How to use Font Awesome symbol as marker in matplotlib?

Font Awesome symbols can be used as custom markers in matplotlib plots by using Unicode characters with the text() function. This approach allows you to create visually appealing plots with unique symbolic markers.

Setup and Prerequisites

First, configure the figure settings and import required libraries ?

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Set figure size and enable automatic layout
plt.rcParams["figure.figsize"] = [7.50, 3.50]
plt.rcParams["figure.autolayout"] = True

Using Unicode Symbols as Markers

Define a list of Unicode symbols and plot them using the text() function ?

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.rcParams["figure.figsize"] = [7.50, 3.50]
plt.rcParams["figure.autolayout"] = True

# Unicode symbols for markers
symbols = [u'\u2B21', u'\u263A', u'\u29C6', u'\u2B14', u'\u2B1A', 
           u'\u25A6', u'\u229E', u'\u22A0', u'\u22A1', u'\u20DF']

# Create data points
x = np.arange(10)
y = np.arange(10)

plt.figure()

# Plot each symbol as a marker
for i, symbol in enumerate(symbols):
    y2 = y + 4*i
    plt.plot(x, y2, '.')  # Base plot points
    for x0, y0 in zip(x, y2):
        plt.text(x0, y0, symbol, fontname='STIXGeneral', size=15, 
                va='center', ha='center', clip_on=True)

plt.title('Font Awesome Symbols as Markers')
plt.xlabel('X Values')
plt.ylabel('Y Values')
plt.show()

How It Works

The technique involves these key steps:

• Unicode Characters: Font Awesome symbols are represented as Unicode characters
• text() Function: Places each symbol at specific coordinates on the plot
• Font Specification: Uses 'STIXGeneral' font which supports many Unicode symbols
• Alignment: Centers symbols both vertically and horizontally at each point

Customizing Symbol Appearance

You can customize the symbols by adjusting various parameters ?

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.rcParams["figure.figsize"] = [8.00, 4.00]
plt.rcParams["figure.autolayout"] = True

# Different symbols with colors
symbols = [u'\u2605', u'\u2665', u'\u2660', u'\u2663']  # star, heart, spade, club
colors = ['red', 'pink', 'black', 'green']

x = np.linspace(0, 10, 8)
y = np.sin(x)

plt.figure()

for i, (symbol, color) in enumerate(zip(symbols, colors)):
    y_offset = y + i * 0.5
    for x0, y0 in zip(x, y_offset):
        plt.text(x0, y0, symbol, fontsize=20, color=color,
                va='center', ha='center')

plt.title('Colored Font Awesome Symbols')
plt.grid(True, alpha=0.3)
plt.show()

Parameters Explanation

Conclusion

Using Font Awesome symbols as matplotlib markers involves Unicode characters and the text() function. This technique provides unlimited customization options for creating unique and visually appealing data visualizations.