Python - Representar en asteriscos los números contenidos en un arreglo de una dimensión

a=[2,4,5,7,8,9,1,12,10,6]

b=[]

for i in a:

    b.append(i*"*")

    maximo=max(a)

print(b)

a=[5,7,3,6,5,6,7,4]

for i in range(max(a),0,-1):

    for j in a:

        print ("* " if j>=i else "  ", end="")

    print()

Muestra:

  *         *

  *   *   * *

* *   * * * *

* *   * * * * *

* * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * *

a=[5,7,3,6,5,6,7,4]

for i in range(max(a),0,-1):

    for j in a:

        print ("* " if j>=i else "  ", end="")

    print()

a=[2,4,5,6,7,8,9,3,1,10]

b=[]

maximo=max(a)

for i in a:

    b.append(arr(i,maximo))

cadena=" "

for i in range(maximo-1,-1,-1):

    for j in b:

        cadena=cadena+j[i]+" "

    print(cadena)

    cadena=" "