RUNTIME MATERIAL PAINTING FOR UNITY

Paint color.
Copy material properties.

PaintForge lets players paint objects and characters at runtime, sample visible colors, copy reflection and HDR emission, fill or clear targets, and copy complete textured appearances.

Get started View controls

3Paint backends

HDREmission

MeshStatic & skinned

RuntimePlayer controlled

01 · PACKAGE

What is included

Runtime

Painting, sampling, material copying, player, camera, controls, and user-interface components.

Prefabs

Ready-to-use PaintForge player and paint system objects.

Demo

A showcase for color, reflection, emission, and texture copying.

Shaders & Materials

Compatible painting shaders and example materials.

Demo sceneOpen Assets/PaintForge/Samples/Demo/Scenes/PaintForgeShowcase.unity to test all features.

02 · REQUIREMENTS

Before installation

Unity and rendering

Designed for Unity 6 with the Universal Render Pipeline. Add the sample Volume when you need visible HDR bloom.

Input System

The player and rebindable controls use Unity's Input System package and UnityEngine.InputSystem.

Models

UV painting needs readable geometry, a valid UV0 channel, and an accurate MeshCollider. Vertex painting needs enough vertices.

Materials

Use the supplied compatible materials for painted color, reflection, emission, and texture-copy output.

02 · QUICK START

Add PaintForge to a scene

Test the demo

Play the showcase and verify the controls.

Add the player

Drag the PaintForge player prefab into your scene.

Add the system

Add the paint system prefab and assign the gameplay camera.

Prepare targets

Add PaintForgeUVPaintable and a suitable collider.

03 · CONTROLS

Default controls

Input	Action	Usage
`W A S D`	Move	Move relative to the camera.
`Shift`	Sprint	Hold while moving.
`Tab`	Color Lab	Open or close the painting UI.
`LMB`	Paint	Paint the target under the cursor.
`RMB + Drag`	Brush size	Change brush radius.
`Space`	Live sample	Hold and move to sample color, reflection, and emission.
`I`	Copy appearance	Copy and immediately apply a complete appearance.
`F`	Fill	Fill the hovered paintable target.
`C`	Clear	Clear the hovered target.
`6 / 7 / 8`	Brush mode	Sharp / Soft / Blend.
`F1`	Help	Show the in-game guide.
`F2`	Settings	Change controls and player settings.

Space vs ISpace updates the active brush while held; paint or fill afterward. I applies the complete copied appearance immediately.

04 · TARGET SETUP

Make an object paintable

Use a MeshRenderer or SkinnedMeshRenderer. Add PaintForgeUVPaintable to the renderer object. Select the required Paint Backend. Add a MeshCollider for accurate UV painting. Verify UV0 when using UV Render Texture. Enable the required Paint and Texture Copy options.

UV Render Texture is recommended for detailed props and walls. Skinned characters are supported. Vertex Color quality depends on mesh vertex density.

Unity cubesPrimitive cubes have very few vertices. Use UV Render Texture or a subdivided mesh for detailed strokes.

05 · COPY FEATURES

Copy color and material properties

Color

Hold Space over a source to load its visible color into the brush.

Reflection

The sampled surface response is used by the next stroke or fill.

HDR Emission

Emission strength and HDR color are sampled together to preserve glow.

Full Texture

Aim at a textured source and press I to copy its complete supported appearance.

06 · BACKENDS

Choose a paint backend

Backend	Best for	Needs
UVRenderTexture	Detailed objects, walls, close views.	Valid UV0, MeshCollider, compatible material.
VertexColor	Characters and dense meshes.	Enough vertices and compatible shader.
MaterialTint	Simple whole-object color changes.	Supported Renderer color property.

1024 is a practical starting resolution for UV painting. Use less for distant/mobile targets and more only for important close-up objects.

07 · PLAYER

Player, camera, and customization

Controller

Configure walking, sprinting, acceleration, air control, rotation, jump, and gravity in the Inspector.

Camera

Assign the player target and configure orbit, zoom, sensitivity, and distance.

Paintable player

Add and configure PaintForgeUVPaintable on the player visual to receive paint and copied properties.

Control settings

Edit defaults on PaintForgePlayerControls. Players can customize supported controls with F2.

Saved settingsIn-game choices override Inspector defaults. Use Clear Saved User Overrides before testing changed defaults.

08 · INSPECTOR REFERENCE

Component settings

PaintForgeUVPaintSystem

`Paint Camera`	Camera used to raycast from the pointer.
`Ray Distance`	Maximum target detection distance.
`Brush Mode`	Sharp, Soft, or Blend.
`Active Color`	Current brush color.
`Stroke Interval`	Time between held-paint stamps; lower values are smoother but more expensive.
`Character Paintable`	Player fallback used by supported fill/copy actions.

PaintForgeUVPaintable

`Backend`	UVRenderTexture, VertexColor, or MaterialTint.
`Allow Style Copy`	Allows complete appearance copying to this target.
`Paint Mode Enabled`	Allows brush strokes.
`Texture Copy Mode Enabled`	Allows copied texture appearances.
`Texture Copy Priority`	Prioritizes full appearance copy when modes overlap.
`Resolution`	Runtime paint texture size; 1024 is the default practical balance.
`Clear Color`	Value restored by Clear.
`Paint Composite Material`	Compatible material used to display paint and surface channels.

PaintForgeUVPaintUI

Paint System connects the interface to the active system. Open On Start controls initial visibility. Wheel Size sets the generated color-wheel size.

Third Person Controller

Camera Transform, Walk/Sprint Speed, Acceleration, Air Control, Rotation Smooth Time, Allow Jump, Jump Height, Gravity, Grounded Vertical Velocity, keyboard/sprint/jump input toggles.

Third Person Camera

Target and Target Name; Distance, Height, Look Height and smoothing; orbit sensitivity and pitch limits; minimum/maximum zoom; collision mask, radius, and buffer.

PaintForgePlayerControls

Default movement, interface, painting, brush, and orbit keys plus look sensitivity, zoom sensitivity, and Invert Y. Runtime user choices are saved and take priority.

09 · SCRIPTING API

Runtime API reference

All core types are in the PaintForge namespace.

PaintForgeUVPaintSystem properties

Member	Type	Description
`BrushSize`	float	Current normalized brush size.
`ActiveColor`	Color	Current brush color.
`BrushMode`	PaintForgeBrushMode	Sharp, Soft, or Blend.
`BrushOpacity`	float	Current stroke opacity.
`BrushHardness`	float	Current edge hardness.
`EmissionStrength`	float	Active emission amount.

PaintForgeUVPaintSystem methods

SetColor(Color color)

Changes the active brush color.

SetBrushMode(PaintForgeBrushMode mode)

Selects Sharp, Soft, or Blend.

SetBrushSize(float value)

Sets normalized brush size and clamps it to 0–1.

SetSurfaceResponse(float reflection, float emission)

Changes the surface values carried by new strokes.

StampHovered(Vector2 screenPosition)

Paints at the supplied screen coordinate.

FillHovered(Vector2 screenPosition)

Fills the paintable under the supplied coordinate.

ClearHovered(Vector2 screenPosition)

Clears the paintable under the pointer.

SampleColorHovered(Vector2 screenPosition)

Samples visible color.

CopyColorAndSurfaceHovered(Vector2 screenPosition)

Samples color, reflection, and emission into the brush.

CopyStyleHovered(Vector2 screenPosition)

Copies the supported complete appearance.

TryGetPaintHit(...)

Returns true and outputs the target and RaycastHit when a valid paintable is found.

PaintForgeUVPaintable properties and methods

PaintTexture

The current UV paint RenderTexture.

Backend

The configured PaintForgeBackend.

PaintModeEnabled

Whether brush painting is enabled.

TextureCopyModeEnabled

Whether texture copy is enabled.

SetSurfaceResponse(metallic, smoothness, reflection, emission)

Sets base surface response values.

SetStrokeEmissionColor(Color color)

Sets the HDR emission color for future strokes.

CopyStyleFrom(Renderer source, bool copyTexture, bool prioritizeTexture = false, bool copySurfaceSettings = false)

Copies supported properties from a renderer.

SetFlatCopiedAppearance(Color color, float reflection, float emission, Color emissionColor)

Applies a flat copied appearance without a source texture.

Stamp(Vector2 uv, Color color, ...)

Low-level UV stroke including opacity, hardness, surface data, world point/radius, and optional stamp texture.

StampVertex(Vector3 worldPoint, Color color, ...)

Low-level world-space stroke for VertexColor targets.

Fill(Color color, float reflection = 0, float emission = 0)

Fills the complete target.

Clear()

Restores the target's clear state.

C# · Control PaintForge from gameplay

using PaintForge;
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.InputSystem;

public class PaintAbility : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] PaintForgeUVPaintSystem paintSystem;

    public void SelectRedGlow()
    {
        paintSystem.SetColor(Color.red);
        paintSystem.SetBrushMode(PaintForgeBrushMode.Soft);
        paintSystem.SetBrushSize(0.25f);
        paintSystem.SetSurfaceResponse(0.15f, 2.0f);
    }

    public void FillAtCursor()
    {
        paintSystem.FillHovered(Mouse.current.position.ReadValue());
    }
}

Input API

PaintForgeInputSettings.GetKey(action)

Returns the saved key or Inspector/default fallback.

SetKey(action, key)

Saves a new key in PlayerPrefs.

IsPressed(action)

True while the action key is held.

WasPressedThisFrame(action)

True only on the press frame.

LookSensitivity / ZoomSensitivity / InvertY

Saved user camera properties.

ResetDefaults()

Deletes all saved PaintForge control overrides.

DisplayName(action)

Returns a user-facing action name.

RegisterInspectorDefaults(...)

Registers prefab defaults used when no user override exists.

C# · Rebind Fill

using PaintForge;
using UnityEngine.InputSystem;

PaintForgeInputSettings.SetKey(PaintForgeAction.Fill, Key.G);
PaintForgeInputSettings.LookSensitivity = 1.25f;
// Restore package/Inspector defaults:
PaintForgeInputSettings.ResetDefaults();

10 · SIMPLE / OFFLINE API

Lightweight color painting

The optional Offline system provides simple whole-renderer color painting with palette, sampling, fill, undo, and clear operations.

ActiveColor / BrushSize

Current simple-paint values.

SelectPalette(int index)

Selects a configured palette entry.

SetActiveColor(Color color)

Sets the simple paint color.

SetBrushSize(float size)

Clamps size between 0.05 and 1.

PaintAtScreenPosition(Vector2 position)

Paints the OfflinePaintable under a screen point.

FillHovered(Vector2 position)

Fills the hovered simple target.

SampleHovered(Vector2 position)

Samples its current color.

Undo()

Reverts the last simple paint operation.

ClearAllPaint()

Resets every tracked OfflinePaintable.

OfflinePaintable.SetPaintColor(Color)

Changes one target.

OfflinePaintable.ResetPaint()

Restores its default color.

08 · TROUBLESHOOTING

Common questions

F does not fill

Open Color Lab with Tab, verify the target has PaintForgeUVPaintable and a collider, and check the F2 key assignment.

Paint is stretched or appears on another face

Use a MeshCollider instead of a BoxCollider and check UV0 for overlap or stretching.

A texture sample is black or incorrect

Confirm the cursor hits the intended renderer and the MeshCollider returns the correct texture coordinate.

Painted emission looks weak

Use a compatible PaintForge shader and enable Bloom in the URP Volume.

An object becomes black in Play Mode

Check its Base Material, Tint, and shader. Remove PaintForgeUVPaintable from architecture that is not intended to be painted.

No valid paintable MeshCollider

The cursor hit a non-paintable collider. Add PaintForgeUVPaintable and a matching MeshCollider if that object should receive paint.

PAINTFORGE

Ready to paint.

Start with the included showcase, then reuse the configured prefabs in your project.

Paint color.Copy material properties.

What is included

Runtime

Prefabs

Demo

Shaders & Materials

Before installation

Unity and rendering

Input System

Models

Materials

Add PaintForge to a scene

Test the demo

Add the player

Add the system

Prepare targets

Default controls

Make an object paintable

Copy color and material properties

Color

Reflection

HDR Emission

Full Texture

Choose a paint backend

Player, camera, and customization

Controller

Camera

Paintable player

Control settings

Component settings

Runtime API reference

PaintForgeUVPaintSystem properties

PaintForgeUVPaintSystem methods

PaintForgeUVPaintable properties and methods

Input API

Lightweight color painting

Common questions

Ready to paint.

Paint color.
Copy material properties.