Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Materials and Textures
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
[edit] From Red to Blue and Everything In Between!
Materials and textures are nearly as important to any great 3D Design as the model itself. Without the coloured design, or the vibrant texture, to whom will an animation targeted towards children appeal? How will that "Grassy-Hill Scene" look without the vibrant greens, gentle blues, and dazzling colors reflecting off a clear, shining pond? It would be a fairly boring scene if all your objects were.....gray.
This is why it is very important that you learn to use the Blender 3D Material-Windows as much as possible. The vast scope of functionality and customization that the material system in Blender offers will allow you to create the most dynamic scene possible. The next few tutorials will have you go over the entire spectrum of options in Blender's material system. Once you finish them, the tutorials after that will help you develop your skills and imprint the system into your mind until it is almost second nature.