Question
What makes a good reference image?
A good reference is clear, well lit and shows one thing you want: a texture, a color, a light, a shape or a character. Crop out everything that is not the point, use a sharp image rather than a screenshot of a screenshot, and tell the model what the reference is for.
Match the reference to its job. For texture, a close-up of the material. For color, a swatch or a photo dominated by that color. For light, a scene where the direction and hardness of the light are obvious. For a character or product, a front view on a plain background.
Avoid references with strong extra content (text, logos, other people) unless you want them; models can carry those into the result. Low resolution and heavy compression also carry over as mush.
In ImageQuarry a reference can show a material or texture, a color or palette, a light, or a shape. Add one reference per idea and say what it is for. References guide the result; review each version to see how closely it follows them.
Source: the ImageQuarry homepage (reference examples), checked October 20, 2026.
Last reviewed October 20, 2026 by ImageQuarry
Create an image. Edit it with words. Keep refining.
Pick one reference per idea
Add a clear reference, say what it is for, and see how the new version follows it.
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