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FaceForm[g]

is a graphics directive which specifies that faces of polygons and other filled graphics objects are to be drawn using the graphics directive or list of directives g.

FaceForm[g,gback]

specifies that the front faces of three-dimensional polygons should be drawn with directives g, and the backs with directives gback.

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FaceForm

FaceForm[g]

is a graphics directive which specifies that faces of polygons and other filled graphics objects are to be drawn using the graphics directive or list of directives g.

FaceForm[g,gback]

specifies that the front faces of three-dimensional polygons should be drawn with directives g, and the backs with directives gback.

Details

  • FaceForm[] draws no faces.
  • FaceForm works in both 2D and 3D.
  • Color, opacity, surface color directives, textures, and materials can be used in FaceForm.
  • FaceForm applies to Polygon, Disk, and Rectangle objects.
  • In three dimensions, specifications given outside of FaceForm apply to both front and back faces of polygons.
  • The front face of a polygon is defined to be the one for which the corners as you specify them are in counterclockwise order (right‐hand rule).
  • FaceForm[None,gback] specifies that front faces should not be drawn. »

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Specify the style of edges and faces:

Wolfram Language code: Graphics[{EdgeForm[{Thick, Blue}], FaceForm[Pink], Disk[]}]
Wolfram Language code: Graphics3D[{EdgeForm[{Thick, Blue}], FaceForm[{Pink, Opacity[0.8]}], Cuboid[]}, Boxed -> False]

Specify different properties for the front and back of faces:

Wolfram Language code: Graphics3D[{FaceForm[Yellow, Blue], Cuboid[]}, PlotRange -> {{-1 / 4, 5 / 4}, {1 / 4, 5 / 4}, {-1 / 4, 5 / 4}}]

Applications  (1)

Use FaceForm to specify styling for polygons generated by plot functions:

Wolfram Language code: ContourPlot[x ^ 3 - y ^ 2, {x, -2, 2}, {y, -3, 3}, ContourShading -> FaceForm[]]

Color the inside and outside differently:

Wolfram Language code: ParametricPlot3D[{Cos[ϕ]Sin[θ], Sin[ϕ]Sin[θ], Cos[θ]}, {ϕ, 0, 3Pi / 2}, {θ, 0, Pi}, MeshStyle -> Opacity[.2], PlotStyle -> FaceForm[Blue, Orange]]

Properties & Relations  (2)

FaceForm[] is used to specify that the front faces should not be drawn:

Wolfram Language code: {Graphics[{EdgeForm[Red], White, Rectangle[], Rectangle[{0.5, 0.5}]}], Graphics[{EdgeForm[Red], FaceForm[], Rectangle[], Rectangle[{0.5, 0.5}]}]}

You can use a different style for front and back faces, including None and Opacity:

Wolfram Language code: ParametricPlot3D[{Cos[ϕ]Sin[θ], Sin[ϕ]Sin[θ], Cos[θ]}, {ϕ, 0, 3Pi / 2}, {θ, 0, Pi}, MeshStyle -> Opacity[0.1], PlotStyle -> FaceForm[Directive[Opacity[0.5], Blue], Orange]]
Wolfram Research (1988), FaceForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FaceForm.html (updated 2012).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), FaceForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FaceForm.html (updated 2012).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "FaceForm." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2012. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FaceForm.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). FaceForm. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FaceForm.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_faceform, author="Wolfram Research", title="{FaceForm}", year="2012", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FaceForm.html}", note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_faceform, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={FaceForm}, year={2012}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FaceForm.html}, note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}