diff --git a/proplot/axes.py b/proplot/axes.py
index 4eae98590..666652b51 100644
--- a/proplot/axes.py
+++ b/proplot/axes.py
@@ -978,6 +978,15 @@ def colorbar(
             self.add_child_axes(ax)
 
             # Location
+            # NOTE: May change loc='_fill' to 'fill' so users can manually
+            # fill axes but maintain proplot colorbar() features. For now
+            # this is just used internally by show_cmaps() and show_cycles()
+            if side is None:  # manual
+                orientation = kwargs.pop('orientation', None)
+                if orientation == 'vertical':
+                    side = 'left'
+                else:
+                    side = 'bottom'
             if side in ('bottom', 'top'):
                 outside, inside = 'bottom', 'top'
                 if side == 'top':
@@ -992,13 +1001,21 @@ def colorbar(
                 orientation = 'vertical'
 
             # Keyword args and add as child axes
-            orient = kwargs.get('orientation', None)
-            if orient is not None and orient != orientation:
-                _warn_proplot(f'Overriding input orientation={orient!r}.')
-            ticklocation = kwargs.pop('tickloc', None) or ticklocation
-            ticklocation = kwargs.pop('ticklocation', None) or ticklocation
-            kwargs.update({'orientation': orientation,
-                           'ticklocation': ticklocation})
+            orientation_user = kwargs.get('orientation', None)
+            if orientation_user and orientation_user != orientation:
+                _warn_proplot(
+                    f'Overriding input orientation={orientation_user!r}.'
+                )
+            ticklocation = _notNone(
+                kwargs.pop('ticklocation', None),
+                kwargs.pop('tickloc', None),
+                ticklocation,
+                names=('ticklocation', 'tickloc')
+            )
+            kwargs.update({
+                'orientation': orientation,
+                'ticklocation': ticklocation
+            })
 
         # Inset colorbar
         else:
diff --git a/proplot/styletools.py b/proplot/styletools.py
index 60147d46f..1c469ec67 100644
--- a/proplot/styletools.py
+++ b/proplot/styletools.py
@@ -3194,8 +3194,6 @@ def _draw_bars(names, *, source, unknown='User', length=4.0, width=0.2):
     )
     iax = -1
     nheads = nbars = 0  # for deciding which axes to plot in
-    a = np.linspace(0, 1, 257).reshape(1, -1)
-    a = np.vstack((a, a))
     for cat, names in cmapdict.items():
         nheads += 1
         for imap, name in enumerate(names):
@@ -3207,18 +3205,16 @@ def _draw_bars(names, *, source, unknown='User', length=4.0, width=0.2):
                 iax += 1
                 ax.set_visible(False)
                 ax = axs[iax]
-            cmap = mcm.cmap_d[name]
-            ax.imshow(
-                a, cmap=name, origin='lower', aspect='auto',
-                levels=cmap.N
+            ax.colorbar(  # TODO: support this in public API
+                mcm.cmap_d[name], loc='_fill',
+                orientation='horizontal', locator='null', linewidth=0
             )
-            ax.format(
-                ylabel=name,
-                ylabel_kw={'rotation': 0, 'ha': 'right', 'va': 'center'},
-                xticks='none', yticks='none',  # no ticks
-                xloc='neither', yloc='neither',  # no spines
-                title=(cat if imap == 0 else None)
+            ax.text(
+                0 - (rcParams['axes.labelpad'] / 72) / length, 0.45, name,
+                ha='right', va='center', transform='axes',
             )
+            if imap == 0:
+                ax.set_title(cat)
         nbars += len(names)
 
 
diff --git a/proplot/wrappers.py b/proplot/wrappers.py
index cdef1229b..14f46cc5c 100644
--- a/proplot/wrappers.py
+++ b/proplot/wrappers.py
@@ -2588,7 +2588,7 @@ def colorbar_wrapper(
         4. A `~matplotlib.colors.Colormap` instance. In this case, a colorbar
            will be drawn using this colormap and with levels determined by
            `values`. If `values` is ``None``, it is set to
-           ``np.linspace(0, 1, cmap._N)``.
+           ``np.linspace(0, 1, cmap.N)``.
 
     values : list of float, optional
         Ignored if `mappable` is a mappable object. This maps each color or
@@ -2749,8 +2749,7 @@ def colorbar_wrapper(
         except (TypeError, KeyError):
             pass
         # List of handles
-        if (hasattr(obj, 'get_color') or hasattr(
-                obj, 'get_facecolor')):  # simplest approach
+        if hasattr(obj, 'get_color') or hasattr(obj, 'get_facecolor'):
             # Make colormap
             colors = []
             for obj in mappable:
@@ -2776,21 +2775,20 @@ def colorbar_wrapper(
             tick_all = True
         # Any colormap spec, including a list of colors, colormap name, or
         # colormap instance
-        else:
-            try:
-                cmap = styletools.Colormap(mappable, listmode='listed')
-            except Exception:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    'Input mappable must be a matplotlib artist, '
-                    'list of objects, list of colors, or colormap. '
-                    f'Got {mappable!r}.'
-                )
+        elif isinstance(mappable, mcolors.Colormap):
+            cmap = mappable
             if values is None:
                 if np.iterable(mappable) and not isinstance(
                         mappable, str):  # e.g. list of colors
                     values = np.linspace(0, 1, len(mappable))
                 else:
                     values = np.linspace(0, 1, cmap.N)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                'Input mappable must be a matplotlib artist, '
+                'list of objects, list of colors, or colormap. '
+                f'Got {mappable!r}.'
+            )
 
     # Build new ad hoc mappable object from handles
     # NOTE: Need to use wrapped contourf but this might be native matplotlib