Variations on a ggplot theme

Cara Thompson | NHS-R 2022 Conference | 16th November 2022

Hi there đź‘‹ !

đź‘© Cara Thompson

👩‍💻 Freelance data consultant specialising in dataviz and “enhanced” reproducible outputs

đź’™ Helping others maximise the impact of their expertise

📢 Three reasons for using a bespoke ggplot theme & how to create one



#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Find out more: https://www.interaction-design.org/

#1 - Add text hierarchy

📦 = {ggbeeswarm} + {palmerpenguins} + 🎨{colorblindr}

basic_plot

#1 - Add text hierarchy

A first easy tweak: theme_minimal()

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal()

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Create and apply different text colours

dark_text <- "#1A242F"

monochromeR::generate_palette(
  dark_text, 
  "go_lighter",
  n_colours = 5,
  view_palette = TRUE
)

mid_text <-  monochromeR::generate_palette(
  dark_text, "go_lighter",
  n_colours = 5)[2]

light_text <-  monochromeR::generate_palette(
  dark_text, "go_lighter",
  n_colours = 5)[3]

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Create and apply different text colours

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal()

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Create and apply different text colours

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text)
  )

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Create and apply different text colours

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text)
  )

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Create and apply different text colours

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text)
  )

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Add your own fonts

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB"),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text)
  )

Find out more: yjunechoe.github.io/posts/2021-06-24-setting-up-and-debugging-custom-fonts/

#1 - Add text hierarchy

Change the text sizes (relative or absolute)

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#1 - Add text hierarchy

#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe


basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Remove clutter: grid lines

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Remove clutter: any unnecessary axis titles

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Reduce eye movements

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    legend.position = "top",
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Reduce eye movements

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText"),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    legend.position = "top",
    legend.justification = 1,
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Add breathing space - line height

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText", 
                        lineheight = 1.1),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    legend.position = "top",
    legend.justification = 1,
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Add breathing space - margins around text items (TRouBLe)

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText",
                        lineheight = 1.1),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6),
                              margin = margin(12, 0, 8, 0)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1),
                                 margin = margin(4, 0, 0, 0)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12,
                                margin = margin(0, 4, 0, 0)),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),  
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    legend.position = "top",
    legend.justification = 1,
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8),
                                margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0))
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Add breathing space - margins around the plot (TRouBLe)

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText",
                        lineheight = 1.1),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6),
                              margin = margin(12, 0, 8, 0)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1),
                                 margin = margin(4, 0, 0, 0)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12,
                                margin = margin(0, 4, 0, 0)),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    legend.position = "top",
    legend.justification = 1,
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8),
                                margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0)),
    plot.margin = margin(0.25, 0.25, 
                         0.25, 0.25,
                         "cm")
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

Add breathing space - adjust text size (🙏 rel()!)

basic_plot +
  theme_minimal(base_size = 11) +
  theme(
    text = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                        family = "BrandonText",
                        lineheight = 1.1),
    plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text,
                              family = "EnriquetaSB",
                              size = rel(1.6),
                              margin = margin(12, 0, 8, 0)),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1),
                                 margin = margin(4, 0, 0, 0)),
    axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, 
                               size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12,
                                margin = margin(0, 4, 0, 0)),
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text,
                               size = 12),
    axis.title.x = element_blank(),
    panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
    legend.position = "top",
    legend.justification = 1,
    plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8),
                                margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0)),
    plot.margin = margin(0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25, "cm")
  )

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

“Don’t repeat yourself” principle

plot + 
  theme_minimal(base_size = 12) +
  theme(text = element_text(colour = mid_text, family = "BrandonText", lineheight = 1.1),
        plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text, family = "EnriquetaSB", size = rel(1.6), margin = margin(12, 0, 8, 0)),
        plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1), margin = margin(4, 0, 0, 0)),
        axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, size = rel(0.8)),
        axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12, margin = margin(0, 4, 0, 0)),
        axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text, size = 12),
        axis.title.x = element_blank(),
        legend.position = "top",
        legend.justification = 1,
        panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
        plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8), margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0)),
        plot.margin = margin(0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25,"cm"))

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

Package it up as a function

theme_nhsr_demo <- function(base_size = 12) {
  theme_minimal(base_size = base_size) +
    theme(text = element_text(colour = mid_text, family = "BrandonText", lineheight = 1.1),
          plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text, family = "EnriquetaSB", size = rel(1.6), margin = margin(12, 0, 8, 0)),
          plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1), margin = margin(4, 0, 0, 0)),
          axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, size = rel(0.8)),
          axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12, margin = margin(0, 4, 0, 0)),
          axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text, size = 12),
          axis.title.x = element_blank(),
          legend.position = "top",
          legend.justification = 1,
          panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
          plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8), margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0)),
          plot.margin = margin(0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25,"cm"))
}

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

Package it up as a function

theme_nhsr_demo <- function(base_size = 12, 
                            dark_text = "#1A242F") {
  
  mid_text <-  monochromeR::generate_palette(dark_text, "go_lighter", n_colours = 5)[2]
  light_text <-  monochromeR::generate_palette(dark_text, "go_lighter", n_colours = 5)[3]
  
  theme_minimal(base_size = base_size) +
    theme(text = element_text(colour = mid_text, family = "BrandonText", lineheight = 1.1),
          plot.title = element_text(colour = dark_text, family = "EnriquetaSB", size = rel(1.6), margin = margin(12, 0, 8, 0)),
          plot.subtitle = element_text(size = rel(1.1), margin = margin(4, 0, 0, 0)),
          axis.text.y = element_text(colour = light_text, size = rel(0.8)),
          axis.title.y = element_text(size = 12, margin = margin(0, 4, 0, 0)),
          axis.text.x = element_text(colour = mid_text, size = 12),
          axis.title.x = element_blank(),
          legend.position = "top",
          legend.justification = 1,
          panel.grid = element_line(colour = "#F3F4F5"),
          plot.caption = element_text(size = rel(0.8), margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0)),
          plot.margin = margin(0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25,"cm"))
}

+ or %+replace%?

Find out more: ggplot2.tidyverse.org/reference/theme_get

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

Apply it to any plot you like! 📦{datasets}

mtcars_plot

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

Apply it to any plot you like! 📦{datasets}

mtcars_plot +
  theme_nhsr_demo()

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

📦 {geomtextpath}

orange_plot

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

📦 {geomtextpath}

orange_plot +
  theme_nhsr_demo()

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

There’s still room for further modifications if you want to make them!

orange_plot +
  theme_nhsr_demo() +
  theme(
    axis.title.x = element_text(
      margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0))
  )

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

There’s still room for further modifications if you want to make them!

orange_plot +
  theme_nhsr_demo() +
  theme(
    axis.text.x = element_text(
      colour = light_text, 
      size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.x = element_text(margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0))
  )

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

There’s still room for further modifications if you want to make them!

ToothGrowth_plot +
  theme_nhsr_demo() +
  theme(
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = light_text, size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.x = element_text(margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0))
  )

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

There’s still room for further modifications if you want to make them!

ToothGrowth_plot +
  theme_nhsr_demo() +
  theme(
    axis.text.x = element_text(colour = light_text, size = rel(0.8)),
    axis.title.x = element_text(margin = margin(8, 0, 0, 0)),
    strip.background = element_rect(fill = "#F3F4F5", color = "#FFFFFF"),
    strip.text = element_text(family = "Enriqueta", size = 14)
  )

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

All in the interest of effortless consistency - R for the Rest of Us

#3 - Create aesthetic consistency

All in the interest of effortless consistency - Misc + theme_nhsr_demo()







#1 - Add text hierarchy to help orient your readers

#2 - Give everything some space to breathe

#3 - Effortlessly create aesthetic consistency throughout your data project

Slides and full code: cararthompson.com/talks/nhsr2022-ggplot-themes