Image-to-Image vs. Text-to-Image AI
Compare image-to-image and text-to-image workflows, their inputs and limitations, and when to use each approach in WizImage.
Text-to-image AI starts from a written description. Image-to-image AI also uses an existing image to guide the result. In WizImage, both use the same generator: write a prompt to start from text, or add reference photos when you have a visual starting point.
Which workflow fits your task?
| Task | Starting approach | What to provide |
|---|---|---|
| Imagine a scene that does not exist yet | Text-to-image | Subject, setting, composition, and style |
| Explore a new style for your photo | Image-to-image | Your photo and a description of the new style |
| Try backgrounds around a product | Image-to-image | A clear product photo and the intended scene |
| Find a new illustration direction | Either | A written concept, with a reference if it helps |
| Preserve every pixel while changing one small area | A dedicated image editor may be more suitable | A precise editing workflow, rather than a general generation request |
When text-to-image is useful
Start with text when you want the model to invent the scene. Include the details that affect the image: the subject, viewpoint, setting, lighting, and style.
For example:
A small glass greenhouse on a rooftop at dawn, seen from street level, warm light inside, soft blue morning sky, editorial architectural photography, wide composition with open space on the right.
This example is a starting prompt, not a record of a generated image. It gives the model a direction while leaving many visual details open.
When image-to-image is useful
Use references when an existing subject, composition, or palette matters to your idea. Explain what the reference contributes and what you want to change.
A reference-based version of the same task might say:
Use the uploaded rooftop photo as a composition reference. Add a small glass greenhouse near the center, with warm interior lighting at dawn. Aim to retain the camera angle and the main building outline.
The model may still change the building, perspective, or small objects. Reference-based generation is not a guarantee of an exact edit.
What changes in WizImage?
You can use the same prompt field and available model selector for either workflow. Adding your own files in the reference area supplies images for the generation request. A gallery example displayed beside the editor is not automatically an uploaded reference.
Supported output options and credit costs depend on your selected model. Review the model guide and the displayed generation cost before submitting. Both workflows require an account and consume credits.
A practical way to choose
Begin with text if you can describe the idea without an existing visual. Add a reference if it communicates something that is hard to express in words. For either approach, inspect the result and refine the most important mismatch before changing several settings at once.
Follow the reference image walkthrough, explore prompt examples, or start creating.