Do you need a model for character illustration but are you frustrated that most models always default to anime characters? Do you seek a slight touch of realism but not too much? Do you want a model that can handle women and men alike? A model that is not NSFW-focused per sé but doesn't result in Barbie/Ken-like mutilations when you're in need of more skin?
After almost a year of experimenting with PDXL merges, I started experimenting with Illustrious. And now, low and behold:
AWESOME ILLUSTRIOUS
(a Stable Diffusion Illustrious model for quality character illustration enthusiasts)
Features:
Beautiful high quality illustrated characters
A more western comic-like style that differentiates from most Anime/Hentai/Manga models
A hand-picked blend of merged checkpoints and LORAs
Both SFW and NSFW supported
Variants:
2D: a version that combines semi-realistic appearance with that typical 2D aesthetic
SemiReal: a version for those who prefer more detail and more realism
Recommended settings
cfg 3-5 (low is more matte, high gives more detail and more gloss)
30-40 steps
Recommended scheduler:
Euler A for 2D
DPM++ 3M SDE for SemiReal
Normal scheduler for simple scenes, Beta scheduler for complex and detailed scenes
Works well for both txt2img and img2img
Keywords: artbook illustration, stylized digital art, cel shading, but not necessarily needed since v4
Tip: Don't use score words, it's not a pony model!
Description
v2 of the Awesome Illustrious model which tends to produce more real/surreal results without becoming photographs. Expect details, realistic light but still that cartoon-like feeling. Currently still merged and finetuned on illustrious v1.1.
Use Euler Ancestral or DPM++ 3M SDE for best results. I'm a big fan of using the beta scheduler but it also works just fine with Karras or normal.
About 40 steps and CFG 5-7 seems to be the sweet spot.
FAQ
Comments (3)
Love this model. However, I am struggling to generate black or asian characters. Any tips on prompts, loras or anything else?
That's a valid concern and I feel like this is a broader issue with biased datasets in Illustrious-based models. I'm experimenting with training my model on additional datasets. For now, I recommend focusing on physical character traits in your prompts. For instance, for black characters, I try to force the model to generate characters properly by using "dark skin" or "black skin".
Should be fixed in v3. Give it a try and share your works!
Details
Available On (2 platforms)
Same model published on other platforms. May have additional downloads or version variants.