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Bring Your Models to Life with Rigging in UModeler X

· 5 min read

UModeler X Rigging Workflow and Usage Guide​

Hello! Today I’ll walk you through how to bring your 3D models to life using the rigging features of UModeler X. Rigging may look complicated at first, but with UModeler X it becomes much easier and more intuitive. 😊

For any modeled object to move in-game, the rigging process is essential. UModeler X’s rigging mode lets you handle everything in one place — from bone creation to skinning and weight adjustment. In this guide, we’ll go over the core steps and walk through a flower model example to see the process in action.

📌 Rigging Workflow​

  1. Prepare a UModeler X object with completed modeling and UV unwrapping
  2. Enter Rigging Mode and run Start Rigging
  3. Create bones (using Build / Edit Bones)
  4. Perform skinning (with Auto Weight, Weight Brush, etc.)
  5. Test the result by moving bones and applying animations

1. Preparing Modeling and UV Unwrap​

Before starting rigging, make sure modeling and UV unwrapping are completed.

  • Modeling: Finish the 3D shape of the character or object
  • UV Unwrap: Flatten the 3D surface into 2D so textures are mapped correctly

💡 TIP: Double-check the model’s structure before rigging. After rigging, mesh modifications can be difficult!

2. Entering Rigging Mode​

Now let’s start rigging. Select the model and switch to Rigging Mode in UModeler X.

Running Start Rigging​

Before starting:

  • Ensure the pivot is located at the bottom center of the model
  • Set the model’s position to (0,0,0) for smoother workflow

When ready, click Start Rigging to move on to bone creation

🌸 Flower Model TIP: For a simple flower model, you don’t need a separate root bone — just running Start Rigging is enough. For non-complex objects, the default setup works great!

3. Creating Bones​

Bones act as the skeleton that drives your model’s movement. UModeler X provides several ways to create them.

Bone Creation Tools​

  • Build Bones: Create bones directly on the mesh and set up quick connections

  • Edit Bones: Edit existing bones or add new ones

🌸 Flower Model Bone Setup

1.Use Edit Bones → Add to create bones from the bottom of the stem upward

  • Divide the stem into 3–5 segments for smoother bending
  • Place each bone along the stem in sequence
  1. Assign clear names for easier management

  • Use BoneName → Rename to give descriptive names

  • Example: “Stem_1”, “Stem_2”, “Petal_Left”, “Petal_Right”

💡 TIP: In the Scene View, adjust bone color and vertex size from the UModeler UI. Pick a size that’s comfortable for editing!

4. Performing Skinning​

Skinning connects bones to mesh vertices. Each vertex is influenced by bones through weight values.

Weight Editing Tools​

  • Weight / Weight Brush: Fine-tune weights manually
  • Auto Weight: Quickly assign weights automatically
  • Weight Transfer: Copy weights from another mesh for consistency
  • Mirror: Mirror weights on symmetrical models to save time
  • Envelope: Visualize bone influence for intuitive editing

🌸 Flower Model Skinning Steps​

  1. Apply Auto Weight
  • After adding bones, run Auto Weight → Apply Auto Weight. UModeler X analyzes the mesh and assigns initial weights automatically. A great starting point! ✨
  1. Check and Fix Errors
  • Rotate the stem bones to see if unrelated parts (like the flowerpot) move. If the pot moves, set those vertices’ weight to 0 so it stays fixed.
  1. Manually Adjust Petal Weights
  • When rotating petal bones, the flower head should move naturally while petals stay controlled. Adjust weights to ‘1’ or ‘0’ for precision. This step is key to making the flower feel alive.
  1. Smooth with Weight Brush
  • Use the Weight Brush to soften transitions between bone influences. Natural blending prevents harsh deformations, making animations more fluid and realistic.

5. Checking the Results​

Once skinning is complete, test your rig:

  • Bend the stem and check if the mesh stretches or breaks unnaturally
  • Animate petals to see if they open/close smoothly or sway like in the wind

If the results aren’t as expected, tweak bone placement or weights until you get natural movement. With a few iterations, you’ll achieve a polished rig! 😊

Wrapping Up​

With UModeler X’s Rigging Mode, you can handle everything from modeling to rigging in one seamless workflow. Convenient and powerful! ☺️

As we saw with the flower model, even simple objects can become dynamic and expressive with proper bones and carefully adjusted weights. Just imagine your models moving naturally in a game — exciting, right? With UModeler X, any model can come to life.

I hope this guide helps you in your 3D creation journey! 🌸

UModeler X – Your 3D Assistant in Unity.

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🎥 UModeler X Rigging Tutorial – Full Version​

Now that you’ve learned the steps in writing, how about reviewing them all at once with a video?

▶️ Click the video below to follow along with the complete process from bone creation to skinning in just 5 minutes.

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