Getting Started with SkinLayerStudio

SkinLayerStudio is a professional skin weight editing tool for 3ds Max, designed for riggers and character technical directors who need precise, layer-based control over skinning data.

Unlike the default Skin modifier workflow, SkinLayerStudio introduces a non-destructive layer system — similar to Photoshop layers — allowing you to paint, blend, and manage weights across multiple layers without overwriting your base data.

Key Features

• 🎨 Layer-based weight editing — Stack multiple weight layers and control blending between them
• 👁 Real-time 3D viewport — Instantly see weight changes on your mesh with a built-in OpenGL viewport
• 🔄 Multi-mesh weight transfer — Transfer skinning data between meshes with different vertex counts using closest-vertex mapping
• 💾 SkinLayer data nodes — Save and restore skinning data as scene nodes (__OSLSK_*), independent of the Skin modifier
• 🌐 4-language support — English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese interfaces
• 🏗 Apply Skin workflow — Automatically scan scene bones and apply skin in one click

System Requirements

Installation

1. Download the .mzp file matching your 3ds Max version
2. Drag and drop it into the 3ds Max viewport
3. Restart 3ds Max
4. Access the tool from the top menu

Tip: SkinLayerStudio requires a valid license. After installation, activate your license via Help → About or the license dialog on first launch.