Function to lighten any color in matplotlib

lighten_color.py

def lighten_color(color, amount=0.5):
    """
    Lightens the given color by multiplying (1-luminosity) by the given amount.
    Input can be matplotlib color string, hex string, or RGB tuple.
    
    Examples:
    >> lighten_color('g', 0.3)
    >> lighten_color('#F034A3', 0.6)
    >> lighten_color((.3,.55,.1), 0.5)
    """
    import matplotlib.colors as mc
    import colorsys
    try:
        c = mc.cnames[color]
    except:
        c = color
    c = np.array(colorsys.rgb_to_hls(*mc.to_rgb(c)))
    return colorsys.hls_to_rgb(c[0],1-amount * (1-c[1]),c[2])