Hi matplotlib developers,

Currently, it is not possible to have the gridlines drawn below plotlines and simultaneously have ticks drawn above plotlines. With the set_axisbelow method, the gridlines and ticks are both set either above or below any plotlines. Here is a minimal working example:

import numpy as np
import matplotlib as mpl
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

mpl.rcParams.update({
'font.size':16,
'axes.linewidth':6,
'xtick.major.width':4,
'ytick.major.width':4,
'xtick.major.size':13,
'ytick.major.size':13,
'grid.linewidth':4,
'grid.color':'0.8',
})

x = np.log(np.linspace(1e-3,1e+3,1e+3))

plt.figure()

ax1 = plt.subplot(211)
ax1.plot(x,lw=10)
ax1.set_xlim(-10,1000)
ax1.set_ylim(-8,6.8)
ax1.grid()
ax1.set_axisbelow(False)

ax2 = plt.subplot(212)
ax2.plot(x,lw=10)
ax2.set_xlim(-10,1000)
ax2.set_ylim(-8,6.8)
ax2.grid()
ax2.set_axisbelow(True)

plt.show()

In the example above, in the top subplot, the set_axisbelow(False) method makes the gridlines above the plotline; while in the bottom subplot, the set_axisbelow(True) method makes the plotline above the ticks. This is unfortunate because, in my typical use case, I never want the gridlines above the data and I never want the ticks below the data, so I have to "simulate" a fake grid by drawing individual lines with axvline and axhline. This missing functionality was noticed at stackoverflow
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19677963/matplotlib-keep-grid-lines-behind-the-graph-but-the-y-and-x-axis-above
a while ago, where it was called a "feature" by @tacaswell , so I am requesting a new functionality that would allow the gridlines to be set below all other artists without affecting the axis spines or ticks. Perhaps a new axes method named set_gridbelow would do the trick, or an optional kwarg to set_axisbelow.

In any case, I can't believe that I am the only person who wants this functionality to be built-in, so I hope that you consider adding this enhancement. Thanks.