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2D Mesh deformation

This tutorial introduces the main features of 2D Mesh deformation in PixelOver through simple, practical examples.

Step 1 - Import an image (or create a shape)

To follow this tutorial, you will need either:

  • an image
  • an animated image

For this example, you can use an animated character by Clembod available here.

You can import files into PixelOver by:

  • dragging and dropping them into the main window, or
  • using File > Open to select files from a dialog.

Import animated image

You can also create a Shape in a new project to preview mesh deformation on simple geometry:

Create shape

Once you have an object in the scene, you are ready to generate a mesh.

Mesh generation

Select your object by clicking it in the main view or selecting it from the scene tree.

Once selected, the Deform tool becomes available. Click it to start mesh deformation.

If no mesh exists yet, PixelOver will prompt you to generate one. Two generation modes are available:

  • Shape generation: attempts to follow the image silhouette and edges
  • Rectangle generation: creates a simple subdivided rectangle

Generate mesh

If you generate a mesh for a Shape, the dialog will be slightly different, since it follows the shape parameters (rounded corners, etc.).

Generate mesh for shape

You can adjust the generation settings until you get a good result.
If the mesh needs refinement, the next section explains how to edit it manually.

Editing mesh points

When a mesh is generated for the first time, PixelOver automatically enters Deform mode.

To edit the mesh structure again, open the subtool dropdown and switch to Edit mode.

In Edit mode, you can:

  • click and drag points to reposition them
  • click an edge to insert a new point
  • click inside a polygon to generate internal points
    (internal points are not available for Shapes, since there is no texture to deform)

A right-click contextual menu is also available to:

  • merge selected points (when multiple consecutive points are selected)
  • delete selected points

Edit mesh

If you want to restart from scratch, click New to reopen the mesh generation dialog.

Once the mesh structure is ready, you can start deforming it.

Mesh deformation

Switch to Deform mode using the subtool dropdown.

In Deform mode, you can grab points (or edges) and move them to deform the mesh.

Deform mesh

You can reset deformation in two ways:

  • click Reset to reset the entire mesh deformation
  • right-click to reset only the selected points

If you want to animate the deformation over time, you can add keyframes directly to mesh points.

Point keyframe animation

To animate a mesh point-by-point:

  1. Switch to Pose mode
    (more information: Animation)
  2. Stay in Deform mode
  3. Click the Key button to create a new animation and add a keyframe at the current timeline position
  4. Move the timeline cursor
  5. Deform the mesh again to create the next keyframe

Deform mesh add key

By default, keyframes are automatically created or updated while deforming when Key recording is enabled.
You can disable this behavior by toggling off the Rec button in the Animation panel.

The Key button for deformation points is also available from the object properties panel.

Animating point-by-point is powerful, but for character animation it is often faster and cleaner to use bones.

Bone attachment

To deform a mesh using bones, you must create bones first.

Select the Bone tool, then create a bone in the scene.

Warning

In the current version of PixelOver, bones should be created as children of the mesh object in the scene tree.

Select the bone again to create a child bone and build a simple hierarchy.
You can check the result in the scene tree panel.

Create bones

Rest and Pose mode (important)

Info

When attaching bones in the Deformation tool, bones are displayed in their rest state, not their current pose.

Bones attached to a mesh should be set up in Rest mode.
Transforming bones in Rest mode updates their default state and does not deform the mesh.

more information about rest/pose: Animation

Attaching bones to the mesh

Now that bones are ready:

  1. Select your mesh object again
  2. Select the Deformation tool
  3. Switch the subtool dropdown to Bone mode

To attach bones, you can:

  • click bones directly in the view, or
  • click the List button to open a tree view of attached bones

Bones can be attached immediately, but they will not deform the mesh until weights are assigned.

To quickly generate weights, use the Auto weight button next to the list button.

Attach bones and auto weight

Editing weights manually

Auto weights are a great starting point, but they are not always perfect.
You can refine the result manually:

  1. Select a bone
  2. Slide up/down over mesh points to increase or decrease the weight influence

To edit precise values, click a point to open a dialog showing each bone weight.

Bones manual weight

A right-click contextual menu is also available to:

  • auto-assign weights for the selected bone only
  • detach a bone from the mesh

At this point, your mesh is fully rigged and ready for animation.

To go further

You now know the full mesh deformation workflow:

  • generate a mesh
  • edit points
  • deform manually
  • animate deformation with keyframes
  • attach bones and paint weights for rigged animation

You can find additional mesh deformation examples in the PixelOver download files (also included in the demo):
https://deakcor.itch.io/pixelover#purchase