> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://comfytv.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Image Stage

> Generates one or more images from text with local or built-in models—the main “create from scratch” entry in ComfyTV, with img2img (i2i) support.

<Frame caption="Image Stage · screenshot coming soon">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/comfytv/dMkMxJDZdIo4YzAU/images/nodes/_placeholder.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=dMkMxJDZdIo4YzAU&q=85&s=b54171099e5b02d4313fe581171ebbcc" alt="Image Stage" width="800" height="450" data-path="images/nodes/_placeholder.svg" />
</Frame>

## What this node does

**Image Stage** handles **text-to-image (t2i)** and **image-to-image (i2i)**. Write **main\_prompt**, pick a **workflow** (e.g. Local SD1.5 or Ideogram4), set resolution, aspect ratio, and batch size, click **▶ Run**, and thumbnails appear on the node.

Two outputs:

* **images** (`COMFYTV_IMAGES`): the **full batch** from this run.
* **image** (`COMFYTV_IMAGE`): the **selected** thumbnail (**selected\_index**, 1-based).

On the **first successful run**, ComfyTV usually **auto-spawns an Image Picker** downstream to pick one image for crop, upscale, or inpaint.

## When to use it

* Generate concept art, product shots, or character designs from prompts.
* i2i: choose an i2i workflow, wire a reference to **images**, describe the desired change in main\_prompt.
* Batch 2–8 images and compare compositions before editing one.
* Wire Text Stage **text** → **texts** for LLM-expanded prompts.
* Feed Video Stage I2V / FLF2V with **image** (`COMFYTV_IMAGE`).

## How ComfyTV stages work

* **▶ Run** executes only Image Stage’s subgraph—not the whole ComfyUI graph.
* **Snapshots**: image URLs are stored in the project; downstream Upscale/Crop reads them without re-running Image Stage.
* The **workflow** dropdown maps to JSON in [`workflows/image/`](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/workflows/image); ComfyTV maps prompt, resolution, aspect\_ratio, batch\_size, and seed into `EmptyLatentImage`, `KSampler`, `CLIPTextEncode`, etc.

i2i workflows bind the first upstream **images** entry to `LoadImage` in the subgraph.

## Types (COMFYTV\_IMAGE vs ComfyUI IMAGE)

| ComfyTV type     | What it is                                   | vs native ComfyUI                                         |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `COMFYTV_IMAGE`  | Single-image project snapshot (`/view?` URL) | **Not** an in-memory `IMAGE` tensor                       |
| `COMFYTV_IMAGES` | Batch JSON `{images:[...]}`                  | **Not** a native IMAGE batch                              |
| Native `IMAGE`   | Pixel tensor in GPU memory                   | Used by SaveImage; cannot wire directly to ComfyTV stages |

**Conversion:**

* Native → ComfyTV: **ComfyTV/Bridge** → **→ ComfyTV Image** (Run to snapshot)
* ComfyTV → native: **← ComfyTV Image** (snapshot → `IMAGE` tensor for ControlNet, IPAdapter, etc.)

See [bridges.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/bridges.md).

**Common mistake**: Wiring native `Load Image` (`IMAGE`) to **images**—types do not match. Use **→ ComfyTV Image** Bridge or **Load Image from Asset** (`COMFYTV_IMAGE`).

## Parameters

### workflow

Backends in [`workflows/image/`](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/workflows/image):

| Option                  | Mode | Notes                                     |
| ----------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------- |
| **Local SD1.5**         | t2i  | Classic SD1.5 text-to-image               |
| **Local SD1.5 I2I**     | i2i  | Same checkpoint, VAEEncode + denoise \< 1 |
| **Image Ideogram4 T2I** | t2i  | Ideogram 4 + Qwen3-VL text encoder        |

Models: [models.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/models.md). Details: [README.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/workflows/image/README.md).

### main\_prompt

Describe the scene. Upstream **texts** append as extra context.

**Example:** `a red apple on a wooden table, soft window light, photorealistic`

### resolution

Short-side tier: `480P`, `720P`, `1K`, `1080P`, etc. Combined with **aspect\_ratio** for `(w, h)` on the latent node.

### aspect\_ratio

e.g. `1:1`, `16:9`, `9:16`. Use `9:16` for vertical posters, `16:9` for widescreen.

### batch\_size

Images per run (1–8). **image** output uses **selected\_index**.

### texts

Wire Text Stage **text** or other `COMFYTV_TEXT` for extra prompt context.

### images

**Required for i2i**: pick **Local SD1.5 I2I**, wire reference to **images.image0** (first image wins). t2i workflows ignore upstream images.

Sources: **image** from Image Stage/Picker, Asset Loader, Bridge → ComfyTV Image.

### selected\_index

Which batch item **image** refers to (**1-based**). Click thumbnails on the node to switch; toolbar appears (✏️ Edit, 🌐 Panorama, etc.).

### custom\_params

Sidebar bindings for seed, negative prompt, steps, CFG, etc.

## Outputs

| Output     | Type             | Meaning         | Downstream                                          |
| ---------- | ---------------- | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **images** | `COMFYTV_IMAGES` | Full batch      | Image Picker, Compare Stage                         |
| **image**  | `COMFYTV_IMAGE`  | Selected single | Video I2V, Upscale, Inpaint, Bridge ← ComfyTV Image |

## Step by step for beginners

1. Add **Project**, then **ComfyTV → Generate → Image Stage**.
2. **workflow** → **Local SD1.5**.
3. **main\_prompt**: `a red apple on a wooden table`.
4. **resolution** `1K`, **aspect\_ratio** `1:1`, **batch\_size** `1`.
5. Download `v1-5-pruned-emaonly.safetensors` ([models.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/models.md)).
6. **▶ Run**; Image Picker may appear automatically.
7. Click a thumbnail → **Upscale** or **Crop** from the toolbar.

**i2i**: **Local SD1.5 I2I** → wire **image** to **images** → prompt e.g. `watercolor style` → Run.

## Full guides (recommended reading)

> This page covers **one node only**. For end-to-end workflows, multi-stage pipelines, type conversion, and design rationale, see the [ComfyTV user guides](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/docs) on GitHub:

| Guide                                                                                      | Contents                                                                |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Getting started](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/getting-started.md)   | Install, canvas basics, per-stage Run, snapshots, Project, Image Picker |
| [Generate](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/generate.md)                 | Text, Image, Video, Music, and Speech stages and workflow selection     |
| [Image tools](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/image-tools.md)           | Crop, inpaint, outpaint, upscale, multi-angle, variation presets        |
| [Model files](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/models.md)                | Checkpoints, LoRAs, and folder paths per workflow                       |
| [Custom workflows](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/custom-workflows.md) | Import your ComfyUI workflow JSON without Python changes                |

## Repository and workflows

| Resource                        | Link                                                                                                                                               |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **GitHub repository**           | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV)                                                                         |
| **User guides index**           | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/docs](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/docs)                                           |
| **Built-in workflows**          | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/workflows](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/workflows)                                 |
| **Model checklist**             | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/models.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/models.md)                       |
| **This node's workflow folder** | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/workflows/image](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/tree/main/workflows/image)                     |
| **Workflow README**             | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/workflows/image/README.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/workflows/image/README.md) |
| **Custom workflows**            | [https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/custom-workflows.md](https://github.com/jtydhr88/ComfyTV/blob/main/docs/custom-workflows.md)   |

## FAQ

**Q: Run does nothing or workflow is grey?**\
A: Check models; restart ComfyUI; read terminal errors.

**Q: Cannot wire native Load Image to images?**\
A: Wrong type—use Bridge **→ ComfyTV Image** or **Load Image from Asset**.

**Q: Batch has 4 images but downstream gets one?**\
A: Use **image** or **Image Picker**; **images** is the full batch JSON.

**Q: Changed prompt but downstream still shows old image?**\
A: Re-run Image Stage, then downstream stages.

## Related nodes

* **Image Picker**—pick one from batch or accumulated pool (often auto-created).
* **Text Stage**—upstream prompt expansion.
* **Video Stage (I2V / FLF2V)**—**image** as video conditioning.
* **Upscale / Inpaint / Outpaint Stage**—single-image editing.
* **Bridge → / ← ComfyTV Image**—native ComfyUI interop.
* **Project**—project context.