The Ultimate Unity Coloring & Painting Course from Udemy

Colors play a huge role in games, and more broadly, in real life.

Many games revolve around the painting / coloring mechanic.

Do you want to create a wonderful game where your players can color your creations, or even color the world they are in ?

Then look no further, this Course is for You .

In this course, we will explore 5 different techniques you can use to create a coloring game, in Unity.

Each one of these techniques will see its difficulty level increase.

As the level of difficulty rises for each of these techniques, so too does the vast expansion of possibilities they offer.

We will first Start with the most basic one, which is coloring a sprite. We will manage the player input to detect any image and color it with the color of your choice.

In that section, we will get to learn about 2D Raycasts, the Input class, and our sprites sorting order.

In the Second Section, we will experiment with “Line Renderers”. This is a built-in component that allows you to draw, well, lines…

But we will hack it so that it feels like a paint brush. You will learn how you can apply textures, play with its colored gradient and optimize its performance.

This will be an additional arrow to your quiver.

The Third Technique will allow you to create infinite worlds if you get it right . You will learn how to create procedural meshes, texture them using the uvs, and optimize them.

This is a coloring course, so I’ll show you some nice tricks to use them as a paint brush. But you can totally create 3D objects with this technique, go one step further and create infinite procedural terrains. How amazing is that ?

Additionally, you will learn how to mask or restraint your drawing to a plane using the Stencil Buffer. That’s a technique that I explain in more details in another course, and you get it for free here.

After that, you will learn how to manipulate Textures in the Fourth Section. This is such an amazing power that you will have in your hands. It will allow you to edit each and every pixel to your liking.

Using that technique, we will first color the whole texture, then draw a square, and finally polish the look with a smooth rounded brush.

But that technique has limitations, as you increase the brush size, manipulating textures can be heavy on the processor.

That’s why the Fifth Section will show you how to leverage the GPU to get a much higher frame rate, thus a smoother player experience.

You will learn how to create your own shaders, pass a texture to a shader, let it apply some changes, and get your texture back to apply it to your sprites.

I’ll show you a nice trick to keep the borders of your drawing, even after it’s been colored. You can then decide if you like the look of it or not.

To complete our course, we will add colored pencils to the side of the screen, to allow the player to change the brush color.

We will also add a nice way to select the brush size.

And this will make, for an amazing coloring game.

This course will definitely step up your game dev skills, if you’re ready to Become a Color Master,

Grab it, today.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Learn how to write clean code
Learn about various painting techniques
Learn how to leverage the gpu for performant code

Learn how to edit textures & use render textures to your advantage
Learn how to create a kids coloring game
Learn how to color objects using different brushes

Learn how to write clean code
Learn about various painting techniques
Learn how to leverage the gpu for performant code
Learn how to edit textures & use render textures to your advantage
Learn how to create a kids coloring game
Learn how to color objects using different brushes

Syllabus

Method #1 - Coloring a Whole Sprite

Project Setup

Coloring One Sprite

Dealing with Multiple Sprites

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores five distinct techniques for implementing coloring mechanics in Unity, providing a comprehensive toolkit for game developers

Covers procedural meshes, which allows for the creation of infinite worlds and terrains, expanding the possibilities for game environments

Teaches how to leverage the GPU for improved performance, which is essential for creating smooth and responsive coloring experiences, especially on mobile devices

Includes a section on shader graphs, which allows learners to create custom visual effects and enhance the aesthetic appeal of their coloring games

Requires familiarity with the Unity game engine, which may necessitate prior experience or additional learning for those new to Unity

Focuses on specific techniques within Unity, which may not be directly transferable to other game engines or development environments

Reviews summary

Multiple unity painting techniques explained

According to learners, this course is a comprehensive guide to implementing various positive">painting and coloring mechanics within Unity. Students particularly appreciate the course's exploration of positive">multiple distinct techniques, ranging from basic sprite coloring to leveraging the GPU with positive">custom shaders for performance. Many found the practical approach helpful for building actual game features. While the course is generally well-received and covers positive">advanced topics, some students noted that certain sections, like procedural meshes or masking, can be warning">challenging or require warning">supplementary research. The course structure, which progresses through increasing difficulty, is seen as a neutral">logical progression, though beginners might find the later sections steep. Overall, it's considered a valuable resource for adding complex painting features to Unity games.

Techniques are presented with increasing difficulty.

"The way the course builds up difficulty from simple to complex methods is very effective."

"Starting with sprites and moving to shaders felt like a natural learning path."

"I liked how each technique introduced more complexity and potential applications."

Includes advanced techniques like shaders and GPU optimization.

"The section on using shaders and the GPU was particularly valuable and well-explained."

"Learning how to optimize painting using the GPU was a game-changer for me."

"I appreciated that it went beyond the basics and delved into shaders for better performance."

Helps build actual, usable game features.

"This course gives you the practical skills to build a real coloring game from start to finish."

"It wasn't just theory; I learned how to implement these painting systems into my own projects."

"I could immediately use the techniques shown here to add coloring features to my game prototype."

Covers multiple distinct painting techniques in Unity.

"The course teaches you 5 different ways to do painting in Unity, which is much more than I expected."

"I loved how it covered different methods from simple sprites to more advanced techniques like shaders."

"The variety of approaches taught here is incredible, giving you options depending on your needs."

Some code snippets might need minor updates for newer Unity versions.

"Ran into a few minor issues with code not working directly in the latest Unity version, needed small tweaks."

"Be prepared to troubleshoot slightly as Unity updates can affect some code examples."

"The core concepts are solid, but the implementation details sometimes required adjustments for compatibility."

Certain techniques may be difficult or complex for some.

"Some parts, especially procedural meshes and masking, felt quite advanced and were hard to grasp."

"I had to rewatch some lectures multiple times to understand the more complex techniques fully."

"The shader section was powerful but definitely required focus and possibly prior shader knowledge."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Ultimate Unity Coloring & Painting Course with these activities:

Review Unity's Input System

Show steps

Familiarize yourself with Unity's input system to better understand how player interactions are handled in the course's painting techniques.

Show steps

Read the official Unity documentation on the Input System.
Create a simple project to test basic input actions.
Experiment with different input types (keyboard, mouse, touch).

Review 'Unity in Action, Third Edition'

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of Unity fundamentals, which are essential for mastering the course's painting techniques.

View Unity in Action, Third Edition on Amazon

Show steps

Read chapters related to scripting, rendering, and user input.
Try out the code examples provided in the book.
Relate the concepts to the specific techniques taught in the course.

Practice 2D Raycasting

Show steps

Sharpen your skills in 2D raycasting, a fundamental technique used for detecting image and color interaction in the course.

Show steps

Create a scene with several 2D sprites.
Write a script to cast a ray from the mouse position.
Detect which sprite the ray hits and change its color.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Create a Simple Coloring Tool

Show steps

Build a basic coloring tool using one of the techniques taught in the course to solidify your understanding and gain practical experience.

Show steps

Choose one of the painting techniques from the course.
Implement the chosen technique in a new Unity project.
Add basic features like color selection and brush size adjustment.
Test and refine your coloring tool.

Explore Shader Graph Tutorials

Show steps

Deepen your knowledge of Shader Graph to enhance your ability to create custom shaders for advanced painting effects.

Show steps

Find tutorials on creating custom shaders with Shader Graph.
Follow the tutorials to create shaders for different visual effects.
Adapt the shaders to create unique coloring and painting effects.

Contribute to a Unity Asset

Show steps

Contribute to an open-source Unity asset related to graphics or painting to gain experience and collaborate with other developers.

Show steps

Find an open-source Unity asset related to graphics or painting.
Identify a bug or feature to work on.
Contribute your changes to the asset's repository.
Participate in code reviews and discussions.

Develop a Complete Coloring Game

Show steps

Create a fully functional coloring game using the techniques learned in the course to showcase your skills and build a portfolio piece.

Show steps

Design the gameplay and features of your coloring game.
Implement the painting mechanics using the course's techniques.
Add UI elements for color selection, brush size, and other options.
Test and refine your game to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Publish your game on a platform like Itch.io or the Google Play Store.

Career center

Learners who complete The Ultimate Unity Coloring & Painting Course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Game Developer

A game developer is responsible for designing, coding, testing, and refining video games across various platforms. This course provides a strong foundation for developers looking to integrate coloring and painting mechanics into their games. The exploration of five different techniques for creating coloring games in Unity, from basic sprite coloring to leveraging the GPU for enhanced performance, directly aligns with the skills needed to implement interactive and engaging coloring features. The sections on procedural meshes, texture manipulation, and shader creation are particularly relevant, offering game developers ways to add unique and optimized coloring experiences to their projects. Whether it's creating a simple kids coloring game or a more complex world-painting mechanic, this course helps game developers acquire the tools and knowledge to become a color master.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer

Unity Developer

A Unity developer uses the Unity game engine to create interactive experiences, including games and simulations. This course is designed to elevate the skills of Unity developers who wish to implement coloring and painting features in their projects. The course's detailed exploration of five coloring techniques within Unity, starting from simple sprite coloring and advancing to GPU-accelerated methods, offers Unity developers practical solutions for a range of game types. The emphasis on procedural meshes, texture manipulation, and shader creation provides Unity developers with the tools to create visually appealing and performant coloring mechanics. By learning to manage player input, optimize performance, and create custom brushes, Unity developers can enhance the interactivity and engagement of their games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Unity Developer

Mobile Game Developer

Mobile game developers specialize in creating games for smartphones and tablets. This course is particularly useful for mobile game developers who want to add coloring and painting elements to their games. The course covers techniques optimized for performance, which is crucial for mobile platforms. The section on leveraging the GPU and optimizing textures directly addresses the need for efficient resource management. Mobile game developers working on titles for younger audiences will appreciate the focus on creating a kids coloring game, while the exploration of various brush techniques and color selection tools provides a solid base for designing engaging user experiences. The final section on exporting the application package and testing is invaluable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Game Developer

Indie Game Developer

Indie game developers work independently or in small teams to create and publish their own games. This course provides indie game developers with a comprehensive toolkit for implementing coloring and painting mechanics, which can enhance the interactivity and appeal of their games. The exploration of various techniques, from basic sprite coloring to advanced shader-based methods, allows indie developers to experiment with different styles and effects. The final sections on creating a coloring game and adding features such as brush size adjustment and color selection tools may provide indie developers with the resources to create engaging and unique gaming experiences. The strong focus of this course may be helpful to indie developers who need to wear many hats.

See salaries and explore the career path for Indie Game Developer

Shader Programmer

Shader programmers write code that runs on the GPU to control how objects and effects are rendered in a game or application. This course may assist shader programmers interested in creating custom coloring and painting tools within Unity. The fifth section of the course focuses specifically on leveraging the GPU to achieve higher frame rates and smoother player experiences, which is directly relevant to shader programming. The course teaches how to create custom shaders, pass textures to shaders, and apply changes, enabling shader programmers to develop advanced coloring effects. Additionally, the techniques for maintaining drawing borders after coloring provide a nuanced understanding of shader applications for visual fidelity. A good shader programmer should always be looking to expand their knowledge of graphical tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Shader Programmer

Technical Artist

Technical artists bridge the gap between art and programming in game development, optimizing art assets and creating tools to improve workflows. This course helps technical artists who want to specialize in implementing interactive coloring and painting systems. The course's exploration of various techniques, from basic sprite coloring to advanced shader-based painting, provides technical artists with solutions for optimizing and integrating coloring mechanics. The sections on procedural meshes, texture manipulation, and performance optimization are particularly relevant, offering technical artists the knowledge to balance visual quality with performance efficiency. The focus on brush customization and color selection tools enables technical artists to create intuitive and artist-friendly coloring workflows.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Artist

Educational Game Designer

Educational game designers create games that are designed to teach specific skills or concepts. This course may provide educational game designers with the ability to add engaging and educational coloring activities to their games. The course specifically addresses how to create a kids coloring game, providing a solid foundation for designing educational content. By exploring various techniques, such as sprite coloring, line renderers, and texture manipulation, educational game designers can develop interactive experiences that promote creativity and learning. The focus on brush customization and color selection tools enables designers to create intuitive and engaging educational tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Educational Game Designer

2D Artist

A 2D artist creates visual assets for games, including characters, environments, and user interface elements. This course may offer 2D artists expanded technical knowledge of how to implement coloring mechanics in their projects. The course begins with the basics of coloring sprites and progresses to more complex techniques, such as procedural meshes and texture manipulation, equipping 2D artists with a broad understanding of interactive coloring. The skills to create custom brushes, manage player input, and optimize performance empowers 2D artists to bring their creations to life with dynamic coloring features. If there's a need to expand their skillset beyond static sprites, this course could be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for 2D Artist

UI Designer

UI designers create user interfaces for games and applications, focusing on usability and visual appeal. This course may be useful for a UI designer interested in incorporating coloring and painting features into their projects. The course demonstrates how to implement color selection tools, brush size adjustments, and undo functionality, all of which are essential for creating an intuitive coloring interface. The section on creating colored pencils and integrating them into a scroll view can assist UI designers develop visually engaging and user-friendly coloring experiences. Additionally, the optimization techniques covered in the course enables UI designers to ensure smooth performance, even with complex coloring interactions.

See salaries and explore the career path for UI Designer

Multimedia Programmer

Multimedia programmers develop software for interactive multimedia applications, including games, simulations, and educational tools. This course may be useful for multimedia programmers who want to integrate interactive coloring and painting features into their projects. The exploration of techniques such as procedural meshes, texture manipulation, and shader creation provides a solid foundation for creating engaging and dynamic multimedia experiences. The course teaches how to manage player input, optimize performance, and create custom brushes, which are essential for developing interactive coloring applications. By leveraging the GPU for enhanced performance and creating custom shaders, multimedia programmers can add unique and optimized coloring experiences to their projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Multimedia Programmer

Simulation Developer

Simulation developers create software for simulating real-world systems and processes, often used for training, research, and entertainment. This course may assist simulation developers who want to add interactive coloring and painting elements to their simulations. The course explores various techniques, from basic sprite coloring to GPU-accelerated methods, providing simulation developers with solutions for a range of simulation types. The emphasis on procedural meshes and texture manipulation allows simulation developers to create dynamic and customizable environments. By learning to manage player input, optimize performance, and create custom brushes, simulation developers can enhance the interactivity and engagement of their simulations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Simulation Developer

Content Creator

Content creators produce various types of digital content, such as videos, tutorials, and blog posts, often focused on gaming or creative software. This course may assist content creators who specialize in Unity or game development by providing them with in-depth knowledge of coloring and painting techniques that they can share with their audience. The course demonstrates how to create various coloring mechanics, from simple sprite coloring to advanced shader-based effects, offering content creators a range of topics to explore in their tutorials and videos. The final sections on creating a coloring game and adding features such as brush size adjustment and color selection may provide content creators with practical examples to showcase in their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Creator

Software Engineer

Software engineers design, develop, and test software systems. This course may be useful for software engineers who are interested in the specific techniques and algorithms involved in creating interactive coloring and painting applications. It provides practical experience with real-time graphics manipulation and optimization, which can be beneficial for software engineers working on projects involving image processing or interactive design. The course offers software engineers a hands-on approach to learning about procedural content generation, shader programming, and GPU utilization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Digital Artist

Digital artists create artwork using digital tools and software. This course may be useful for digital artists who want to expand their skill set by learning how to create interactive digital coloring books or other digital painting applications. The course provides a thorough foundation in various coloring techniques, starting with basic sprite coloring and advancing to more complex methods such as procedural meshes and texture manipulation. Digital artists may enhance their ability to create dynamic and interactive digital art experiences by learning how to create custom brushes, manage player input, and optimize performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Artist

Creative Technologist

Creative technologists combine technical skills with artistic vision to create innovative and engaging experiences. This course may serve as a stepping stone for creative technologists who are seeking to integrate interactive coloring and painting features into their projects. The course's exploration of techniques such as GPU-accelerated methods, procedural meshes, and texture manipulation may empower technologists to create dynamic and interactive installations or digital art pieces. The knowledge of brush customization, color selection tools, and performance optimization may enable creative technologists to develop immersive and visually appealing experiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Technologist

The Ultimate Unity Coloring & Painting Course

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Multiple unity painting techniques explained

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses