How to Create Consistent Characters with AI

Creating a character that looks the same across multiple AI generations is one of the most common challenges in AI image generation. Whether you are building illustrations for a website, creating a visual story, or producing social media content, you need your character to stay recognizable from one image to the next.

This tutorial shows you how to create consistent character illustrations using

and the Nano Banana 2 model. The whole process takes under a minute.

We are using an illustration style character here, but the same technique works perfectly with realistic human characters too. We will cover that in a dedicated tutorial soon.

Quick answer: Upload or generate a reference image of your character on Melies, then use it as an input image with Nano Banana 2. Write a prompt describing the new scene or pose you want, and the model will generate an image that keeps your character looking consistent. No training or fine-tuning needed.

Video Tutorial

Watch the full process in action:

Step 1: Get a Reference Image

The first thing you need is a reference image for your character. You have two options:

• Upload an existing image of your character using the reference panel
• Generate one directly on Melies using the
  AI Image Generator

If you already have a character you like from a previous generation, right-click it and select Use as input image. You will see it appear in your references on the left side of the screen.

This reference image is what the AI will use to keep your character looking the same across all future generations.

Step 2: Write Your Prompt

With your reference image loaded, write a prompt describing the illustration you want. Focus on the scene, pose, background, and style. You do not need to describe the character itself since the model will pull that information from your reference image.

Example prompt:

A cute round green bean character with a leaf sprout on top, big black eyes, rosy cheeks, eating a banana on top of a huge pile of bananas. Another similar character is looking at him with a different outfit and expression. Clean white background, anime-style digital illustration, clean lines, vibrant colors. No text.

Here is the result. The character stays consistent with the reference while the scene, poses, and second character all match the prompt:

Prompt tips for consistency:

• Keep your style descriptions consistent across prompts (e.g., always use "flat illustration style")
• Describe the scene and action, not the character's appearance
• Mention lighting and mood to keep a cohesive look across a series

Step 3: Select Nano Banana 2

Choose Nano Banana 2 as your model. It produces high quality output with very good character consistency when using reference images.

Pick your aspect ratio and resolution. If you need illustrations for a website or social media, the lower resolution option works perfectly. It costs only 15 credits and generates faster.

Click Generate.

Step 4: Remove Background (Optional)

Once your image is ready, you can download it as is. But if you need a transparent background for your illustration, Melies makes this instant.

Right-click your generated image and select Remove background. The subject gets extracted cleanly, ready to use on any background. You can also use the dedicated

tool for batch processing.

Here is the result with the background removed:

This is especially useful for:

• Website illustrations and mascots
• Sticker packs and social media assets
• Layered compositions in design tools

Tips for Better Character Consistency

Use the Same Reference Image

Always use the same reference image across all your generations. Switching reference images, even if they show the same character, can introduce subtle differences.

Keep Style Descriptions Consistent

If your first prompt says "flat vector illustration," use that same phrase in every prompt. Changing style descriptions (from "cartoon" to "illustration" to "anime") will shift the output style and make your character look less consistent.

Start with a Strong Reference

The clearer and more distinctive your reference image, the better the consistency. Characters with unique features (hats, accessories, unusual colors) are easier for the model to reproduce accurately.

Generate at the Same Resolution

Switching between resolutions can subtly change proportions. Pick one resolution and stick with it for a series.

Which Models Work Best for Consistent Characters?

Model	Credits	Consistency	Best For
Nano Banana 2	15	Very good	Illustrations, fast iteration
Flux Kontext	20	Excellent	Character in new scenes
Flux Kontext Max	25	Best	Maximum consistency and quality
Seedream 4.5	10	Good	Budget-friendly with decent results

For most character illustration work, Nano Banana 2 at 15 credits hits the best balance of quality, speed, and cost.

Use Cases for Consistent Characters

Website Illustrations

Create a mascot or character for your brand, then generate it in dozens of different scenes and poses for your landing pages, blog posts, and marketing materials.

Social Media Series

Build a recognizable character for your Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube content. Keep the same look across every post to build brand recognition.

AI Storytelling

Generate the same characters across multiple scenes to tell a visual story. Combined with the

, you can bring your characters to life with animation.

Children's Books and Comics

Maintain character identity across pages and panels. Generate different expressions, poses, and environments while keeping your characters recognizable.

What to Do Next

Now that you can create consistent characters, explore these related guides:

• Generate AI images

  

  How to Generate AI Images with Melies

  Learn how to generate AI images step by step with Melies. Choose from 16 models, write effective prompts, pick the right aspect ratio, and create stunning visuals.
  for a full overview of all 16 models
• Create AI actors

  

  AI Character Generator: Create Consistent AI Characters

  Use the Melies AI character generator to create consistent characters across scenes. Browse 148 pre-built AI actors and generate images with the same character every time.
  for pre-built consistent characters
• Generate image variations

  

  How to Generate AI Image Variations

  Learn how to generate AI image variations in Melies. Change camera angles, lighting, expressions, color grades, and more from a single base image.
  to explore different angles of the same scene
• AI Consistent Image Generator
  to try it yourself

Ready to create your first consistent character?

and start generating.