Blender 3.0 Tutorial - How to Add An Image To An Object

Introduction

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to add an image to an object in Blender 3.0. This process is useful for customizing 3D models and enhancing your artwork with textures. Whether it's for a cube or any other object, these steps will help you apply images seamlessly.

Step 1: Enter Edit Mode and Unwrap the Object

1. Select the Object: Start with the default cube in Blender.
2. Enter Edit Mode: Press Tab to switch to Edit Mode.
3. Select All Vertices: Press A to select all vertices, which will turn them orange.
4. Unwrap the Object:
   • Press U to open the unwrap menu.
   • Select Smart UV Project and hit OK. This flattens the cube and prepares it for image mapping.

Step 2: Create a Material for the Object

1. Access Material Tab: Go to the Material tab located at the bottom right of the interface.
2. Create a New Material:
   • Select the default material and rename it (e.g., to "Cube").
3. Add an Image Texture:
   • Click on the yellow circle next to the Base Color field.
   • Select Image Texture from the list.
   • Click on Open and choose your desired image file.

Step 3: Switch to Material View

1. Change View Mode:
   • Press Tab to return to Object Mode.
   • At the top right, switch to Material Preview mode. This allows you to see the applied image on the cube.

Step 4: Adjust the UV Mapping

1. Split the Viewport:
   • Move your mouse to the top-left corner of the viewport until the cursor changes to a plus sign.
   • Click and drag to split the window into two.
2. Open UV Editor:
   • In the new window, change the view to UV Editor.
   • From the dropdown, select the image you uploaded (e.g., "anime").
3. Navigate UV Mapping:
   • Press Tab to see the UV layout of the cube's sides.
   • Use the Face Select tool to select and manipulate individual faces of the cube.

Step 5: Manipulate the UVs for Each Face

1. Select and Move Faces:
   • Click on a face in the UV editor, press G to grab and move it to position the image as desired on that face.
2. Scale Faces:
   • Press S to scale the face to fit the image properly.
   • To snap to vertices, enable the magnet icon at the top and set it to Vertex.
3. Repeat for All Faces:
   • Use the same process for all cube faces to achieve the desired layout of the image.

Step 6: Fine-tune Color Management

1. Adjust Color Management:
   • In the Render Properties, set Color Management to Standard for a more accurate color display.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively add images to objects in Blender 3.0. This technique can be applied to various shapes and models, enhancing your projects with custom textures. Explore further by experimenting with different objects and images to see how they transform your 3D creations. Happy blending!