color_mode()

color_mode()#

Changes the way py5 interprets color data.

Examples#

example picture for color_mode()

def setup():
    py5.color_mode(py5.RGB, 100)
    for i in range(0, 100):
        for j in range(0, 100):
            py5.stroke(i, j, 0)
            py5.point(i, j)

example picture for color_mode()

def setup():
    py5.color_mode(py5.HSB, 100)
    for i in range(0, 100):
        for j in range(0, 100):
            py5.stroke(i, j, 100)
            py5.point(i, j)

example picture for color_mode()

def setup():
    py5.color_mode(py5.CMAP, py5.mpl_cmaps.VIRIDIS, 100)
    for i in range(0, 100):
        py5.stroke(i)
        py5.line(i, 0, i, 100)

example picture for color_mode()

def setup():
    py5.color_mode(py5.CMAP, py5.mpl_cmaps.VIRIDIS, 100, 100)
    py5.background("white")
    for i in range(0, 100):
        for j in range(0, 100):
            py5.stroke(i, j)
            py5.point(i, j)

Description#

Changes the way py5 interprets color data. By default, the parameters for fill(), stroke(), background(), and color() are defined by values between 0 and 255 using the RGB color model. The color_mode() function is used to change the numerical range used for specifying colors and to switch color systems. For example, calling color_mode(RGB, 1.0) will specify that values are specified between 0 and 1. The limits for defining colors are altered by setting the parameters max, max1, max2, max3, and max_a.

After changing the range of values for colors with code like color_mode(HSB, 360, 100, 100), those ranges remain in use until they are explicitly changed again. For example, after running color_mode(HSB, 360, 100, 100) and then changing back to color_mode(RGB), the range for R will be 0 to 360 and the range for G and B will be 0 to 100. To avoid this, be explicit about the ranges when changing the color mode. For instance, instead of color_mode(RGB), write color_mode(RGB, 255, 255, 255).

If you have the matplotlib package (library) installed, py5 adds a CMAP mode, short for colormap. The main idea is to map a range of values to a range of colors in a matplotlib colormap palette. You can find the list of built-in colormaps in matplotlib’s Colormap reference, which you can then select by passing a constant from py5.mpl_cmaps like this: color_mode(CMAP, mpl_cmaps.OCEAN). You can learn more about colormaps in the matplotlib integrations documentation in the Charts, Plots, and Matplotlib - Colomap Color Mode section.

Underlying Processing method: colorMode

Signatures#

color_mode(
    colormap_mode: int,  # CMAP, activating matplotlib Colormap mode
    color_map: str,  # name of builtin matplotlib Colormap
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    colormap_mode: int,  # CMAP, activating matplotlib Colormap mode
    color_map: str,  # name of builtin matplotlib Colormap
    max_map: float,  # range for the color map
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    colormap_mode: int,  # CMAP, activating matplotlib Colormap mode
    color_map: str,  # name of builtin matplotlib Colormap
    max_map: float,  # range for the color map
    max_a: float,  # range for the alpha
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    colormap_mode: int,  # CMAP, activating matplotlib Colormap mode
    color_map_instance: Colormap,  # matplotlib.colors.Colormap instance
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    colormap_mode: int,  # CMAP, activating matplotlib Colormap mode
    color_map_instance: Colormap,  # matplotlib.colors.Colormap instance
    max_map: float,  # range for the color map
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    colormap_mode: int,  # CMAP, activating matplotlib Colormap mode
    color_map_instance: Colormap,  # matplotlib.colors.Colormap instance
    max_map: float,  # range for the color map
    max_a: float,  # range for the alpha
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    mode: int,  # Either RGB or HSB, corresponding to Red/Green/Blue and Hue/Saturation/Brightness
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    mode: int,  # Either RGB or HSB, corresponding to Red/Green/Blue and Hue/Saturation/Brightness
    max1: float,  # range for the red or hue depending on the current color mode
    max2: float,  # range for the green or saturation depending on the current color mode
    max3: float,  # range for the blue or brightness depending on the current color mode
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    mode: int,  # Either RGB or HSB, corresponding to Red/Green/Blue and Hue/Saturation/Brightness
    max1: float,  # range for the red or hue depending on the current color mode
    max2: float,  # range for the green or saturation depending on the current color mode
    max3: float,  # range for the blue or brightness depending on the current color mode
    max_a: float,  # range for the alpha
    /,
) -> None

color_mode(
    mode: int,  # Either RGB or HSB, corresponding to Red/Green/Blue and Hue/Saturation/Brightness
    max: float,  # range for all color elements
    /,
) -> None

Updated on October 05, 2025 17:47:38pm UTC

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