Paint Can Tool (Material Painter) Best Practices

Kbird1 · August 24, 2021

BEST-PRACTICE USE OF PAINT SPRAY TOOL

AS A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB, USING THE MATERIAL PAINTER REALLY ONLY BECOMES A PROBLEM WHEN YOU ARE USING IT TO CHANGE A MATERIAL THAT IS BEING CONTROLLED BY THE STRUCTURAL LAYER SETTINGS OF A PARAMETRIC OBJECT EG A WALL OR WHEN USING IT WITH BLEND COLORS WITH MATERIALS TOGGLED ON. ALL OTHER MATERIAL CHANGES MADE USING THE SPRAY CAN ARE CARRIED THROUGH EXACTLY THE SAME AS THEY WOULD BE IF YOU WERE TO CHANGE THAT MATERIAL USING THE MATERIAL TAB AND ARE THEREFORE CARRIED THROUGH TO THE MATERIAL LIST AS WELL. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE THE MATERIAL PAINTER FREELY AND OFTEN, WITH A FEW CAVEATS, AS IT’S ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT METHODS OF CHANGING MATERIALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN USED IN THE APPROPRIATE MODE (COMPONENT, OBJECT, PLAN, ROOM, ETC. – LEARN THESE AS THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS)

FOR THE MOST PART, IT SHOULD JUST BE AVOIDED IN THESE SCENARIOS:

ON EXTERIOR WALL SURFACES. IT'S ALMOST NEVER APPROPRIATE TO JUST CHANGE THE COLOR OF AN EXTERIOR WALL. YOU'RE ALMOST ALWAYS INTENDING TO CHANGE THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THE WALL AND SO YOU SHOULD BE CHANGING THE WALL TYPE OR WALL TYPE DEFINITION. THE MAIN EXCEPTION TO THIS WOULD BE IF YOU'RE JUST CHANGING THE ACTUAL COLOR (PAINT) OF A MATERIAL ON ONE OR 2 SPECIFIC WALL SECTIONS IN WHICH CASE THIS WOULD ALSO BE ONE OF THE VERY FEW CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE USING BLEND COLORS WITH MATERIALS MAY ALSO BE USED EFFECTIVELY. AGAIN THOUGH, THESE SITUATIONS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. 99% OF THE TIME, EXTERIOR WALL SURFACE MATERIALS SHOULD BE CHANGED IN THE ACTUAL WALL TYPE DEFINITION.
ON INTERIOR WALL SURFACES WHERE THE ACTUAL STRUCTURAL LAYERS ARE BEING CHANGED. PAINTING A DRYWALL ACCENT WALL IN A ROOM A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN THE REST? MATERIAL PAINTER IS TOTALLY APPROPRIATE. CHANGING THE WALL MATERIAL FROM PAINTED DRYWALL TO WOOD VENEER? CHANGE IT IN THE WALL TYPE DEFINITION.
WHEN CHANGING FRAMING LAYERS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST LEARN HOW THE TOOLS WORK. THE MATERIAL PAINTER IS ESSENTIALLY A SHORTCUT TO THE MATERIAL TAB. THERE ARE A FEW MINOR EXCEPTIONS, BUT WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO CHANGE A MATERIAL IN THE MATERIAL TAB, THEN THE SPRAY CAN IS GOOD TO GO, OTHERWISE, CHANGE IN THE STRUCTURE OR WALL TYPE TAB.

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THE FIX ….

IF YOU HAVE ARRIVED HERE DUE TO PAINT CAN TOOL AND OBJECTS LIKE WALLS WON’T RETURN TO THEIR DEFAULT MATERIALS ………eg. SIDING AND DRWYALL

1. OPEN OBJECT AND GOTO THE MATERIAL TAB

2. SEE IF THE WORD DEFAULT IS SHOWN NEXT TO THE MATERIAL’S NAME…IF NOT…..

3. SELECT EACH MATERIAL HOLDING THE CONTROL (OPTION) KEY

4. CLICK THE SELECT MATERIAL BUTTON ON THE RIGHT

5. GOT TO LIBRARY MATERIALS TAB ( IF NOT SELECTED )

6. CHECK THE BOX AT THE BOTTOM FOR “USE DEFAULT MATERIAL”

7. CLICK OK ( A FEW TIMES IF NEEDED TO BACK COMPLETELY OUT )