3D Charts
Matplotlib Basics
1 min read
This section is 1 min read, full guide is 24 min read
Published Oct 5 2025, updated Aug 17 2026
15
Show sections list
0
Log in to enable the "Like" button
0
Guide comments
0
Log in to enable the "Save" button
Respond to this guide
Guide Sections
Guide Comments
ChartsGraphsMatplotlibNumPyPandasPythonVisualisation
Matplotlib supports 3D plotting via the module mpl_toolkits.mplot3d.
You create a 3D Axes object by setting:
ax = plt.axes(projection='3d')Then you can call 3D-specific methods like plot3D(), scatter3D(), plot_surface(), etc.
Line plot – ax.plot3D()
import matplotlib.pyplot as pltimport numpy as npz = np.linspace(0, 5, 500)x = z * np.sin(20 * z)y = z * np.cos(20 * z)fig = plt.figure()ax = plt.axes(projection='3d')ax.plot3D(x, y, z, 'gray') plt.show()Plots a 3D line connecting (x, y, z) points.
Scatter plot – ax.scatter3D()
import matplotlib.pyplot as pltimport numpy as npx = np.random.rand(100)y = np.random.rand(100)z = np.random.rand(100)colors = z fig = plt.figure()ax = plt.axes(projection='3d')ax.scatter3D(x, y, z, c=colors, cmap='viridis')plt.show()Each point in 3D space can have its own color, size, and marker.
Surface plot – ax.plot_surface()
import matplotlib.pyplot as pltimport numpy as npx = np.linspace(-5, 5, 50)y = np.linspace(-5, 5, 50)X, Y = np.meshgrid(x, y)Z = np.sin(np.sqrt(X**2 + Y**2))fig = plt.figure()ax = plt.axes(projection='3d')ax.plot_surface(X, Y, Z, cmap='plasma', edgecolor='none')plt.show()Visualises a continuous 3D surface over a grid.
Wireframe plot – ax.plot_wireframe()
import matplotlib.pyplot as pltimport numpy as npx = np.linspace(-5, 5, 30)y = np.linspace(-5, 5, 30)X, Y = np.meshgrid(x, y)Z = np.sin(np.sqrt(X**2 + Y**2))fig = plt.figure()ax = plt.axes(projection='3d')ax.plot_wireframe(X, Y, Z, color='black')plt.show()Same as surface plot but shows grid lines — great for structure visualisation.
Contour plot (3D projection) – ax.contour3D()
import matplotlib.pyplot as pltimport numpy as npx = np.linspace(-5, 5, 50)y = np.linspace(-5, 5, 50)X, Y = np.meshgrid(x, y)Z = np.sin(np.sqrt(X**2 + Y**2))fig = plt.figure()ax = plt.axes(projection='3d')ax.contour3D(X, Y, Z, 50, cmap='viridis')plt.show()Draws 3D contour lines (like elevation contours in a topographic map).
Useful Customisations
ax.set_title('3D Plot Example')ax.set_xlabel('X axis')ax.set_ylabel('Y axis')ax.set_zlabel('Z axis')# Change viewing angleax.view_init(elev=30, azim=45)