> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.imagine.art/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What is Add References

> Use reference images to guide your generations — control style, color, characters, objects, effects, and camera perspective.

**Add References** gives you six ways to anchor your generations to real visual inputs rather than relying on description alone. Each reference type targets a different dimension of the image — from the overall look to the specific angle of the shot.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Styles" icon="paintbrush" href="/image-tools/styles">
    Use any image as a visual blueprint. The AI extracts the aesthetic — lighting, mood, color, texture — and applies it to your new prompt.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Color Palettes" icon="swatchbook" href="/image-tools/color-palettes">
    Extract the color scheme from a reference image and carry it into your generation, independent of subject or style.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Characters" icon="user" href="/image-tools/characters">
    Train a reusable identity from reference photos — a person, character, or product — and call it into any prompt by name.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Elements" icon="shapes" href="/image-tools/elements">
    Pull a specific object or motif from a reference image and inject it into your generated scene.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Effects" icon="stars" href="/image-tools/effects">
    Replicate the visual treatment of a reference — film grain, light leaks, atmospheric haze, glow — and apply it to your output.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Camera Angles" icon="camera" href="/image-tools/camera-angles">
    Match the perspective and framing of a reference shot — bird's eye, low angle, close-up — and apply it to your generated composition.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## When to use each

|                    | What it controls                                  | Best for                                                        |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Styles**         | Overall aesthetic — lighting, mood, texture       | Mood boards, consistent campaign aesthetics, art direction      |
| **Color Palettes** | Dominant colors and tonal balance                 | Brand color consistency, themed series, editorial work          |
| **Characters**     | Subject identity — who or what appears            | Character consistency, product shoots, brand mascots            |
| **Elements**       | Specific objects or motifs                        | Product integration, prop consistency, recurring visual details |
| **Effects**        | Visual treatment — grain, glow, grade, atmosphere | Cinematic looks, analog aesthetics, post-processing consistency |
| **Camera Angles**  | Perspective, framing, and shot angle              | Storyboarding, shot-matching, compositional consistency         |

## Combining reference types

You can use multiple reference types together in a single generation. For example:

* Use **Characters** to anchor the subject and **Styles** to set the overall aesthetic.
* Use **Color Palettes** alongside **Effects** for tight control over both hue and visual treatment.
* Use **Camera Angles** with any other reference type to lock in both the composition and the look.

Each reference type operates on a different layer of the image, so combining them gives you more precise control without one overriding another.