image-outpainting

What this skill does

# Image Outpainting

Extend a still beyond its original canvas — uncrop, change aspect ratio, fill in what the camera didn't capture. This skill routes across the identity-preserving edit endpoints in the RunComfy catalog, picking the right one for prose-driven extension, reference-style matching, or brand-locked continuation.

[runcomfy.com](https://www.runcomfy.com/?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting) · [best-image-editing-models](https://www.runcomfy.com/models/collections/best-image-editing-models?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting) · [CLI docs](https://docs.runcomfy.com/cli/introduction?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting)

## Powered by the RunComfy CLI

```bash
# 1. Install (see runcomfy-cli skill for details)
npm i -g @runcomfy/cli      # or:  npx -y @runcomfy/cli --version

# 2. Sign in
runcomfy login              # or in CI: export RUNCOMFY_TOKEN=<token>

# 3. Outpaint
runcomfy run google/nano-banana-2/edit \
  --input '{"prompt": "...extend canvas...", "image_urls": ["..."]}' \
  --output-dir ./out
```

CLI deep dive: [`runcomfy-cli`](https://www.skills.sh/agentspace-so/runcomfy-agent-skills/runcomfy-cli) skill.

---

## Pick the right model

Listed by suitability for outpainting workflows.

**Nano Banana 2 Edit** — `google/nano-banana-2/edit` *(default for prompt-shaped outpaint)*
> Identity-preserving edit; honors spatial language ("extend the canvas to the left and right by ~30%", "add sky above the building"). The result is a wider canvas with the original content preserved.
> Pick for: aspect-ratio change (square → 16:9), uncrop a portrait, extend a landscape photo with matching environment.
> Avoid for: pixel-precise extension matching texture seams — use a ComfyUI outpainting workflow.

**GPT Image 2 Edit** — `openai/gpt-image-2/edit`
> Up to 10 reference images, layout-precise instruction following. Useful when outpainting needs to match a reference style or includes layout repositioning.
> Pick for: composite outpaint (extend canvas + paste in element from another image), layout repositioning during the canvas change.
> Avoid for: simple outpaint without external references.

**FLUX Kontext Pro** — `blackforestlabs/flux-1-kontext/pro/edit`
> Single-instruction, high-preservation edit. Use form: `"Extend the canvas to a 16:9 aspect ratio. Add matching sky and architecture continuing from the existing scene. Keep everything in the original image exactly."`
> Pick for: single-shot outpaint with maximum preservation of the original content.

**Seedream / Dreamina / Qwen / FLUX 2 edit endpoints**
> Brand-specific edit endpoints (`bytedance/seedream-5/lite/edit`, `bytedance/dreamina-4-0/edit`, `qwen/qwen-image/qwen-image-edit-2511`, `blackforestlabs/flux-2-pro/edit`, etc.).
> Pick for: keeping the outpaint within the same brand/style as the source generation. See [`image-edit`](https://www.skills.sh/agentspace-so/runcomfy-agent-skills/image-edit) for the full edit router.

---

## Route 1: Nano Banana 2 Edit — default

**Model**: `google/nano-banana-2/edit`
**Catalog**: [Nano Banana 2 Edit](https://www.runcomfy.com/models/google/nano-banana-2/edit?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting)

### Invoke

**Aspect-ratio change (1:1 → 16:9):**

```bash
runcomfy run google/nano-banana-2/edit \
  --input '{
    "prompt": "Extend the canvas to a 16:9 aspect ratio by adding matching environment on the left and right sides of the image. Continue the existing background style — same lighting, same camera distance, same color palette. Keep the original subject, pose, framing, and central content exactly as in the input.",
    "image_urls": ["https://your-cdn.example/portrait-1to1.jpg"],
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
  }' \
  --output-dir ./out
```

**Uncrop a portrait (reveal more body):**

```bash
runcomfy run google/nano-banana-2/edit \
  --input '{
    "prompt": "Extend the canvas downward to show the subject's full upper body and arms. Continue the existing clothing style, lighting, and background. Keep the face and current visible area exactly as in the input.",
    "image_urls": ["https://your-cdn.example/head-and-shoulders.jpg"]
  }' \
  --output-dir ./out
```

### Prompting tips

- **Lead with the canvas change**: `"Extend the canvas to [aspect]"`, `"Extend downward"`, `"Extend on both sides by ~30%"`.
- **Describe what extends**: continue background style, match lighting, match camera distance, match palette.
- **End with preservation**: `"Keep [original visible area] exactly as in the input"`. Without this Nano Banana may regenerate the original portion subtly.
- **Set `aspect_ratio` explicitly** to lock the output canvas — don't rely on the model to guess from prompt alone.

---

## Route 2: When prompt-shaped outpaint isn't enough

If the output has visible seams, mismatched lighting at the extension boundary, or content that doesn't continue cleanly, use one of:

1. **GPT Image 2 Edit** with a reference image of the desired surrounding style (`images: [original, style-ref]`)
2. **FLUX Kontext Pro** with maximum-preservation language
3. **A ComfyUI workflow** — RunComfy hosts several outpainting node graphs:
   - `comfyui-image-outpainting-workflow` — classic SDXL outpainting with seam handling
   - `flux-klein-unified-image-editing-inpaint-remove-outpaint-in-comfyui-advanced-image-restoration` — Flux Klein unified inpaint + outpaint
   - Browse: [runcomfy.com/comfyui-workflows](https://www.runcomfy.com/comfyui-workflows?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting)

These are GUI workflows, not CLI endpoints. The CLI can't reach them — open them in the RunComfy ComfyUI cloud for finer control.

---

## Common patterns

### Social media aspect-ratio swap (1:1 → 9:16 for Reels)
- **Route 1 (Nano Banana 2 Edit)** with `aspect_ratio: "9:16"`, prompt extends top + bottom

### Banner / hero image from a portrait
- **Route 1** with `aspect_ratio: "21:9"` or `"16:9"`, prompt extends sides with matching environment

### Uncrop product shot for catalog
- **Route 1** describing what surrounds the product (counter texture, lighting, shadow direction)

### Restore a cropped historical photo
- **Route 2 (GPT Image 2 Edit)** with one or more period-appropriate reference photos

### Multi-step outpaint (extend, then re-extend)
- Chain: outpaint pass 1 → use result as input for pass 2. Each pass extends ~30–50% to avoid quality degradation at the boundary.

### What this skill doesn't do
- **Mask-driven local edits** (fill a hole inside the existing canvas): see [`image-inpainting`](https://www.skills.sh/agentspace-so/runcomfy-agent-skills/image-inpainting).
- **Video outpainting** (extend video canvas spatially): see [`video-outpainting`](https://www.skills.sh/agentspace-so/runcomfy-agent-skills/video-outpainting).

---

## Browse the full catalog

- [`best-image-editing-models` collection](https://www.runcomfy.com/models/collections/best-image-editing-models?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting)
- [`nano-banana`](https://www.runcomfy.com/models/collections/nano-banana?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting) · [`flux-kontext`](https://www.runcomfy.com/models/collections/flux-kontext?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting) · [`seedream`](https://www.runcomfy.com/models/collections/seedream?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting) collections — edit endpoints that all accept outpaint-shaped prompts
- [ComfyUI workflows](https://www.runcomfy.com/comfyui-workflows?utm_source=skills.sh&utm_medium=skill&utm_campaign=image-outpainting) — search "outpaint" for dedicated outpainting workflow node graphs

---

## Exit codes

| code | meaning |
|---|---|
| 0  | success |
| 64 | bad CLI args |
| 65 | bad input JSON / schema mismatch |
| 69 | upstream 5xx |
| 75 | retryable: timeout / 429 |
| 77