--- title: "ColorFunction" language: "en" type: "Symbol" summary: "ColorFunction is an option for graphics functions that specifies a function to apply to determine colors of elements." keywords: - color lookup table - color map - color palette - color spectrum - colormap - color gradient - texture - surface texture - curve texture - color field - color space - color model - IDLgrPalette - LOADCT - STRETCH - caxis - colorbar - colormap - colormapeditor - contrast - cool - copper - flag - hot - hsv - lines - prism - shading - spinmap - spring - summer - winter canonical_url: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ColorFunction.html" source: "Wolfram Language Documentation" related_guides: - title: "Colors" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/Colors.en.md" - title: "Plotting Options" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/PlottingOptions.en.md" - title: "Vector Visualization" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/VectorVisualization.en.md" - title: "Graphics Options & Styling" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/GraphicsOptionsAndStyling.en.md" - title: "Financial Visualization" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/FinancialVisualization.en.md" - title: "Chart Styling & Layout" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ChartLayoutAndStyling.en.md" related_functions: - title: "ColorFunctionScaling" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ColorFunctionScaling.en.md" - title: "MeshShading" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MeshShading.en.md" - title: "PlotStyle" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PlotStyle.en.md" - title: "NormalsFunction" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NormalsFunction.en.md" - title: "Blend" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Blend.en.md" - title: "ColorData" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ColorData.en.md" - title: "LightDarkAutoColorRules" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightDarkAutoColorRules.en.md" related_tutorials: - title: "Density and Contour Plots" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TheStructureOfGraphicsAndSound.en.md#14270" --- # ColorFunction ColorFunction is an option for graphics functions that specifies a function to apply to determine colors of elements. ## Details * With ``ColorFunction -> func``, the arguments supplied to ``func`` are as follows: | | | | ------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------- | | Raster | a | | Plot, ListLinePlot, ListLogPlot | x, y | | ParametricPlot | x, y, u or x, y, u, v | | RegionPlot | x, y | | ArrayPlot, ReliefPlot | a | | ContourPlot, ListContourPlot | f contour levels | | DensityPlot, ListDensityPlot | f | | ContourPlot3D, ListContourPlot3D | x, y, z, f | | Plot3D, ListPlot3D, ListSurfacePlot3D, ListPointPlot3D | x, y, z | | ParametricPlot3D | x, y, z, u or x, y, z, u, v | | RegionPlot3D | x, y, z | | Image3D, Raster3D | a | * With the usual default setting ``ColorFunctionScaling -> True``, all arguments supplied to ``func`` are scaled 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`` ($y$); ``ArrayPlot``, ``ReliefPlot``: ``#1`` ($a$); ``ContourPlot``, ``DensityPlot``, etc.: ``#1`` ($f$); ``ContourPlot3D``, etc.: ``#4`` ($f$); ``Plot3D``, etc.: ``#3`` ($z$). * 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``. --- ## Examples (8) ### Basic Examples (5) Color the surface by height: ```wl In[1]:= Plot3D[Sin[x y], {x, 0, 3}, {y, 0, 3}, ColorFunction -> Function[{x, y, z}, Hue[z]]] Out[1]= [image] ``` --- Use predefined gradients: ```wl In[1]:= Plot3D[Sin[x y], {x, 0, 3}, {y, 0, 3}, ColorFunction -> "BlueGreenYellow"] Out[1]= [image] In[2]:= DensityPlot[Sin[x y], {x, 0, 3}, {y, 0, 3}, ColorFunction -> "BlueGreenYellow"] Out[2]= [image] ``` --- Color a curve: ```wl In[1]:= Plot[Sinc[x], {x, 0, 10}, PlotStyle -> Thick, ColorFunction -> Function[{x, y}, ColorData["NeonColors"][y]]] Out[1]= [image] ``` --- Color a matrix: ```wl In[1]:= ArrayPlot[RandomReal[1, {10, 20}], ColorFunction -> "Rainbow"] Out[1]= [image] ``` --- Color a 3D volume: ```wl In[1]:= Image3D[ExampleData[{"TestImage3D", "CTengine"}], ColorFunction -> "RainbowOpacity"] Out[1]= [image] ``` ### Applications (1) Define a one-dimensional color function: ```wl In[1]:= CoolColor[ z_ ] := RGBColor[z, 1 - z, 1]; In[2]:= ContourPlot[Sin[x y], {x, -1, 1}, {y, -1, 1}, ColorFunction -> CoolColor] Out[2]= [image] In[3]:= DensityPlot[Sin[x y], {x, -1, 1}, {y, -1, 1}, ColorFunction -> CoolColor] Out[3]= [image] ``` ### Properties & Relations (1) Use predefined color gradients from ``ColorData`` : ```wl In[1]:= GraphicsGrid[Partition[Tooltip[ColorData[#, "Image"], #]& /@ ColorData["Gradients"], 3], ImageSize -> 300] Out[1]= [image] ``` ### Possible Issues (1) By default, the arguments to ``ColorFunction`` are rescaled to be between 0 and 1: ```wl In[1]:= Plot3D[x * y, {x, -6, 6}, {y, -6, 6}, ColorFunction -> Function[{x, y, z}, If[TrueQ[x * y > 0], Blue, Green]]] Out[1]= [image] ``` Turn off ``ColorFunctionScaling`` to keep the original values: ```wl In[2]:= Plot3D[x * y, {x, -6, 6}, {y, -6, 6}, ColorFunction -> Function[{x, y, z}, If[TrueQ[x * y > 0], Blue, Green]], ColorFunctionScaling -> False] Out[2]= [image] ``` ## See Also * [`ColorFunctionScaling`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ColorFunctionScaling.en.md) * [`MeshShading`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MeshShading.en.md) * [`PlotStyle`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PlotStyle.en.md) * [`NormalsFunction`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NormalsFunction.en.md) * [`Blend`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Blend.en.md) * [`ColorData`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ColorData.en.md) * [`LightDarkAutoColorRules`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightDarkAutoColorRules.en.md) ## Tech Notes * [Density and Contour Plots](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TheStructureOfGraphicsAndSound.en.md#14270) ## Related Guides * [`Colors`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/Colors.en.md) * [Plotting Options](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/PlottingOptions.en.md) * [Vector Visualization](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/VectorVisualization.en.md) * [Graphics Options & Styling](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/GraphicsOptionsAndStyling.en.md) * [Financial Visualization](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/FinancialVisualization.en.md) * [Chart Styling & Layout](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ChartLayoutAndStyling.en.md) ## Related Links * [An Elementary Introduction to the Wolfram Language: Pure Anonymous Functions](https://www.wolfram.com/language/elementary-introduction/26-pure-anonymous-functions.html) ## History * Introduced in 1991 (2.0) \| Updated in 1999 (4.0) ▪ 2000 (4.1) ▪ 2002 (4.2) ▪ [2007 (6.0)](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SummaryOfNewFeaturesIn60.en.md) ▪ [2012 (9.0)](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SummaryOfNewFeaturesIn90.en.md)