R Change Plot Color
To change the color of plot in R, call plot() function and along with the data to plot, pass the required color value for “col” parameter.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to change the color of plot drawn using plot() function, with example programs.
Syntax
The syntax to change the color of a plot when using plot() function is
plot(x, y, col="red")
“col” parameter is used to change the foreground color of the symbols (data points) or the lines drawn on the graph.
Color Values
There are around 657 predefined colors in R,
We can provide the index of these predefined colors, or the name of the color, or provide a custom color as HEX string in RGB format.
The following are the list of predefined colors in R, along with the index.
> colors() [1] "white" "aliceblue" "antiquewhite" "antiquewhite1" [5] "antiquewhite2" "antiquewhite3" "antiquewhite4" "aquamarine" [9] "aquamarine1" "aquamarine2" "aquamarine3" "aquamarine4" [13] "azure" "azure1" "azure2" "azure3" [17] "azure4" "beige" "bisque" "bisque1" [21] "bisque2" "bisque3" "bisque4" "black" [25] "blanchedalmond" "blue" "blue1" "blue2" [29] "blue3" "blue4" "blueviolet" "brown" [33] "brown1" "brown2" "brown3" "brown4" [37] "burlywood" "burlywood1" "burlywood2" "burlywood3" [41] "burlywood4" "cadetblue" "cadetblue1" "cadetblue2" [45] "cadetblue3" "cadetblue4" "chartreuse" "chartreuse1" [49] "chartreuse2" "chartreuse3" "chartreuse4" "chocolate" [53] "chocolate1" "chocolate2" "chocolate3" "chocolate4" [57] "coral" "coral1" "coral2" "coral3" [61] "coral4" "cornflowerblue" "cornsilk" "cornsilk1" [65] "cornsilk2" "cornsilk3" "cornsilk4" "cyan" [69] "cyan1" "cyan2" "cyan3" "cyan4" [73] "darkblue" "darkcyan" "darkgoldenrod" "darkgoldenrod1" [77] "darkgoldenrod2" "darkgoldenrod3" "darkgoldenrod4" "darkgray" [81] "darkgreen" "darkgrey" "darkkhaki" "darkmagenta" [85] "darkolivegreen" "darkolivegreen1" "darkolivegreen2" "darkolivegreen3" [89] "darkolivegreen4" "darkorange" "darkorange1" "darkorange2" [93] "darkorange3" "darkorange4" "darkorchid" "darkorchid1" [97] "darkorchid2" "darkorchid3" "darkorchid4" "darkred" [101] "darksalmon" "darkseagreen" "darkseagreen1" "darkseagreen2" [105] "darkseagreen3" "darkseagreen4" "darkslateblue" "darkslategray" [109] "darkslategray1" "darkslategray2" "darkslategray3" "darkslategray4" [113] "darkslategrey" "darkturquoise" "darkviolet" "deeppink" [117] "deeppink1" "deeppink2" "deeppink3" "deeppink4" [121] "deepskyblue" "deepskyblue1" "deepskyblue2" "deepskyblue3" [125] "deepskyblue4" "dimgray" "dimgrey" "dodgerblue" [129] "dodgerblue1" "dodgerblue2" "dodgerblue3" "dodgerblue4" [133] "firebrick" "firebrick1" "firebrick2" "firebrick3" [137] "firebrick4" "floralwhite" "forestgreen" "gainsboro" [141] "ghostwhite" "gold" "gold1" "gold2" [145] "gold3" "gold4" "goldenrod" "goldenrod1" [149] "goldenrod2" "goldenrod3" "goldenrod4" "gray" [153] "gray0" "gray1" "gray2" "gray3" [157] "gray4" "gray5" "gray6" "gray7" [161] "gray8" "gray9" "gray10" "gray11" [165] "gray12" "gray13" "gray14" "gray15" [169] "gray16" "gray17" "gray18" "gray19" [173] "gray20" "gray21" "gray22" "gray23" [177] "gray24" "gray25" "gray26" "gray27" [181] "gray28" "gray29" "gray30" "gray31" [185] "gray32" "gray33" "gray34" "gray35" [189] "gray36" "gray37" "gray38" "gray39" [193] "gray40" "gray41" "gray42" "gray43" [197] "gray44" "gray45" "gray46" "gray47" [201] "gray48" "gray49" "gray50" "gray51" [205] "gray52" "gray53" "gray54" "gray55" [209] "gray56" "gray57" "gray58" "gray59" [213] "gray60" "gray61" "gray62" "gray63" [217] "gray64" "gray65" "gray66" "gray67" [221] "gray68" "gray69" "gray70" "gray71" [225] "gray72" "gray73" "gray74" "gray75" [229] "gray76" "gray77" "gray78" "gray79" [233] "gray80" "gray81" "gray82" "gray83" [237] "gray84" "gray85" "gray86" "gray87" [241] "gray88" "gray89" "gray90" "gray91" [245] "gray92" "gray93" "gray94" "gray95" [249] "gray96" "gray97" "gray98" "gray99" [253] "gray100" "green" "green1" "green2" [257] "green3" "green4" "greenyellow" "grey" [261] "grey0" "grey1" "grey2" "grey3" [265] "grey4" "grey5" "grey6" "grey7" [269] "grey8" "grey9" "grey10" "grey11" [273] "grey12" "grey13" "grey14" "grey15" [277] "grey16" "grey17" "grey18" "grey19" [281] "grey20" "grey21" "grey22" "grey23" [285] "grey24" "grey25" "grey26" "grey27" [289] "grey28" "grey29" "grey30" "grey31" [293] "grey32" "grey33" "grey34" "grey35" [297] "grey36" "grey37" "grey38" "grey39" [301] "grey40" "grey41" "grey42" "grey43" [305] "grey44" "grey45" "grey46" "grey47" [309] "grey48" "grey49" "grey50" "grey51" [313] "grey52" "grey53" "grey54" "grey55" [317] "grey56" "grey57" "grey58" "grey59" [321] "grey60" "grey61" "grey62" "grey63" [325] "grey64" "grey65" "grey66" "grey67" [329] "grey68" "grey69" "grey70" "grey71" [333] "grey72" "grey73" "grey74" "grey75" [337] "grey76" "grey77" "grey78" "grey79" [341] "grey80" "grey81" "grey82" "grey83" [345] "grey84" "grey85" "grey86" "grey87" [349] "grey88" "grey89" "grey90" "grey91" [353] "grey92" "grey93" "grey94" "grey95" [357] "grey96" "grey97" "grey98" "grey99" [361] "grey100" "honeydew" "honeydew1" "honeydew2" [365] "honeydew3" "honeydew4" "hotpink" "hotpink1" [369] "hotpink2" "hotpink3" "hotpink4" "indianred" [373] "indianred1" "indianred2" "indianred3" "indianred4" [377] "ivory" "ivory1" "ivory2" "ivory3" [381] "ivory4" "khaki" "khaki1" "khaki2" [385] "khaki3" "khaki4" "lavender" "lavenderblush" [389] "lavenderblush1" "lavenderblush2" "lavenderblush3" "lavenderblush4" [393] "lawngreen" "lemonchiffon" "lemonchiffon1" "lemonchiffon2" [397] "lemonchiffon3" "lemonchiffon4" "lightblue" "lightblue1" [401] "lightblue2" "lightblue3" "lightblue4" "lightcoral" [405] "lightcyan" "lightcyan1" "lightcyan2" "lightcyan3" [409] "lightcyan4" "lightgoldenrod" "lightgoldenrod1" "lightgoldenrod2" [413] "lightgoldenrod3" "lightgoldenrod4" "lightgoldenrodyellow" "lightgray" [417] "lightgreen" "lightgrey" "lightpink" "lightpink1" [421] "lightpink2" "lightpink3" "lightpink4" "lightsalmon" [425] "lightsalmon1" "lightsalmon2" "lightsalmon3" "lightsalmon4" [429] "lightseagreen" "lightskyblue" "lightskyblue1" "lightskyblue2" [433] "lightskyblue3" "lightskyblue4" "lightslateblue" "lightslategray" [437] "lightslategrey" "lightsteelblue" "lightsteelblue1" "lightsteelblue2" [441] "lightsteelblue3" "lightsteelblue4" "lightyellow" "lightyellow1" [445] "lightyellow2" "lightyellow3" "lightyellow4" "limegreen" [449] "linen" "magenta" "magenta1" "magenta2" [453] "magenta3" "magenta4" "maroon" "maroon1" [457] "maroon2" "maroon3" "maroon4" "mediumaquamarine" [461] "mediumblue" "mediumorchid" "mediumorchid1" "mediumorchid2" [465] "mediumorchid3" "mediumorchid4" "mediumpurple" "mediumpurple1" [469] "mediumpurple2" "mediumpurple3" "mediumpurple4" "mediumseagreen" [473] "mediumslateblue" "mediumspringgreen" "mediumturquoise" "mediumvioletred" [477] "midnightblue" "mintcream" "mistyrose" "mistyrose1" [481] "mistyrose2" "mistyrose3" "mistyrose4" "moccasin" [485] "navajowhite" "navajowhite1" "navajowhite2" "navajowhite3" [489] "navajowhite4" "navy" "navyblue" "oldlace" [493] "olivedrab" "olivedrab1" "olivedrab2" "olivedrab3" [497] "olivedrab4" "orange" "orange1" "orange2" [501] "orange3" "orange4" "orangered" "orangered1" [505] "orangered2" "orangered3" "orangered4" "orchid" [509] "orchid1" "orchid2" "orchid3" "orchid4" [513] "palegoldenrod" "palegreen" "palegreen1" "palegreen2" [517] "palegreen3" "palegreen4" "paleturquoise" "paleturquoise1" [521] "paleturquoise2" "paleturquoise3" "paleturquoise4" "palevioletred" [525] "palevioletred1" "palevioletred2" "palevioletred3" "palevioletred4" [529] "papayawhip" "peachpuff" "peachpuff1" "peachpuff2" [533] "peachpuff3" "peachpuff4" "peru" "pink" [537] "pink1" "pink2" "pink3" "pink4" [541] "plum" "plum1" "plum2" "plum3" [545] "plum4" "powderblue" "purple" "purple1" [549] "purple2" "purple3" "purple4" "red" [553] "red1" "red2" "red3" "red4" [557] "rosybrown" "rosybrown1" "rosybrown2" "rosybrown3" [561] "rosybrown4" "royalblue" "royalblue1" "royalblue2" [565] "royalblue3" "royalblue4" "saddlebrown" "salmon" [569] "salmon1" "salmon2" "salmon3" "salmon4" [573] "sandybrown" "seagreen" "seagreen1" "seagreen2" [577] "seagreen3" "seagreen4" "seashell" "seashell1" [581] "seashell2" "seashell3" "seashell4" "sienna" [585] "sienna1" "sienna2" "sienna3" "sienna4" [589] "skyblue" "skyblue1" "skyblue2" "skyblue3" [593] "skyblue4" "slateblue" "slateblue1" "slateblue2" [597] "slateblue3" "slateblue4" "slategray" "slategray1" [601] "slategray2" "slategray3" "slategray4" "slategrey" [605] "snow" "snow1" "snow2" "snow3" [609] "snow4" "springgreen" "springgreen1" "springgreen2" [613] "springgreen3" "springgreen4" "steelblue" "steelblue1" [617] "steelblue2" "steelblue3" "steelblue4" "tan" [621] "tan1" "tan2" "tan3" "tan4" [625] "thistle" "thistle1" "thistle2" "thistle3" [629] "thistle4" "tomato" "tomato1" "tomato2" [633] "tomato3" "tomato4" "turquoise" "turquoise1" [637] "turquoise2" "turquoise3" "turquoise4" "violet" [641] "violetred" "violetred1" "violetred2" "violetred3" [645] "violetred4" "wheat" "wheat1" "wheat2" [649] "wheat3" "wheat4" "whitesmoke" "yellow" [653] "yellow1" "yellow2" "yellow3" "yellow4" [657] "yellowgreen"
Examples
In the following program, we will take two vectors in x and y, and plot Y vs X with plot color set to “red”, using plot() function.
example.R
x <- c(1, 2, 3, 4) y <- c(4, 7, 8, 10) plot(x, y, col="red")
Output
The data points are drawn in red color.
Now, let us take a vector x: sequence of values from 0 to 20 in steps of 0.5, and vector y: sin(x). We plot a line graph using these two vectors: x, y and set the color to “red”.
example.R
x <- seq(0, 20, 0.5) y <- sin(x) plot(x, y, type="l", col="red")
Output
In the following example, we will set the color of plot with a RBG hex string “#009dff”
example.R
x <- seq(0, 20, 0.5) y <- sin(x) plot(x, y, type="l", col="#009dff")
Output
Conclusion
sIn this R Tutorial, we learned how to change the color of plot in R, with the help of example programs.