How do you control different character pose in SDXL when using a reference image? [R][D]
Users are seeking methods to control character poses in SDXL when generating pixel art from a reference image. A common approach involves preprocessing the reference image for a cleaner, pixel-art aesthetic. IP-Adapter is utilized for character appearance, while ControlNet pose/rig conditioning manages the target pose. Experimentation includes using multiple reference images (front, rear, left, right) with pose/rig and depth annotations, providing a separate pose reference through the conditioning pipeline.
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PublishedOffset at this time: UTC+0Sep 12, 2026, 21:45 UTC
IngestedOffset at this time: UTC+0Sep 13, 2026, 00:01 UTC
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- Sep 12, 2026, 21:45
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- Sep 13, 2026, 00:01
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Hi, I’m working on generating ~128×128 pixel art and trying to generate different poses of the same character.
My current approach is roughly:
Start with a reference image and preprocess it into cleaner/more pixel-art-like data (often removing transparency or setting up fixed number of pallets or descaling) Use IP-Adapter for the character/reference appearance. Use ControlNet pose/rig conditioning to control the target pose. I’m also experimenting with multiple references (front, rear, left, right), with pose/rig and depth annotations. For the target pose, I provide a separate pose reference through the conditioning pipeline.
The problem is that the conditioning often seems to conflict. For example, the model may place an arm according to the ControlNet pose but still DUPLICATE the arm shape/position from the reference, sometimes resulting in strange or duplicated limbs.
I’ve tried adjusting ControlNet/IP-Adapter strength and start/end percentages, which helps somewhat, but I still get a lot of inconsistent behavior. Also try to reinject control net strength in different phases though not so far been helpful
What would be a good way to control pose while making sure the character’s appearance from reference images is somewhat preserved??
I’ am a brokie and can’t really have much resource to train sdxl each time just for each character + poses….