Making the mouth close

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Live2D Mouth Rigging Guide: Open-to-Closed Method

Target Software: Live2D Cubism 5.2
Prerequisite: The PSD is imported, and the mouth is drawn in the Open state.

Step 1: Create the Meshes

  1. In the Parts Palette, select all mouth-related layers (Upper Lip, Lower Lip, Inner Mouth, Tongue, Teeth).
  2. Click the Auto Mesh Generator icon in the top toolbar (looks like a polygon with dots).
  3. Choose the Standard or Heavy preset (Heavy is smoother for mouths).
  4. Click OK.

Step 2: Create the Container (Warp Deformer)

  1. Keep those same Art Meshes selected.
  2. Click the Create Warp Deformer icon in the top toolbar (looks like a grid).
  3. Name: Mouth_Warp (or similar).
  4. Bezier Division: Set to 2 x 3 (2 horizontal, 3 vertical). This is the standard grid for simple mouth movement.
  5. Click Create. You will see a green grid appear around the mouth.

Step 3: Assign the Parameter

  1. Make sure the Mouth_Warp deformer is selected.
  2. Go to the Parameters Palette and find Mouth Open (ParamMouthOpen).
  3. Click the Add 2 Keyforms button (icon with two green dots).
  4. This places a green dot at 0.0 (Closed) and 1.0 (Open).

Step 4: The "Reverse" Rigging

Since the art is drawn open, we don't touch the 1.0 state. We only rig the 0.0 state.

  1. Drag the parameter slider to 1.0. Confirm the mouth looks correct (fully open). Do not touch the mesh here.
  2. Drag the parameter slider to 0.0.
  3. With the Mouth_Warp selected, hold Shift and drag the bottom-center green handle upward until the bottom lip touches the middle.
  4. Hold Shift and drag the top-center green handle downward until the top lip touches the middle.
    • Note: Holding Shift ensures the lips move straight up/down without drifting left/right.
  5. Adjust the surrounding handles to squash the mouth into a flat line or gentle curve.
  6. Crucial: Ensure the Inner Mouth and Teeth meshes are squashed or hidden inside the lips so they don't poke out.

Step 5: Test and Refine

  1. Deselect the deformer (click empty space).
  2. Drag the Mouth Open slider back and forth between 0.0 and 1.0.
  3. If the movement looks good, you are done!
  4. (Optional) If the transition looks stiff in the middle, go to 0.5, add a keyframe there, and widen the deformer slightly to make the mouth shape more natural (like an "O" shape).

---buster.zip

Example

Zip file with everything