TL;DR — Training a custom AI model is a one-time 720-credit job built on a reference set of 8–20 rights-cleared photos. Variety in angles, lighting, and expressions matters more than photo count — and if a training run fails, the credits are refunded automatically.
Everything you generate later flows from the quality of this one step. A trained model locks your persona's identity — face, hair, build — so every future photoshoot renders the same recognizable person. Training costs 720 credits one-time per model; after that you only pay per render, never for training again.
This guide walks you through assembling a reference set, starting the run, and judging your first results. One note before you start: the free tier (100 one-time credits) generates with showcase models only — training your own persona requires a paid plan.
Step by step
- 1Collect 8–20 reference photos
Gather between 8 and 20 photos of your synthetic persona. Aim for the middle of that range — around 12 to 15 photos gives training enough signal without redundancy. Every photo must show the same person, and you must own the rights to every image you upload.
- 2Cover angles, lighting, and expressions
Variety is what teaches the model a full identity instead of one memorized pose. A reference set of near-identical selfies produces a model that falls apart the moment a prompt asks for a new angle. Audit your set against the checklist below before uploading.
- Angles: frontal, three-quarter, and profile shots
- Lighting: daylight, indoor, and at least one low-light photo
- Expressions: neutral, smiling, and one candid mid-motion shot
- Framing: mix close-ups with waist-up and full-body shots
- 3Confirm rights and the 18+ rule
Every persona must depict an adult (18+), with no exceptions. Reference photos must show either a fully synthetic character or a real person who has given explicit written consent — cloning celebrities, public figures, or any non-consenting person is prohibited and leads to account termination. See the Help Center for the full policy.
- 4Start the training run
In the app, open Models and click “Train new model”. Upload your reference set, give the model a name, and confirm. The run deducts 720 credits one-time — once the model is trained, you generate from it forever without paying training credits again.
- 5Judge the first test renders
Generate a handful of test images at 720p (12 credits each) across different scenes and angles. Check that face shape, hair, and distinguishing features stay consistent from render to render. Small variation in expression or lighting is normal — every render is a fresh generation, not a copy of a reference photo.
- 6Fix a weak model by retraining
If the identity drifts — face shape or hair changing across a batch — the cause is almost always the reference set, not the prompt. Add more varied photos and retrain: a refresh costs 800 credits, and a second pass almost always tightens results. Diagnosing persona drift covers the common failure patterns.
Frequently asked questions
Follow along with 100 free credits
No card required. Generate with showcase models on the free tier, then train your own persona on any paid plan.