Reference Image
A Reference Image tells the AI who the character is.
What it does
Locks in a person’s face, hair, and overall likeness
Keeps body proportions consistent (child vs. adult, tall vs. short)
Preserves defining features like glasses, braces, hats, or hairstyles
When to use
Your child’s look keeps changing across pages
An edit made the character drift or lose likeness
You want the same face carried through different scenes
Example
You love how Sophie looks in the dolphin page.
Set that page as the Reference Image.
Now Sophie’s face will look the same on future edits or regenerations.
Style Guide Image
A Style Guide Image tells the AI how the page should look.
What it does
Keeps the color palette consistent (pastel, bright, warm tones, etc.)
Maintains the lighting and mood (sunny, cozy, magical, dreamy)
Preserves the art style (watercolor, sketch, cartoon) across pages
When to use
Colors look different from one page to another
One page feels too dark or too bright compared to the rest
You want a consistent storybook tone
Example
The jellyfish page has a perfect soft watercolor glow.
Set that as your Style Guide Image.
When editing the penguin page, it will match that same tone and color style.
Using Both Together
The best results come from combining both:
Reference Image: Keeps the characters the same
Style Guide Image: Keeps the style and mood the same
Example Workflow
Pick Sophie’s dolphin page as Reference → locks her face.
Pick the jellyfish page as Style Guide → locks the soft watercolor tone.
Prompt: “Change Sophie’s coat to purple, keep everything else the same.”
Result: Sophie stays consistent and the tone stays soft watercolor.
FAQ
Do I have to use them every time?
No, but using them together gives the most consistent results.
What if I only use Reference?
Characters will stay the same, but colors and mood may drift.
What if I only use Style Guide?
Pages will match in tone, but faces may change slightly.
Can I change them later?
Yes — pick new ones anytime if you find better matches.