Guide · 6 min read
How to create consistent AI characters across every image
Whether you're building a storybook hero, a brand mascot, or putting yourself into every scene — keeping a character on-model is the single hardest problem in AI image generation. Here's the exact workflow we use in Lumen to lock a face and remix it forever.
Why AI characters drift
Most image models regenerate a face from scratch on every prompt. Change the outfit and you get a different person. The fix isn't a better prompt — it's a persistent reference the model can anchor to. Lumen calls this character pinning.
The 4-step workflow
1. Generate a base portrait
Open the studio and write a detailed portrait prompt. Include age, hair, eye color, distinctive features, and lighting. The more specific, the easier the face is to lock later.
2. Pin it as your character
On the generated image, tap 'Use as character'. Lumen saves the face structure as a reference. From now on, every generation in that session will preserve this identity.
3. Remix scenes and outfits
Write new prompts describing a scene — 'in a cyberpunk alley, neon reflections, 35mm film'. The character stays the same person; only the world changes.
4. Iterate or swap
Regenerate for variations. Unpin at any time to pivot to a new character, or pin a different image mid-session to shift the look.
Putting yourself in AI images
The same workflow answers the classic question: how do I incorporate myself into an AI image generator? Generate or upload a clean portrait of yourself, pin it as your character, then prompt any scene — space suit, medieval knight, cartoon avatar. Your likeness travels with every render.
Cartoon & anime characters
Pin a realistic base, then apply a Pixar, anime, or claymation preset. Lumen restyles the render while preserving the pinned identity — great for building recurring cartoon characters for reels, YouTube shorts, or a graphic novel.
FAQ
How many characters can I pin at once?
One active character per session. Swap references anytime to work with multiple characters across a project.
Does the pinned face work in generated videos?
Yes — animate any character-pinned still with image-to-video and the identity carries into the motion clip.
Is my reference image private?
Every reference is stored in your private library, scoped to your account and never used to train shared models.