Use case · image to Spine
Turn an image into a Spine animation
To turn an image into a Spine animation, upload a single PNG to SpineFactory. It finds the
parts, cuts them out of your art, fills in what was hidden behind them, builds the bones, meshes and
weights, and directs the first animations. The export is a standard Spine 4.2
skeleton.json, atlas and texture pages.
Spine animation normally starts with a layered file: every arm, eye and prop on its own layer, then bones, meshes and keys by hand. Most art does not arrive that way. SpineFactory starts from the flat image instead and does the layering and rigging in the browser, with you approving each step.
What image works best
- One subject: a character, a mascot, a prop or a slot symbol.
- Front-facing, on a transparent or easily removable background.
- Higher resolution with clean, sharp edges and good contrast. A soft or busy image cuts less reliably.
From PNG to skeleton, step by step
- Cut. Segmentation slices the art along its real edges into the parts that need to move. You approve each outline in cut review, and a piece that continues behind something else can have a second region.
- Fill. Only the areas that were hidden behind other parts are filled in. Nothing visible is repainted.
- Rig. Bones, meshes and weights are built from the cut parts. A bending piece (an arm, a tail, hair) gets its joints from its own outline: the attaching end at the seam, the elbow at the bend.
- Animate. Idle, land and win clips are directed from a few questions. Revise any of them by describing the change to the assistant.
- Export. Download the Spine package, or record an MP4 of a clip from the preview.
What you get
| File | What it is |
|---|---|
skeleton.json | The Spine 4.2 skeleton: bones, slots, meshes, weights and the animation clips |
<id>.atlas + texture pages | The cut parts packed into pages, as PNG (straight alpha) or KTX2/Basis |
| MP4 | Any clip as a 1080p, 60 fps video, recorded from the live preview (Chrome and Edge) |
Using the export in your game
The export is written in the Spine 4.2 JSON format, for a Spine runtime that reads 4.2 data. Spine runtimes exist for many engines, among them PixiJS, Unity, Godot and Phaser; test the export in the runtime and version your game ships. SpineFactory's own preview is built on spine-pixi. KTX2 textures need a Basis transcoder in your runtime; when in doubt, export PNG.
Editing after the build
The rig is not a black box. The editor moves pieces, changes draw order and places joints; Paint touches up the parts sheet; Cuts re-outlines a part that came out wrong. Every change stores a version first, so History can always take you back.
Do I need a Spine licence?
SpineFactory does not need the Spine editor to rig, animate or preview, and it does not include or sell a Spine licence. Using the export — for example loading it in your game with the Spine Runtimes, or opening it in the Spine editor — is governed by Esoteric Software's licence terms, which generally require a Spine Editor licence. You are responsible for checking and obtaining the licences your use requires: see the Spine Editor License and the Spine Runtimes License.
Start with Getting started, or read the FAQ.
Try it on your own art
SpineFactory is in private beta. Sign in with Google or email; new accounts are reviewed by hand, usually within a day, and start with a 7-day trial and 300 credits.
Request access →