How Live2D Works
Everything you need to know before commissioning a rig ✦
What is Live2D?
Live2D is a 2D animation technology that brings static illustrations to life with smooth, real-time motion — breathing, blinking, head turns, and expression changes — without redrawing frames. It's the standard for VTuber avatars and animated character art.
The Rigging Process
Rigging is the process of breaking an illustration into movable parts (meshes), assigning deformation physics, and binding parameters so the artwork can move naturally. A well-rigged model feels alive and expressive while staying faithful to the original art.
What You Need to Provide
A layered PSD (or .cmo3 source file) with separated parts: hair front/back, eyebrows, eyes, pupils, eyelashes, nose, mouth sets, face shadow, body, and any accessories. Clean, well-organized layers make for a smoother, better rig.
Regular vs. High Quality
Regular rigs cover core movement and expressions for streaming. High Quality rigs add advanced physics, subtle micro-movements, extra expression sets, and polish for a more lifelike, professional feel.
Art Animation
Beyond avatar rigging, Live2D can animate illustrations into short clips — idle loops, music-synced movement, and showcase animations. These use the same rig with keyframed parameter animation.
Turnaround & Delivery
Timelines depend on complexity and queue. You'll get progress updates throughout, and the finished rig is delivered ready to drop into VTube Studio, nizima, or your app of choice.