Shade surfaces with color

Use the Diagnostic Shading tools in the Modeling or Default Control Panel to assess the quality of surfaces.

Where do I find the Diagnostic Shading panel?

Do one of the following:

Use Windows > Control Panel to open the control panel, if it is not visible. Choose Default or Modeling from the menu at the top. You will find the diagnostic Shading section near the bottom, just above Cross Section Control.
To show the Diagnostic Shading options in a floating window, choose ObjectDisplay > Diagnostic Shading .

Shade the picked surfaces with color

Shade the picked surfaces with random colors

Click the button in the Diagnostic Shading panel.
This allows you to see the layout of adjacent surfaces more clearly.

Unshade the picked surfaces

Adjust the options of a shading mode

Click the small triangle at the bottom of the Diagnostic Shading panel.

TipWhen surfaces are partially transparent you can pick geometry “through” them. Open the options section of the Diagnostic Shading panel and turn up the Transparency setting.

Set the shaded color

Pick the surface or surfaces.
Click the small triangle at the bottom of the Diagnostic Shading panel to show the options.
Click the color swatch to show to color editor.

How does setting the color in Multi Color mode affect objects?

If you have picked objects, you will set the color of those objects. This only sets the color shown in this shading mode. It does not affect the rendered appearance (shader) of the objects.
If nothing is picked, you will set the color of all objects, even objects you have assigned custom colors to already. If you accidentally reset your colors, use Undo.