Clip Studio Paint: How to Import a 3D Model (a GLB of Your Own Character) and Use It as a Drawing Reference

Clip Studio Paint can import a 3D model in GLB format directly. Choose File menu > Import > 3D data, pick the GLB, and it lands on a 3D layer where you can change the camera angle, size and light direction and use it as an underdrawing or reference. The one thing a GLB without bones cannot do is take a pose: you cannot bend its joints the way you would with a 3D drawing figure.

This guide is based on the official Clip Studio Paint manual and the official support pages, checked on November 7, 2026. It covers which formats Clip Studio Paint reads, the Realistic and Basic choice that appears on import, how to turn your own character's 3D model into an underdrawing, what to do when it does not display properly, and how to register it as a 3D material so you can reuse it. As the example of "your own character in 3D", we use a GLB made with Figmee from a drawing.

Note: Figmee currently offers figurine-style images made from your drawings, 3D model data (GLB / 3MF), and turntable videos of the 3D model. Ordering physical 3D prints is in preparation (Coming Soon). Figmee cannot turn photos or photo-like images into 3D; it works from drawings.

Which 3D formats can Clip Studio Paint import?

The official manual page "Importing 3D Files" lists cs3c, cs3o, cs3s, FBX, 6KT, 6KH, LWO, LWS, OBJ, GLB, glTF and VRM (source: Clip Studio Paint manual, "Importing 3D Files", checked November 7, 2026). GLB is on that list, so no conversion is needed. 3MF, the 3D printing format, is not on it.

The only per-OS restrictions the manual mentions are that FBX cannot be imported on Android and 6KT and 6KH cannot be imported on tablets. GLB is not mentioned. On Windows and macOS you can also drag the file from Explorer or Finder onto the canvas.

Versions matter too. glTF import (GLB included) has been supported since Ver. 1.12.7 (source: Clip Studio support, "How do I import glTF files?", checked November 7, 2026). The choice between Realistic and Basic on import is available from Ver. 4.2.0 (source: Clip Studio support, "How do I import 3D files?", checked November 7, 2026). The manual also notes that 3D layers cannot be created in Clip Studio Paint DEBUT; creating a new 3D layer is a PRO and EX feature. For how the formats differ in general, see OBJ vs FBX vs STL vs GLB.

How do you get a 3D model of your own character?

If you have a single drawing, you do not have to build the model from scratch in Blender. Figmee turns that drawing into a 3D model you can save as a GLB. A GLB packs shape and color (textures) into one file, so there are no separate texture images to keep track of when you bring it into Clip Studio Paint.

1. Upload your drawing (about 1 minute): PNG, JPEG and WebP images up to 20 MB each are accepted. A photo or scan of a drawing on paper works too.
2. Generate the figurine-style image (about 2–3 minutes): Choose Standard, Pro or Max quality, which uses 1, 2 or 3 tokens. The 3D model is built from this image, so if the face or outfit has drifted from your drawing, regenerate at this stage.
3. Generate the 3D model (a few minutes): This uses 5 tokens, and the first model on each account is free. If generation fails, the tokens are returned automatically.
4. Check it in the viewer (about 2 minutes): Drag to turn it a full 360°, including looking up from below and down from above, and zoom in close enough to see the face. Check the angles you plan to draw in Clip Studio Paint before you download.
5. Save the GLB (about 30 seconds): From the "Gallery" menu at the top of the screen, open "Works", select the piece, then choose "Save" > "3D model (GLB)". Saving costs no extra tokens.

Figmee takes one drawing, and the sides you did not draw (the back, the profile) are filled in by AI. The back and the small details may not match your own design sheet, so treat the model as a shape reference in Clip Studio Paint and trust your drawing wherever the two disagree. For what kinds of drawings work well, see the complete guide to turning illustrations into 3D; for what is inside a GLB, see What Is a GLB File?.

How do you import a GLB into Clip Studio Paint?

Select a layer that is not a 3D layer, open the GLB through File menu > Import > 3D data, and pick Realistic or Basic in the Import 3D file dialog. Placing and sizing the model takes about five minutes in total.

1. Open your canvas and select a non-3D layer (about 10 seconds): If a 3D layer is selected, the model is added to that layer. To keep your character's model on its own layer, select an ordinary layer first.
2. Choose File menu > Import > 3D data (about 10 seconds): On Windows and macOS you can drag the GLB onto the canvas instead.
3. Select the GLB and open it (about 30 seconds): Pick the GLB you saved from Figmee.
4. Choose a method in the Import 3D file dialog (about 30 seconds): Realistic renders metallic gloss and reflections of the surroundings; Basic imports the model without gloss or reflections. You cannot switch after importing. The next subsection explains which to pick.
5. Select the model with the Object tool and adjust its position and size (about 3–5 minutes): When you select it, the movement manipulator appears above it and the object launcher below. Move, rotate and scale the model itself with the root manipulator (source: manual, "Editing a 3D material").
6. Check the colors and surface detail (about 1 minute): According to the manual, GLB files can display normal maps (images that describe surface bumps). If the color does not show up, see "Why are the colors missing or the model too shiny?" below.

Realistic or Basic: which should you choose?

If you mainly want to read the shape and colors of your character as an underdrawing, start with Basic. The dialog labels Realistic as "(recommended)", but a GLB generated by Figmee comes with a fairly high metallic value. Imported as Realistic, its edges may gleam like metal or reflect the surroundings. (Figmee's own browser viewer resets the metallic value to 0 when it displays the model.)

Since neither choice can be changed after import, the easiest way to compare is to import the same GLB twice, put each on its own layer and look at them side by side. Delete the layer you do not need.

How do you turn the imported 3D model into an underdrawing?

Rotate the camera to the angle you want to draw, set the light direction, then lower the opacity of the 3D layer and draw on a new layer above it. The model is a reference for checking shapes, not something that becomes a finished drawing when you trace it, so redraw the lines in your own style.

• Find the angle: Drag on the canvas to rotate the camera. The movement manipulator also switches to moving the camera sideways or forward and back. If you lose sight of the model, the "Center object" button on the object launcher brings it back to the middle (source: manual, "Set camera angle").
• Keep the angles you use often: Use "Duplicate current camera" and lock the camera to save that angle. Locked cameras cannot be deleted, so keeping a front, side and low angle lets your next drawing start from the same view.
• Set the light direction: In the Rendering settings dialog, turn on "Apply light source" under 3D layer settings, then drag the Light Source ball in the Tool Settings palette to change the direction of the directional light. Whether each 3D material casts a shadow can be switched per material (source: manual, "Setting light source and shadows").
• Match the perspective: The manual explains that when a 3D material is imported and a 3D layer is created, a three-point perspective ruler matching the 3D space is created as well (hidden at first). Show it when you draw the background, and the character and background will share the same perspective.
• Draw over it: Lower the opacity of the 3D layer, create a new layer above it, and draw.

A 3D model of your own character earns its place when you need to see how the hair parting, overlapping clothes or the direction of a prop look from a particular angle. Working out side and back views from a front drawing is also covered in turnaround sheets and 3D, and using 3D models as illustration reference in general is covered in Using a 3D model as an illustration reference.

Can you pose a 3D model of your own character?

No. A GLB without bones cannot be posed in Clip Studio Paint. Posing works on 3D drawing figures and 3D character materials (VRM included), while a Figmee GLB is static shape and color data. What you can change is the angle, position, size and lighting.

You can place several 3D materials on the same 3D layer, so you can split the job: set the pose with a 3D drawing figure and check hair and clothing shapes with your character's model. If you import your character's model as Realistic, keep in mind that the lighting method of that layer is then locked to Realistic. Figmee cannot save VRM files, so importing your character as a VRM to pose it is not an option.

For a closer comparison of how to split the work between a 3D drawing figure and a 3D model of your own character, see using your own character's 3D model as a drawing mannequin alternative.

If you want your character's 3D model in a different pose, Figmee's Character Passport can generate a new image of your character in another pose while keeping the look, and you can then generate a 3D model from that image. The steps are in how to get new poses of an AI-made character with the same face.

Why are the colors missing or the model too shiny?

If it is too shiny, re-import it as Basic. If the colors are missing, suspect the format of the color image (texture). In both cases you can also fix the GLB first and import it again.

When a texture is in a format Clip Studio Paint cannot read, the model is displayed without that texture (official manual). GLBs made with Figmee before October 25, 2026 store their color image as WebP, so the color may not appear in Clip Studio Paint. GLBs made on or after that date use JPEG for the color image and PNG for the bump (normal) image.

According to the Blender manual, the "Images" option in the glTF exporter lets you choose PNG, JPEG, WebP or None as the image format (source: Blender 5.2 LTS Manual, "glTF 2.0", checked November 7, 2026). To tone down the metallic look, disconnect whatever is plugged into the Metallic input of the imported material (Principled BSDF), set the value to 0, and then export. How to bring a Figmee GLB into Blender is explained in the Figmee-to-Blender GLB import guide.

How do you save it as a 3D material and reuse it?

In PRO and EX, you can register an imported GLB as a 3D object material in the Material palette. Once registered, dragging it from the Material palette onto the canvas brings your character's model back with the same placement and size.

1. Set the placement and size (about 1–2 minutes): Select the model with the Object tool and adjust its orientation and scale. Whatever state it is in when you register becomes its starting state.
2. Press the register button (about 10 seconds): Click the "Save 3D object to Material palette" icon on the object launcher. You can also use "Register material" in the Object category of the Advanced Tool Settings palette.
3. Name it and choose where to save it (about 1 minute): In the material properties dialog, enter a name and a save location, then click OK. Including the character's name and outfit in the material name makes it easier to find later.

Materials registered this way cannot be used in Clip Studio Paint versions earlier than 2.2, and a material registered from a model imported as Realistic cannot be used in versions earlier than 4.2 (sources: manual, "Useful features for 3D materials", Clip Studio support, "How do I import 3D files?"). If you work on more than one device, keep them all on a recent version.

Frequently asked questions

Can Clip Studio Paint import 3MF files?

3MF is not on the list of importable formats in the official manual. On a Figmee work page you can save both "3D model (GLB)" and "3D print file (3MF)", so use the GLB for Clip Studio Paint. Saving costs no extra tokens.

Can I pose my character's 3D model like a 3D drawing figure?

No. Figmee GLBs contain no bones, so in Clip Studio Paint the model stays in the pose it was generated in, and only the angle, position, size and lighting can change. A practical split is to decide the pose with a 3D drawing figure and use your character's model to check how the hair and clothes look.

Can I import a GLB in Clip Studio Paint on an iPad or a smartphone?

The per-OS restrictions in the official manual are that FBX cannot be imported on Android and 6KT and 6KH cannot be imported on tablets; GLB is not mentioned. Drag and drop works on Windows and macOS, so on other devices use the menu. Figmee also runs in a smartphone browser, so you can generate the 3D model and save the GLB on the same device.

Summary

Clip Studio Paint imports GLB files through File menu > Import > 3D data. Figmee GLBs have a fairly high metallic value, so start with Basic when you want an underdrawing, and if the colors are missing, check the format of the color image. Without bones the model cannot be posed, but you can move the camera and the light to see how your character's hair, clothes and props look from any angle. Use a 3D drawing figure for the pose and your character's model for the look, and in PRO or EX register the placements you use most as 3D object materials so they are ready for your next drawing.

Related guides

• The complete guide to turning illustrations into 3D
• What Is a GLB File?
• Importing a Figmee GLB into Blender
• Turnaround sheets and 3D
• Using a 3D model as an illustration reference
• New poses of an AI-made character with the same face