Learn to Create Custom VRChat Avatars in 2020!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Getting Started
   1. Installing Blender
   2. Installing the CATS Plugin
3. Finding a Base Model
   1. Searching on DeviantArt or Booth
   2. Downloading the Base Model
4. Importing and Editing the Base Model in Blender
   1. Importing the PMX Model
   2. Adding Hair and Clothes
   3. Fixing Clipping and Adjusting the Clothes
5. Editing the Hair and Clothes in Blender
   1. Using the Grab and Draw Tools
   2. Fixing Clipping and Adjusting the Textures
6. Merging the Clothes with the Body and Testing
   1. Merging the Clothes and Body
   2. Checking for Clipping and Testing the Rigging
7. Adding Shoes to the Model
   1. Importing the Shoe Model
   2. Editing and Sculpting the Shoes
   3. Merging the Shoes with the Body and Testing
8. Exporting the Model from Blender
   1. Setting Up Eye Tracking and Visemes
   2. Optimizing the Model (Optional)
   3. Exporting the Model as FBX
9. Conclusion

How to Create Your Own VR Chat Avatar in Blender

Are You interested in creating your own VR Chat Avatar? Look no further! In this tutorial, I will guide you step by step on how to make your very own VR Chat avatar using Blender. Whether you're a beginner or have some experience with 3D modeling, this tutorial will help you Create a unique and personalized avatar. We'll cover everything from finding a base model to editing hair and clothes, merging different components, and exporting the final model. So, let's get started!

1. Introduction

VR Chat is a popular online virtual reality platform where users can Interact with each other in virtual worlds. One of the key features of VR Chat is the ability to customize and create your own avatar. This allows you to express yourself and stand out in the virtual world. In this tutorial, we will focus specifically on creating avatars using Blender, a free and open-source 3D modeling software.

2. Getting Started

Before we dive into creating our avatar, we need to ensure that we have the necessary tools installed. The two main tools we will be using are Blender and the CATS plugin. Blender is the software we will use to create and edit our avatar, while the CATS plugin provides additional functionality specifically for VR Chat avatars.

2.1 Installing Blender

To get started, you'll need to download and install Blender. The latest version of Blender at the time of writing is 2.9, but for this tutorial, we recommend using an older version that is compatible with the CATS plugin. You can download Blender for free from the official Website or find an older version on the download page.

2.2 Installing the CATS Plugin

Once you have Blender installed, we need to install the CATS plugin. The CATS plugin is a powerful tool that allows us to rig our avatar, add facial expressions, and customize various aspects of the model. To install the CATS plugin, open Blender, go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons, and click "Install". Locate the CATS plugin file (cat-splinermaster.zip) that you downloaded from GitHub and install it. Make sure to enable the CATS plugin by searching for it and checking the box. You should see the CATS plugin panel on the right side of the Blender interface.

3. Finding a Base Model

Before we start creating our avatar, we need a base model to work with. A base model is a pre-made 3D model that we can use as a starting point and customize to our liking. There are several places where you can find base models, but two popular choices are DeviantArt and Booth.

3.1 Searching on DeviantArt or Booth

To find a base model, go to DeviantArt or Booth and search for keywords like "TDA base" or "MMD base". TDA refers to a popular style of base models, but feel free to explore other options as well. Browse through the search results and look for a base model that you like. Make sure the base model doesn't have any clothing or accessories, as we will be adding those later in Blender.

3.2 Downloading the Base Model

Once you've found a base model, click on the download link provided by the artist. Make sure to Read any rules or restrictions set by the artist, such as not sharing or profiting from the model. Once you've downloaded the base model, make a note of the location where you saved it, as we will import it into Blender in the next step.

4. Importing and Editing the Base Model in Blender

Now that we have our base model, we can start importing it into Blender and making the necessary edits. In this section, we'll cover the process of importing the PMX model, adding hair and clothes, and fixing any clipping issues.

4.1 Importing the PMX Model

Open Blender and create a new general project. To import the base model, go to File > Import > PMX Model and locate the PMX file that you downloaded. Once imported, you should see the base model in the Blender viewport. By default, the base model may not have any hair or clothes.

4.2 Adding Hair and Clothes

To add hair and clothes to our avatar, we need to search for compatible models and import them into Blender. You can find a wide variety of hair and clothing models on sites like DeviantArt and Booth. Download the hair and clothing models you want to use and import them using the same process as before.

Once you've imported the hair and clothing models, you may need to make some adjustments to ensure they fit properly on the base model. In edit mode, you can move, rotate, and Scale the individual components of the hair and clothing to Align them with the base model. Additionally, you can use the armature and bone properties to connect the bones of the hair and clothing with the head bone of the base model.