Assigning a material

Learn to assign a material to a Mesh and about sub-meshes.

Assigning Materials to MeshRenderer

A Material determines how the surface of a 3D model appears (color, texture, glossiness). Through the material or materials property on the MeshRenderer component, materials can be accessed and modified dynamically in code.

MeshRenderer renderer = GetComponent<MeshRenderer>();
renderer.material.color = Color.red;

Submeshes and Multiple Materials

Although complex 3D models appear as a single geometry, they are split into Submeshes so that different parts can use different materials. For example, a car's body uses metallic material while its windows use transparent material. In this case, the renderer.materials array holds a material for each submesh.

Material[] allMaterials = renderer.materials;
Debug.Log("Material count: " + allMaterials.Length);

Exercise Read Material Count

Assign renderer.materials.Length to the sayi variable. Then print it with Debug.Log("Malzeme: " + sayi);.

Show example solution

using System;

public class Material
{
    public string name;
    public Material(string name) { this.name = name; }
}

public class MeshRenderer
{
    public Material[] materials = new Material[] { new Material("Gövde"), new Material("Cam") };
}

public static class Debug
{
    public static void Log(object message) => Console.WriteLine(message);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        MeshRenderer renderer = new MeshRenderer();
        int sayi = renderer.materials.Length;
        Debug.Log("Malzeme: " + sayi);
    }
}

Test yourself

Which property path is used to change the color of an object's current material in code?
- renderer.material.color
- meshFilter.color
- transform.material.color
- renderer.mesh.color
Show answer

renderer.material.color — To change material color, the color variable of the material property on MeshRenderer is accessed.

Multiple Materials Array

Material[] liste = renderer.____;

Show answer

Material[] liste = renderer.materials;

Material Terminology

renderer.material

The object's first or single material
renderer.materials

Array of all materials on the object
Submesh

Sub-geometry taking different materials
material.color

Base surface color of the material

Next lesson: Summary - 3D model

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