subplot_demo.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""
Demo of subplot methods for matplotlib using pyplot only when needed
and doing the main plotting on axes objects
"""
import itertools

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pylab as plt

############### Method 1: gridspec

fig = plt.figure(1)

ax = [None for _ in range(6)]

ax[0] = plt.subplot2grid((3,4), (0,0), colspan=4)

ax[1] = plt.subplot2grid((3,4), (1,0), colspan=1)
ax[2] = plt.subplot2grid((3,4), (1,1), colspan=1)
ax[3] = plt.subplot2grid((3,4), (1,2), colspan=1)
ax[4] = plt.subplot2grid((3,4), (1,3), colspan=1,rowspan=2)

ax[5] = plt.subplot2grid((3,4), (2,0), colspan=3)

for ix in range(6):
    ax[ix].set_title('ax[{}]'.format(ix))

fig.tight_layout()

############### Method 2: add_subplot
fig = plt.figure(2)

ax = [None for _ in range(3)]

ax[0] = fig.add_subplot(2,2,1)
ax[1] = fig.add_subplot(2,2,2)
ax[2] = fig.add_subplot(2,2,3)

for ix in range(3):
    ax[ix].set_title('ax[{}]'.format(ix))
    
fig.tight_layout()

############### Method 3: manual

fig = plt.figure(3)

ax = [None for _ in range(3)]

ax[0] = fig.add_axes([0.1,0.1,0.9,0.4]) # Bottom
ax[1] = fig.add_axes([0.15,0.6,0.25,0.6]) # They do not *need* to be in a grid
ax[2] = fig.add_axes([0.5,0.6,0.4,0.3])

for ix in range(3):
    ax[ix].set_title('ax[{}]'.format(ix))
    
# fig.tight_layout() # does not work with this method

############### Method 4: clear an axis 

fig,axes = plt.subplots(2,2,num=4)

# label
for i,j in itertools.product(range(2),range(2)):
    ax = axes[i,j]
    if i == j == 1:
        continue
    ax.set_title('ax[{},{}]'.format(i,j))

ax = axes[1,1]
ax.set_frame_on(False)
ax.set_xticks([])
ax.set_yticks([])

fig.tight_layout()