# Create New or Adjust Materials

**URL:** <https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159>\
**Category:** SketchUp\
**Created:** [December 18, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159 "2025-12-18T20:19:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ntxdave](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/ntxdave/32/12096_2.png) [@ntxdave](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ntxdave)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/1 "2025-12-18T20:19:21Z")

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I know you can create your own materials and if you use an existing material in a model you can edit it. However: If you use an existing material and then use the Edit function to adjust the material (like adjust the color, change the size, or say, rotate it), is there a way to save the edited version as a new material so you can use it in another model? Another thing I would like to be able to do is use the Position function to adjust the material and then save it as a new material. There are some times when I would like to have more than one version of a material (like a horizontal and vertical oriented version of the material).

I have been able to find external images that have the type of format that I want to use as a material in my model. It is fairly easy to use that image to create a new material that you can then save to use as a material in your model/models. However, making some adjustments (like I pointed on in the previous paragraph) can be very difficult, if possible at all.

Can someone give me some advice or recommendations of some other software to accomplish this or am I being kind nuts :😀:)?

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**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/2 "2025-12-18T20:22:22Z")

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> [@ntxdave](#):
>
> is there a way to save the edited version as a new material so you can use it in another model?

Easiest way is to open the secondary pane of the Materials panel, set the top one to In Model and set the bottom one to where you want to save the material. Then drag and drop the thumbnail from In Model to the other location.

If you want to create a new collection of materials from images you’ve imported, you can also click on the Details menu and choose Save Collection as… and make a new folder.

Maybe [this](https://flic.kr/p/2rpC77h) will help.

Are you still using SketchUp 2020 on Windows 10?

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**Author:** ![ntxdave](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/ntxdave/32/12096_2.png) [@ntxdave](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ntxdave)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/3 "2025-12-18T21:51:48Z")

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Need to update my profile. I am actually using 2026.

Call me stupid, how do I open a secondary page in the Materials panel. I have been just modifying/creating a new material and then saving it to a folder I added to the Materials folder.

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**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/4 "2025-12-18T22:04:48Z")

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Did you look at the video link I provided? It shows how to open the secondary pane.

 ![Screenshot - 12_18_2025 , 4_14_17 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/a/5/a5e2e8ee958f734957f322ece58603077ca235af.png)

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**Author:** ![ntxdave](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/ntxdave/32/12096_2.png) [@ntxdave](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ntxdave)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/5 "2025-12-18T22:20:34Z")

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Sorry, I missed the video. I did just now go back and watch it. Thanks for sharing. After using SketchUp for several years, I was not aware of this option. It (along with some other stuff I have learned today) be great in going forward.

In the past I have not created my own materials. I am learning that this can be a GREAT tool going forward.

BTW: In the SketchUp forum, how do you quote a post?

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**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/6 "2025-12-18T22:23:46Z")

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> [@ntxdave](#):
>
> I am learning that this can be a GREAT tool going forward.

Yes it can expand things quite a lot. And keeping them for future use can save you a lot of work. FWIW, you can save components and styles the same way.

> [@ntxdave](#):
>
> BTW: In the SketchUp forum, how do you quote a post?

Highlight the text you want to quote and click on “Quote”.

 ![Screenshot - 12_18_2025 , 4_23_07 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/d/3/d3cf9b0894a851a94d089ad60a404bb9eafce27a.png)

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**Author:** ![ntxdave](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/ntxdave/32/12096_2.png) [@ntxdave](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ntxdave)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 1:59am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/7 "2025-12-19T01:59:15Z")

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> [@DaveR](#):
>
> Highlight the text you want to quote and click on “Quote”.

Again, Thanks @DaveR

Just for kicks, here is an animation I created using the things I have learned in this process (which is a **LOT** IMO.

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**Author:** ![franciscofiallosb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/franciscofiallosb/32/191263_2.png) [@franciscofiallosb](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/franciscofiallosb)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 5:05am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/8 "2025-12-19T05:05:36Z")

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Jesus ❤

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ntxdave](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/ntxdave/32/12096_2.png) [@ntxdave](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ntxdave)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 5:02pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/9 "2025-12-19T17:02:59Z")

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> [@franciscofiallosb](#):
>
> Jesus ❤

Thank you sir. 👍

Has this thread been marked at Solved? If so, is there a way to keep it open for a while?

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**Author:** ![tweenulzeven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9dc877/32.png) [@tweenulzeven](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/tweenulzeven)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 6:18pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/create-new-or-adjust-materials/343159/10 "2025-12-19T18:18:55Z")

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> [@ntxdave](#):
>
> Has this thread been marked at Solved?

No, it isn’t. In fact, you haven’t as the topic starter is the only one who can mark as solved..  
Why would you want to keep it open?  
You can always bookmark the page if you need to go back..
