Figures, Axes, and Subplots
Figures, Axes, and Subplots
Embedded Files
At this point, you've seen and had some practice with some basic plotting functions using matplotlib and seaborn. The previous page introduced something a little bit new: creating two side-by-side plots through the use of matplotlib's subplot() function. If you have any questions about how that or the figure() function worked, then read on. This page will discuss the basic structure of visualizations using matplotlib and how subplots work in that structure.
At this point, you've seen and had some practice with some basic plotting functions using matplotlib and seaborn. The previous page introduced something a little bit new: creating two side-by-side plots through the use of matplotlib's subplot() function. If you have any questions about how that or the figure() function worked, then read on. This page will discuss the basic structure of visualizations using matplotlib and how subplots work in that structure.
The base of visualization in matplotlib is a Figure object. Contained within each Figure will be one or more Axes objects, each Axes object containing a number of other elements that represent each plot. In the earliest examples, these objects have been created implicitly. Let's say that the following expression is run inside a Jupyter notebook to create a histogram:
The base of visualization in matplotlib is a Figure object. Contained within each Figure will be one or more Axes objects, each Axes object containing a number of other elements that represent each plot. In the earliest examples, these objects have been created implicitly. Let's say that the following expression is run inside a Jupyter notebook to create a histogram:
plt.hist(data=pokemon, x='speed')
plt.hist(data=pokemon, x='speed')
Since we don't have a Figure area to plot inside, Python first creates a Figure object. And since the Figure doesn't start with any Axes to draw the histogram onto, an Axes object is created inside the Figure. Finally, the histogram is drawn within that Axes.
Since we don't have a Figure area to plot inside, Python first creates a Figure object. And since the Figure doesn't start with any Axes to draw the histogram onto, an Axes object is created inside the Figure. Finally, the histogram is drawn within that Axes.
This hierarchy of objects is useful to know about so that we can take more control over the layout and aesthetics of our plots. One alternative way we could have created the histogram is to explicitly set up the Figure and Axes like this:
This hierarchy of objects is useful to know about so that we can take more control over the layout and aesthetics of our plots. One alternative way we could have created the histogram is to explicitly set up the Figure and Axes like this:
Answers
Documentation
Documentation
Documentation pages for Figure and Axes objects are linked below. Note that they're pretty dense, so I don't suggest reading them until you need to dig down deeper and override matplotlib or seaborn's default behavior. Even then, they are just reference pages, so they're better for skimming or searching in case other internet resources don't provide enough detail.
Documentation pages for Figure and Axes objects are linked below. Note that they're pretty dense, so I don't suggest reading them until you need to dig down deeper and override matplotlib or seaborn's default behavior. Even then, they are just reference pages, so they're better for skimming or searching in case other internet resources don't provide enough detail.
Google Sites
Report abuse