# Reference images

URL: https://fulla.dppst.com/docs/generative-fill/reference-images/

> Show the model what you mean with a reference image, the real face, object or pattern, and name it in your prompt as ref 1, ref 2.

A reference image shows the model what you mean: the real face from another shot, the product to place, the pattern that was really there. Fulla sends it along with your selection, and you name it in your prompt.

## When does a reference help?

When words aren't enough to describe something that has to look exactly right:

- **Bring back what was really there**: a face from another frame of the same session, a sign or a pattern hidden behind a passer-by.
- **Place a real object**: your product, your mug, at the place and size of your selection. Give the selection the proportions of the object with its shadow (see [Select generously](https://fulla.dppst.com/docs/generative-fill/tips/#select-generously)).
- **Match a material**: the wood of the next table, the fabric of a dress.

For a background that only needs to look plausible, a reference isn't needed.

## Add a reference

1. Click the **image button** right of the model button, under the prompt.
2. Click **Choose images** and pick one or more files. Each one gets a number: 1, 2, 3…
3. Name them in your prompt, then click **Generate**.


## How do I name a reference in my prompt?

By its number: `ref 1`, `ref 2`. With a single reference, `the reference` works too. For example:

- `put the mug from ref 1 on the table`
- `use the face from ref 2`

Numbers don't move: remove ref 1 and ref 2 is still ref 2, so a prompt you wrote earlier still means the same image.

:::tip
A reference brings back what was really there. If the face or the object matters, give the model a photo of it rather than a longer description.
:::

## Where are references kept?

In the document itself, in a hidden layer group called **Fulla references**, one layer per image. They are saved with the document, follow it when you switch documents, and **Ctrl+Z** removes one like any other edit.

## How many can I add?

| Limit | Value |
| --- | --- |
| References per document | 8 |
| References sent with one image | As many as the model takes; the panel says how many |
| Size sent to the model | Up to 2048 px on the long side |

References past the model's limit stay in the document but aren't sent.