Using Reference Images for More Consistent Scenes

Choose references with a clear job

Decide what each image is meant to communicate: a character, an object, a location or a visual style. Use descriptive filenames such as red-bicycle-side-view.png rather than a collection of indistinguishable export names. Keep an original copy outside the extension so you can find it again when returning to the project.

Inspect the source image at a useful size. A blurry crop or a busy background can make your intended subject difficult to identify. Use images you have permission to use, and remove unrelated personal material before uploading them.

Organize the Library before writing the batch

Hola Flow’s Library gives you a place to organize reference assets for your workflow. Use the interactive Library preview to explore selection and organization with sample images. In your actual project, choose references deliberately rather than attaching every available image to every prompt.

For a short storyboard, a small set might include one character reference, one important prop and one location. Keep a simple scene list beside that set so you know which images belong to each shot.

Match references to the right prompts

A shared reference is useful when several prompts should depict the same object or character. Different references per prompt are useful when the batch moves between scenes or subjects. Check each mapping before starting: a misplaced image can produce a technically successful result that belongs to the wrong scene.

For example, a bicycle close-up should use the bicycle reference, while a café exterior may need the location reference. If both scenes include the same rider, keep that character’s reference consistent where the selected mode supports it.

Tell the prompt how to use the image

Write what should stay consistent and what should change. “Use the bicycle’s red frame and black saddle; show it parked beside a stone wall in evening light” is easier to evaluate than “make another one.” Avoid asking for details that conflict with the visual material unless that change is intentional.

A reference guides generation; it does not guarantee perfect identity, lettering or geometry. Review important details in each result before using it in a final project.

References and video frames serve different purposes

In a video workflow, a start frame defines an opening image; reference inputs guide visual content. Choose the mode that fits your goal and confirm that your selected model supports it. Read the video workflow guide before combining images with motion prompts.

Start with two or three representative scenes, inspect the results, and expand only after the references are doing the job you intended.