AI Character Turnaround Sheet: Lock Identity Before Animation

One anchor, a four-view grid and a separate profile

We created this fictional adult courier with the built-in Codex image tool on October 23, 2026. Then we supplied the same front image to two independent requests: one four-view grid and one left profile. Each request ran once. The tool did not expose a model identifier, and this is a design-review example, not a consistency benchmark or a test of every Image Lab model.

The grid kept the gray bob, teal-and-beige palette, four requested angles and visible orange pocket on the character's left chest. It also showed both boots without clipping. Those are useful observations, not proof that every proportion matches. The back introduced trouser pockets and a jacket center seam that the front never showed. The center seam was an explicit design request; the trouser pockets were an inferred addition.

The separate profile made the boot stitching and jacket construction easier to inspect at full size. It did not preserve every detail: a dangling collar zipper pull is more prominent than in the anchor, and the boot seams and hair silhouette differ from the grid's profile. The grid and single-view prompts also differed in layout and unseen-detail instructions, so this pair does not isolate layout as the cause of any change.

Final decision: keep both outputs for concept review; hold production approval until the rear construction and small costume details are resolved. A larger separate view earns its place when it reveals a problem, even when it does not solve it automatically.

Download the completed example and blank per-view checklist. Record the anchor version, requested angle, visible differences, inferred details and approval decision for each file. Keep the approved original separate from rejected candidates.

Character sheet prompts with an explicit reference

Attach your approved front image before using either instruction. The grid instruction is the exact request from this experiment. The profile template changes only the requested format from the experiment's 2:3 to Image Lab's visible 3:4 Portrait option; that adapted version was not used to generate the pictured result. Replace the courier's clothing, colors and marks with your own design rules. Keep left and right relative to the character, then specify the screen direction separately. A front-facing character's left appears on the viewer's right.

Choose a reference-capable image model and mode. The handoff opens Image Lab with the complete instruction and requested format, and asks for a source image before generation. Available editing controls vary by model. Recheck the selected format and attached reference before running it.

Use the supplied fictional courier front-view image as the design anchor. Generate ONE full-body strict left profile, nose pointing toward screen-left and character-LEFT side facing the viewer. Preserve the same adult face age and profile interpretation, jaw-length gray bob, body proportions, teal hip-length zip jacket, sand-beige trousers and dark brown lace-up ankle boots. Exactly one orange patch pocket remains on character-LEFT CHEST, visible only as far as the profile permits; do not move it onto the sleeve, right chest or back. Preserve jacket hem and sleeve length. Neutral standing pose, arms slightly away from torso, no action or expression change, same plain warm light-gray background, even light and restrained painted concept-art finish. Full head and boots in frame with margins; vertical 2:3 composition, nearly orthographic eye-level presentation. No sheet, extra view, labels, props, logos or text. Infer only necessary unseen depth; this is a reviewable 2D proposal, not a recovered 3D model.

Create one original fictional adult courier character as a clean front-view design anchor for an editorial experiment. Single full-body figure only, centered with clear space around head and boots, neutral standing pose, arms slightly away from torso, hands relaxed, facing directly toward camera. Stylized hand-painted animation concept art, crisp restrained outlines and matte color, not a photograph or toy render. Adult woman about 40, medium brown skin, short straight gray bob ending at jaw, brown eyes, calm neutral expression. Teal hip-length utility jacket zipped to collar; exactly one rectangular orange patch pocket on the character's LEFT chest (viewer-right in front view), no chest pocket on character-right. Plain sand-beige straight trousers, dark brown lace-up ankle boots. No belt, no bag, no jewelry, no logos, no text. Plain warm light-gray background, soft even light, small grounding shadow, nearly orthographic eye-level presentation. Vertical 2:3 composition. Keep this a readable neutral anchor, not a poster, grid or dramatic scene.

For a different angle, change only the view instruction first and retain the approved design block. If the source hides a sleeve marking, rear fastening or shoe shape, add an authoritative detail reference or write a new design decision. Do not ask the model to preserve information it has never received. Use the reference-pack workflow when several images disagree about which design is current.