Use the Surface Painter as an easy way to override the surfaces of your project elements.
For a step-by-step workflow, see Override Surfaces With Surface Painter.
Open Surface Painter
Open the Surface Painter palette from one of the following locations:
•Window > Palettes > Surface Painter
•Document > Creative Imaging > Surface Painter
•the Surface Painter command of the 3D Visualization toolbar
Note: Before using the Surface Painter feature, make sure you are not working in “legacy” intersection mode. (Uncheck this option at Options > Project Preferences > Legacy.)
Content Panel of Surface Painter
By default, the Content Panel of Surface Painter (at left in the image below) lists all the surface attributes of the current project.
See also Search for Surface (Surface Painter).
Double-click any surface to open its Surfaces dialog box.
Content Panel Lists All Surfaces of Current Project
Selection Panel of Surface Painter
When any element is selected in the project, all surfaces of all selected elements are displayed in the Selection Panel of Surface Painter (at right, in the image below).
The number of selected elements and the total number of their overridable surfaces is also shown.
Double-click any surface to open its Surfaces dialog box.
Selection Panel Lists All Surfaces of All Selected Elements
You may not be able to override a particular selected surface: for example, if the element or its layer is locked. In this case, a yellow info warning appears.
Open/Close Selection Panel
Double-click the splitter bar between the two panels to open/close the selection panel (or click the black arrow at the top of the splitter bar).
Customize the Surface Painter Palette
Use the options in the pop-up to customize the display of the Surface Painter:
•Display surface previews for either Cineware or Hardware acceleration engine
•Choose preferred size of surface icons
•Choose how to arrange the two panels: horizontal or vertical