Unity itself has no feature for converting a 2D character illustration into a 3D model. That is why the work happens in three steps: first convert the illustration into 3D model data (GLB), then bring it into Unity with the official Unity glTFast package, and finally adjust scale, materials, performance cost, and collision. When Unity's official documentation talks about "2D and 3D," it is referring to project templates and renderer setups, not a feature that rebuilds a drawing as 3D data. This article walks through the three steps in order, and also covers the bone setup you need separately to animate an imported character, along with how far you can get without it.
Figmee currently lets you upload drawings and illustrations to generate and download figurine-style images and 3D model data (GLB / 3MF). Sales of physical 3D-printed items are in preparation (Coming Soon).
The overall flow: three steps
| Step | What you do | Common sticking points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Convert | 2D illustration → 3D model data (GLB, etc.) | Which method to choose, the angle of the original art |
| 2. Import | Import into your Unity project | glTF requires an additional package |
| 3. Adjust | Scale, materials, performance, collision | Often not usable as-is |
If you skip step 1 and assume that "putting an illustration into Unity will make it 3D," you will get stuck right at the start. Conversely, once step 1 is done, everything from step 2 onward is standard Unity work.
Step 1: Turn the illustration into 3D model data
There are three ways to create a 3D model from a 2D illustration.
Model it yourself Use 3DCG software such as Blender and build the 3D form using your illustration as a reference image. You get complete control over the shape, but character modeling is an area that takes a lot of effort to learn.
Commission it Hire a 3D modeler. This gives the most consistent quality. If you can prepare a three-view drawing (front, side, back), it becomes much easier to communicate what you want.
Convert it with AI Generate 3D model data from a single illustration. Figmee works this way: upload a drawing in your browser, and it generates a figurine-style image and 3D model data (GLB / 3MF) that you can download. How the conversion works and what kinds of drawings suit it are explained in detail in How to Turn an Illustration into 3D.
If you plan to bring the result into Unity, it is easiest to choose a method that can export to GLB. GLB is a format that packs a 3D model's shape, colors, and textures into a single file, so you only have to hand over one file (see What Is a GLB File?, and for the differences between formats, 3D File Format Differences).
Step 2: Load the GLB into Unity
Unity does not support importing glTF / GLB out of the box, so you need to add a package. The official package provided by Unity Technologies is Unity glTFast. It started out as an open-source project, but it is now offered as an official Unity package.
Installation steps
The steps described in the official documentation are as follows (source: Unity glTFast Documentation (Unity official), as of July 2026).
- Open your Unity project and select
Window > Package Manager. - Click the add (+) button in the upper left and select
Add package by name. - Enter
com.unity.cloud.gltfastin the Name field and clickAdd.
Once installation is complete, you can import a GLB file simply by dragging it into your project's Assets folder, and place it in the scene hierarchy just like any other asset.
What it supports
Unity glTFast supports all platforms and each of the Built-in, Universal (URP), and High Definition (HDRP) render pipelines. On the material side, it supports the PBR metallic-roughness model, unlit materials, normal maps, occlusion maps, emission maps, alpha modes (OPAQUE / MASK / BLEND), and double-sided rendering. On the mesh side, in addition to vertex positions, normals, tangents, UVs, and vertex colors, it supports skins (up to 4 joints per vertex) as well as Draco and meshoptimizer compression (source: Unity glTFast Features (Unity official), as of July 2026).
Beyond importing in the editor, it also supports loading glTF at runtime in a built app, so you can design features such as displaying models that players bring into your game.
Step 3: Four things to always check after importing
A successful import does not necessarily mean the model is ready for your game. Check the following four points every time.
1. Scale
The moment you place it in the scene, the character may turn out to be enormous or extremely small. This happens when the original 3D data was not made with real-world dimensions in mind. Adjust it with Scale in the Transform component, or decide on a reference by comparing it with other objects. Placing it next to the ground or an existing character is the most reliable way to check.
2. Materials and shaders
In projects that use URP or HDRP, materials can look different from what you expected right after import. This is especially true in 2D-style games that use outlines or toon shaders: if PBR (physically based) shading is applied as-is, it often clashes with the art style. You will need to decide whether to swap the material's shader to match your project's art direction. For how textures work, see What Is a Texture?.
3. Polygon count and performance
AI-generated models and highly detailed models can have a high face count for real-time rendering. The more faces there are, the higher the rendering and processing load, and the impact is greater on mobile (What Is Polygon Count?). Use the number of characters shown on screen at once as your benchmark, and if necessary reduce the faces in Blender or a similar tool before importing. The different editing routes are laid out in How to Edit AI-Generated 3D Models: A Complete Overview.
4. Colliders (collision)
Imported models do not get collision automatically. If you are using the model as a player or enemy, add a Box Collider or Capsule Collider yourself. Using a Mesh Collider that follows the exact shape tends to be expensive to process, so it is common practice to approximate the shape with simple primitives.
What is missing if you want it to move?
This is the part where it matters most to know the reality. To make an imported model walk or change poses as a character, you need bones and a bone setup.
To handle animation as a humanoid in Unity, the model's skeleton must meet certain requirements, and at least 15 bones are required. The bones must be named so that the body part each represents is clear, and the hierarchy must follow the natural structure of the character. In addition, preparing the model in a proper T-pose is recommended for better results (source: Unity Manual "Creating models for animation", as of July 2026).
3D models generated from illustrations normally do not contain these bones. In other words, you cannot apply Humanoid animations to them as they are. If you want them to move, you need to do rigging (the work of building in bones) separately in Blender or a similar tool. Rigging itself is explained in What Is Rigging?.
Also, the Unity glTFast feature list states clearly that morph targets are supported only with sparse accessors, and that Mecanim animations can be imported for compatibility but cannot be played back. The DOTS implementation is at an experimental stage, and animation, skinning, morph targets, cameras, and lights are listed as unsupported (source: the Unity glTFast Features page cited above, as of July 2026). If you are designing with animation in mind, check these limitations first.
What is realistic?
Let's draw an honest line. Bringing a 3D model converted from an illustration into Unity without rigging is practical for uses like the following.
- Showcase and turntable display: rotate the model on a gallery screen or character introduction screen
- Backgrounds and props: static objects placed in the scene, collectible items, or decorative pieces
- Still characters: place a 3D model instead of a standing illustration and create a sense of motion with camera work
- Promotional material: use it as video material for store pages and trailers
On the other hand, if your goal is fully animated main characters or characters with finely changing facial expressions, there is no way around rigging and weight adjustment. That comes down to deciding whether to do it yourself or commission it. If you understand conversion from an illustration as "the step that gives you a 3D starting point," not something that leaps straight to a character that moves freely in your game, your plans will hold together.
Mixing 2D sprites and 3D models in the same scene is possible in itself, but if you are using a 2D renderer in URP, the way things look can change depending on the renderer setup. If you plan to mix them, the safe approach is to check the display in a small test scene before building it into your production scene.
FAQ
Does Unity have built-in glTF / GLB import?
Not by default. By adding the official package Unity glTFast (com.unity.cloud.gltfast) provided by Unity Technologies from the Package Manager, you get support for importing in the editor and loading at runtime.
FBX or GLB: which is better for bringing models into Unity?
FBX is a format Unity handles natively, so its advantage is that you do not need an extra package. GLB packs colors and textures into one file, making it easy to hand off, and it is easy to share with other uses such as web display. In practice, choose based on the format of the data you already have. Format differences are covered in 3D File Format Differences.
Can I animate an AI-generated model in Unity?
Not as it is. Humanoid animation requires a skeleton with at least 15 bones, and models generated from illustrations normally contain no bones. You can make them move by rigging them in Blender or a similar tool, but that is a separate step.
My imported model shows up completely black or completely white
This is often caused by a mismatch between the render pipeline and the materials. If your project uses URP or HDRP, check whether the material's shader is made for that pipeline. Also check that there is a light in the scene.
The model is heavy and slows things down
The face count may be too high. Decide how light the model needs to be based on how many characters are shown at once, reduce the faces in Blender or a similar tool, and re-import. Lowering texture resolution also helps reduce the load.
Is it OK to mix 3D models into a 2D game project?
Structurally, yes. However, the way things look can change depending on renderer settings, so we recommend checking the display and controls in a small test scene before building it into your production scene.
Summary
To use a 2D character illustration as 3D in Unity, you go through three steps: 1. convert the illustration into 3D model data, 2. import the GLB with Unity glTFast, and 3. adjust scale, materials, performance, and collision. Importing on the Unity side becomes standard work once you add a single official package, but you have to prepare the conversion step that comes before it yourself.
And if you aim to make the character move, a separate step awaits: setting up bones. Humanoid requires at least 15 bones, and models generated from illustrations normally do not include them. Start by actually importing one character for uses such as showcases, backgrounds, or still characters, and see how far it can go in your own project.
