Gpt-image-1 - Transparent backgrounds with Edit request

[Robert_Koch]

When using a reference image through ChatGPT 4o image-gen you could return an image with a transparent background (i.e a die cut sticker). It looks like the transparent option is only available through the Generate endpoint, but not the Edit endpoint. Even prompting ‘transparent background’ doesn’t result in a transparent background.

Am I doing something wrong, or are there plans to introduce this?

[polepole]

Hi, welcome to the community!

Are you trying with ChatGPT or API?

[Robert_Koch]

I’m using the API, specifically /edit endpoint because I need to supply a reference image.

This works fine through ChatGPT.

[polepole]

It works, but also it changes some details:

[Robert_Koch]

Thanks for trying.

That’s actually still a solid white background and the file is jpeg, not PNG.

Yet if you ran the same prompt in ChatGPT you would most likely get a transparent background and PNG file

[_j]

@Robert_Koch

That’s actually still a solid white background and the file is jpeg, not PNG.

The forum does that. You can only show or share preserved transparency by converting to a GIF with reduced color palette. Or you can use photo edit software to put a transparency grid behind just to demonstrate.

white to transparent by ChatGPT

Edits might be fundamentally different, since it has been used to infill and outfill from a mask.

[Robert_Koch]

Appreciate the clarification @_j

Here’s an example output through playground. It followed the PNG format request and provided a .png file, however the checkerboard background is fake and isn’t transparent.

Prompt

Create a digital die cut sticker in a 3D clay model inspired by characters like Wallace & Gromit, with rounded plastic features and sculpted textures based on the main uploaded subject image. The sticker should have a clean transparent background, a thick white outline around the subject, and be centered within a square canvas (1:1 aspect ratio). Guidelines - You must transform the subject into a style and not be photo-realistic. - You must remove the background completely and make it transparent and provide the final file in PNG format. Keep only the die cut sticker with a white solid white border. Output must be a cutout die cut sticker on a fully transparent background.

[PaulBellow]

Are you explicitly setting it to output png transparent?

Use output_format="png" or "webp" and set background="transparent". Including “transparent background” in the prompt might also trigger this automatically (as per cookbook).

prompt_transparent_hat = “generate a pixel-art style picture of a green bucket hat with a pink quill on a transparent background.”

    response = client.images.generate(
        model="gpt-image-1",
        prompt=prompt_transparent_hat,
        size="1024x1024",
        quality="low",
        output_format="png",          # Required for transparency
        # background="transparent",   # Can be explicitly set
        response_format="b64_json",
        n=1
    )

More help here…

Generate images with GPT Image | OpenAI Cookbook

If you’re already setting it and it’s still not working, let us know.

[Robert_Koch]

The issue is with the Edit endpoint not Generate.

Edit doesn’t have explicit transparent options in the request.

[aprendendo.next]

It can edit with transparency, but the source must also be transparent.

Example:

prompt_mask_edit="make the dog green and in a jumping pose, and keep the transparent background"

result_sticker_edit = client.images.edit(
    model="gpt-image-1",         
    prompt=prompt_mask_edit,
    image=img_input,
    quality="low",
    size="1024x1024"
)

[Robert_Koch]

Thanks all.

Seems to just confirm my suspicions.

Shame /edit can’t work the same as the behaviour on ChatGPT. Maybe when Responses API is available.