So you want to get into VTubing. Well, welcome to the club! The first item on your membership request list is a VTube model, your virtual persona in the VTube or âVirtual YouTubeâ world.
While you can create VTube models yourself, if youâre serious about doing this and donât have the time to chalk through thousands of VTube making tutorials, you need a Vtube designer. A VTube designer is an artist who helps you conceptualize and then create a VTube model.
The best VTube designers are sorta hard to find, which is why I created this guide. In it, I outline all you need to know to get your first VTube design, including where to find and hire a VTube designer.
What you need to hire a VTube designer
đĄ A concept idea
What will your character look like, what will be its styling, the colors and everything else thatâll make them special? Itâs okay if youâre not too sure about the details at this point; a good VTube designer will help you figure it out along the way.
You can also decide to use an already made artwork as your source of inspiration. Your favorite anime character, superhero, another VTuberâs character or your selfie, it doesnât matter what, it just needs to look like what you want.
đ¨đźâđ¤âđ¨đź Will it be a 2D or 3D character?
VTube models can be either 2D or 3D art designs. With 2D, you get a flatter design that looks a lot like the typical anime character.
3D Vtube models have depth, so they look more realistic. Theyâre also better suited for full-on virtual reality worlds since they can be âriggedâ to capture motion that is played out in the VR world.
Note that even 2D can be rigged, just not as detailed a rigging as would be 3D characters.
2D VTube models are great for VTubing.
đ What range of motion do you want captured?
Before a VTube character can track and replicate your motion in the real world into motion in the VR world, it needs to be ârigged.â In other words, it needs to be trained to understand those motions events and to replicate them in the VR world.
Rigging happens in phases. So you can have a VTube model rigged for only facial expressions; another rigged for arm movements; and another for mouth movements. Others could pack all three.
The more detailed the rigging is, the more lifelike the VTube character looks and acts like. But of course, more complex rigging requires more work and costs a lot more.
Where to find VTube designers
So, where can you find the best VTube designer online? There are many places offering VTube designer services online, but since weâre talking about the best of the bunch, Iâm just going to focus on the platform where it is easy to find and hire extremely skilled VTube designers. Iâm talking about Fiverr.
Fiverr for VTube designers
Fiverr is a global marketplace with numerous artists offering their services, including VTube designers. Fiver is great for hiring a VTube designer because the platform not only has a great selection of some of the best names in VTube design, but also because it offers buyers like youâ Buyers Protection.â This is insurance if anything goes wrong with your VTube design commission.
Top recommended VTube designers on Fiverr/Upwork
Raplansyah
Designing a VTube model is hard work so ideally, you need someone whoâs both hardworking and resilient enough to follow through with all the intricate designing and detailed rigging that makes a VTube character noteworthy.
Raplansyah, a seasoned artist from Indonesia, is your best bet for a VTube designer whoâs both hardworking and insanely talented.
With more than five years spent creating and animating VTube characters, this artist has all it takes to create a truly stunning VTube design. His work on Fiverr speaks volumes about his ability. From the numerous genuinely captivating custom designs made for clients on Fiverr to the accompanying five-star reviews, the quality is on show for itself.
His speciality is creating 2D Vtube designs, so take note if youâre planning on getting some 3D Vtube designs made. Starting price is just about $15, which is insanely cheap but lacks the detailed rigging pack youâll most certainly need. You need to purchase his other package for the detailed rigging pack, which checks at an affordable $150, so great deal still.
XiaoJing
Xiao is from China and what sets him apart is his in-depth mastery of a wide variety of Vtube model creation tools. This is the guy youâd go to if you wanted a one-stop-shop for all your Vtube designer needs.
Heâs good with the default VRoid app, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe animate and practically everything else that matters as far as it concerns VTube designing.
His experience with creating VTube designs is also impressive. In the last five years, Xiao has created no less than 500 custom Vtube model designs for some of the industryâs topmost talent.
On Fiverr, he is a top-rated freelancer, and thatâs a badge thatâs handed to only a select group of elite freelancers whoâve demonstrated quality service delivery. For you, this means you can expect quality designs and quality customer service â none of that late replies and missed deadlines commonly associated with Vtube designers.
Hiring a top-rated Vtube designer, however, comes at a top-rated price point. Xiaoâs base gig for $200 with a little bit of rigging and custom animation is not pocket friendly, at least compared to Raplansyahâs gig. If you wanted the full package with all the custom rigging and animation embedded, youâll have to part ways with $750. Thatâs the price to pay for premium quality and premium service delivery.
Arraveri
Arra is a Polish VTube designer with over nine years of experience creating some very captivating VTube models. They make this list for the overall roundedness of her Vtube designing package on Fiverr.
While most other artists on this list sorta strip down their basic Vtube design package to the bare minimum, so youâre forced to settle for the more expensive premium package, this designer gives you everything you need even with the basic design package.
Sure, the more premium packages pack in a handful of extras that could really light up your model, but if youâre on a budget and need a Vtube designing package to get you started on your VTubing journey, then this is the gig youâd select.
Her artwork is excellent. Her rigging skills are right on par with what youâd get from the skilled Xiao Jing. The only notable downside is the date to delivery which is a somewhat long 21 days for the basic package.
Plerreschiller
I saved the best (and most expensive) for the last. Pierre is a thoroughbred 3D animator and VFX compositor with over 20 years of experience creating both 2D and 3D rigged models.
Thatâs all big words for saying this artist has the skills and the expertise to make the most complex and detailed Vtube designs you could ever imagine.
He is a seasoned professional, at the very least. On Fiverr, heâs a pro seller with the coveted Pro badge to his name. Pro badges are handed out to freelancers on the Fiverr platform who have solid and vetted professional experience in their field.
Through the years, Pierre has worked with top brands, including names like DeepMotion to create different kinds of massively human-like 2D/3D models. The same types you need to kickstart your VTuber career.
His services are, however, not at the slightest cheap. If you wanted a basic character with no rigging or motion coordination, you need to shell out a pricy $920. For the full package, which includes custom animation, design elements and full-body rigging, be prepared to pay a hefty $2,500.
Is any of that money justified? Absolutely. Pierreâs work is lightyears ahead of any other thing on this list. And thatâs saying a lot when you consider that all the other artists on this list still manage to create some rather stunning VTube designs. If you wanted the best of the best, you need to pay the best money possible, and thatâs exactly what purchasing this designerâs gig on Fiverr requires.
Frequently asked questions
How much will it cost to hire a VTube designer
The cost of hiring a VTube designer depends on the designerâs skills and what you want them to do. For a basic VTube design, expect to pay anywhere between $70 and $1000 dollars. To see the actual price youâll pay, visit the Fiverr Vtube designer marketplace.
