Predefined colormaps
Overview of predefined colormaps.
Syntax
cmap = $colormapfunction$() // Replace $colormapfunction$ by the name of a function described below cmap = $colormapfunction$(n)
Arguments
- n
integer value, the colormap size.
It not provided for continuous/sequential/diverging colormaps, the default size is the size of the current (See gcf()) figure colormap, or the size of the default (See gdf()) figure colormap (if no figure is opened).
It not provided for discrete/qualitative colormaps, the default size is the size of the base pattern (fixed colors) depending on the colormap type (see below in colormaps description).
- cmap
matrix with 3 columns
[R,G,B]
.
Sample

Description
All these functions provide predefined continuous/sequential/diverging colormaps for Scilab graphics:
- autumn
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from red through orange to yellow.- autumncolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use autumn instead.
- bone
Computes a gray colormap with
n
colors with a light blue tone.- bonecolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use bone instead.
- cool
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from cyan to magenta.- coolcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use cool instead.
- copper
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from black to a light copper tone.- coppercolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use copper instead.
- gray
Computes a colormap with
n
gray colors varying linearly from black to white.- graycolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use gray instead.
- hot
Computes a colormap with
n
hot colors varying from red to yellow.- hotcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use hot instead.
- hsv
Computes a colormap with
n
colors. This colormap varies the hue component of the hsv color model. The colors begin with red, pass through yellow, green, cyan, blue, magenta, and return to red. The map is particularly useful for displaying periodic functions.- hsvcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use hsv instead.
- jet
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from blue, lightblue, green, yellow, orange then red.- jetcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use jet instead.
- ocean
Computes a colormap with with
n
blue colors varying linearly from black to white.- oceancolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use ocean instead.
- parula
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from blue to yellow.- parulacolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use parula instead.
- pink
Computes a colormap that provides sepia tone colorization on black and white images.
- pinkcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use pink instead.
- rainbow
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from red through orange, yellow, green,blue to violet.- rainbowcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use rainbow instead.
- spring
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from magenta to yellow.- springcolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use spring instead.
- summer
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from green to yellow.- summercolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use summer instead.
- turbo
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from blue, lightblue, green, yellow, orange then red (quite similar to jet but perceptually uniform).- white
Computes a completely white colormap with
n
colors.- whitecolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use white instead.
- winter
Computes a colormap with
n
colors varying from blue to green.- wintercolormap
This function is obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, please use winter instead.
- blues
Computes a sequential single-hue blue colormap with
n
colors.- BrBG
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from brown to green hue through blue.- BuGn
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from blue to green hue.- BuPu
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from blue to purple hue.- coolwarm
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from blue to red hue.- GnBu
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from green to blue hue.- greens
Computes a sequential single-hue green colormap with
n
colors.- greys
Computes a sequential single-hue grey colormap with
n
colors.- oranges
Computes a sequential single-hue orange colormap with
n
colors.- OrRd
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from orange to red hue.- PiYG
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from pink to green hue through yellow.- PRGn
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from purple to green hue through red.- PuBu
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from purple to blue hue.- PuBuGn
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from purple to blue hue through green.- PuOr
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from purple to orange hue.- PuRd
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from purple to red hue.- purples
Computes a sequential single-hue purple colormap with
n
colors.- RdPu
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from red to purple hue.- RdYlBu
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from red to blue hue through yellow.- RdYlGn
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from red to green hue through yellow.- reds
Computes a sequential single-hue red colormap with
n
colors.- spectral
Computes a diverging multi-hue spectral colormap with
n
colors.- RdBu
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from red to blue.- RdGy
Computes a diverging multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from red to grey hue.- YlGn
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from yellow to green hue.- YlGnBu
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from yellow to green hue through blue.- YlOrBr
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from yellow to orange hue through brown.- YlOrRd
Computes a sequential multi-hue colormap with
n
colors varying from yellow to orange hue through red.
All these functions provide predefined discrete/qualitative colormaps for Scilab graphics:
- flag
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 4 fixed colors (red, white, blue, and black).- prism
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 6 fixed colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet).- Accent
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 8 fixed colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Dark2
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 8 fixed colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Paired
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 12 fixed colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Pastel1
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 9 fixed colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Pastel2
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 12 fixed colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Set1
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 9 fixed colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Set2
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 12 base colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).- Set3
Computes a qualitative colormap with
n
colors cycling through 12 base colors (See https://colorbrewer2.org/).
History
Version | Description |
2024.1.0 | Default colormap size is now based on the size of the current or default figure colormap size. |
2024.1.0 | Colormap functions renamed to autumn , bone , cool , copper , gray , hot , hsv , jet ,
ocean , parula , pink , rainbow , spring , summer , white , winter . |
2024.1.0 | Functions autumncolormap , bonecolormap , coolcolormap , coppercolormap , graycolormap , hotcolormap ,
hsvcolormap , jetcolormap , oceancolormap , parulacolormap , pinkcolormap , rainbowcolormap ,
springcolormap , summercolormap , whitecolormap , wintercolormap are obsolete and will be removed in Scilab 2026.0.0, see above for more details. |
2024.1.0 | New colormap functions blues , BrBG , BuGn , BuPu , coolwarm , GnBu , greens , greys ,
oranges , OrRd , PiYG , PRGn , PuBu , PuBuGn , PuOr , PuRd ,
purples , RdBu , RdGy , RdPu , RdYlBu , RdYlGn , reds , spectral ,
YlGn , YlGnBu , YlOrBr , YlOrRd introduced. |
2025.1.0 | New colormaps functions turbo , flag , prism , Accent , Dark2 , Paired , Pastel1 , Pastel2 ,
Set1 , Set2 , Set3 introduced. |
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