How to Change an Object Material in Blender

Changing an object's material in Blender allows you to control its appearance, color, texture, and how it interacts with light.

In Blender, you can assign materials to an entire object or to specific faces of an object.

Changing the Material for an Entire Object

The most common way to change an object's material is to assign or replace the material applied to the whole object.

1. Select the Object: In the 3D Viewport, click on the object you want to modify.
2. Open the Material Properties: Go to the Properties Editor (usually on the right side of the Blender window) and click on the Material Properties tab (the icon looks like a red checkered sphere).
3. Add or Select a Material Slot:
   • If the object has no material, click the New button to create a new material.
   • If the object already has a material, you'll see it listed in the material slots. You can click the Minus button (-) to remove the current material and then New to add a new one, or click the material name dropdown to browse and select an existing material from your scene.
4. Configure the Material: Once a material is assigned, you can adjust its properties like Base Color, Metallic, Roughness, Specular, Transmission, and add textures in the Shading workspace.

Applying Multiple Materials to One Object (Face-Specific Assignment)

Sometimes, you need different parts or faces of a single object to have different materials. This is especially useful for complex models like characters or detailed props.

Here's how to apply materials to specific faces:

1. Select the Object: Select the object you want to apply multiple materials to.
2. Go to Edit Mode: Press Tab to enter Edit Mode.
3. Open Material Properties: Ensure the Material Properties tab is open in the Properties Editor. You'll see a list of "Material Slots".
4. Create or Add Material Slots:
   • The first slot will likely contain the default material or the material already assigned to the object.
   • To add another material slot for a different material, click the Plus (+) button next to the Material Slots list. A new, empty slot will appear.
5. Assign a Material to the New Slot:
   • With the new slot selected (it should be highlighted), click the dropdown menu next to "New" (or the material name if one is already there) and choose an existing material from your scene.
   • Alternatively, you can click the New button while the slot is active to create a brand new material for this slot.
   • Repeat step 4 and 5 for every additional material you need on the object.
6. Select Faces for the Material: In Edit Mode (Vertex, Edge, or Face Select mode), select the specific faces you want to assign a particular material to. You can use Shift + Click to select multiple faces.
7. Assign the Material to Selected Faces:
   • In the Object Material Slots box within the Material Properties tab, click on the material slot containing the material you want to assign to the selected faces. Make sure this slot is active (highlighted).
   • Click the Assign button located below the material slots list.
   • The selected faces will now display the material assigned to that slot.

Step	Action	Notes
Prepare Object	Select Object, Enter Edit Mode (Tab)	Essential for face-specific assignment.
Access Materials	Open Material Properties (Red Sphere Icon)	In the Properties Editor.
Manage Slots	Use + to add slots, - to remove.	Each slot holds one material.
Assign Slot Material	Select Slot, Choose existing material or click New.	Link a material to a slot.
Select Faces	Select faces in Edit Mode (Shift+Click for multiple).	Choose the geometry parts for the material.
Assign Material to Faces	Select the desired Material Slot, Click Assign.	Links the selected faces to the material in the active slot.

Using this method, you can assign numerous materials to a single object, giving you precise control over the appearance of different parts of your model.