pgfonlayer}{1}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}