The reference guide
Choose references that leave less to invention
The workbench can preserve what a clear reference shows and has to invent what it hides. Start with the strongest approved primary image; the golden person set proved that one reference can be sufficient, even for profiles.
For a person, begin with permission: use yourself as an adult, a consenting adult, or a hired adult model whose agreement covers the work. For an illustrated subject, use a character you created, own, or are licensed to adapt. A good crop does not fix a rights problem.
One reference works; the current engine accepts two
Every person scene in the six-identity golden set used one reference: 30 of 30 were shippable, including side profiles and full-body distance. The workbench can also send one optional supporting angle. A third slot stays in your browser for comparison. The controlled test needed to measure multi-reference lift was not run, so we do not claim extra references improve hard angles.
One reference image
One clear reference was sufficient for every person scene in the golden set, including profiles and full-body distance. Every output still needs comparison against that source.
Two engine inputs + one local view
The current workbench sends at most two references. A third slot stays in your browser for visual review. Multi-reference lift on hard angles has not been tested, so we do not claim it improves fidelity.
For adults: keep identity visible and current
Do
- Use an unobstructed front-facing portrait with natural skin texture.
- Use the optional second engine slot only for a clear, relevant view of the same approved adult.
- Keep hair, age, and general appearance consistent across the set.
- Choose images the adult approved for generated likeness work.
Avoid
- Use sunglasses, beauty filters, motion blur, or a face hidden by hair.
- Crop away the jaw, hairline, or body information the new scene needs.
- Use a group photo where the intended person is ambiguous.
- Assume a public photo, friendship, or employment equals consent.
For illustrated characters: cover the model sheet
Make the primary reference show the face, costume silhouette, signature colors, and defining props. A turnaround is useful as a human review sheet because it reveals what one hero illustration hides. Flat and storybook styles transferred well in our illustrated bench, but the image engine still receives at most two files.
Match the references to the shot you want
A front portrait does not show every side-profile contour, and a waist-up crop does not show full-body proportions. That makes those outputs review-sensitive even though the golden set held identity from a single reference. Use the optional second slot when it records a truly different view, or simplify the request; treat it as added input, not a proven performance improvement.
In the illustrated bench, the softer identity results traced back to an ambiguous, face-hidden source. In the six-identity person golden set, one clear portrait was sufficient for every tested scene, but profile and distant full-body frames still deserve stricter review because less facial information is visible.
Lay your chosen images out with the free reference-sheet planner. It runs locally in your browser, so the planner never uploads the adult or character images you are arranging.
Questions, answered plainly
Is one adult portrait enough?
It was enough for all 30 golden-set scenes, including profiles and full-body framing. That is evidence from six invented adults, not a guarantee. Use a sharp approved portrait and compare every result; the benefit of a second reference has not been quantified.
Should all person references come from the same day?
Not necessarily, but they should describe the same current appearance. Large differences in hairstyle, age, makeup, facial hair, or body shape make it unclear which version should stay.
Can I use screenshots from someone's social account?
Only if that adult has explicitly agreed to this generated use. Public visibility is not permission. Public figures and celebrities are outside the marketed workflow even if an image is licensed.
Where do I make a reference sheet?
Use the free planner on this site. It arranges up to three local images into a contact strip, model sheet, or labeled turnaround and exports a PNG without sending the images anywhere.
Have a clear, approved reference set?
Bring a clear approved primary reference, choose what changes, and compare the output before you keep it.
One free watermarked preview here — no signup. Choose a pack only after you inspect the scene.