// Retrieve the matplotlib colormap
cmap = plt.get_cmap(params.color_scale)
// Get num evenly spaced colors
colors = cmap(np.linspace(0, 1, num), bytes=True)
colors = colors[:, 0:3].tolist()
// colors are sequential, if params.color_sequence is random then shuffle the colors
if params.color_sequence == "random":
np.random.shuffle(colors)