Getting Started With Leonardo.Ai

On Leonardo, you have everything in a single platform: image generation, image editing, image upscaling, video generation, and video editing. The best part is that you can switch instantly between models and generation modes.

In this guide, we’re going to show you how to get started with Leonardo and use these powerful tools to create something genuinely useful and professional in a matter of minutes.

How to Create an Image in Leonardo.Ai

Step 1: Sign up or log in

To begin creating with Leonardo, sign up or log in here.

Step 2: Input your prompt

Once you are on the Leonardo app home page, locate the prompt bar at the top:

Type your image description (the prompt) into this field. Here’s a prompt you can try:

Step 3: Generate the image

After entering your prompt, click the Generate button located on the far right of the bar:

While our system automatically selects an optimal AI model based on your description, you can also manually switch between different models (we’ll learn how to do this in the next section).

Here is the image generated using the prompt provided above:

If you’re new to image prompting, check out our comprehensive Image Prompting Guide. It teaches you the basics from the ground up and gives you advanced tips on prompting for more realistic portraits, generating images with text, and more.

How to Switch Between Models in Leonardo.Ai

The Leonardo app lets you switch between image generation models instantly. This allows you to easily experiment with different models using a single prompt.

To switch between models, click the model selector dropdown menu in the upper-left section of the screen. A model selection window will open, giving you access to our large suite of models.

To choose the best model for your tasks, you can consult our Image Models Guide, which explains each model’s strengths and main creative applications. For most general image-generation tasks, we recommend using the Lucid Origin and Lucid Realism models.

How to Edit an Image in Leonardo.Ai

Step 1: Select an editing model

To edit an image in the Leonardo app, navigate to the model selector dropdown menu in the upper-left section of the screen. From the list, select the Nano Banana model (you can find all editing models in our Image Models Guide):

Step 2: Add the image you want to edit

To add the image you want to edit, click the small image icon on the left side of the prompt field, and then select Image Reference. A selection window will pop up.

Depending on the image source, you can choose from tabs such as Your Uploads and Your Generations. Once you have selected your image, click Confirm.

Step 3: Edit the image

Now that the reference image is anchored, your prompt will function as a precise editing instruction when you click Generate. Try using this prompt to modify the perfume bottle image we previously generated:

How to Upscale an Image in Leonardo.Ai

Upscaling an image increases its resolution, which often means clearer lines, better definition, and fewer blurry or blocky elements. This results in a higher-quality, better-looking image. Upscaling can also help avoid visual glitches when you use your images as start or end frames in video generation.

Step 1: Open the upscaling menu

Hover your mouse over the image you want to enhance and click the Upscale Image button that appears in the bottom-left corner. This will open the upscaling interface without immediately starting the process, allowing you to review your settings first.

Step 2: Initiate the upscale

The upscaling menu will appear, pre-configured with sensible default settings to ensure a high-quality result. When you are ready, click the Upscale button to begin the high-resolution transformation:

The upscaling improves the image by eliminating the original softness to reveal a sharper, higher-definition result. Key elements such as the “SOLARIS” lettering, the intricate reflections on the glass bottle, and the rugged textures of the mossy rock are rendered with noticeably greater clarity and precision. This refinement of edges and reduction in grain creates a cleaner, more polished aesthetic that ultimately gives the product a more realistic and premium appearance.

How to Create a Video From Your Image in Leonardo.Ai

Step 1: Open the video menu

Hover your mouse over the image you want to animate and click the Generate Video button that appears in the bottom-right corner. This action opens the video generation menu, allowing you to set your settings without immediately starting the generation process.

Step 2: Enter your prompt

The previous step automatically switches the platform to video generation mode and anchors your selected image as the Start Frame. Your prompt should describe the action that unfolds starting from that initial image. Type your prompt into the dedicated field shown below:

You can try this prompt to animate our perfume bottle image:

To help you write better video prompts, we’ve put together separate guides for the most popular video models:

• Veo 3 Prompting Guide
• Sora 2 Prompting Guide
• Kling AI Prompting Guide

Step 3: Select your model

Before you begin the generation, choose your preferred model by clicking the model dropdown menu in the upper-left section of the screen:

To identify the best model for your specific task, you can consult our Video Models Guide, which details the unique strengths and creative applications of each option. For quick experimentation and an ideal balance of quality, speed, and cost, we recommend starting with the Kling 2.5 Turbo model.

Here is the result we achieved by animating our perfume bottle image with Kling 2.5 Turbo:

How to Edit a Video in Leonardo.Ai

Step 1: Open the video editing menu

Hover your mouse over the video you want to edit and click the Edit button that appears in the bottom-right corner. This action opens the video editing menu.

Step 2: Enter your prompt and generate the edit

In the prompt field, describe the changes you want to apply to the video and click Generate when you’re ready.

For example, we can balance the warmth in our current video and make the golden light rays pop with greater contrast. Here’s a prompt we can try:

Here’s the result we’ve got:

Extra Features to Explore on Leonardo.Ai

On Leonardo, you can also access specialized tools like Blueprints and Flow State to speed up your creative process.

Create Faster With Blueprints

Blueprints provide immediate access to advanced creative functionalities. You can execute multi-step tasks simply by selecting the Blueprint that matches your objective. For example, you can generate a rotating product video, instantly remove unwanted objects, or turn an empty room into a furnished space.

To demonstrate the power of Blueprints, we’ll explore how to quickly generate a product spin video using only a single product image.

Step 1: Access Blueprint mode

From the generation mode bar at the top of the app’s homepage, click the Blueprints button:

Step 2: Choose your blueprint

Browse the available curated workflows and select the Product Spin Video Blueprint (if you cannot find it, you can access it directly through this link):

Step 3: Upload your product image

Click the Choose an Image button to select the photo of the product you want to animate:

Step 4: Generate your product video

Click Generate to initiate the process. Leonardo will create a professional, rotating video of your product without requiring you to input a single prompt! Below is the result we achieved using a sample product image:

Brainstorm Faster with Flow State

Sometimes you have a clear end goal in mind, but you don’t know where to begin with the creative direction. Flow State is a great tool for this, as it helps you explore tens of visual ideas very quickly and zero in on precisely what you want. Let’s quickly demonstrate how this powerful feature works.

Step 1: Access Flow State mode

From the generation mode bar at the top of the app’s homepage, click the Flow State button:

Step 2: Type a simple description

Let’s imagine our end goal is to create a refined ad campaign for an elegant and discreet luxury watch, but we are unsure about the lighting or the setting. By typing a simple description, like “A professional photograph of an elegant and discreet luxury watch,” into the prompt bar, we can quickly generate dozens of lighting and composition styles to choose from.

Step 3: Choose the image you like

Once you find a picture you like, hovering your mouse over it will let you click the More Like This button. This restarts the generation with even more photos like the one you prefer. Selecting more images you like will help you narrow down exactly what you want even more.

Once you find an image you absolutely love and think could serve as the perfect creative foundation or start frame for your watch ad, click the Save to Library button to add it to your library.

Using what we’ve learned so far, you are now ready to take on the entire workflow: edit this image, upscale it, use it as the start frame for your ad, and edit the resulting video.

Time to Create

You’ve now successfully worked through the fundamental steps of creating on Leonardo. You know how to brainstorm quickly with Flow State, generate a base image, edit it, upscale it, and use it as a start frame for a cinematic video that you can then continue to edit. Plus, you can always rely on Blueprints to skip the guesswork.

This is a powerful starting point. To dive deeper, explore our Learn section, where we continually add new content. Additionally, do not hesitate to visit our Support page if you have any questions.

You’re now ready to create on Leonardo!

FAQs

What model does Leonardo.Ai use?

Leonardo.Ai uses a large suite of models, allowing users to switch between them instantly for experimentation. For image generation, this includes proprietary models like Lucid Origin or Lucid Realism, as well as other popular models like Nano Banana or GPT Image 1.5. For video generation, Leonardo offers a large suite of models, including Veo 3.1, Sora 2, Kling O1, and Hailuo 2.3. The platform is also continually updated, launching new state-of-the-art models as they come to market.

Is Leonardo.Ai good for beginners?

Yes, Leonardo.Ai is well-suited for beginners. It features tools like Blueprints and Flow State to simplify content creation and help users explore ideas quickly, and it offers simple, clear interfaces for core functions like image and video generation.

What is Flow State in Leonardo.Ai?

Flow State is a generation mode that helps users explore tens of visual ideas quickly when they don’t know exactly where to start. It allows you to quickly narrow down an aesthetic or concept by generating multiple options based on a single prompt.

How to upload an image to Leonardo.Ai?

To upload an image on Leonardo.Ai, click the image icon on the left of the prompt bar when in image or video generation mode. This opens the media selection window, where you can upload your image by clicking the Upload an image button.

How to train a Leonardo.Ai model?

You can train custom AI models in Leonardo.Ai using the Element Training feature. This allows you to create custom elements or unique models based on your own images and style.