Overview
Input & References helps you bring sketch, render, or external photos into a workflow with clear roles: Input images are the main subject to edit or develop; Reference images guide style, material, lighting, or composition.
Who it is for: Especially useful when you start from existing studio material (e.g. massing, model screenshots, site photos, moodboards) instead of text-only prompts.
When to use it: Use Input & References when you want to keep the main subject or composition from an original image, try different styles/materials/lighting based on references, work from an existing sketch or render instead of creating from text alone, or improve control and stability in your architectural visualization workflow.
What It Solves
User problem(s): When doing AI visualization, images often enter the workflow without clear roles: which is the subject to keep, which is for style reference only, which affects composition or camera. This leads to unstable or hard-to-repeat results.
Why this feature exists: Input & References lets you assign clear roles to each image: the input as main subject, the reference influencing the output look (style, lighting, material, mood, composition depending on workflow).
Expected outcome: You can clearly tell the system what to keep (subject/structure) and what to use for guidance (style/lighting/material). Results tend to be easier to control and more predictable.
Key Capabilities
- Upload images as input images (originals) on the board.
- Attach one or more reference images to the workflow.
- Combine input and reference in workflows such as edit, texture/material transfer, and camera-sync.
- Reuse reference images across boards or runs (where supported).
How It Works (Workflow)
Step 1 /5
Upload a sketch, render, or base photo to the board as the input image.
Step 2 /5
(Optional) Upload one or more reference images in the same workflow.
Step 3 /5
Set prompts and describe how the reference should influence the result (e.g. material, lighting, mood).
Step 4 /5
Run the workflow to generate results.
Step 5 /5
Compare outputs and adjust reference images or prompts as needed.
Inputs
- Input image: original subject (sketch, render, photo, model screenshot, etc.).
- Reference image(s): used to guide style, lighting, material, or composition.
- Prompt description (per workflow).
- Workflow setup (e.g. edit, camera sync, camera-sync).
Outputs
- New generated images combining structure/subject from input and visual influence from reference.
- Board items storing input, reference, and results in workflow context.
- Results available for further refinement or export (per workflow).
Controls and Parameters
- Input image slot — Identifies the main subject in the workflow. Often this is the image whose overall geometry, main composition, or region to edit is preserved.
- Reference image slot — Used to guide output style, e.g. material, lighting, mood/color, composition or viewpoint (depending on workflow).
- Combining Input + Reference — How much the reference affects the result varies by workflow and prompt. Camera sync favors material influence; camera-sync favors viewpoint/composition; edit favors keeping the main subject region and applying controlled changes.
Common Use Cases
- Keep the same massing/composition and try multiple façade styles.
- Use a site photo as input and a moodboard as reference to explore renovation concepts.
- Use a hand sketch as input and a precedent photo as reference for material studies.
- Use one base render and several lighting references to compare day/night/sunset moods.
Limitations and Known Behaviors
- Very low-resolution references may produce less detailed or less stable results.
- References too different in context (e.g. completely different composition or subject) can make results harder to control.
- How much composition/geometry is preserved depends on input quality, chosen workflow, and prompt constraints.
Best Practices
- Choose references with at least some overlap with the input (composition, lighting, material, or mood).
- Use prompts to specify which aspect to learn from the reference (e.g. "only lighting and material, keep current composition").
- Group references by theme for reuse (e.g. Sunset façade, Warm interior, Minimal concrete material).
- Start with one clear reference, then add complexity.
- If results are unstable, try a closer-context reference, simpler prompts, or a different workflow (edit / texture / camera-sync).
Audit Evidence
Input & References is part of workflows in NamO Academy Studio, not a standalone tool. Users operate in project and board context, where input images, references, prompts, and results are recorded per design iteration to support tracking, comparison, and reuse.
Operational Notes
At a high level, operations involving Input & References use the same platform infrastructure as other NamO Academy Studio workflows. Actual behavior (e.g. influence level per workflow, processing queues, usage limits) may vary by system configuration and chosen workflow.