🌸 SAKURA_Illustrious_v1.6_Hybrid

v1.6 Current Release Notes

SAKURA_Illustrious_v1.6_Hybrid_PS represents the latest evolution of the SAKURA_Illustrious project.

This release focuses on preserving Illustrious prompt understanding while introducing the facial structure, depth, and character definition that made Pony-based models appealing.

Key Improvements

• Improved facial contours and facial structure

• Better eye detail and pupil rendering

• Enhanced nose and lip definition

• More stable prompt adherence

• Reduced color bleeding and contrast anomalies

• Cleaner character consistency across seeds

Technical Highlights

Prompt Safe Difference Merge

Unlike traditional weighted merges, v1.6 uses a custom difference-merge workflow designed to preserve prompt responsiveness.

Core Features

• True Add Difference Merge (Alpha = 0.25)

• CLIP Protection (Conditioner layers preserved)

• Prompt-Adherence Preservation

• Statistical Rescale Control

• Improved visual evolution while maintaining Illustrious compatibility

Recommended Settings

• Sampler: Euler

• Steps: 20-30

• CFG Scale: 3.5-5.0

• Clip Skip: 2

Developer Notes

Version 1.6 serves as a stable checkpoint for the future development of the SAKURA series.

While facial structure and visual definition have improved significantly, future updates will continue exploring:

• Stronger Eastern / Japanese facial aesthetics

• Restoration of SAKURA color vibrancy

• Further prompt reliability improvements

Thank you to everyone supporting the project.

### 📂 Technical Archive & Mirror

For more detailed merge logic and high-speed mirrors, please visit the FJikoAI technical archive on Hugging Face:

[SAKURA_Illustrious_v1.6_Hybrid - Hugging Face Repository](https://huggingface.co/FjikoAI/SAKURA_Illustrious_v1.6_Hybrid )

### Overview

### 📂 Technical Archive & Mirror

For more detailed merge logic and high-speed mirrors, please visit the FJikoAI technical archive on Hugging Face:

[SAKURA_Illustrious_v0.8_Hybrid - Hugging Face Repository](https://huggingface.co/FjikoAI/SAKURA_Illustrious_v0.8_Hybrid)

SAKURA_Illustrious_v0.8_Hybrid is an SDXL-based model (Illustrious/Pony) designed to achieve a perfect balance between soft, clean lighting and sharp, characteristic facial structures.

This model is a hybrid merge of my private prototype "SAKURA_Illustrious" and the excellent "demonpony_v10" by andy4643.

### Technical Details (Block Weighted Merge)

To create this hybrid, I developed a custom Python script for precise hierarchical merging (Block Weighted Merge).

- Base & Lighting (100% SAKURA Illustrious):

The Text Encoders, Input Blocks, and Middle Blocks are fully inherited from SAKURA Illustrious. This ensures stable backgrounds and clean, soft lighting.

- Face Structure (30% DemonPony):

Specifically targeted Output Block 3 to retain the characteristic facial sharpness of DemonPony.

- Skin Texture (85-90% SAKURA Illustrious):

Adjusted Output Blocks 4 and 5 to eliminate skin "greasiness", resulting in a smooth, high-quality skin texture.

### Recommended Settings

- Base Model: SDXL / Illustrious / Pony

- Sampler: Euler

- Steps: 30

- CFG Scale: 3.5

- Clip Skip: 2

- VAE: Crystal - VAE [SDXL/Illustrious]