Skip to main content
Start with an empty costume and finish with a saved project you can use for the other tutorials.

​
Before you start

Install and open the full version of Armorsmith Designer. Complete any first-launch setup. Have one simple OBJ or STL costume model you are allowed to edit, such as a bracer. If you need help, use the installation guide. Save any costume already open before starting another one.

​
1. Create the costume

  1. Choose File → New. Respond to any save prompt before continuing.
  2. Open the Costume view. The avatar is your fitting reference; imported costume parts will be placed around it.
  3. Find the Workspaces panel. A workspace holds a model and its pattern work. An attachment is an instance of that workspace placed on the avatar.
Check: You can see the avatar and an empty workspace list for the new costume. You do not need to create a blank workspace before importing a model.

​
2. Choose measurement units

  1. Open Settings → Preferences.
  2. Select Measurements and set Current Units to Metric or Imperial.
  3. Click OK. Keep your measurement notes in the same system, or label values with units when entering them.
Changing the display units does not resize the costume. Later, you can enter a height such as 175 cm rather than relying on an unlabelled number.

​
3. Learn the view controls

Move the pointer inside the Costume viewport before trying each control:
  1. Right-drag to orbit around the avatar.
  2. Middle-drag to pan.
  3. Scroll the wheel to zoom in and out.
  4. Choose View → Zoom All if you lose track of the avatar.
These controls move the camera. Later, use Translate, Rotate, and Scale to change a selected part. See viewport navigation.

​
4. Add your first model

  1. Choose File → Import, select the OBJ or STL, and click Open.
  2. In Model import, keep Include in costume selected.
  3. Clear Review orientation before import for this first pass and click Import.
  4. Wait until the model appears in Workspaces. You will check its dimensions and orientation before fitting it in the later tutorials.
Armorsmith needs at least one workspace before it can save a costume. Importing creates that workspace; it does not attach or fit the model yet. The model import tutorial explains orientation review, linked sources, and 3MF choices in more detail.

​
5. Save an editable project

  1. Choose File → Save As.
  2. Select Costume File (*.costume) and save as First costume.costume in a project folder you can find again.
  3. Keep the .costume file and its companion folder together. Armorsmith manages the contents of that folder.
  4. Use File → Save or Ctrl+S as you continue working.
Result: You have a saved costume ready for an avatar and model imports. Save As to another name when you want a separate working copy; renaming an extension does not convert a file.

​
If something looks wrong

If Save As does not open, check that the import completed and a workspace is listed. If the avatar is offscreen, use View → Zoom All. If a saved costume later cannot find its assets, restore its complete companion folder; see costume files. Next, create your avatar from measurements, or start from photographs.