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Question

Can I use a reference image for color only?

Yes. Say in the prompt that the reference is for color only, for example "use the palette of image 2; do not copy its subject or layout". Models then take the palette and leave the rest, though some of the reference's mood or light can come along, so compare the result.

The narrower the reference, the better this works. A color chip, a swatch board or a photo dominated by two or three colors gives the model little else to copy. A busy photo invites it to borrow objects or composition too.

For exact brand colors, a reference gets you close but not to a precise value. Check the hex values in a design tool and see Can AI match my brand colors exactly?.

In ImageQuarry you add the reference and say what it is for, such as color only. References guide the result; review each version to see how closely it follows them.

Source: the ImageQuarry homepage, checked October 20, 2026.

Next step

Can AI match my brand colors exactly?Getting close to exact brand values.Read more

Related questions

Can AI match my brand colors exactly?Close, not exact; check values in a design tool.Read more Can AI copy the style of a reference image?Broadly, yes: palette, light and texture.Read more Can AI change the color of one object in a photo?Yes, by naming the object and the new color.Read more Can a reference image guide the lighting?Yes. A photo of the light you want can steer it.Read more

Last reviewed October 20, 2026 by ImageQuarry

Create an image. Edit it with words. Keep refining.

Bring your palette in as a picture

Add a color reference, say it is for color only, and compare versions.

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