How to use FreeU to boost image quality

FreeU is a simple and elegant method that enhances render quality without additional training or finetuning by changing the factors in the U-Net architecture. FreeU consists of skip scaling factors (indicated by s1 and s2) and backbone scaling factors (indicated by b1 and b2).

Skip factors 

a) Aim to minimize texture over-smoothening
b) Helps to preserve details in image render

Backbone factors

a) Amplifies the feature map of the entire render
b) Lead to over smoothening of textures
c) Generates more vivid details and improves image quality

Therefore in their paper, a balance between the skip scaling factors and backbone scaling factors is essential in ensuring a good render. To find more details about FreeU,
you can click on the link here: Link

For our platform, we use the following command to call for FreeU with the following factors:
/freeu: s1, s2, b1, b2

By default, we recommend the following values of s1,s2,b1, b2 for:
– SD 1.5: s1 = 1, s2 = 1, b1 = 1.2, b2 = 1.2
– SD XL: s1 = 0.9, s2 = 0.2, b1 = 1.2, b2 = 1.4

Take note for both scaling and backbone factors, the range is between 0 and 2.

In summary from our testing, we can recommend the following (If your lazy to read through the X-Y plots):
– Adjust b1 and b2 based on your preference to get the specific feel and detail required from 0 – 2
– Adjust s1 and s2 between range of 0.8 – 1.5 (up to 1.6) to get the right colour contrast and saturation.
– Take note your values will vary depending on model and lora/embeddings used.

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In this testing, we will showcase the power of freeu using the following prompt:

/render /size:768x768 /seed:1 /guidance:7 /sampler:dpm2m /images:2 1girl, half body shot, maid outfit, posing on shopping street , /freeu:s1,s2,b1,b2

We will be changing one set of scaling factors, either the skip and backbone and keeping the other constant to understand what happens.

If you’re ready, let’s go!

Now, we are going to change the backbone factors while keeping the skip factors constant.

Even though this uses a realistic checkpoint, the trend is still similar if a semi-real or anime-based checkpoint is used. In summary, we can observe the following trend:

a) Changing the skip factors (s1 & s2) affects colours and saturation of the render.

b) Changing the backbone factors (b1 & b2) changes the feature map of the render.

THIS ARTICLE IS OVER 1 YEAR OLD – YOU SHOULD USE CONTROLNET INSTEAD

In a hurry? Quick and dirty instructions:

Grab any phone with Telegram. Open this web page, make a quick pose, screenshot it, paste into Pirate Diffusion, then type /remix with a prompt, and it’s done. Check out before and after:

Website-made 3D pose and screenshot:

/remix /size:704×704 /steps:more fantasy concept art, adventurer in armor is jumping over a fantasy town, street, detailed <shaper>

I fixed fingers with /style:fuji “nice anatomy” macro from the realism tutorial

TUTORIAL

In a previous tutorial, we showed you how to /remix very simple drawings into photo realistic masterpieces. We will combine that technique with a browser-based 3D app instead of only drawing the image ourselves.

Setup: Take a moment to think about a simple pose or scene that interests you, and a prompt from a character design at the ready, or just borrow one from this page instead

Step 1: Open any 3D program

I like https://webapp.magicposer.com   (or a phone app, whatever) Their free demo is fine for the purpose of this tutorial.

When it loads, a 3D person will appear with a simple toolbar above.  It works the same on PC. No install or GPU needed, its just a web page.

Step 2: Let’s change the basic body frame

Click on their abs and then click the Replace (top far right, next to last)

Choose a preset to change how their body looks. You can set color and hair options here. The closer you can prep this to your ideal outcome, the better.

Step 3: Click your character again, then then click the Toggle Gear up top to turn off the grid lines, sky, and take off their clothes if you like

Optional: you can Click +Add to add shapes and more characters. 

Step 4: Pose the arms and torso, selecting the squares to move the big body parts, and circles to move the joints. In this program, the Rotate Button only appears when you touch a ball joint, then it turns orange.

You can pull and pinch body parts, but rotating is a different mode. I’ve you’ve never used a 3D program before, it takes some getting used to the separate “rotation” function. If its too hard on mobile, grab a mouse and you can use the mouse wheel to zoom and the right click to click and drag the scene.

Step 5: Position the light source

You’re almost done! Push the yellow arrows where you want the light to come from, and rotate and position it in the same way you moved the joints. Then push it away off the space so you can take a screenshot, so its not on camera.

Step 6: Take a screenshot

Line up your phone for the screenshot, and click on preview. This hides the user interface. You can do it again and turn off the parts you don’t want to see, and fire that screenshot!  You’re done. Minimize the window or open a tab so you don’t lose it.

Every AI struggles with hands and anatomy in general, so try to provide clean poses when possible. In the case of my jumping hero, there is no confusion. In a photo like this, where the right shoulder and forearm look fused, we are asking for trouble. But let’s see what we get anyway.

Here we can observe that it’s not sure what to do what that other hand:

Pace yourself. If you end up with a scene you don’t want, ask /edit to put them in a different situation. If you’re not sure how to do this, read about how to teleport your character into a different scene using seed.

Play with /guidance (-20 to 20) and /strength (0.1 to 1.0) to change hand positions, hair, scenery and more. Here I called the anime style <av4> to start building a hellish scene with a succubus …or do I want Princess Jasmine finding a lamp in the desert? Its easy to change directions on the fly, go for it.

But as your guidance (creativity) increases, the pose may change, so careful.

Did the pose change?  Slide up your guidance and strength to snap it back

Now let’s try a photo instead. Pick up and install Realvis13 from the Early Access channel in PRO, then:

/remix /strength:0.7 a woman doing yoga on the phone at the supermarket <realvis13>

The only limit is your imagination. And tricky shadows fusing limbs together.

/remix /size:704×704 /steps:more beautiful hand model with perfect hands Kim Kardashian takes a selfie at the end of the world, fire and smoke everywhere, ashes ((high detailed skin, 8k uhd, dslr, soft lighting, high quality, film grain, Fujifilm XT3, HD, Sharp)), [[deformed iris, deformed pupils, semi-realistic, cgi, 3d, render, sketch, cartoon, drawing, anime, text, close up, cropped, out of frame, worst quality, low quality, jpeg artifacts, ugly, duplicate, morbid, mutilated, extra fingers, mutated hands, poorly drawn hands, poorly drawn face, mutation, deformed, blurry, dehydrated, bad anatomy, bad proportions, extra limbs, cloned face, disfigured, gross proportions, malformed limbs, missing arms, missing legs, extra arms, extra legs, fused fingers, too many fingers, long neck]] <urpm>

And then /facelift to 4x the pixels and we’re done!

Now you try it, gym clothes optional.

What does Arafed mean in Stable Diffusion? ShowPrompt and the Describe command

Ah yes, the mysterious Arafed.  You might see this in prompt outputs or when using our /describe command

“The word “arafed” appears to have multiple meanings in English, derived from its use as both an adjective and a verb. As an adjective, it means “as leisurely” or “as dilatory.” When used as a verb, it translates to “let him/her/it slow”​​

This suggests that the word is related to the concept of slowness or taking one’s time, or being leisurely. Someone having fun

“arafed man in a white robe riding on top of a blue car”