Sunburst Reference Edits: Check What Stayed the Same

Treat the model claim as a reason to test

OpenAI's September 8 announcement positions Sunburst for precise creative work with longer generation times than Flare. That makes a constrained reference edit a useful task to try. It does not remove the need to inspect your result.

Our live Ciyo Image Generator offered Sunburst. This is one completed edit, not a controlled comparison: Flare created the source and Sunburst performed a different task. Both images are fictional generated artwork.

• OpenAI's Image 2.5 announcement

Choose a reference you can inspect

Use an image with visible edges and material details. Our source includes the entire handle and rim. A blurry or heavily cropped reference makes later preservation harder to judge.

Keep the source on the canvas. Open Image Generator, select Sunburst, choose Reference image → Select from Canvas and click the intended image. Use Zoom to Fit if it is off-screen. Confirm that the reference appears in the generator before submitting.

Separate the change from the fixed details

Request one change: cool slate surroundings. Then list the details that must remain recognizable. Asking for a new camera, lighting, props and material at once makes an unwanted change harder to diagnose.

For a real product, ‘preserve’ still requires comparison with an authorized reference and review by someone who knows the item. This fictional mug cannot validate a real catalog product's accuracy.

Preserve the reference mug silhouette, handle, rim and ivory glaze. Change only the tabletop and background to cool slate gray. Keep the camera, one mug, soft side light and empty upper third. No text or extra objects.

Inspect before calling the subject preserved

The output changed the surroundings to slate gray and retained a recognizably similar ivory mug. Its rim and handle remain visible, and the upper area still has room for copy. That supports using it as a fictional concept.

It does not prove pixel-identical preservation. The source preview reported 1254 × 1254 and the result 1248 × 1248. Compare at matched display sizes, inspect the outline and surface, and check the downloaded file when dimensions matter.

Check identity before atmosphere

A pleasing background can distract from a changed handle. Review the fixed details first. Revise or reject an output when a critical feature differs, even if the new setting is attractive.

For actual merchandise, compare against the real item and keep the reference with the approval note. The model cannot establish commercial accuracy from a vague description of a glaze or dimension.

Hand off the chosen version with its limits

Export the selected source and save the prompt or metadata. Label the slate-background version and state whether it is a concept or an approved product representation. That gives the next person a clear starting point.

If only the headline changes next, edit a separate text object instead of regenerating the image. Keep the accepted subject while changing the part of the deliverable that needs work.

• Export the image and its record
• Keep the headline editable