Snap Lens Studio is an augmented reality platform that allows anyone to create and publish Snapchat lenses. Lenses are fun augmented reality effects that can be added to snaps and stories. With Lens Studio, you can create lenses that transform the world around you or bring imagined objects into reality. Whether you want to create a lens that turns people into zombies or one that makes cute bunny ears appear, Lens Studio gives you the tools to easily design, animate, and share your own lenses. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get started with making your own Snapchat lenses using Lens Studio.
What is Snap Lens Studio?
Snap Lens Studio is Snapchat’s free desktop application that allows anyone to create augmented reality lenses for Snapchat. It was created and released by Snap Inc. in 2017 to open up lens creation to everyone. Before Lens Studio, lenses could only be made by approved Snapchat partners.
With Lens Studio, you can use 3D modeling software, animation tools, and Snap’s own templates and assets to build lenses. The lenses you create can include 2D and 3D objects, interactive elements, textures, audio, and more.
Once completed, lenses are submitted to Snap for approval. Approved lenses get added to Snapchat so you and others can share your creation. Snap Lens Studio has helped democratize lens creation, with over 1.5 million Lenses published globally by the end of 2020.
Why Create Your Own Lens?
Here are some of the top reasons you may want to create your own Snapchat lens with Lens Studio:
- For fun – Lenses provide enjoyable AR experiences and let you get creative.
- To promote your brand – Lenses are a popular way for brands to engage audiences.
- To drive traffic – You can promote your lens to drive views and traffic.
- Build your AR portfolio – Creating great lenses can lead to AR job opportunities.
- For the challenge – Designing lenses allows you to flex your 3D and coding skills.
Whether you want to leave your mark on Snapchat culture, push innovative AR boundaries, or simply have some fun, Lens Studio makes it simple to turn your ideas into reality!
System Requirements
Before downloading Lens Studio to start creating, make sure your Windows or Mac computer meets the minimum system requirements:
Minimum System Requirements for Windows
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating System | 64-bit Windows 10 version 1809 or higher |
| CPU | Intel i5 processor or higher |
| RAM | 8GB minimum |
| GPU | DX11 compatible GPU with 2GB RAM |
| Storage | 2GB free space |
Minimum System Requirements for Mac
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating System | macOS 10.13 High Sierra or higher |
| CPU | Intel i5 processor or higher |
| RAM | 8GB minimum |
| GPU | DX11 compatible GPU with 2GB RAM |
| Storage | 2GB free space |
If your system meets these specifications, you’re ready to start creating lenses!
How to Download and Install Lens Studio
Downloading and installing Snap Lens Studio is simple and straightforward. Just follow these steps:
- Go to the Lens Studio download page at https://lensstudio.snapchat.com/download/.
- Select whether you’re downloading for Windows or Mac.
- The installer will begin downloading on your computer.
- When the download completes, open the installer and follow the setup prompts.
- Accept the License Agreement and choose your install location.
- Once the installation is finished, the Lens Studio application will open automatically.
The main Lens Studio workspace should now be ready to use! The default layout contains the Scene panel, Objects panel, Inspector panel, and more. We’ll overview the interface components later in this guide.
If you ever need to update Lens Studio to the latest version, simply repeat these installation steps to download and set up the newest release.
How to Navigate the Lens Studio Interface
Now that Lens Studio is installed, let’s briefly tour the main sections and panels of the interface:
Scene Panel
This main central area displays your lens design scene in 2D and 3D perspectives. It’s where you’ll preview and build out all the objects, animations, and interactions that bring your lens to life.
Objects Panel
The Objects panel along the left side contains all the assets, elements, scripts, and tools for building your lens. Here you’ll find:
- Asset Library – Stock 3D objects, materials, audio files, and visual effects.
- Snapcodes – QR codes that unlock your lens.
- Lenses – Other lenses for reference.
- Scripts – Code scripts that add logic and interactivity.
Inspector Panel
The Inspector panel on the right lets you configure all the properties of an object selected in the Scene panel. This includes options like position, scale, visual effects, text, and more.
Hierarchy Panel
All the objects added to your lens scene are listed in the Hierarchy panel. You can use this to select, organize, and manage objects as you build complex scenes.
Toolbar
The top toolbar provides access to play/pause tools, camera controls, viewer options, guides, and other global settings.
Timelines Panel
This panel shows timelines for animations and interactions. You can timeline object movements, visual effects, audio, and more.
That covers the key panels and tools within Lens Studio you’ll need to understand! Next we’ll walk through how to build out and customize your first lens…
How to Build Your First Lens
Let’s outline the basic process for creating a Snapchat lens with Lens Studio:
- Choose a template – Templates give you a starting scene and assets to build upon.
- Customize objects – Add, modify, and style 3D objects, text, images, and more.
- Animate and interact – Make objects move, trigger effects, and respond to inputs.
- Configure snaps – Define how your lens behaves during capture.
- Preview and test – Check your lens locally and on mobile devices.
- Export and submit – Export your lens files and submit to Snapchat for review.
Let’s go through these steps to build a simple example lens:
1. Choose a Template
Templates provide starter scenes, 3D objects, and code to simplify starting your lens. Browse the templates in the Objects panel and choose the Face Lenses template to begin.
This will load a face mesh object centered in the Scene panel, which we can attach our own objects to.
2. Customize Objects
Now let’s customize the scene by adding some new 3D objects:
– Search the Asset Library for a hat object and add it positioned above the face mesh.
– Search for sunglasses and add them over the eyes on the face mesh.
– Add a floating Image object with a beach background picture.
Feel free to resize, position, and rotate the objects to create your starting scene.
3. Animate and Interact
Next, we can make our objects move and respond to user inputs:
– Use the Timelines panel to make the hat spin around slowly.
– Make the sunglasses scale down when the user opens their mouth.
– Add code so the beach image floats side to side based on head motion.
This brings some life to our lens!
4. Configure Snaps
Now configure snap settings like when objects appear and how long they stay on screen.
5. Preview and Test
Thoroughly preview your lens in Lens Studio across different faces and inputs. You can also pair your smartphone to test the lens directly through the Snapchat app.
6. Export and Submit
Finally, export your lens as a .snap file. Go to the Lens Explorer page on Snapchat to upload and submit your creation!
And that covers the general process! Don’t worry if it seems complicated at first – the more lenses you build, the faster everything will become.
How to Add Advanced Interactions
While templates and drag-and-drop tools make lens creation accessible, Lens Studio also provides the flexibility to build complex interactive lenses powered by code.
Let’s look at some examples of advanced logic you can add with JavaScript scripts:
Touch Interactions
Detect screen taps and swipes to trigger effects:
“`javascript
// Hide object on tap
script.onTap(function(){
hatObject.hidden = true;
})
// Scale object on swipe
script.onSwipe(function(swipe){
sunglassesObject.transform.scaleX += swipe.direction.x * 0.1;
})
“`
Face Mesh Warping
Morph the scene based on facial expressions:
“`javascript
// Access face mesh vertex data
var mouthVertex = script.face.mouth.top.getComponent(“Transform”).localPosition;
// Shift objects along mouth open amount
backgroundObject.transform.y = mouthVertex.y * 3;
“`
World Object Tracking
Track real objects like pets or furniture:
“`javascript
// Detect horizontal surfaces
var planes = script.scene.findHorizontalSurfaces(5000);
// Spawn object on largest plane
var biggestPlane = planes[0];
dogObject.transform.parent = biggestPlane;
“`
Audio Reactions
Make objects react to microphone audio:
“`javascript
// Get mic volume
var vol = script.microphone.volume;
// Pulse object to volume
catObject.transform.scale = vol * 10;
“`
The scripting API unlocks tons of potential for interactivity and dynamic effects!
How to Use 3D Modeling Tools
To create truly custom lens objects and assets, you can use external 3D modeling software and import your work into Lens Studio.
Some popular programs used by lens creators include:
- Blender – Open source 3D modeling and animation tool.
- Maya – Advanced 3D animation and effects software by Autodesk.
- Cinema 4D – 3D modeling and motion graphics application.
- 3ds Max – Another 3D animation app from Autodesk.
These tools allow you to model complex 3D objects and characters.
The general workflow is:
- Model assets and animations in your 3D software.
- Export models and animations as .FBX or .OBJ files.
- Import .FBX and .OBJ into Lens Studio.
- Add your models to the lens scene.
- Align, composite, and integrate the assets into the lens.
With quality 3D assets and animations, you can achieve stunning, professional-level lens designs powered by Lens Studio’s real-time engine and effects.
How to Create Sponsored Lenses
In addition to creating lenses for fun, Lens Studio provides monetization opportunities. Brands and advertisers can pay Snapchat to sponsor your lens and promote it to millions of users.
Here are some tips for creating effective sponsored lenses:
Use Brand Assets
Incorporate logos, products, characters, and other brand assets into your scene. Align the lens visually and thematically with the sponsor.
Add Interactive Brand Features
Integrate interactive features like virtual try-ons that engage users with branded content and products.
Follow Brand Guidelines
Make sure to follow the brand’s guidelines for colors, voice, imagery, trademarks, and other branding elements.
Drive Sharing
Encourage social sharing by making lenses fun, funny, and worth showing friends. Viral reach is great for sponsor promotion.
By crafting creative, interactive sponsored lenses aligned with brand objectives, you can build an audience and earn revenue from lens creation.
Tips for Creating Quality Lenses
Here are some top tips to keep in mind as you use Lens Studio:
Start Simple
Focus on simple ideas and mechanics when you’re new. Master the basics before attempting complex lenses.
Preview Often
Continuously preview on your test devices to make sure your lens looks and performs as expected.
Refine Effects
Take time to refine visual effects like particles and lighting to polish the final look.
Enhance Performance
Use performant scripts, compress textures, optimize polygons, and test on various devices.
Gather Feedback
Get input from friends and peers throughout the creation process to improve your lens.
Analyze Top Lenses
Research what makes hit Snapchat lenses successful and apply those lessons.
Following lens design best practices will help you create great lenses that provide an amazing experience for users.
Conclusion
Snap Lens Studio provides powerful tools for anyone to begin building unique augmented reality lenses. With the template-based drag-and-drop interface, you can quickly customize and create basic but compelling lens experiences. For advanced creators, Lens Studio offers deep capabilities for interactive scripts, 3D imports, and innovative effects. By remixing templates, letting your imagination run wild, and sharing your lens creations, you can impress and engage the Snapchat community with your own original lenses. The possibilities are endless!