Character reference workflow
Prepare a character for more than one image
Build a reference-led plan for recurring original characters. Record identity, outfit and useful views before reviewing new poses and scenes.
Model
This creator generates a still image. Continue in the linked tools for comics and video; research strategies are not selectable production modes.
Image record
Google Vertex AI · gemini-3.1-flash-image · · 1280 × 859 px
Original generation prompt
Use case: photorealistic-natural / product-mockup. Create a natural window-lit editorial PHOTOGRAPH of exactly TWO anatomically normal adult hands holding one landscape matte comic proof sheet above a real warm oak desk. Image1 supplied is the original adult botanist and mint robot reference sheet; image2 is the COMPLETE original SIX-PANEL greenhouse comic. The held paper must have landscape 3:2 proportions so Image2 fits WITHOUT rearrangement. Put the exact complete Image2 sequence on the held sheet as THREE columns by TWO rows, with a clean ivory outer margin: upper row arrival, pot on bench, gloved seed close-up; lower row watering, seedling reaction, final greenhouse view. Preserve all six distinct scenes in that order; DO NOT repeat watering, remove seed, reformat into two columns, add text or combine panels. Keep the original adult's teal jacket, coral scarf, dark curly hair, sand trousers and original mint round robot. Hold the paper by its two lower blank outside corners only; all artwork corners remain visible and hands cover no panels. The source character-reference sheet from Image1 rests flat farther back on the desk, partly visible beside the held print. Only the printed artwork is ink/watercolor illustration; hands, table, thin paper grain and room are a convincing photograph. No visible faces, booklet, screen, logos, titles, numbers, writing, fake UI, metrics or product packaging. Natural skin/five fingers, coherent optical perspective, subtle paper flex, quiet soft daylight. The completed hand-held story takes 75 percent of frame. Fictional lifestyle presentation only, never a customer photograph or research result. Landscape 3:2.
View full artworkPlan a specific result
An original botanist reference set
Plan a compact set showing an adult botanist’s face, body proportions and field outfit before using the character in a comic sequence.
What to prepare
- An authorized original character design.
- Stable identity notes and a current outfit description.
Image record
Google Vertex AI · gemini-3.1-flash-image · · 1280 × 859 px
Original generation prompt
Use case: illustration-story. Original character reference sheet on warm ivory paper, editorial comic style with elegant clean dark ink lines, restrained watercolor washes and sophisticated readable shapes. Show the same fictional adult botanist, about 32, warm brown skin, short dark curly hair, teal work jacket over cream shirt, one coral scarf, sand trousers and simple brown ankle boots, in THREE clear full-body views: front, side and back, spaced evenly. Below or beside the adult show a small round mint-green helper robot in front and side view, with two dark circular eyes and exactly one short antenna. Leave comfortable margins, warm ivory background. Keep clothing color, hair, build and robot construction consistent between views. No writing, labels, logos, speech bubbles, charts, numbers, duplicated limbs, weapons, third-party IP or sexualized clothing. This is original illustration, not a technical accuracy or model benchmark claim. Landscape 3:2.
View full artworkMake the reference readable
Prefer clear views of identity-defining details over decorative background detail.
Choose views for actual use
Add the angles needed for planned shots rather than assuming a larger collection is always better.
Check a new pose
Judge whether a new image remains recognizable while doing something different from the reference.
A reference set is useful when it helps generate and review the next shot, not just when the sheet looks polished.
A practical starting point
Choose defining features
Identify the few features that make the original character recognizable, including their silhouette and distinctive details.
Record appearance versions
Keep the current outfit and accessory state separate from identity. Use clear labels for intended changes.
Try a small range of shots
Review a close-up, a body view and a different angle. Check whether the character can change pose without losing their identity.
What to inspect
Image record
Google Vertex AI · gemini-3.1-flash-image · · 1280 × 859 px
Original generation prompt
Use case: photorealistic-natural / product-mockup. Create a natural window-lit editorial PHOTOGRAPH of exactly TWO anatomically normal adult hands holding one landscape matte comic proof sheet above a real warm oak desk. Image1 supplied is the original adult botanist and mint robot reference sheet; image2 is the COMPLETE original SIX-PANEL greenhouse comic. The held paper must have landscape 3:2 proportions so Image2 fits WITHOUT rearrangement. Put the exact complete Image2 sequence on the held sheet as THREE columns by TWO rows, with a clean ivory outer margin: upper row arrival, pot on bench, gloved seed close-up; lower row watering, seedling reaction, final greenhouse view. Preserve all six distinct scenes in that order; DO NOT repeat watering, remove seed, reformat into two columns, add text or combine panels. Keep the original adult's teal jacket, coral scarf, dark curly hair, sand trousers and original mint round robot. Hold the paper by its two lower blank outside corners only; all artwork corners remain visible and hands cover no panels. The source character-reference sheet from Image1 rests flat farther back on the desk, partly visible beside the held print. Only the printed artwork is ink/watercolor illustration; hands, table, thin paper grain and room are a convincing photograph. No visible faces, booklet, screen, logos, titles, numbers, writing, fake UI, metrics or product packaging. Natural skin/five fingers, coherent optical perspective, subtle paper flex, quiet soft daylight. The completed hand-held story takes 75 percent of frame. Fictional lifestyle presentation only, never a customer photograph or research result. Landscape 3:2.
View full artworkResearch direction
Research behind the workflow
Match the reference to the next shot
Research compares identity-only, face-enhanced and view-matched reference sets under the same story conditions.
Study preparation cost and reuse
Character-specific training and shared adapters have different costs and constraints. Any proposed benefit needs comparison with a reference-led baseline.
Research direction
Adaptive Reference Selection
Which identity, full-body, outfit or camera-view reference helps a particular shot?
How we would evaluate it: Compare fixed reference sets with shot-matched sets using the same stories and acceptance rules.
Research direction
Identity Adapters and Character LoRA
When would a shared identity adapter or a character-specific training step improve a recurring-character workflow?
How we would evaluate it: Compare new poses and identities, preparation time, training cost and expected reuse before choosing a method.
Know the boundaries
- No reference workflow guarantees perfect identity in every pose or style.
- Character-specific training and identity adapters are research directions here, not promised account features.
Primary research informs these questions; it does not establish results for CyaniModel.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a full character sheet?
Start with the information the next shots need. A clear identity image and relevant body or angle views can be more useful than a crowded sheet.
What changes when the character changes clothes?
Keep the stable identity reference, then record the new wardrobe as a separate appearance state so later images are compared with the right outfit.
Can this work for a mascot or creature?
Use the same planning approach, but evaluate the whole shape and distinctive structures. Human-face recognition alone is not an appropriate identity test for every character.
Continue your story
Create comic sequences with recognizable characters
Plan consistent-character AI comics with identity references, current outfits and panel-by-panel review. Learn what to check when camera, pose or scene changes.
Give each AI comic panel a clear story purpose
Plan a single AI comic panel with a defined story beat, camera distance and character placement. Review the composition before building a complete sequence.
Use an image as the start of a new visual draft
Plan an image-to-image transformation with an authorized source. Decide which structure to preserve, what to change and how to review the resulting draft.
Create a useful identity reference and a repeatable review standard.
Continue in LlamaGen to check the available tools, model choices, account requirements and credits before generating.