Rasterized density plot + countour plot in Mathematica (to solve EPS issues)

[abonatto]

Dear All,

I am plotting a density and a contour plot of the same function in order to have a smooth shading in the background of the contour lines. I do this using "Show[DensityPlot[...], ContourPlot[..., ContourShading->None]", like the following example given by Mathematica help files:

Show[DensityPlot[Sin[x] Sin[y], {x, -3, 3}, {y, -3, 3}],
ContourPlot[Sin[x] Sin[y], {x, -3, 3}, {y, -3, 3},
ContourShading -> None]]

The problem is that, when I do this procedure to plot large lists of imported data, there are 2 big issues:

1st) there are some artifacts in the shading (like irregular grids of white lines).

2nd) if I export this as an EPS, the size of the generated file is huge!

As a solution I was thinking of rasterize the density plot (without frame, to have just the color gradient as a bitmap) and show it together with the contour plot (this way, all the contour lines and frame fonts would preserve their vectorial format). I have tried the following command:

Show[Rasterize[DensityPlot[...]], ContourPlot[..., ContourShading->None]

But it is not working. Any suggestions?

Regards.

 

[mmwave]

Thank you for sharing your issue with us. It sounds like you are trying to create a smooth and visually appealing plot by combining a density plot and a contour plot, but are running into some issues with artifacts and file size when working with large data sets.

One potential solution to your first issue of artifacts in the shading could be to increase the number of plot points in your density plot. This can be done by specifying a higher value for the "PlotPoints" option in the DensityPlot function. This should result in a smoother and more accurate representation of your data.

For your second issue of large file size when exporting as EPS, you could try decreasing the resolution of the exported image. This can be done by specifying a lower value for the "ImageResolution" option in the Export function. This may result in a lower quality image, but it should also decrease the file size.

Another potential solution, as you mentioned, could be to rasterize the density plot and combine it with the vector contour plot. However, instead of using the Show function, you could try using the Overlay function to combine the two plots. This function allows for the combination of multiple plots while preserving their individual formats.

I hope these suggestions are helpful in solving your issues. If you continue to experience problems, please don't hesitate to reach out for further assistance.