diff --git a/doc/api/index.rst b/doc/api/index.rst
index 3b2a4aeab6d..28fdc140448 100644
--- a/doc/api/index.rst
+++ b/doc/api/index.rst
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ Plotting data and laying out the map:
     Figure.image
     Figure.shift_origin
 
+Color palette table generation:
+
+.. autosummary::
+    :toctree: generated
+
+    makecpt
+
 Saving and displaying the figure:
 
 .. autosummary::
diff --git a/pygmt/__init__.py b/pygmt/__init__.py
index 3698c0c2264..b886a267acf 100644
--- a/pygmt/__init__.py
+++ b/pygmt/__init__.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from .session_management import begin as _begin, end as _end
 from .figure import Figure
 from .gridding import surface
+from .mathops import makecpt
 from .modules import info, grdinfo, which
 from . import datasets
 
diff --git a/pygmt/mathops.py b/pygmt/mathops.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dab216a0cb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pygmt/mathops.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+"""
+GMT modules for Mathematical operations on tables or grids
+"""
+from .clib import Session
+from .exceptions import GMTInvalidInput
+from .helpers import build_arg_string, fmt_docstring, kwargs_to_strings, use_alias
+
+
+@fmt_docstring
+@use_alias(C="cmap", T="series", G="truncate", H="output", I="reverse", Z="continuous")
+@kwargs_to_strings(T="sequence", G="sequence")
+def makecpt(**kwargs):
+    """
+    Creates a static color palette table (CPT).
+
+    Full option list at :gmt-docs:`makecpt.html`
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    cmap (C) : str
+        Selects the master color palette table (CPT) to use in the interpolation.
+        Full list of built-in color palette tables can be found at
+        :gmt-docs:`cookbook/cpts.html#built-in-color-palette-tables-cpt`.
+
+    series (T) : list or str
+        ``[min/max/inc[+b|l|n]|file|list]``.
+        Defines the range of the new CPT by giving the lowest and highest z-value (and
+        optionally an interval). If this is not given, the existing range in the master
+        CPT will be used intact.
+
+    truncate (G) : list or str
+        ``zlo/zhi``.
+        Truncate the incoming CPT so that the lowest and highest z-levels are to zlo and
+        zhi. If one of these equal NaN then we leave that end of the CPT alone. The
+        truncation takes place before any resampling. See also
+        :gmt-docs:`cookbook/features.html#manipulating-cpts`.
+
+    output (H) : str
+        Optional. The file name with extension .cpt to store the generated CPT file.
+        If not given or False (default), saves the CPT as the session current CPT.
+
+    reverse (I) : str
+        Set this to True or c [Default] to reverse the sense of color progression in the
+        master CPT. Set this to z to reverse the sign of z-values in the color table.
+        Note that this change of z-direction happens before -G and -T values are used so
+        the latter must be compatible with the changed z-range. See also
+        :gmt-docs:`cookbook/features.html#manipulating-cpts`.
+
+    continuous (Z) : bool
+        Creates a continuous CPT [Default is discontinuous, i.e., constant colors for
+        each interval]. This option has no effect when no -T is used, or when using
+        -Tz_min/z_max; in the first case the input CPT remains untouched, in the second
+        case it is only scaled to match the range z_min/z_max.
+
+    {aliases}
+    """
+    with Session() as lib:
+        if "H" not in kwargs.keys():  # if no output is set
+            arg_str = build_arg_string(kwargs)
+        elif "H" in kwargs.keys():  # if output is set
+            outfile = kwargs.pop("H")
+            if not outfile or not isinstance(outfile, str):
+                raise GMTInvalidInput("'output' should be a proper file name.")
+            arg_str = " ".join([build_arg_string(kwargs), f"-H > {outfile}"])
+        lib.call_module(module="makecpt", args=arg_str)
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_continuous.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_continuous.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..97d59a9fc8b
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diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_color_and_zsign.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_color_and_zsign.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..99cc79ba638
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_color_and_zsign.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_color_only.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_color_only.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3ed3aee1025
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_color_only.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_zsign_only.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_zsign_only.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cd89bde4d49
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_reverse_zsign_only.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_grid.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_grid.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e72226d52c7
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diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_grid_scaled_with_series.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_grid_scaled_with_series.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f83941ee2ee
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_grid_scaled_with_series.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_points.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_points.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..727e75726ae
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_to_plot_points.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_at_zhigh_only.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_at_zhigh_only.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ede5d670a95
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_at_zhigh_only.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_at_zlow_only.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_at_zlow_only.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7701bf45034
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_at_zlow_only.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_to_zlow_zhigh.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_to_zlow_zhigh.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1c5355ac25e
Binary files /dev/null and b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_makecpt_truncated_to_zlow_zhigh.png differ
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/test_makecpt.py b/pygmt/tests/test_makecpt.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a557a79ace
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pygmt/tests/test_makecpt.py
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+# pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
+"""
+Tests for makecpt
+"""
+import os
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+from .. import Figure, makecpt
+from ..datasets import load_earth_relief
+from ..exceptions import GMTInvalidInput
+from ..helpers import GMTTempFile
+
+TEST_DATA_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "data")
+POINTS_DATA = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "points.txt")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def points():
+    "Load the points data from the test file"
+    return np.loadtxt(POINTS_DATA)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def region():
+    "The data region"
+    return [10, 70, -5, 10]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def grid():
+    "Load the grid data from the sample earth_relief file"
+    return load_earth_relief()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_to_plot_points(points, region):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table to change color of points
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="rainbow")
+    fig.plot(
+        x=points[:, 0],
+        y=points[:, 1],
+        color=points[:, 2],
+        region=region,
+        style="c1c",
+        cmap=True,
+    )
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_to_plot_grid(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table to change color of grid
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="relief")
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_to_plot_grid_scaled_with_series(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table scaled to a min/max series to change color of grid
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="oleron", series="-4500/4500")
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+def test_makecpt_output_to_cpt_file():
+    """
+    Save the generated static color palette table to a .cpt file
+    """
+    with GMTTempFile(suffix=".cpt") as cptfile:
+        makecpt(output=cptfile.name)
+        assert os.path.exists(cptfile.name)
+
+
+def test_makecpt_blank_output():
+    """
+    Use incorrect setting by passing in blank file name to output parameter
+    """
+    with pytest.raises(GMTInvalidInput):
+        makecpt(output="")
+
+
+def test_makecpt_invalid_output():
+    """
+    Use incorrect setting by passing in invalid type to output parameter
+    """
+    with pytest.raises(GMTInvalidInput):
+        makecpt(output=["some.cpt"])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_truncated_to_zlow_zhigh(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table that is truncated to z-low and z-high
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="rainbow", truncate=[0.15, 0.85], series=[-4500, 4500])
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_truncated_at_zlow_only(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table that is truncated at z-low only
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="rainbow", truncate=[0.5, None], series=[-4500, 4500])
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_truncated_at_zhigh_only(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table that is truncated at z-high only
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="rainbow", truncate=[None, 0.5], series=[-4500, 4500])
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_reverse_color_only(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table with its colors reversed
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="earth", reverse=True)
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_reverse_zsign_only(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table with its z-value sign reversed
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="earth", reverse="z")
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_reverse_color_and_zsign(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table with both its colors and z-value sign reversed
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="earth", reverse="cz")
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_makecpt_continuous(grid):
+    """
+    Use static color palette table that is continuous from blue to white and scaled from
+    -4500 to 4500m.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    makecpt(cmap="blue,white", continuous=True, series="-4500,4500")
+    fig.grdimage(grid, projection="W0/6i")
+    return fig