AI Image Generation Glossary: 31 Terms Explained

All guides · Creative workflows in Fuser

Quick answer: most AI image vocabulary describes one of three things: what you tell the model (prompt, negative prompt, reference image), how strongly it listens (guidance, strength, LoRA weight, control images) and what you do with the result (upscaling, inpainting, image-to-video). The definitions below are alphabetical, each starting with a one-sentence answer.

Aspect ratio

The proportion of an image's width to its height, such as 16:9, 1:1 or 9:16. Most generation models take a ratio or a preset size rather than exact pixels; for exact platform dimensions, compose the result on a sized canvas, as in our social media image sizes guide.

Background removal

Separating the subject from its background and returning it on transparency. In a node workflow it usually sits between generation and layout; Fuser's Background Remover feeds a cut-out straight into the Compositor.

Canny edge map

A black image with white outlines, produced by the Canny edge-detection algorithm. It is used as a control image to lock the composition and silhouettes of a new generation; see Canny Edge Detection.

CFG scale (guidance scale)

A number that sets how strictly a diffusion model follows your prompt. Higher values stick closer to the text but can look harsh or oversaturated; lower values are looser and more natural. Many image and video nodes expose it as Guidance or CFG, including Kling 3.0.

ControlNet

A technique that conditions image generation on a control image such as edges, depth or pose, so the output follows a given structure. SDXL Canny ControlNet takes an edge map plus a prompt.

Denoising strength

How much an image-to-image or inpainting model is allowed to change the input, usually from 0 to 1. Low values make subtle edits; values near 1 mostly ignore the original.

Depth map

A grayscale image where brightness encodes distance from the camera, lighter meaning closer. It guides layout and perspective in a new generation; Depth Anything V2 creates one from any photo.

First and last frame

Image-to-video inputs that fix the opening image and, optionally, the closing image of a clip, with the model generating the motion between them. Kling 3.0, Veo and FLUX.3 accept an end frame in Fuser.

Image captioning

Generating a text description of an image. Captions become prompts, alt text or search metadata; Florence-2 is one captioning node.

Image-to-3D

Turning one or more images into a 3D mesh. In Fuser, Hunyuan3D and similar nodes output meshes that can continue into texturing, rigging or a rendered turntable.

Image-to-image (img2img)

Generating a new image from an existing one plus instructions, keeping some of its structure. Reference-led editing models such as FLUX.1 Kontext and GPT Image are the modern form of this.

Image-to-video

Animating a still image into a video clip, with a prompt describing the motion. See the best image-to-video models.

Inference steps

The number of denoising passes a diffusion model runs. More steps can add detail at the cost of time; many modern models are tuned to need few.

Inpainting

Regenerating only a masked region of an image while keeping the rest. SDXL Inpainting takes an image, a mask and a prompt; GPT Image also accepts a mask for targeted edits.

Lip sync

Matching a character's mouth movement in a video to an audio track. LatentSync is a video-to-video lip-sync node.

LoRA

A LoRA (low-rank adaptation) is a small add-on file that teaches a base model a specific style, product or character without retraining the whole model. You apply it with a weight; in Fuser, FLUX.1 Dev and several other nodes take LoRA inputs.

Mask

A black-and-white image marking which pixels an edit may change. Masks drive inpainting and targeted edits.

Motion transfer

Applying the movement from a reference video to a different character or image. Kling 3.0 Motion animates a character image with the motion of a reference clip.

Negative prompt

Text describing what you do not want in the output, such as blur, extra fingers or watermarks. Supported by many diffusion and video models, including Kling 3.0.

Node

One step in a visual workflow: a model, an input, a utility or an output, connected to other steps by wires. A node canvas makes the whole process visible and repeatable; see the best node-based AI tools.

Outpainting

Extending an image beyond its original borders with newly generated content. Fuser has no dedicated outpaint node; the practical route is to place the image on a larger Compositor canvas and regenerate the frame with a reference-led model.

Prompt

The text instruction that describes what to generate. Good prompts name the subject, setting, light, composition and style, and change one thing at a time between iterations.

Prompt template

A reusable prompt with variables filled in by other inputs. Fuser's Prompt Template node turns {variable} slots into inputs and supports inline choices like {red|blue}.

Recipe

In Fuser, a Recipe is a saved workflow packaged as a single reusable node, with the inputs you chose exposed. See Recipes.

Reference image

An image given to a model as guidance for subject, style or composition rather than as something to edit directly. Using one shared reference is the simplest way to keep a series consistent; see consistent characters in AI images and video.

Seed

The random number a generation starts from. The same seed, prompt and settings reproduce a very similar image, which makes it useful for comparing one change at a time.

Style reference

A reference image or description used to transfer a look, such as palette, lighting or medium, without copying the subject. In Fuser you can keep style wording in a Style node and connect it to every generation.

Text-to-image

Generating an image from a written prompt alone. See the best AI image models.

Text-to-video

Generating a video clip from a written prompt alone, often with optional audio. Most video models also accept a start image for more control.

Upscaling

Increasing an image or video's resolution while adding plausible detail. Fuser includes image upscalers such as ESRGAN and Topaz, and video upscalers such as SeedVR.

Workflow

A chain of steps that turns inputs into a finished asset, for example prompt, image, upscale, video and sound. See how to chain AI models into one workflow.