Welcome!
Last Updated: February 14, 2025PixelHair Documentation PixelHair is your go-to digital asset for instantly upgrading your 3D characters with stunning, realistic hair. Whether you’re working in Blender or bringing Metahumans to life in Unreal Engine, PixelHair streamlines your workflow by providing pre-groomed hair that fits right in with your 3D characters. Skip through the hassle of spending days working on hair when you can attach one to your character in less than 5 minutes. This documentation would show you how. This documentation covers everything from installation to advanced customization, helping you get the most out of PixelHair quickly and effortlessly. Dive in, explore the tips and tricks, and let your creative process shine. PixelHair is designed to make your workflow easy and stress-free. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced artist, PixelHair saves you hours, days, and sometimes even weeks of work without the hassle of creating it yourself. PixelHair lets you skip the tedious grooming work and jump straight into creativity. Why PixelHair? Ready to Dive In?Explore the documentation for detailed steps and check out more hairstyles in our collection. Let PixelHair empower your creative process and bring your 3D characters to life faster than ever. Content
Introduction
Last Updated: January 24, 2025Creating realistic 3D hair in Blender can be a time-consuming and complex process. Creating individual guide strands, managing particle systems, and optimizing settings for performance takes hours or even days of work. That’s where PixelHair comes in, a collection of high-quality, pre-made 3D hair assets designed to streamline your workflow and help you achieve professional results with ease. PixelHair is not a course or tutorial. It is a digital asset. A library of pre-groomed, customizable hairstyles built using Blender’s particle system. Each hairstyle is crafted with real-world accuracy and optimized for rendering in Blender, ensuring that you get the best quality without the hassle of creating hair from scratch. Whether you’re working on a character for animation, game development, or still renders, PixelHair provides a powerful solution to enhance your projects. What You’ll Learn in This Documentation This documentation will guide you through everything you need to know about using PixelHair in Blender. From applying and modifying hairstyles to optimizing performance and exporting to external software like Unreal Engine and so much more. This resource will ensure that you get the most out of your PixelHair assets. Key Topics Covered: Why Use PixelHair? PixelHair is ideal for artists and developers who want to save time while maintaining high standards in their 3D character creation. Here’s why it stands out: Getting Started To begin using PixelHair, all you need is Blender. The setup process is simple, and this documentation will walk you through everything from installation to final renders. Follow the tutorials in this guide to unlock the full potential of PixelHair and take your 3D characters to the next level. Whether you’re a beginner looking for an easy way to enhance your characters or a professional artist in need of high-quality, ready-made hair assets, PixelHair is your solution. Let’s dive in and explore what’s possible!
System Requirements
Last Updated: February 14, 2025“Can PixelHair run on my computer?” PixelHair is a digital asset designed to work seamlessly with Blender and export flawlessly to Unreal Engine’s MetaHuman. Built using Blender’s particle system, PixelHair performs reliably on any system that can run Blender and its particle system. However, it is important to note that rendering high-detail hair in Blender consumes significant memory. While this typically isn’t an issue for most computers, users with low-spec PCs should be aware that different hairstyles have varying memory requirements. In this documentation, we will explore methods to optimize hair so that it can be used effectively on both lower-end and higher-end systems. Since PixelHair leverages Blender’s robust capabilities, the following system requirements (as recommended by the Blender development team) apply: Windows Minimum Requirements Minimum Recommended OS Windows 8.1 (64-bit) Windows 10 or Windows 11 CPU 4 cores with SSE4.2 support 8 cores RAM 8 GB 32 GB GPU 2 GB VRAM with OpenGL 4.3 (see below) 8 GB VRAM NVIDIA: GeForce 400 and newer, Quadro Tesla GPU architecture and newer, including RTX-based cards, with NVIDIA drivers. AMD: GCN 1st gen and newer. Intel: Broadwell architecture and newer. Always make sure to install the latest drivers from the graphics card manufacturer website. macOS Minimum Recommended OS macOS 11.2 (Big Sur) macOS 14 (Sonoma) CPU Apple Silicon or Intel Apple Silicon RAM 8 GB 32 GB GPU GPU with Metal 2.2 (see below) AMD, Apple Silicon, or Intel (Skylake and newer). Linux Minimum Recommended OS Distribution with glibc 2.28 or newer (64-bit) CPU 4 cores with SSE4.2 support 8 cores RAM 8 GB 32 GB GPU 2 GB VRAM with OpenGL 4.3 (see below) 8 GB VRAM NVIDIA: GeForce 400 and newer, Quadro Tesla GPU architecture and newer, including RTX-based cards, with NVIDIA drivers. AMD: GCN 1st gen and newer. Intel: Broadwell architecture and newer. Always make sure to install the latest drivers from the graphics card manufacturer website.
Use PixelHair on any Metahuman or custom character in Unreal
Last Updated: January 23, 2025In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of applying any PixelHair hairstyle to a MetaHuman or Custom Character in Unreal Engine. Whether you’re working on a game, cinematic, or real-time project, this guide will help you seamlessly integrate high-quality hair into your workflow. The Basics Before we dive in, let’s go over some basics. This tutorial is designed for Unreal Engine 5.3.2 and Blender 4.0.1. If you’re using older versions, some steps may look different, but both software are free and can be upgraded if needed. Since we’re focusing on transferring PixelHair (or any hair) from Blender to Unreal, I’m assuming you have a basic understanding of both software. This will help you get the most out of the tutorial. While I won’t be covering every single detail of Blender and Unreal to keep things concise, I’ll guide you through everything necessary to ensure a smooth hair transfer. Thereby, helping you avoid common issues along the way. If you’re ready, let’s get started! Setting Up Your Scene From my understanding, everyone taking this tutorial falls into one of two categories: Both scenarios share the same goal, getting a character and a PixelHair Hairstyle into Unreal Engine.
Set Up Your Character in Both Blender & Unreal
Last Updated: February 14, 2025Before we move forward with getting your character ready for Pixelhair, We need to ensure that your character exists in both Blender and Unreal Engine. For Custom Characters: For MetaHuman Users: Importing a MetaHuman into Unreal Engine What is Quixel Bridge?Quixel Bridge is an Epic Games asset libary that gives you full access to the Megascans collections as well as other assets. It also serves as a connector between the MetaHuman Editor and Unreal Engine, making it easy to import your MetaHuman and other assets into your project. Download Time & Progress The download time depends on your network speed, so feel free to grab a cup of tea ☕ while you wait! A percentage counter will pop up, showing the progress of your download. Locating Your MetaHuman in Unreal Exporting the MetaHuman Head to Blender Now that your MetaHuman is in Unreal, we also need a copy of the character in Blender. This is where we would attach the Pixelhair asset beffore bringing it back to Unreal. Understanding MetaHuman Structure MetaHumans are divided into two parts: For PixelHair, we only need to export the head region. Instead of manually searching for the specific file to export, we’ll use the MetaHuman Blueprint, which makes the process much easier. How to Export the MetaHuman Head Exporting the MetaHuman Head as an FBX After clicking the magnifying glass icon, minimize the Blueprint window and return to the Content Browser. You’ll notice that Unreal has automatically navigated to the storage location of your MetaHuman’s head and highlighted it for you. Steps to Export the Head Mesh: FBX Export Settings for MetaHuman After selecting a save location, an FBX settings popup will appear. MetaHumans use LODs (Levels of Detail) which just means different versions of the same mesh with different amounts of detail. For PixelHair, we only need the highest level of detail. Use the settings in the image below. We don’t need the LODs to install the PixelHair asset. Importing the MetaHuman Head into Blender Now that you’ve exported the top part of your MetaHuman, it’s time to bring it into Blender. Steps to Import the FBX into Blender: Once imported successfully, your MetaHuman head should now appear in the Blender viewport. At this stage, your screen should display something like this: Separating the MetaHuman Head from the Armature in Blender When you import the MetaHuman into Blender, you’ll notice that the bones in the armature are scattered. However, we don’t need to worry about that since our focus is solely on the head mesh. That is what we need in order to correctly install the Pixelhair asset. We can’t simply delete the armature, because the mesh is parented to it. If you delete the armature directly, the mesh will be removed as well which we don’t want considering we need the mesh for the Pixehair asset. Instead, we need to separate the mesh from the armature properly. How to Unparent the Mesh from the Armature: Verifying the Unparenting Process: To make sure it worked: Now, select the armature and press X to delete it. At this point, you should have just the MetaHuman head in Blender and Unreal Engine. Now we can move forward to installing the Pixelhair asset on the mesh.
Applying PixelHair to metahuman or custom character in Blender
Last Updated: February 14, 2025Now that your MetaHuman or custom character is set up in both Blender and Unreal, it’s time for the next step. Applying PixelHair in Blender before transferring it to Unreal. Applying PixelHair in Blender However, We’ve already covered the step-by-step process of applying PixelHair to a MetaHuman or custom character in a previous tutorial. To avoid repetition, I recommend checking out that section first. Click here to view the PixelHair application tutorial. Once you’ve gone through it, return to this tutorial and continue with the next steps. See you in the next section!
Exporting PixelHair to Unreal
Last Updated: February 14, 2025Welcome back! Now that you’ve attached PixelHair to your character or MetaHuman, it’s time to focus on exporting the hair to Unreal. Along the way, there will be some key details to keep in mind, so pay close attention to ensure a smooth transfer. Applying the Shrinkwrap Modifier As you know, the hair mesh tightly conforms to your character or MetaHuman’s head due to the shrinkwrap modifier. This is our starting point before exporting. To lock the hair mesh in place, we need to apply the shrinkwrap modifier so that its default shape becomes the shape of your character’s head. How to Apply the Shrinkwrap Modifier: Preparing PixelHair for Export to Unreal Now that the PixelHair/hair mesh is shaped to your character or MetaHuman’s head, we’re ready to export it to Unreal. However, there’s an important distinction to keep in mind: Since Unreal doesn’t require a mesh for hair, we need to ensure Blender exports only the hair, not the underlying mesh. Here’s how to do that: Hiding the Mesh Before Export Once unchecked, the mesh will become invisible in the viewport, leaving only the hair strands visible. This tells Blender to ignore the mesh during export, ensuring that only the hair itself gets transferred to Unreal Engine. Exporting PixelHair as an Alembic File (ABC) for Unreal If you’ve followed this tutorial closely, you’ll remember that importing and exporting 3D meshes is usually done using formats like FBX or OBJ. However, PixelHair and 3D hair exports work differently. Instead of FBX/OBJ, we’ll use Alembic (.ABC), a format specifically designed for handling hair simulations and strand-based assets between software. Luckily, both Blender and Unreal Engine support Alembic, making this the best method for transferring PixelHair. How to Export PixelHair as Alembic (.ABC) in Blender Below, you’ll find the settings which I use, apply this to your Blender export settings. Importing PixelHair into Unreal Engine Now that you’ve saved your export settings, go ahead and hit ‘Export’. With the export complete, it’s time to switch back to Unreal for the final steps. Organizing Your Project (Optional but Recommended) Before importing, consider creating a new folder in the Content Browser to keep your project organized. This will make it easier to manage assets later. Importing the Alembic File Unreal’s Import Window If everything was exported correctly from Blender, a new import window will appear. As you can see in the image, I’ve highlighted an error message that might appear during import. This error won’t show up for most users, but if you do encounter it, I’ll explain why it happens and how to fix it. Fixing the Unreal Hair Import Issue: Reducing Strand Steps in Blender To resolve this issue, we need to go back to Blender and re-export the Alembic file with fewer than 255 points per strand. Step 1: Reducing Strand Steps in Blender Since strand steps determine the number of bendable points along a hair strand, the only way to reduce points is by lowering the strand steps setting. How to Adjust Strand Steps: Step 2: Handling Visual Changes After Reducing Strand Steps For most hairstyles, this change will work fine. However, for certain styles like dreads, braids, or curly hair reducing strand steps can affect the look of the hair. Compensating for the Loss of Detail: Increase Hair Shape – Slightly thicken the hair strands to maintain volume. Adjust the Kink Type (For Dreads & Braids) – Once you’ve adjusted the settings, proceed with exporting the Alembic file again. Step 3: Re-Importing the Hair into Unreal After exporting, follow the same import process in Unreal Engine as before. This time, you shouldn’t see the error, and all of the PixelHair strands should be properly imported. I’ll meet you in Unreal after importing the hair for the final setup al and attach the PixelHair/hair to the character!
Applying PixelHair to metahuman or custom character in Unreal
Last Updated: February 14, 2025Unlike the character mesh, you can’t just drag and drop the PixelHair/hair into the Unreal scene. Instead, we need to attach the PixelHair/hair to the character as a component inside the character’s blueprint. This ensures that: The PixelHair/hair follows the character wherever it is used.The hair is always included when the character is referenced in animations, cinematics, or gameplay. Open the Character Blueprint Since PixelHair must be added as a component, we need to open the MetaHuman or custom character blueprint: If you’re using a MetaHuman → Skip to the next section (the blueprint already exists). If you’re using a custom character without a blueprint → Follow the steps below to create one before proceeding.However if you already have a character blueprint like the metahuman, skip the next section ( Adding PixelHair as a Groom Component in the Blueprint ) . Setting Up a Character Blueprint for Custom Characters If you’re using a custom character that doesn’t already have a character blueprint, follow these steps to create one. Create a New Character Blueprint Add Your Character to the Blueprint Before continuing, we need to assign your custom character to the blueprint. With your character blueprint set up, we can move forward in the tutorial Adding PixelHair as a Groom Component in the Blueprint With the character blueprint open, we now need to attach the PixelHair/hair as a Groom Component so it follows the character. Step 1: Add a Groom Component For MetaHumans: For Custom Characters ( With No Groom Component Yet): Step 2: Assign the PixelHair Groom Asset Now, whether you’re using MetaHuman or a custom character, follow these steps: Step 3: Check the Hair in the Viewport To fix the Hair position, we need to bind it to the character’s head. Step 1: Open the Binding Options Step 2: Bind the Hair to the Character Step 3: Return to the Character Blueprint Step 4: Apply the Binding to the Groom Asset Step 5: Confirm the Hair Alignment That’s it! Enjoy Your Character’s New Look Your character is now ready to use with PixelHair in Unreal Engine. You can now freely use, animate, and modify the character with the new hairstyle.
How to use PixelHair on any custom Character In Blender
Last Updated: February 14, 2025In this tutorial, I’ll guide you step by step on how to use any hairstyle from PixelHair in your projects. Let’s dive in! First Look After purchasing a PixelHair hairstyle, you’ll receive a RAR file to download. What’s Inside? Extracting & Accessing Your PixelHair Hairstyle After downloading, unzip the file using any extraction software you prefer. I personally use WinRAR (it’s free and just a personal choice, no affiliation). Once extracted, you’ll find a Blender (.blend) file containing the hairstyle. What’s Next? If you want to directly add the hair to your project → Jump to the “Append” section of this tutorial.If you’d like to preview or tweak the hair before using it, keep reading! We’ll cover that next.
Hair Blend File
Last Updated: February 14, 2025Once you open the PixelHair blend file, your Blender window should look something like this Identifying the Hair Mesh in the PixelHair Blend File In the PixelHair blend file, you’ll find only one mesh (except in instances when there is a hair asset attached like beads for example ) this is the base mesh where the hair grows from. Why is this important? How to Find the Mesh Name: