# Neural Design Network: Graphic Layout Generation with Constraints

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.09421 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1912.09421/

## Key facts

- Cited by 83 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 19 Dec 2019.

## Built on by (most cited first, 30 of 83)

- [LayoutDM: Discrete Diffusion Model for Controllable Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.08137/) (2023)
- [Screen2Words: Automatic Mobile UI Summarization with Multimodal Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.03353/) (2021)
- [CanvasVAE: Learning to Generate Vector Graphic Documents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.01249/) (2021)
- [Variational Transformer Networks for Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.02416/) (2021)
- [Constrained Graphic Layout Generation via Latent Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.00871/) (2021)
- [BLT: Bidirectional Layout Transformer for Controllable Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.05112/) (2021)
- [SketchGen: Generating Constrained CAD Sketches](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.02711/) (2021)
- [PosterLayout: A New Benchmark and Approach for Content-aware Visual-Textual Presentation Layout](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.15937/) (2023)
- [Composition-aware Graphic Layout GAN for Visual-textual Presentation Designs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.00303/) (2022)
- [LayoutDM: Transformer-based Diffusion Model for Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.02567/) (2023)
- [Engineering Sketch Generation for Computer-Aided Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.09621/) (2021)
- [LayoutPrompter: Awaken the Design Ability of Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.06495/) (2023)
- [LayoutFormer++: Conditional Graphic Layout Generation via Constraint Serialization and Decoding Space Restriction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.08037/) (2022)
- [Unifying Layout Generation with a Decoupled Diffusion Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.05049/) (2023)
- [LayoutDiffusion: Improving Graphic Layout Generation by Discrete Diffusion Probabilistic Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.11589/) (2023)
- [Graphic Design with Large Multimodal Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.14368/) (2024)
- [Relation-Aware Diffusion Model for Controllable Poster Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.09086/) (2023)
- [Retrieval-Augmented Layout Transformer for Content-Aware Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.13602/) (2023)
- [Geometry Aligned Variational Transformer for Image-conditioned Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.00852/) (2022)
- [Towards Flexible Multi-modal Document Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.18248/) (2023)
- [Towards Aligned Layout Generation via Diffusion Model with Aesthetic Constraints](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.04754/) (2024)
- [PLay: Parametrically Conditioned Layout Generation using Latent Diffusion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.11529/) (2023)
- [Dolfin: Diffusion Layout Transformers without Autoencoder](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.16305/) (2023)
- [Visual Text Generation in the Wild](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.14138/) (2024)
- [LayoutFlow: Flow Matching for Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.18187/) (2024)
- [Understanding the Role of Scene Graphs in Visual Question Answering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.05479/) (2021)
- [DLT: Conditioned layout generation with Joint Discrete-Continuous Diffusion Layout Transformer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.03755/) (2023)
- [Aesthetic Text Logo Synthesis via Content-aware Layout Inferring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.02701/) (2022)
- [LayoutNUWA: Revealing the Hidden Layout Expertise of Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.09506/) (2023)
- [Desigen: A Pipeline for Controllable Design Template Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.09093/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Graphic design is essential for visual communication with layouts being fundamental to composing attractive designs. Layout generation differs from pixel-level image synthesis and is unique in terms of the requirement of mutual relations among the desired components. We propose a method for design layout generation that can satisfy user-specified constraints. The proposed neural design network (NDN) consists of three modules. The first module predicts a graph with complete relations from a graph with user-specified relations. The second module generates a layout from the predicted graph. Finally, the third module fine-tunes the predicted layout. Quantitative and qualitative experiments demonstrate that the generated layouts are visually similar to real design layouts. We also construct real designs based on predicted layouts for a better understanding of the visual quality. Finally, we demonstrate a practical application on layout recommendation.