Creating consistent characters is essential in film, TV, fashion, marketing and storytelling – but achieving great outputs has typically involved hacky, sub-par work-arounds.
Enter Leonardo’s Character Referenceーwhich allows creators from all industries to take a range of images – with different locations, poses, and styles – and keep the character consistent across all of them. Whether your characters are jumping through the pages of a graphic novel or starring across multiple advertising campaigns, Character Reference will simplify your creative workflow.
Here are some of our favourite examples of character consistency, all generated with our latest feature, Character Reference.
Character Consistency in Children’s Storybook
With Character Reference, we created a range of children’s storybook images, all featuring our little blonde-haired protagonist. Images were created by uploading a single image of the character (top left), then working with various prompts to weave him through different story settings —defending against a giant monster, wandering through lush woods, kicking a soccer ball, and resting by his village home.
These images were generated with the following prompts and settings:
Model: Leonardo Kino XL
Alchemy V2 enabled
Character Reference strength: Mid
- Character prompt: A cartoon character of a boy, blonde hair, ultra detailed, 2D, illustration
- 2D illustration of a boy, fighting a monster, next to a river, cartoon style, cel animation, cel animation, vibrant pastel colors
- 2D illustration of a boy, holding a book, walking in the woods, cartoon style, cel animation, cel animation, vibrant pastel colors
- 2D illustration of a boy playing soccer, in a village, cartoon style, cel animation, cel animation, vibrant pastel colors
- 2D illustration of a boy, sitting on a rock, in a village, cartoon style, cel animation, cel animation, vibrant pastel colors
Film and Storyboarding with Consistent Characters
In the film industry, creating a visually coherent storyboard is key for translating a script into compelling visual scenes.
In this example, our character is a scientist by day and a superhero by night. Through Leonardo’s Character Reference, we transition his appearance from a high-tech lab setting to gritty urban showdowns.
These images were created by uploading a single image of a blonde-haired male (top left) and the following prompts and settings:
Model: Leonardo Kino XL
Generation Mode: Quality
Photoreal V2 enabled
Character Reference strength: High
- Character prompt: A highly detailed photograph of a man 28 years old
- (Preset: Dynamic) a cyborg in the void, 4th dimension, parallel universe, highly detailed, sci-fi
- (Preset: Cinematic) a doctor wearing doctors suit, in a lab, making experiments, digital photography, highly detailed
- (Preset: Dynamic) a super hero in a town, fighting villains, in a destroyed city, cinematic scene, fierce, hyper realistic, cinematic
Consistent Character Visuals in Graphic Novels
With Character Reference, we captured the adventures of a rugged, seasoned character across a graphic novel’s varied settings. We began by uploading a single image of our character, distinguished by his thick white beard and piercing gaze (image on top left). We then applied different prompts to maintain his consistency as he navigated through diverse environments — from the interiors of a futuristic living room to a vibrant cityscape under siege, spending time in his garden, and night-time strolls through neon-lit streets.
These images were generated by using the following prompts and settings:
Model: Leonardo Anime XL
Generation Mode: Quality
Preset: Dynamic
Character Reference strength: High
- a man standing in his living room, scifi action movie
- a man walking on a cyberpunk city street, scifi action movie
- a man watering his plants, scifi action movie
- a man running from explosions, scifi action movie
Character Consistency in Marketing and Advertising
In this example, we showcased how a marketing model could be used across various marketing campaigns with the help of Character Reference.
Starting with a single character image (top left), we used different prompts to position her against diverse backdrops — from urban setting to photography studio.
These images were generated by using the following prompts and settings:
Model: Leonardo Kino XL
Generation Mode: Quality
Photoreal V2 enabled
Character Reference strength: High
- (Preset: Unprocessed) A strikingly elegant African American woman, her features exude a quiet confidence and poise as she poses for a marketing campaign in the bustling streets of New York City. This photograph captures her in a moment of effortless grace and strength. The image is a high-quality photograph that highlights her natural beauty and the vibrant energy of the city around her. Her sleek ebony hair cascades down her shoulders, complementing her athletic physique clad in sleek sportswear. The backdrop of iconic New York landmarks adds a dynamic flair to the overall composition, encapsulating the essence of urban athleticism and empowerment. The meticulous attention to detail and the skillful play of light and shadow create a visually arresting image that elevates the spirit of the campaign and resonates with the viewer.
- (Preset: Cinematic (Close-Up)) A strikingly captivating trendy black teenage woman with luscious dreadlock hair is the focus of this illustration. Every detail of the subject is impeccably portrayed, from her flawless complexion to her expressive eyes. The composition skillfully captures her beauty and confidence, with a sophisticated aesthetic that elevates the overall appeal of the image. Creative artistic Gen Z background fashion photography full body.
- (Preset: Stock Photo) A strikingly captivating trendy black teenage woman with luscious dreadlock hair is the focus of this illustration. Every detail of the subject is impeccably portrayed, from her flawless complexion to her expressive eyes. The composition skillfully captures her beauty and confidence, with a sophisticated aesthetic that elevates the overall appeal of the image. Creative artistic Gen Z background fashion photography full body.
Showcasing Fashion Styles
In our exploration of fashion styling through Character Reference, a single model (top left image) is showcased in a series of styles, each reflecting a distinct aesthetic while maintaining her unique character. Here’s what we did: we started with her in a blue gala dress, then changed the outfit across a range of styles.
These images were generated with the following prompts and settings:
Model: Leonardo Kino XL
Generation Mode: Quality
Photoreal V2 enabled
Character Reference strength: High
- Full body photo of blue shiny dress and blue heels on feet, studio photography, moody lighting, expressive mysterious mood
- Full body photo of cute white floral dress, dark studio background, moody lighting, happy mood
- Full body photo of girl in green sparkly met gala dress, dark studio background, moody lighting, mysterious mood
- Full body photo of red shiny dress and red heels on feet, studio photography, moody lighting, expressive mysterious mood
- Full body photo of leather jacket and blue jeans, studio photography, moody lighting, expressive mysterious mood
Fun with Avatars: Team Testing in Action
With Character Reference we took on a challenge to morph one of our team members into an array of imaginative avatars. Starting with a single source image (top left), we applied different prompts to seamlessly integrate him into various scenarios — from a relaxed cartoon scene in a restaurant to embodying stylish Japanese streetwear.
These images were generated by using the following prompts and settings:
Model: Leonardo Vision XL
Generation Mode: Quality
Character Reference strength: High
- male model in (((retro-futuristic haute couture:1.6))) ((japanese streetwear)), fashion photography, minimalist, ((detailed)), punk fashion, ((visual kei)), vkei, stylish, stunning pose, dramatic lighting, dimly lit, cold lightning, cinestill 800, 35mm, colorful, vibrant
- a man standing in a restaurant, highly detailed, cartoon
- A painting of man with rat, renaissance painting, gorgeous, 4k, dramatic lighting, masterpiece, on the battlefield, painting, brushstrokes
How to Begin with Character Reference
Access Character Reference by clicking the image thumbnail on the left side of the prompt bar. Upload a face shot (ideally a generated or real photo of a human for best results) and set the strength level 一Low, Mid or High. Character Reference ensures you maintain creative control while achieving consistent and compelling visual narratives.
To further elevate your projects, consider combining this with Style/Multi-style Reference and Elements for truly amazing results. Learn more about how to use Character Reference in our help guide here.
Please note that Character Reference is only compatible with SDXL models and is available on all plans for a limited time – jump in and check it out!
Unlocking Character Consistency
In the ever-evolving world of AI image generation, Character Reference offers a powerful tool that ensures character consistency, keeping your artistic expressions distinct and uniform across any media. Whether you’re weaving personal stories, showcasing fashion styles, illustrating children’s books, or enhancing marketing campaigns, Character Reference stands as your creative ally.
We’re buzzing with excitement to see what you’ll create—don’t forget to share your creations on social media and tag us, so we can revel in your creative journeys. We love seeing your projects and hearing your thoughts—it helps us make Leonardo.Ai even better.
What will you create next?