Okay, here's my attempt at a blog post, channeling my inner (slightly grumpy but helpful) tech blogger:
cubism for dummies
Alright folks, let's talk Cubism. Not the Picasso kind, the Live2D kind. I’ve been messing around with it for a while now, and lemme tell ya, it's got a learning curve steeper than my grandpa's driveway. But hey, if I can figure it out, so can you. This is my brain-dump on how I tackled it.
First off, I downloaded the damn thing. The official Live2D Cubism Editor. Obvious, right? But seriously, get the latest version. They keep tweaking stuff, and you don't want to be following some outdated tutorial.
Step 1: Get Your Art Ready
You can't just throw any ol' image in there and expect it to wiggle. You need to separate your character into layers. Hair, eyes, mouth, body, clothes – EVERYTHING on its own layer in Photoshop or whatever you use. Think of it like a digital paper doll. The more layers you have, the more control you get. This part sucks. It's tedious and boring. Just grit your teeth and get it done. I spent a solid afternoon just cutting out bits of my character.
Step 2: Import and Mesh
Import your layered PSD file into Cubism. Now comes the fun part (sort of). You gotta create meshes for each layer. These meshes are like invisible grids that Cubism uses to deform the image. The finer the mesh, the smoother the deformation. But be careful, too many points, and your model will be a laggy mess. I usually start with the auto-mesh tool and then manually tweak it. Don't be afraid to experiment. Undo is your best friend here.
- Select a layer.
- Go to "Edit" -> "Create Automatic Mesh".
- Adjust the mesh density until it looks okay-ish.
- Manually add or remove points where needed.
Step 3: Parameters, Parameters, Parameters!
This is where the magic (and the headache) happens. Parameters are the sliders that control your model's movements. Think X axis for left/right head turn, Y axis for up/down head tilt, and Angle Z for head rotation. You need to create these parameters and then link them to your mesh deformations.
Here's the basic process:
- Create a new parameter (e.g., "HeadX").
- Set its minimum, maximum, and default values (-30 to 30 is a good starting point for head turn).
- Select a layer with a mesh (e.g., the face).
- Go to the "Deformer" palette.
- Create a new "Warp Deformer". This is like a container for your deformations.
- Drag the layer into the Warp Deformer.
- With the Warp Deformer selected, click the "Link Parameter" button.
- Choose the parameter you want to link (e.g., "HeadX").
- Now, with the parameter linked, you can manipulate the Warp Deformer to create different expressions or poses. Cubism will automatically interpolate between these poses based on the parameter value.
I spent ages just tweaking these parameters to get the head to turn naturally. Pro-tip: Use the "Mirror Editing" tool. It'll save you a ton of time.
Step 4: Eyes and Mouth – The Soul of the Model
Getting the eyes and mouth right is crucial. These are the most expressive parts of your character. For the eyes, I use a combination of pupil dilation, eyelid movement, and eyeball rotation. For the mouth, I use a separate mesh for the upper and lower lip, and I link them to parameters for "Open Mouth" and "Smile". This is where having well-separated layers REALLY pays off.
Step 5: Physics and Animation
If you want your character to have bouncy hair or flowing clothes, you'll need to mess with the physics settings. This is basically a simplified version of physics simulation. You define the pivot points, the forces, and the dampening, and Cubism does the rest. It's finicky, but it can add a lot of life to your model. As for actual animation, that's a whole other can of worms. Cubism can do basic animation, but for anything complex, you're better off exporting your model to Unity or another game engine.
Final Thoughts
Cubism is a beast to learn, but it's also incredibly powerful. Don't get discouraged if your first model looks like a melted potato. Just keep practicing, keep experimenting, and don't be afraid to watch a million YouTube tutorials. And remember, coffee is your friend. Lots and lots of coffee.
Good luck, and happy wiggling!
