diff --git a/src/Config.ts b/src/Config.ts
index 93d1513..6f48bab 100644
--- a/src/Config.ts
+++ b/src/Config.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const defaults = {
     antSpeed: 1,
     antRotationAngle: Math.PI / 30,
     brushRadius: 20,
+    brushMaterial: -1,
     cameraZoom: 0,
     gravityDirection: "down" as const,
     viewMode: "side" as "side" | "top",
diff --git a/src/GUI.ts b/src/GUI.ts
index 7a81359..7ae8f31 100644
--- a/src/GUI.ts
+++ b/src/GUI.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 import GUI from "lil-gui";
 import Config, { resetConfig, saveConfig } from "./Config";
+import {
+    MAT_AIR,
+    MAT_DIRT,
+    MAT_FOOD,
+    MAT_HOME,
+    MAT_ROCK,
+    MAT_SAND,
+} from "./constants";
 
 type EventHandler = () => void;
 
@@ -40,10 +48,6 @@ class GUIController {
 
         const controlsFolder = this.gui.addFolder("Controls");
 
-        controlsFolder
-            .add(Config, "brushRadius", 1, 100)
-            .name("Brush radius")
-            .onChange(() => saveConfig());
         controlsFolder
             .add(Config, "cameraZoom")
             .name("Zoom")
@@ -56,6 +60,43 @@ class GUIController {
             .listen()
             .onChange(() => this.saveAndEmit("reset"));
 
+        // brush material labels map to material IDs
+        const brushLabels: Record<string, number> = {
+            "none  (–)": -1,
+            "air   (R)": MAT_AIR,
+            "sand  (1)": MAT_SAND,
+            "dirt  (2)": MAT_DIRT,
+            "rock  (E)": MAT_ROCK,
+            "food  (W)": MAT_FOOD,
+            "home  (Q)": MAT_HOME,
+        };
+
+        // proxy object for lil-gui string dropdown — initialize from saved config
+        const savedBrushLabel =
+            Object.entries(brushLabels).find(
+                ([, id]) => id === Config.brushMaterial,
+            )?.[0] ?? "none  (–)";
+        const brushProxy = {
+            material: savedBrushLabel,
+        };
+
+        const brushFolder = this.gui.addFolder("Brush");
+
+        brushFolder
+            .add(brushProxy, "material", Object.keys(brushLabels))
+            .name("Material")
+            .onChange((label: string) => {
+                Config.brushMaterial = brushLabels[label] ?? -1;
+                saveConfig();
+            });
+
+        brushFolder
+            .add(Config, "brushRadius", 1, 100)
+            .name("Radius")
+            .onChange(() => saveConfig());
+
+        brushFolder.open();
+
         simFolder.open();
         controlsFolder.open();
 
diff --git a/src/Renderer.ts b/src/Renderer.ts
index 54dbce2..d1b0d54 100644
--- a/src/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/Renderer.ts
@@ -248,7 +248,8 @@ export default class Renderer {
             this.resources.worldRenderTarget.texture;
         scenes.draw.material.uniforms.pointerPosition.value =
             scenes.screen.pointerPosition;
-        scenes.draw.material.uniforms.drawMode.value = scenes.screen.drawMode;
+        scenes.draw.material.uniforms.drawMode.value =
+            scenes.screen.effectiveDrawMode;
         scenes.draw.material.uniforms.brushRadius.value = Config.brushRadius;
         this.renderer.render(scenes.draw, scenes.draw.camera);
         this.renderer.copyFramebufferToTexture(
diff --git a/src/scenes/ScreenScene.ts b/src/scenes/ScreenScene.ts
index d2dc4b4..4254cdb 100644
--- a/src/scenes/ScreenScene.ts
+++ b/src/scenes/ScreenScene.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ export default class ScreenScene extends AbstractScene {
     public drawMode: number = -1;
     // zoom stored in Config.cameraZoom
     private isPointerDown: boolean = false;
+
+    // resolves active draw mode: key-held takes priority, then GUI brush selection
+    public get effectiveDrawMode(): number {
+        if (this.drawMode >= 0) return this.drawMode;
+        if (this.isPointerDown && Config.brushMaterial >= 0)
+            return Config.brushMaterial;
+        return -1;
+    }
     public renderWidth: number = 1;
     public renderHeight: number = 1;