Phase 2: Image Generation · 55 min · Python · Hugging Face Diffusers · Real-ESRGAN

Inpainting, Outpainting, Upscaling & Restoration

Generation is step one — post-processing (inpainting, upscaling, face restoration) is what makes images production-ready.

Real-world application: Post-processing pipeline knowledge (inpainting, upscaling, face restoration) demonstrates you understand the full image generation pipeline, not just the generation step.

What you will learn

Implement inpainting: selective regeneration of specific image regions
Implement outpainting: extending image boundaries beyond original dimensions
Apply upscaling with ESRGAN and Real-ESRGAN for higher resolution
Use face restoration (CodeFormer, GFPGAN) to fix faces in generated images

Objective

Produce and compare image candidates against an explicit creative brief. In the paired studio lab, build a post-processing pipeline that takes a generated image and applies: (1) face restoration with CodeFormer, (2) 4x upscaling with Real-ESRGAN, (3) inpainting to fix a specific region. Demonstrate each step's effect and measure processing time.

The Problem

A team generates images with FLUX.1 Schnell at 1024x1024. The images look good, but:

A product image has a distorted hand — needs inpainting to fix
A hero image needs to be 4K for print — needs upscaling
A portrait has blurry faces — needs face restoration
A landscape needs to be wider — needs outpainting

Generation is only step one. Post-processing is what makes images production-ready. A pipeline without post-processing produces raw outputs that aren't suitable for production use.

What you'll build
A post-processing pipeline that takes a generated image and applies: (1) face restoration with CodeFormer, (2) 4x upscaling with Real-ESRGAN, (3) inpainting to fix a specific region. Measure processing time for each step.

Unlock the full lesson

You've read the first 2 sections. The rest of this lesson covers The Concept, Build, Check Yourself, Key Terms & Next — plus a hands-on lab, quiz, and project artifact.

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