Using the Material Painter Modes

QUESTION

What does each of the five Material Painter modes do and how can I use them?

ANSWER

The Material Painter modes help you specify exactly what is painted when you use the Material Painter tool. To access the list of modes, while in a camera view, select 3D> Material Painter> Material Painter from the menu. A check mark indicates the mode that is currently active.

Material Painter Modes

  Component Mode  

By default, when you first activate the Material Painter, Component Mode is selected. This mode applies materials to the component of an object when you click on that particular component.

• Example: To paint the door of a cabinet a different color, select Component Mode if it is not already selected by default, then use the Material Painter to change only the door.
  

  Object Mode 

As its name implies, the Object Mode applies materials to an entire object.

• Example: To make an entire cabinet another material, select Object Mode, then use the Material Painter to change the whole cabinet.
  
  
• In this example, the countertop does not change because it is a different material than the rest of the cabinet.
  
  
• Similarly, if you already changed part of the cabinet using component mode, that part does not change again because it is no longer the same material as the rest of the cabinet.

  Room Mode

If you activate the Room Mode for the Material Painter, it applies materials to every object in a room that has the same original material.

• Example: To change the oak cabinets in the kitchen to cherry, select Room Mode. Now use the Material Painter  to change all the cabinets in the kitchen. You only need to click once on a single cabinet to accomplish this.
  
  
• If you have other oak items in the same room, they also change to cherry.

  Floor Mode

The Floor Mode applies materials to every object that has the same original material and is on the same floor of the plan.

• Example: To change the tile countertops to granite, choose Floor Mode. Now a single click on one counter in the kitchen with the Material Painter  changes not just all of the kitchen countertops, but the countertops in any bathrooms on the same floor, as well.

  Plan Mode 

The most extensive changes can be made by activating Plan Mode. Use this mode to apply materials to every object in the plan that has the same original material.

• Example: To install the same carpet on all floors of a plan, select Plan Mode. Choose the Material Painter  and click in a single room to change all the floor coverings to carpet.