Chalk-Sketch-SDXL

Chalk Sketch (Pastels/Charcoal) XL

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Model description

Inspired primarily by preparatory sketches made by Impressionist master Edgar Degas*, this LoRA allows you to create images in two related styles:

• Monochrome sketches with black lines and white highlights (a la black and white charcoal) on colored paper. Specifying the paper in skin colors like tan, brown, pink, and beige are effective, especially when depicting people, but eye-popping bright backgrounds can add interest to the black and white drawings.
• Full-color sketches (in pastels, the chalk medium, not necessarily the colors). The LoRA leans toward looser sketch lines where you can see the "hand of the artist," over blended colors, leading to a very impressionistic look.

Usage

Best Checkpoints

For the most authentic images, using base SDXL is recommended. Alternately, Yamer's SDXL Unstable Diffusers mix, and Realism Engine SDXL both produce images that maintain the individual strokes of chalk that give this LoRA it's unique look. Using great checkpoints like Juggernaut XL, or AlbedoBase XL will introduce more realism into results which, while not reminiscent of Degas and his contemporaries, has its own beautiful look.

Strength

Strength will be dependent on your subject and the desired level of effect, but some things to keep in mind:

• Strength is heavily dependent on subject matter; increase strength when dealing with subjects not usually seen in traditional pastels and charcoal**.

• Values over 1.5 will usually result in burned out images.

• Important: inclusion of the relevant keywords below (positive and negative) is crucial in avoiding extreme strength values.

Monochrome Sketch Positive Prompt Keywords

• "Monochrome chalk sketch of…"

• "Charcoal"

• Optional "on tan paper", replacing "tan" with color of your choice

Color Sketch Positive Prompt Keywords

• "Color chalk sketch of…"

• if you want some pastel colors, including "pastels" also strengthens the overall look

Negative Prompt Keywords

• "Photograph"

• "Photorealistic"

• "Signature" if necessary

*This version of the LoRA was trained on 56 high-resolution images of charcoal and pastel artwork by Degas, Mary Cassatt, Eugene Delacroix, John Singer Sargent, and other late 19th/early 20th century artists.

**The next version of this LoRA will include some SD-generated images in training, allowing it to be more consistent and flexible with a variety of subject matters.

Trigger words

You should use monochrome chalk sketch to trigger the image generation.

You should use charcoal to trigger the image generation.

You should use color chalk sketch to trigger the image generation.

You should use pastels to trigger the image generation.

Download model

Weights for this model are available in Safetensors format.

Download them in the Files & versions tab.