Topaz Image Upscale Creative: the creativity dial, tested honestly
Topaz Image Upscale Creative reimagines AI art while it enlarges it. What the Bloom engines do, how the creativity dial works, and when to keep it low.
A common belief says an upscaler should only make a picture bigger. Topaz Image Upscale Creative breaks that rule on purpose: it is described as creatively upscaling AI-generated images and adding new detail. If your render looks smooth and plasticky, that is the feature you want. This post is about the one dial that controls it, and how to find a setting you will not regret.
Three engines, three temperaments
- Bloom 2 (default): creative upscaling that adds new, reimagined detail to AI-generated pictures.
- Bloom: aimed at AI artwork, illustrations and CG renders.
- Bloom Realism: natural, realistic detail for AI-generated images, and it accepts a narrower range of creativity.
A reasonable starting rule: Bloom 2 for fantasy and concept art, Bloom for illustration and flat colour work, Bloom Realism for anything that should still look like a photograph.
The creativity dial
Creativity is a whole number from 1 to 9, and the default sits at 3. At 1 the picture stays faithful; at 9 the model adds the most new detail and is the most willing to change things. Bloom Realism only goes from 1 to 4, which tells you what it is for.
There is also an optional prompt. Use it to point the invention in a direction: name the material (brushed metal, wet stone), the lighting or the mood. Leave it empty when you just want a cleaner version of what is there.
Weathered stone castle at dusk, mossy walls, fine masonry texture, warm lantern light in the windows, sharp and detailed.A fair test in four runs
- Take one render you like. Use the 2K target for the tests.
- Run it at creativity 1, 3, 6 and 9 with the same engine and the same prompt.
- Zoom to hands, faces, lettering and straight edges on each result, not the whole picture.
- Choose the highest setting where nothing important changed, then run that one at 4K or 8K.
Where it falls short
Creative means different. The upscaled picture is a new interpretation, so details can shift between the original and the result: a pattern changes, a small object appears, a face moves slightly. Do not use it on pictures that must stay exact. For repair, try the generative upscaler; for the strict, no-invention version, the plain Topaz Image Upscale is the one, and faithful or creative upscalers explains how to choose. Browse the rest on the models page.
Questions
What does the creativity setting do?
It controls how strongly the picture is reinterpreted. Low values stay faithful to the original, high values add more new detail and change more.
Do I have to write a prompt?
No, it is optional. A short description of the material or mood can steer the added detail; leave it empty for a cleaner version of the same picture.
Is it suitable for photos?
Mostly for AI-generated pictures. Bloom Realism is the closest to natural photographic detail, but a plain upscaler is safer for real photos.
