.. note::
    :class: sphx-glr-download-link-note

    Click :ref:`here <sphx_glr_download_gallery_text_labels_and_annotations_legend.py>` to download the full example code
.. rst-class:: sphx-glr-example-title

.. _sphx_glr_gallery_text_labels_and_annotations_legend.py:


===============================
Legend using pre-defined labels
===============================

Defining legend labels with plots.



.. code-block:: python



    import numpy as np
    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

    # Make some fake data.
    a = b = np.arange(0, 3, .02)
    c = np.exp(a)
    d = c[::-1]

    # Create plots with pre-defined labels.
    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
    ax.plot(a, c, 'k--', label='Model length')
    ax.plot(a, d, 'k:', label='Data length')
    ax.plot(a, c + d, 'k', label='Total message length')

    legend = ax.legend(loc='upper center', shadow=True, fontsize='x-large')

    # Put a nicer background color on the legend.
    legend.get_frame().set_facecolor('C0')

    plt.show()




.. image:: /gallery/text_labels_and_annotations/images/sphx_glr_legend_001.png
    :class: sphx-glr-single-img




------------

References
""""""""""

The use of the following functions, methods, classes and modules is shown
in this example:



.. code-block:: python


    import matplotlib
    matplotlib.axes.Axes.plot
    matplotlib.pyplot.plot
    matplotlib.axes.Axes.legend
    matplotlib.pyplot.legend







.. _sphx_glr_download_gallery_text_labels_and_annotations_legend.py:


.. only :: html

 .. container:: sphx-glr-footer
    :class: sphx-glr-footer-example



  .. container:: sphx-glr-download

     :download:`Download Python source code: legend.py <legend.py>`



  .. container:: sphx-glr-download

     :download:`Download Jupyter notebook: legend.ipynb <legend.ipynb>`


.. only:: html

 .. rst-class:: sphx-glr-signature

    Keywords: matplotlib code example, codex, python plot, pyplot
    `Gallery generated by Sphinx-Gallery
    <https://sphinx-gallery.readthedocs.io>`_
