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ColorFunction

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ColorFunction
is an option for graphics functions which specifies a function to apply to determine colors of elements.

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With ColorFunction->func, the arguments supplied to func are as follows:

	Raster	a
	Plot, ListLinePlot, ListLogPlot, etc.	x, y
	ParametricPlot	x, y, u or x, y, u, v
	RegionPlot	x, y
	ArrayPlot, ReliefPlot	a
	ContourPlot and ListContourPlot	f contour levels
	DensityPlot and ListDensityPlot	f
	ContourPlot3D, ListContourPlot3D	x, y, z, f
	Plot3D, ListPlot3D, ListSurfacePlot3D, and ListPointPlot3D
		x, y, z
	ParametricPlot3D	x, y, z, u or x, y, z, u, v
	RegionPlot3D	x, y, z

With the usual default setting ColorFunctionScaling->True, the arguments supplied to func are scaled using PlotRange so as to lie in the range 0 to 1.

With ColorFunctionScaling->False original unscaled values are used.

ColorFunction->"name" is equivalent to ColorFunction->(ColorData["name"][#i]&) where the slot used is as follows: Plot, ListPlot, etc.: #2 (); ArrayPlot, ReliefPlot: #1 (); ContourPlot, DensityPlot, etc.: #1 (); ContourPlot3D, etc.: #4 (); Plot3D, etc.: #3 ().

The list of possible color function names is given by ColorData["Gradients"].

The function specified by ColorFunction must return color directives such as RGBColor and Hue or named colors such as Red and Blue.

It can also return Opacity, as well as Glow and Specularity.

Combinations of directives can be specified using Directive[g₁, g₂, ...].

In 3D graphics, ColorFunction by default specifies diffuse colors for surfaces.

If an explicit setting is given for ColorRules, MeshShading or ContourShading, it is used in preference to the setting for ColorFunction.

Basic Examples (4)

Color the surface by height:

Use predefined gradients:

Color a curve:

Color a matrix:

Applications (1)

Properties & Relations (1)

ColorFunctionScaling MeshShading PlotStyle NormalsFunction Blend ColorData

Density and Contour Plots

Colors

Graphics Options & Styling

Image Processing

Plotting Options

New in 6.0: Graphics & Visualization Options

New in 2 | Last modified in 6

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