mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Qwen-Image-Layered: Towards Inherent Editability via Layer Decomposition

arXiv 2512.15603 ↗First posted 17 Dec 2025cs.CVcited by 34

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Abstract (arXiv)

Recent visual generative models often struggle with consistency during image editing due to the entangled nature of raster images, where all visual content is fused into a single canvas. In contrast, professional design tools employ layered representations, allowing isolated edits while preserving consistency. Motivated by this, we propose Qwen-Image-Layered, an end-to-end diffusion model that decomposes a single RGB image into multiple semantically disentangled RGBA layers, enabling inherent editability, where each RGBA layer can be independently manipulated without affecting other content. To support variable-length decomposition, we introduce three key components: (1) an RGBA-VAE to unify the latent representations of RGB and RGBA images; (2) a VLD-MMDiT (Variable Layers Decomposition MMDiT) architecture capable of decomposing a variable number of image layers; and (3) a Multi-stage Training strategy to adapt a pretrained image generation model into a multilayer image decomposer. Furthermore, to address the scarcity of high-quality multilayer training images, we build a pipeline to extract and annotate multilayer images from Photoshop documents (PSD). Experiments demonstrate that our method significantly surpasses existing approaches in decomposition quality and establishes a new paradigm for consistent image editing. Our code and models are released on hrefhttps://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen-Image-Layeredhttps://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen-Image-Layered

Key facts. Cited by 34 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 44 of its 50 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 17 Dec 2025.

Builds on

44 of 50 references.

References · 44

  1. 2020Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Modelscited by 21,076
  2. 2021High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Modelscited by 18,863
  3. 2023Visual Instruction Tuningcited by 7,869
  4. 2025Qwen2.5-VL Technical Reportcited by 5,587
  5. 2023SDXL: Improving Latent Diffusion Models for High-Resolution Image Synthesiscited by 4,356
  6. 2024Scaling Rectified Flow Transformers for High-Resolution Image Synthesiscited by 4,181
  7. 2022Flow Straight and Fast: Learning to Generate and Transfer Data with Rectified Flowcited by 3,700
  8. 2024SAM 2: Segment Anything in Images and Videoscited by 2,863
  9. 2022InstructPix2Pix: Learning to Follow Image Editing Instructionscited by 2,611
  10. 2025Qwen-Image Technical Reportcited by 1,044
  11. 2025FLUX.1 Kontext: Flow Matching for In-Context Image Generation and Editing in Latent Spacecited by 1,006
  12. 2025Emerging Properties in Unified Multimodal Pretrainingcited by 897
32 more
  1. 2022DiffEdit: Diffusion-based semantic image editing with mask guidancecited by 647
  2. 2023MagicBrush: A Manually Annotated Dataset for Instruction-Guided Image Editingcited by 624
  3. 2025Step1X-Edit: A Practical Framework for General Image Editingcited by 429
  4. 2021N"UWA: Visual Synthesis Pre-training for Neural visUal World creAtioncited by 253
  5. 2025OmniGen2: Towards Instruction-Aligned Multimodal Generationcited by 253
  6. 2023Inpaint Anything: Segment Anything Meets Image Inpaintingcited by 233
  7. 2025Seedream 3.0 Technical Reportcited by 154
  8. 2024Transparent Image Layer Diffusion using Latent Transparencycited by 114
  9. 2020Self-Supervised Scene De-occlusioncited by 96
  10. 2021CanvasVAE: Learning to Generate Vector Graphic Documentscited by 95
  11. 2022NUWA-Infinity: Autoregressive over Autoregressive Generation for Infinite Visual Synthesiscited by 71
  12. 2025Seedream 2.0: A Native Chinese-English Bilingual Image Generation Foundation Modelcited by 62
  13. 2021Deep Automatic Natural Image Mattingcited by 59
  14. 2025SeedEdit 3.0: Fast and High-Quality Generative Image Editingcited by 53
  15. 2021Unsupervised Layered Image Decomposition into Object Prototypescited by 50
  16. 2024MULAN: A Multi Layer Annotated Dataset for Controllable Text-to-Image Generationcited by 38
  17. 2023Text2Layer: Layered Image Generation using Latent Diffusion Modelcited by 37
  18. 2025ART: Anonymous Region Transformer for Variable Multi-Layer Transparent Image Generationcited by 37
  19. 2024Generative Image Layer Decomposition with Visual Effectscited by 34
  20. 2023Matting Anythingcited by 31
  21. 2023LIME: Localized Image Editing via Attention Regularization in Diffusion Modelscited by 27
  22. 2024LayerDiff: Exploring Text-guided Multi-layered Composable Image Synthesis via Layer-Collaborative Diffusion Modelcited by 26
  23. 2023MAG-Edit: Localized Image Editing in Complex Scenarios via Mask-Based Attention-Adjusted Guidancecited by 21
  24. 2025LayerD: Decomposing Raster Graphic Designs into Layerscited by 21
  25. 2024Object-level Scene Deocclusioncited by 17
  26. 2025DreamLayer: Simultaneous Multi-Layer Generation via Diffusion Modecited by 17
  27. 2025LayeringDiff: Layered Image Synthesis via Generation, then Disassembly with Generative Knowledgecited by 16
  28. 2025PrismLayers: Open Data for High-Quality Multi-Layer Transparent Image Generative Modelscited by 15
  29. 2025PSDiffusion: Harmonized Multi-Layer Image Generation via Layout and Appearance Alignmentcited by 12
  30. 2025Rethinking Layered Graphic Design Generation with a Top-Down Approachcited by 10
  31. 2025AlphaVAE: Unified End-to-End RGBA Image Reconstruction and Generation with Alpha-Aware Representation Learningcited by 8
  32. 2015Decomposing Digital Paintings into Layers via RGB-space Geometrycited by 2

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Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 34.

34 papers.

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  1. 2026Wan-Image: Pushing the Boundaries of Generative Visual Intelligencecited by 16
  2. 2026GenClaw: Code-Driven Agentic Image Generationcited by 11
  3. 2026DesignAsCode: Bridging Structural Editability and Visual Fidelity in Graphic Design Generationcited by 5
  4. 2026LaDe: Unified Multi-Layered Graphic Media Generation and Decompositioncited by 5
  5. 2026Visual Generation in the New Era: An Evolution from Atomic Mapping to Agentic World Modelingcited by 5
  6. 2026MiLDEdit: Reasoning-Based Multi-Layer Design Document Editingcited by 3
  7. 2026See-through: Single-image Layer Decomposition for Anime Characterscited by 3
  8. 2026AmodalSVG: Amodal Image Vectorization via Semantic Layer Peelingcited by 3
  9. 2026Workflow-Aware Structured Layer Decomposition for Illustration Productioncited by 1
  10. 2026TransText: Alpha-as-RGB Representation for Transparent Text Animationcited by 1
  11. 2026MeshReGen: A Unified 3D Geometry Regeneration Frameworkcited by 1
  12. 2026RevealLayer: Disentangling Hidden and Visible Layers via Occlusion-Aware Image Decompositioncited by 1
22 more
  1. 2026LiWi: Layering in the Wildcited by 1
  2. 2026Does Synthetic Layered Design Data Benefit Layered Design Decomposition?cited by 1
  3. 2026From Plans to Pixels: Learning to Plan and Orchestrate for Open-Ended Image Editingcited by 1
  4. 2026MRT: Masked Region Transformer for Layered Image Generation and Editing at Scalecited by 1
  5. 2026Stable-Layers: Fine-Tuning Image Layer Decomposition Models with VLM-Scored Reinforcement Learningcited by 1
  6. 2026ReDesign: Recovering Editable Design Structures from Images via Agentic Decompositioncited by 1
  7. 2026Bunraku: Turning a Single Illustration into an Editable Live2D Charactercited by 1
  8. 2026Detect Anything in Graphic Design: Element-Level Rewards for Autoregressive Detectioncited by 1
  9. 2026A Unified and Controllable Framework for Layered Image Generation with Visual Effectscited by 0
  10. 2026ExpressEdit: Fast Editing of Stylized Facial Expressions with Diffusion Models in Photoshopcited by 0
  11. 2026DiffuSAM: Diffusion Guided Zero-Shot Object Grounding for Remote Sensing Imagerycited by 0
  12. 2026LimeCross: Context-Conditioned Layered Image Editing with Structural Consistencycited by 0
  13. 2026HiLo-Token: Input-Adaptive High-Low Frequency Token Compression for Efficient Image Editingcited by 0
  14. 2026Vera: A Layered Diffusion Model for Content-Preserving Video Editingcited by 0
  15. 2026LILAC: Layer-Wise Independent LoRAs and Cascaded Conditioning for Multi-Concept Customization of Diffusion Modelscited by 0
  16. 2026Explicit Layer Modeling for Video Object Insertion and Video Layer Decompositioncited by 0
  17. 2026UniWorld-Design: From Pixel Generation to Layer-Native Designcited by 0
  18. 2026RenderMatte: Exact-Alpha Rendering and Group-Relative Alignment for Image Mattingcited by 0
  19. 2026Mise-en-Sc`ene: Implicit Layout Emergence in Diffusion Transformers for Human-AI Design Co-Creationcited by 0
  20. 2026PixelART: Image-to-Layer Decomposition without Latents or Text-to-Image Pretrainingcited by 0
  21. 2026IntrinSync: Joint Intrinsic Decomposition and Reciprocal Renderingcited by 0
  22. 2026LayerCanvas: Infographic Generation in AI Learning Assistants via Hybrid Layer-Set Diffusioncited by 0

Similar, not cited

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  1. 2024LayerFusion: Harmonized Multi-Layer Text-to-Image Generation with Generative Priors
  2. 2026Cycle-Consistent Tuning for Layered Image Decomposition
  3. 2024FluxSpace: Disentangled Semantic Editing in Rectified Flow Transformers
  4. 2025IntrinsicEdit: Precise generative image manipulation in intrinsic space
  5. 2026CreatiParser: Generative Image Parsing of Raster Graphic Designs into Editable Layers
  6. 2026UniRef-Image-Edit: Towards Scalable and Consistent Multi-Reference Image Editing
  7. 2025MagicQuillV2: Precise and Interactive Image Editing with Layered Visual Cues
  8. 2024Streamlining Image Editing with Layered Diffusion Brushes