Marker reference

Matplotlib supports multiple categories of markers which are selected using the marker parameter of plot commands:

For a list of all markers see also the matplotlib.markers documentation.

For example usages see Marker examples.

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.lines import Line2D


text_style = dict(horizontalalignment='right', verticalalignment='center',
                  fontsize=12, fontfamily='monospace')
marker_style = dict(linestyle=':', color='0.8', markersize=10,
                    markerfacecolor="tab:blue", markeredgecolor="tab:blue")


def format_axes(ax):
    ax.margins(0.2)
    ax.set_axis_off()
    ax.invert_yaxis()


def split_list(a_list):
    i_half = len(a_list) // 2
    return a_list[:i_half], a_list[i_half:]

Unfilled markers

Unfilled markers are single-colored.

fig, axs = plt.subplots(ncols=2)
fig.suptitle('Un-filled markers', fontsize=14)

# Filter out filled markers and marker settings that do nothing.
unfilled_markers = [m for m, func in Line2D.markers.items()
                    if func != 'nothing' and m not in Line2D.filled_markers]

for ax, markers in zip(axs, split_list(unfilled_markers)):
    for y, marker in enumerate(markers):
        ax.text(-0.5, y, repr(marker), **text_style)
        ax.plot([y] * 3, marker=marker, **marker_style)
    format_axes(ax)

plt.show()
Un-filled markers

Filled markers

fig, axs = plt.subplots(ncols=2)
fig.suptitle('Filled markers', fontsize=14)
for ax, markers in zip(axs, split_list(Line2D.filled_markers)):
    for y, marker in enumerate(markers):
        ax.text(-0.5, y, repr(marker), **text_style)
        ax.plot([y] * 3, marker=marker, **marker_style)
    format_axes(ax)

plt.show()
Filled markers

Marker fill styles

The edge color and fill color of filled markers can be specified separately. Additionally, the fillstyle can be configured to be unfilled, fully filled, or half-filled in various directions. The half-filled styles use markerfacecoloralt as secondary fill color.

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
fig.suptitle('Marker fillstyle', fontsize=14)
fig.subplots_adjust(left=0.4)

filled_marker_style = dict(marker='o', linestyle=':', markersize=15,
                           color='darkgrey',
                           markerfacecolor='tab:blue',
                           markerfacecoloralt='lightsteelblue',
                           markeredgecolor='brown')

for y, fill_style in enumerate(Line2D.fillStyles):
    ax.text(-0.5, y, repr(fill_style), **text_style)
    ax.plot([y] * 3, fillstyle=fill_style, **filled_marker_style)
format_axes(ax)

plt.show()
Marker fillstyle

Markers created from TeX symbols

Use MathText, to use custom marker symbols, like e.g. "$\u266B$". For an overview over the STIX font symbols refer to the STIX font table. Also see the STIX Fonts.

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
fig.suptitle('Mathtext markers', fontsize=14)
fig.subplots_adjust(left=0.4)

marker_style.update(markeredgecolor="none", markersize=15)
markers = ["$1$", r"$\frac{1}{2}$", "$f$", "$\u266B$", r"$\mathcal{A}$"]

for y, marker in enumerate(markers):
    # Escape dollars so that the text is written "as is", not as mathtext.
    ax.text(-0.5, y, repr(marker).replace("$", r"\$"), **text_style)
    ax.plot([y] * 3, marker=marker, **marker_style)
format_axes(ax)

plt.show()
Mathtext markers

Markers created from Paths

Any Path can be used as a marker. The following example shows two simple paths star and circle, and a more elaborate path of a circle with a cut-out star.

import matplotlib.path as mpath
import numpy as np

star = mpath.Path.unit_regular_star(6)
circle = mpath.Path.unit_circle()
# concatenate the circle with an internal cutout of the star
cut_star = mpath.Path(
    vertices=np.concatenate([circle.vertices, star.vertices[::-1, ...]]),
    codes=np.concatenate([circle.codes, star.codes]))

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
fig.suptitle('Path markers', fontsize=14)
fig.subplots_adjust(left=0.4)

markers = {'star': star, 'circle': circle, 'cut_star': cut_star}

for y, (name, marker) in enumerate(markers.items()):
    ax.text(-0.5, y, name, **text_style)
    ax.plot([y] * 3, marker=marker, **marker_style)
format_axes(ax)

plt.show()
Path markers

Total running time of the script: ( 0 minutes 1.898 seconds)

Keywords: matplotlib code example, codex, python plot, pyplot Gallery generated by Sphinx-Gallery