Mesh Avatar Studio CLI
A coding agent turns one illustration into an animated 2D avatar that blinks and talks, and you fine-tune it in a local editor
- 1,874 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- Codex runs with `--approve-for-me`, so its requests to run tools outside its sandbox are reviewed automatically without your decision
- The illustration and masks go to OpenAI when drawing eye and mouth variants
- The Live page gets access to the browser's camera and microphone
Install
- Works in
Manual install
npx create-mesh-avatar-studioDownloads the repository, installs packages and checks the tools. Then `cd mesh-avatar-studio` and `npm run dev`. Needs Node.js 22.17+ and Git.
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- Codex runs with `--approve-for-me`, so its requests to run tools outside its sandbox are reviewed automatically without your decision
- The illustration and masks go to OpenAI when drawing eye and mouth variants
- The Live page gets access to the browser's camera and microphone
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Mesh Avatar Studio turns one illustration into a 2D avatar on a deformation mesh: it blinks, talks, turns its head, breathes and sways its hair. The work has four steps. A coding agent (Claude Code or Codex) does steps one and four in the repository folder, following `docs/agent-guide.md`: it places the rig on zoomed grids, cuts the image into layers and reviews the avatar in fixed poses. You do steps two and three in the editor: open the project and drag points on the image while the preview updates at once. You can try the bundled sample with `npx create-mesh-avatar-studio` and then `npm run dev`. With the Codex CLI installed, one command, `npm run create -- /path/to/your-image.png`, creates the project without questions and opens the editor. Codex also draws closed eyes, mouth shapes and expressions through OpenAI image generation; Claude Code cannot do that and prepares masks and prompts for another model. A finished avatar exports as a single `.mavatar` file, with or without the source image. The Live page drives the avatar from your camera and microphone, and an OBS Browser Source URL gives a transparent background for streaming. A browser Player also works with nothing to install.
Who it is for. For streamers, creators and developers who want an animated avatar from their own illustration without hand-building a mesh in dedicated software.
Good fit when
- You have character art and want an avatar that blinks and talks to your voice for an OBS stream
- You want to see quickly how a drawing comes alive: the bundled Miko sample starts in a couple of commands
- You need to hand an avatar to a colleague as one `.mavatar` file with the source for further editing
- The agent should lay out the layers and you only fix the points that sit wrong
- You want an avatar in a Zoom or Meet call through the OBS Virtual Camera
Not a fit when
- You want a 3D model or a full body skeleton: the project builds a 2D mesh and body tracking is marked experimental
- The source drawing is not front-facing or has an inseparable background: a head-and-shoulders PNG on a transparent background works best
- Images must not go to outside services: drawn eye and mouth variants send them to OpenAI
Example request
Create an avatar from this image following docs/agent-guide.md: /path/to/your-image.pngLimitations
- Needs Node.js 22.17+ and Git. Rebuilding layers needs uv and Python, and the motion review during agent creation needs Playwright Chromium. `npm run doctor` warns about each one that is missing.
- Drawn eyes, mouths and expressions come from Codex only, and it sends the image and masks to OpenAI. The command asks first, `--yes` agrees in advance and `--no-variants` keeps everything on your machine. Creation takes tens of minutes.
- Codex runs with `--approve-for-me`, so its requests to run tools outside its sandbox, such as Chromium for the pose review, are reviewed automatically instead of by you.
- Body tracking from a webcam is experimental and sways more than the face, especially in skirts and cloth. For recommended setups the author names Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol.
How to disable. Delete the `mesh-avatar-studio` repository folder together with `projects/`, where your projects live; export the `.mavatar` files you need first. Nothing is installed globally; `npx` only downloads the `create-mesh-avatar-studio` package.
FAQ
How do I try Mesh Avatar Studio?
Run `npx create-mesh-avatar-studio`, go into the `mesh-avatar-studio` folder and start `npm run dev`. The editor opens with the bundled Miko sample. The sample is read-only, and the editor offers a copy when you change it.
Do I need Codex, or is Claude Code enough?
Both build an avatar. Drawn closed eyes, mouth shapes and expressions come from Codex alone, because it has built-in image generation. Claude Code prepares masks and prompts for that, which you hand to another generator.
Which image works best?
A front-facing head-and-shoulders PNG on a transparent background. The agent lays out layers from the drawing, so a cleaner source means fewer edits in the editor.
How do I get the avatar into OBS?
Open the project in the editor, choose Live, start the camera and press Calibrate, then Copy OBS URL and add the address as a Browser Source. Keep the Live page open in its own window. The transparent background works in OBS directly.
Can I use it without installing anything?
Yes. The browser Player (Chrome or Edge) runs face tracking, microphone lip sync, expressions and lighting. Open the sample or your own `.mavatar` file; nothing is uploaded.
Discussion
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README in short
The README follows the path from illustration to stream: trying the sample, the four steps of making an avatar, sharing a `.mavatar` file, Live mode with OBS and the install-free Player. It then links the reference, the file format and the agent guide.