Setting colors in matplotlib easily (can do white-on-black)

gistfile1.py

def set_foregroundcolor(ax, color):
     '''For the specified axes, sets the color of the frame, major ticks,                                                             
         tick labels, axis labels, title and legend                                                                                   
     '''
     for tl in ax.get_xticklines() + ax.get_yticklines():
         tl.set_color(color)
     for spine in ax.spines:
         ax.spines[spine].set_edgecolor(color)
     for tick in ax.xaxis.get_major_ticks():
         tick.label1.set_color(color)
     for tick in ax.yaxis.get_major_ticks():
         tick.label1.set_color(color)
     ax.axes.xaxis.label.set_color(color)
     ax.axes.yaxis.label.set_color(color)
     ax.axes.xaxis.get_offset_text().set_color(color)
     ax.axes.yaxis.get_offset_text().set_color(color)
     ax.axes.title.set_color(color)
     lh = ax.get_legend()
     if lh != None:
         lh.get_title().set_color(color)
         lh.legendPatch.set_edgecolor('none')
         labels = lh.get_texts()
         for lab in labels:
             lab.set_color(color)
     for tl in ax.get_xticklabels():
         tl.set_color(color)
     for tl in ax.get_yticklabels():
         tl.set_color(color)


def set_backgroundcolor(ax, color):
     '''Sets the background color of the current axes (and legend).                                                                   
         Use 'None' (with quotes) for transparent. To get transparent                                                                 
         background on saved figures, use:                                                                                            
         pp.savefig("fig1.svg", transparent=True)                                                                                     
     '''
     ax.patch.set_facecolor(color)
     lh = ax.get_legend()
     if lh != None:
         lh.legendPatch.set_facecolor(color)

found this on a google search, leaving this comment for others that get here looking for what I really wanted:

if you want to change the color behind the tick labels (say you have a plot showing on a dark background), do this:

fig.patch.set_facecolor('white')