> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hopemoore.gitbook.io/unity-basics/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hopemoore.gitbook.io/unity-basics/materials/materials-basics.md).

# Material Basics

## Overview

This section will cover the basics of materials to get you started. Please check out [Unity's documentation](https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/Shaders.html) for more information.

Materials are assets that are applied to visible game objects that determine the object's texture, color, and other attributes programmed within its *shader*. Shaders will not be covered in this guide, but they can be coded using HLSL and tools like Shader Graph, available in some Unity project types.

## Default Material

When you create a primitive object (sphere, cube, etc.), it will have a default material.

![How the Material component appears in the Inspector when the object is selected.](https://3795241431-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-M8XSUYVSlHMdPUNud-2%2F-M9UmhIc2ODbSHlKEhQ8%2F-M9UtyVgvRHrwzCOdPti%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=f221e6b5-74d1-4b7f-92c5-ee2212b5fd95)

If you click the triangle on the left to twirl down the properties, you'll notice they're grayed out.

![](https://3795241431-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-M8XSUYVSlHMdPUNud-2%2F-M9UmhIc2ODbSHlKEhQ8%2F-M9UuPWWFszo5I1Q94un%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=5bc592d2-2220-4a0f-bdca-61ef3e39abdf)

Depending on your lighting, this default material will appear similar to this:

![](https://3795241431-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-M8XSUYVSlHMdPUNud-2%2F-M9UmhIc2ODbSHlKEhQ8%2F-M9UwB3ySvpdruzYoW9c%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=f71d3123-88b2-4948-8d8c-6fa95ebc4f21)

In the next section, we'll look at using the Unity editor to create and add materials to game objects.

{% content-ref url="/pages/-M8ZM331O\_DRIbY485ry" %}
[Creating and Applying Materials](/unity-basics/materials/materials-basics/creating-materials.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}