The Only Images Tutorial You'll Need: Tips & Tricks for Leonardo AI

This paragraph introduces the topic of generating images using Leonardo AI, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of creating multiple images at once and the additional features like Alchemy mode that enhance image quality. It outlines the basic process and cost of generating images, including the use of coins for various features like upscaling and fine-tuned models. The speaker promises a guide that will cover the essentials of using Leonardo AI, including understanding different engines, using prompts effectively, and exploring advanced features like image upscaling and animation.

This paragraph delves into the specifics of using Leonardo AI's image generation capabilities. It explains the user interface, including the prompt input, engine selection, cost display, and settings for image generation. The paragraph also discusses the importance of Alchemy mode for high-quality images and introduces the concept of fine-tuned models. The speaker provides a practical example using the Leonardo persona to demonstrate the differences in image quality with and without Alchemy mode and between various engines, highlighting the photo-realistic and 3D Animation Style engines as special cases.

The speaker shares tips on how to effectively use prompts to guide the AI in generating the desired images. They suggest studying public prompts from successful images to understand the art direction and style rather than focusing on specific details. The importance of limiting prompts to art direction is emphasized to allow the AI to be creative and avoid unwanted results. An example is given where the word 'green' in a prompt led to all images being green, illustrating the need for careful wording.

This paragraph covers the techniques for enhancing generated images, such as upscaling for better resolution and removing backgrounds. The speaker explains the process of using the 'smooth alchemy upscale' feature and the 'net' button for background removal, noting that results can vary. They also mention an alternative feature for background removal on human characters and suggest other free alternatives like Adobe Firefly.

The speaker discusses the challenge of creating a series of images with consistent characters or elements and introduces the 'image guidance' feature as a solution. Using an example of creating an image of a character holding a glass, they demonstrate how to use a reference image and adapt the prompt to achieve the desired result. The guidance strength cursor is highlighted as a tool to control the similarity to the reference image.

This paragraph explains how to add a sense of animation to images through camera movement effects using Leonardo AI. The speaker describes the process of using the 'image to motion' feature in the generation history and adjusting the movement strength cursor. They note that while full-body images may attempt real animation, which can be glitchy, camera movement effects often produce cool results.

The final paragraph addresses the decision between using the free version of Leonardo AI or opting for a paid subscription. The speaker compares the features and limitations of the free plan with the benefits of the $12 monthly plan, which offers more coins, faster generation, and model training capabilities. They share their personal experience, suggesting that for regular use, especially for content production, the free version may not be sufficient due to high coin consumption and slow generation speed. The advice given is to start with the $12 plan and adjust as needed.