A contour plot is a visual representation of a 3-dimensional surface. It plots the contours (or the constant z slices) in a 2-dimensional format. Lines are drawn to connect the x- and y-coordinates where the z value occurs.
Contour plots or graphs are commonly used in cartography (the study and creation of maps). It can give a 3D representation of a particular area based on geographic coordinates.
Other fields like astrology, meteorology, and statistics make use of this chart too.
Whatever field you may be in, I’ll walk you through the steps in creating both the 2-D Contour Chart and the 3-D Surface Chart in Excel.
How to make a 2-D Contour Plot in Excel?
A contour chart (as seen in the image above), is the top view of the 3-D surface area.
To create one, you only need to select all the data in your dataset.
Go to the Insert tab. Click the small arrow inside the Charts section (as shown below).
The Insert Chart window will appear.
Go to the All Charts tab. From the list of chart types, click Surface.
Select the Contour chart (the third one in the list) and click OK.
And that’s it! You’ll have a Contour Chart added to your sheet.
If you like, you can change the color schemes applied to the chart.
With the chart selected, go to the Chart Design tab.
Click the Change Colors button and select your desired color scheme – it can either be colorful or monochromatic.
As you hover your mouse over each color scheme, notice that the chart also changes colors.
Once you’ve clicked your desired set of colors, the chart will automatically reflect these changes.
Don’t forget to rename the chart title (or remove it if you don’t need it).
Feel free to update all other aspects of the chart.
You can select from the preset styles by clicking on the paintbrush button next to the chart.
How to Transform a 2-D Contour Plot into a Wireframe Format?
In a wireframe format, only lines and vertices are shown. There will be no color on the surface.
If this is the format that you prefer, click on your existing contour chart.
Go to the Chart Design tab and click the Change Chart Type button.
The Change Chart Type window will appear.
From the list of Surface charts, select Wireframe Contour (the fourth one on the list) and click OK.
And that’s it! You’ll have your contour plot in wireframe format.
How to Make a 3-D Surface Chart in Excel?
If you prefer the 3-D front and side views of your contour plot, then the 3-D Surface Chart is what you need.
To add one, simply select all the data in your dataset (including the headers).
Go to the Home tab and click the Recommend Charts button.
The Insert Chart window will appear. Go to the All Charts tab.
From the list of charts, select Surface. Click the 3-D Surface chart (the first chart type on the list) and click OK.
And that’s it! You’ll have your 3-D Surface chart added to your sheet.
Same with the Contour Plot, you can configure the color schemes, design, and other aspects of the chart.
How to Transform a 3-D Surface Chart into Wireframe Format?
If you prefer the wireframe format of your surface chart (just lines and no surface colors), select your current chart and click the Change Chart Type button from the Chart Design tab.
In the Change Chart Type window, select the Wireframe 3-D Surface chart (the second one from the list) and click OK.
And that’s it! You’ll have your surface chart in wireframe format.
Conclusion
As you can see, contour plots are not that hard to add in Excel. All you need is to have your dataset ready. Once that’s all set, you can easily add either a 2-D contour plot or a 3-D surface area chart to your sheet in just a few clicks. I hope you find this article helpful.
Related Tutorials:
How to Create a Stem and Leaf Plot in Excel
How to Make a Scatter Plot in Excel
Tornado Chart in Excel