Step-by-Step Guide: Apply and Adjust Colors in Blender

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 24 May 2023 10 min read

Color is a powerful way to bring your 3D models to life, and Blender offers a variety of tools to help you achieve the perfect look for your creations. In this step-by-step guide, you'll learn how to color in Blender and adjust materials to create stunning, realistic models. Get ready to explore the world of Blender coloring and bring your 3D art to the next level!

1. Setting up Blender for Coloring

Before you can start adding colors to your models, you need to set up Blender properly. This involves importing models, creating materials, and selecting the right shading mode. Let's dive in!

Importing Models

First things first, you need a model to color. If you've already created a model in Blender or have one you'd like to use, simply open the file. Otherwise, you can import a model from another 3D application by going to File > Import and selecting the appropriate file format. Once your model is imported, ensure it's selected by clicking on it in the 3D viewport.

Creating Materials

Now it's time to create materials for your model. Materials are like virtual paint that you apply to your model's surface. To create a new material, go to the Material Properties tab in the Properties Editor and click on the New button. Give your material a name and choose a base color by clicking on the color field. You can create multiple materials for different parts of your model, so feel free to experiment with various colors and settings.

Selecting Shading Mode

To properly see how colors look on your model, you'll want to use the right shading mode. In the 3D viewport, click on the shading mode dropdown (located in the top-right corner) and select Material Preview or Rendered mode. Material Preview is faster and provides a good idea of how your model will look, while Rendered mode shows a more accurate representation of the final result, including lighting and shadows.

With your Blender workspace set up, you're now ready to learn how to color in Blender and create stunning, vibrant models. Stay tuned as we dive into applying base colors, textures, and adjusting material properties!

2. Applying Base Colors

Now that you've set up Blender and created materials, it's time to apply some base colors to your model. In this section, we'll explore how to color in Blender using a palette, assigning materials to meshes, and coloring UV maps. Let's get started!

How to Color in Blender Using a Palette

Using a color palette is a great way to maintain consistency in your artwork and streamline your coloring process. To create a palette in Blender, follow these steps:

Open the Shader Editor by changing one of the editors to the Shader Editor.
Locate the Color Ramp node by pressing Shift + A, then search for "Color Ramp" and add it to the node graph.
Connect the Color Ramp node to the Base Color input of your material's shader node.
Select the Color Ramp node and click on the "+" button to add color stops, which represent different colors in your palette.
Click on each color stop and adjust its color in the color field to create your desired palette.

With your palette set up, you can now use the Factor slider on the Color Ramp node to blend between colors, making it easy to achieve the perfect shade for your model.

Assigning Materials to Meshes

To apply your materials to different parts of your model, you'll need to assign them to the appropriate meshes. Here's how:

Switch to Edit Mode in the 3D viewport by pressing Tab or selecting it from the dropdown menu.
Select the mesh you want to color by clicking on it or using the selection tools in the toolbar.
In the Material Properties tab, select the material you want to assign from the list.
Click on the Assign button to apply the material to the selected mesh.

Repeat these steps for each part of your model, and you'll have a beautifully colored masterpiece in no time!

Coloring UV Maps

Another way to color your model is by using UV maps, which are 2D representations of your model's surface. This technique allows for more precise control over your coloring and is especially useful when working with complex or detailed models. Here's how to color in Blender using UV maps:

Switch to Edit Mode and select the entire model or the parts you want to color.
Open the UV Editing workspace from the dropdown menu at the top of the Blender window.
Press U to unwrap your model, creating a UV map that represents its surface.
In the UV Editor, adjust the layout of your UV map as needed to optimize the use of space and minimize stretching or distortion.
Create a new image texture in the UV Editor by clicking on the New button and selecting a resolution for your texture.
Paint directly onto the UV map using the Texture Paint workspace, or export the UV map and paint it in an external image editor, then re-import it into Blender.
Connect your image texture to the Base Color input of your material's shader node in the Shader Editor.

With your UV map colored and connected, you can now enjoy the added level of detail and precision it brings to your model.

Now that you've learned how to color in Blender using base colors, it's time to take your model one step further by adding textures and adjusting material properties. Keep reading to learn more!

3. Adding Textures for More Realism

So, you've mastered how to color in Blender using base colors, but is your model still lacking that extra touch of realism? No worries! In this section, we'll dive into the world of textures, which can add depth and complexity to your model's appearance. We'll cover using image textures, procedural textures, and baking textures to bring your Blender creations to life. Let's jump in!

Using Image Textures

Image textures are a fantastic way to add realistic details to your model, using photographs or other digital images as a source. To apply an image texture in Blender, follow these steps:

Switch to the Shader Editor workspace.
Add an Image Texture node by pressing Shift + A and searching for "Image Texture."
Connect the Color output of the Image Texture node to the desired input of your material's shader node (e.g., Base Color, Roughness, or Metallic).
Click on the Open button in the Image Texture node and navigate to the image file you want to use as a texture.
Ensure your model has a proper UV map (see the previous section on coloring UV maps).

With the image texture applied, your model should now have a more realistic appearance. Remember, you can use multiple image textures for different aspects of your material, such as roughness or metallic properties, to achieve an even more detailed result.

Procedural Textures

Procedural textures, unlike image textures, are generated mathematically within Blender, providing endless customization options. They're perfect for when you need a unique or complex texture that can't be achieved with image textures. Here's how to create procedural textures in Blender:

Open the Shader Editor workspace.
Add a procedural texture node by pressing Shift + A and searching for the desired texture type (e.g., Noise, Voronoi, or Wave).
Connect the output of the procedural texture node to the desired input of your material's shader node.
Adjust the settings of the procedural texture node to achieve the desired effect. Experimenting with different values is key to finding the perfect look!

Once you've set up your procedural texture, you'll have a unique and customizable pattern that can add depth and character to your model. Remember, you can combine procedural textures with image textures or other procedural textures for even more intricate effects.

Baking Textures

Baking textures is a process that combines all the textures and shading information of your material into a single image file, which can be used in other applications or to optimize your scene's performance. Here's how to bake textures in Blender:

Ensure your model has a proper UV map (see the previous section on coloring UV maps).
Create a new image texture in the UV Editor by clicking on the New button and setting a resolution for your baked texture.
Switch to the Shader Editor workspace and add an Image Texture node.
Select the new image texture you created in the UV Editor as the source for the Image Texture node.
With your model selected, go to the Render Properties tab and scroll down to the Bake section.
Choose the desired bake type (e.g., Combined, Ambient Occlusion, or Normal) and click on the Bake button.

Once the baking process is complete, you'll have a single image texture containing all the shading information for your material. This can be useful for exporting your model to other applications, optimizing render times, or simplifying your material setup.

Now that you've added textures to your model, it's time to put the finishing touches on your material properties. In the next section, we'll explore how to adjust roughness, metallic, and transparency settings to achieve the perfect look. Stay tuned!

4. Adjusting Material Properties

Great job! You've successfully added textures to your Blender model. But what about refining the material properties to achieve the perfect look? In this section, we'll discuss how to color in Blender by adjusting roughness, metallic, and transparency settings. With these adjustments, you'll be able to take your model's appearance to the next level. Let's get started!

Changing Roughness

When it comes to creating realistic materials, roughness plays a significant role in how light reflects off surfaces. Smooth surfaces have low roughness values, while rough surfaces have high values. Here's how to adjust the roughness of your material in Blender:

In the Shader Editor workspace, locate your material's Principled BSDF shader node.
Adjust the Roughness slider to modify the roughness value. Lower values create a smoother, shinier appearance, while higher values create a rougher, more matte appearance.

Feel free to experiment with different roughness values to achieve the desired look for your material. Remember, you can also use image textures or procedural textures to control roughness across your model's surface for even more realism.

Adjusting Metallic

Metallic properties determine how metallic a surface appears. Non-metallic materials, like plastic or wood, have a low metallic value, while metallic materials, like gold or steel, have a high value. To adjust the metallic property of your material in Blender, follow these steps:

Find the Principled BSDF shader node in the Shader Editor workspace.
Modify the Metallic slider to change the metallic value. A value of 0 represents a non-metallic surface, while a value of 1 represents a fully metallic surface.

Experiment with different metallic values to achieve the desired look for your material. And, just like with roughness, you can use image or procedural textures to control the metallic properties across your model's surface for added realism.

Tweaking Transparency

Transparency is an essential property for creating materials like glass, water, or other see-through objects. To adjust the transparency of your material in Blender, you'll need to work with the Alpha value. Here's how:

In the Shader Editor workspace, locate your material's Principled BSDF shader node.
Adjust the Alpha slider to change the transparency value. A value of 0 represents a fully transparent material, while a value of 1 represents a fully opaque material.

Keep in mind that, to see the transparency in the viewport, you'll need to switch to the Material Preview or Rendered shading mode. And, as with roughness and metallic properties, you can use image or procedural textures to control transparency across your model's surface for a more dynamic appearance.

Now that you've mastered adjusting material properties, your Blender creations are looking better than ever! But we're not done yet. In the next and final section, we'll go over the last steps needed to complete your masterpiece: adding lights, setting up the camera, and rendering your scene. Stay tuned!

5. Final Touches and Rendering

You've made it this far—your model is looking fantastic with its colors, textures, and adjusted material properties. But there's still work to be done to make your masterpiece truly shine. In this final section, we'll cover how to color in Blender by adding lights, setting up the camera, and rendering your scene. Let's bring your creation to life!

Adding Lights

Lighting plays a major role in showcasing your model's colors and materials. Without proper lighting, even the most detailed work can appear flat and uninteresting. Here's how to add lights to your scene in Blender:

Press Shift + A to open the Add menu.
Select Light and choose the type of light you want to add (e.g., Point, Sun, Spot, or Area).
Move and adjust the light's properties (e.g., color, intensity, and size) in the Light tab of the Properties panel.

Feel free to experiment with different light types and settings. A well-lit scene can dramatically enhance your model's appearance and show off your hard work in the best possible way.

Setting Up the Camera

Now that your model is properly lit, it's time to set up the camera for the perfect shot. A well-composed scene can make all the difference in showcasing your work. Here's how to set up the camera in Blender:

Select the camera in your scene by clicking on it or pressing 0 on the numpad to enter camera view.
Adjust the camera's position, rotation, and settings (e.g., focal length and depth of field) in the Camera tab of the Properties panel.
Use Shift + F to enter Fly Mode for more intuitive camera positioning.

Take your time to find the perfect angle and settings for your camera. A well-composed shot can highlight your model's details and colors, making your work even more impressive.

Rendering Your Scene

Finally, it's time to render your scene and bring your masterpiece to life. Rendering generates a final image or animation of your scene, showcasing all the hard work you've put into learning how to color in Blender. Here's how to render your scene:

Go to the Output Properties tab in the Properties panel and select your desired output settings, such as resolution and file format.
If you want to create an animation, set the start and end frames, as well as the frame rate, in the Output Properties tab.
Go to the Render Properties tab and choose your preferred render engine (e.g., Eevee, Cycles, or Workbench) and adjust any additional render settings.
Press F12 to render a still image or Ctrl + F12 to render an animation.

Once your render is complete, save your masterpiece and share it with the world! Now that you know how to color in Blender, the possibilities are endless. Keep experimenting, learning, and creating—you've got the skills to make something truly amazing.

If you're looking to further enhance your Blender skills after reading our "Step-by-Step Guide: Apply and Adjust Colors in Blender" blog post, we highly recommend checking out the 'Blender for Dummies' workshop by INTRANETGIRL. This workshop will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of Blender's features and capabilities, making it an invaluable resource for both beginners and experienced users alike.