AI Character Consistency: Same Face Across Multiple Images

Character consistency is one of the hardest challenges in AI image generation. Without the right techniques, faces drift between generations - the same "character" looks like different people in each image. This guide shows you how to maintain identity across scenes.

Why Character Consistency Matters

Character consistency is essential for:

Brand mascots - Your mascot should be recognisable across all marketing
Storytelling - Sequential images need the same protagonist
Product tutorials - The same "user" demonstrating features
Social media series - Recurring characters in content series
Children's books - Characters must look identical page to page
Advertising campaigns - Consistent talent across all assets

Detailed Character Definitions

The more specific your character description, the more consistent results you'll get. Create a detailed "character sheet" to reference in every prompt.

Character Sheet Template

CHARACTER: Maya Chen

FACE STRUCTURE:
- Oval face shape, slightly angular jawline
- High cheekbones, subtle definition
- Straight nose with slight upturn at tip
- Full lips, natural rose colour
- Dark brown almond-shaped eyes, slight upward tilt
- Thick natural eyebrows with gentle arch

SKIN:
- Warm medium skin tone (Fitzpatrick Type III-IV)
- Smooth complexion with light freckling across nose
- Small beauty mark above left corner of lip

HAIR:
- Straight black hair, reaches mid-back
- Centre part, layers framing face
- Natural subtle shine, healthy texture
- Slight wave when air-dried

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES:
- Dimples when smiling (both cheeks)
- Slight widow's peak hairline
- Small scar on right eyebrow (childhood)

BUILD:
- 5'6" / 168cm tall
- Athletic/lean build
- Long neck, defined collarbones

AGE: 28 years old

Using the Character Sheet

Reference key details in every prompt:

// Prompt using character definition

Portrait of Maya - 28-year-old East Asian woman with oval face, high cheekbones, almond-shaped dark brown eyes, thick natural eyebrows, full lips with small beauty mark above left corner, centre-parted straight black hair reaching mid-back. Warm medium skin tone with light freckling across nose. Dimples visible when smiling. [Rest of scene description...]

Pro Tip: Save your character sheet

Keep your character definition saved as a text file. Copy-paste the relevant details into every prompt. Consistency in your prompts leads to consistency in outputs.

Facial Preservation Phrases

These specific phrases signal to the AI that maintaining facial identity is critical.

Strong Preservation Phrases

Use these phrases:

"Maintain exact facial features from reference"
"Preserve identical face structure, do not alter"
"Same person, same face, different scene"
"Keep facial proportions exactly consistent"
"Character consistency: exact facial match required"
"Do not change the face in any way"
"Identical to reference image - eyes, nose, mouth, face shape"

Preservation with Variation

When you want the same character in a different pose or expression:

// Same character, different expression

Using the reference image, show the same person with a different expression - now laughing joyfully. Maintain exact facial structure, eye shape, nose, and face proportions. Only the expression changes, the underlying face remains identical. Same character, different emotion.

// Same character, different angle

Using the reference image, show the same person from a 3/4 view angle instead of front-facing. Preserve all facial features exactly - the same bone structure, eyes, nose, mouth would be visible from this angle. Identity must be unmistakably the same person.

Multi-Reference Workflow

The most reliable method for character consistency uses multiple reference images. More angles = better consistency.

Step-by-Step Process

Generate Base Character

Create your initial character image with all defining features clearly visible. Front-facing, good lighting, high resolution. This is your "hero" reference.

Portrait of [detailed character description]. Front-facing, neutral expression, studio lighting, clear view of all facial features. High resolution, photorealistic.

Generate Angle Variants

Using Image 1 as reference, generate 3/4 view and profile views. These give the AI more information about your character's facial structure.

Using the provided reference image, show the exact same person from a 3/4 angle view. Preserve all facial features identically. Same lighting conditions, same image style.

Create Expression Variants

Generate the same character with 2-3 different expressions (smiling, serious, surprised). This teaches the AI what the face looks like in different states.

Using the provided reference image, show the exact same person with a warm genuine smile. Dimples visible. Preserve all facial features - face shape, eyes, nose, lips - only expression changes.

Use All References for New Scenes

When generating new images, upload ALL your reference images (4-6 variants). The AI uses multiple references for better accuracy.

Using all provided reference images of Maya, generate a new scene: Maya walking through a Tokyo street at night wearing a leather jacket. Maintain her exact facial features, skin tone, hair colour and style from all references. Same person in a new setting.

Reference Image Checklist

For best results, create a reference set including:

Reference Type	Purpose
Front-facing (neutral)	Primary reference for facial structure
3/4 view (left)	Shows nose profile, cheekbone structure
3/4 view (right)	Confirms symmetry, shows other side
Profile (side view)	Nose shape, chin, forehead slope
Smiling expression	Shows dimples, smile lines, teeth
Serious expression	Resting face without smile

Creating Image Series

Step-by-step workflow for generating a consistent series (e.g., for storytelling or tutorials).

Story Series Example

Creating a 5-image story sequence with the same character:

// Image 1: Introduction

Scene 1 of 5. Using all provided character references for Maya, generate: Maya standing at her apartment window, morning coffee in hand, looking out at the city skyline. Maintain exact facial features from references. Thoughtful expression. Warm morning light. The beginning of her journey.

// Image 2: Rising action

Scene 2 of 5. Using all provided character references for Maya, generate: Maya at her desk working intensely on laptop, papers scattered around. Same person from scene 1 - preserve exact facial features. Focused, determined expression. Office environment, afternoon light. Building toward challenge.

// Image 3: Conflict

Scene 3 of 5. Using all provided character references for Maya, generate: Maya in a meeting room, standing and presenting to colleagues (seen from behind). Same character - preserve exact facial features. Confident posture despite nervous energy. Corporate meeting room, dramatic lighting. The pivotal moment.

// Image 4: Resolution

Scene 4 of 5. Using all provided character references for Maya, generate: Maya receiving congratulations, colleagues shaking her hand. Same character throughout - preserve exact facial features. Genuine smile, relief and joy. Office celebration atmosphere. Victory achieved.

// Image 5: Conclusion

Scene 5 of 5. Using all provided character references for Maya, generate: Maya back at her apartment window, evening now, city lights glowing. Same character from scene 1 - preserve exact facial features. Content, peaceful smile. Full circle moment. Golden hour fading to blue hour.

Multi-Character Scenes

When multiple consistent characters appear together:

// Two characters in same scene

Using provided references for both characters - Maya (references 1-4) and David (references 5-8) - generate: Maya and David having coffee at a cafe, engaged in conversation. Maintain exact facial features for both characters from their respective references. Two-shot composition, afternoon cafe lighting. Natural interaction between established characters.

Common Issues & Fixes

Face looks different each generation

Cause: Not enough detail in character description or no reference images.

Fix: Create a detailed character sheet. Use multiple reference images. Add preservation phrases to every prompt.

Age/ethnicity drifts between images

Cause: Vague ethnicity or age specification.

Fix: Be extremely specific: "28-year-old East Asian woman" not "young Asian woman". Include skin tone details.

Hair changes between images

Cause: Hair not specified consistently.

Fix: Specify hair in detail every time: "centre-parted straight black hair reaching mid-back, subtle natural shine" not just "black hair".

Slight facial structure changes

Cause: Single reference isn't enough information.

Fix: Use 4-6 reference images from different angles. The more references, the better the AI understands the face.

Style inconsistency (realistic vs stylised)

Cause: Not specifying consistent style.

Fix: Include style in every prompt: "Photorealistic, shot on Sony A7IV" or "Disney Pixar 3D animation style" - be consistent.

Best Models for Character Consistency

Model	Character Consistency	Best For
Nano Banana Pro	Excellent	Multi-reference support (up to 14 images)
Gemini 2.5 Pro	Very Good	Good reference handling, balanced speed
Imagen 3	Good	Photorealistic characters
DALL-E 3	Moderate	Stylised/illustrated characters
Gemini 2.5 Flash	Moderate	Quick iterations, building reference sets

Recommendation

Use Gemini 2.5 Flash for quick iteration when building your initial reference set. Once you have 4-6 solid references, switch to Nano Banana Pro for final outputs - it handles multiple references best.

Quick Reference: Consistency Checklist

For every character-consistent generation:

Reference images: Upload 4-6 angles/expressions
Character details: Include key features in text prompt
Preservation phrase: "Maintain exact facial features from reference"
Style consistency: Same style/model across all images
Age/ethnicity: Be extremely specific every time
Hair description: Full details in every prompt
Distinguishing features: Mention scars, moles, dimples

Create consistent characters

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AI Character Consistency