You tin can add together fabric to whatsoever 3D solid object in AutoCAD to requite it a realistic appearance. In AutoCAD, the default option will allow you add material to the entire object just to add materials to selected faces y'all need to employ some workarounds explained in this article.

Calculation material to 3D solid

In this example, I volition use this Oldham'due south coupling 3D drawing and add materials to it.

Switch to the 3D modeling workspace, yous can practice that by clicking the gear icon on the lesser right of the condition bar and then selecting the 3D modeling option from the list.

1. Workspace switching option

Now become to the visualize tab and then click on the Materials Browser icon on Materials panel.

2. Materials Browser option

The Materials Browser palette will open up with a list of materials available for you which can exist used in the drawing.

Now expand the console on the left which says Abode and yous will get a categorized list of materials. Clicking on a particular category from this panel will show only materials of that category in the Materials Browser palette.

For example, selecting Woods will show only wood materials in the palette. This volition aid yous in sorting through the list of materials and in finding the right one easily.

3. Woods category selected in the Materials Browser palette

This list is pretty comprehensive with lots of materials but if required you lot can make your own custom material in AutoCAD equally well.

At present adding material is as easy as elevate and driblet (really literary!) from this point onward. Just find your material from this browser and drag the material and drop information technology on the object on which you want to add.

Alternatively, you can also select the object(s) first and then right click on the material you desire to add from Materials Browser and and so select Assign to Option from right click context menu.

iv. Adding fabric to the object

Afterwards calculation the cloth make sure your Visual style is set to "Realistic" and "Material/Texture On" is agile as shown in the animated image higher up else the material result will non exist visible on the objects.

Calculation Material to Face of object

As y'all must accept noticed here that the textile is applied to the entire object by default and this method can be limiting sometimes when you merely desire to add fabric on any selected face.

For example, if you have a wall where yous want to add different paints to the interior and exterior y'all can use this method.

Here I will utilize a uncomplicated rectangular 3D solid wall and I will apply Pink paint material to i side of the wall and Blue colour to the other side.

5. Generic 3D wall

The workflow will be little different here. In this example, once again go to the Materials Browser palette and find the materials that y'all desire to add to the wall.

Select Paint from the cloth category and then hover your cursor on the Pink paint and click on the arrow every bit shown in the image beneath.

6. Adding fabric to document browser

This volition add the textile to your agile list of materials on the top of Materials Browser palette. At present right click on the Pinkish fabric on the acme of the palette and select Rename from the context menu and proper name it A.

Similarly, go to Wall Paint category and add Cadet Blue color to the superlative of Materials Browser palette by clicking the arrow as shown in the epitome to a higher place. Rename this material to B.

In this case, I am asking y'all to rename the materials every bit it will simplify the process of calculation the materials in upcoming steps.

Now we are all set to add the Fabric A which is Pink and Material B which is Blue to unlike sides of the wall.

7. Renamed materials

Type SOLIDEDIT on the command line and printing enter then select Confront from the options of the command line so select mAterial from the next set of options.

Now AutoCAD will prompt you to select the faces, click on one of the faces and printing enter. Now command line will prompt you to blazon the name of material yous want to add to this face, just type A and press enter iii times to get out command.

8. SOLIDEDIT command line options

Y'all volition observe that the material will now be added only to the selected face and since we already simplified the name of material using a small proper name "A" y'all won't need to blazon in the complete name of the material. Once the material is added to the face you tin can rename it once more to any name which is easy to remember.

Also, make sure visual style is selected as "Realistic" and "Materials/textures On" is checked in the Materials panel.

Similarly, repeat the steps for another side of the wall but utilize cloth B this time. The end consequence in my case looked similar this.

End Notes

Then these are some of the basic methods of adding material to whatsoever solid body or faces and in that location are too other ways of adding materials to a fix of objects like applying the material to layers in AutoCAD.

You lot can also add decals in AutoCAD to create a logo on an object and use images as a surface as well.

I hope you volition find this article helpful, if y'all accept any question permit me know in the comments below.