# LiWi: Layering in the Wild

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.14552 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.14552/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 32 of its 39 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 14 May 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 32)

- [Flow Matching for Generative Modeling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.02747/) (2022)
- [Qwen3-VL Technical Report](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.21631/) (2025)
- [Deep High-Resolution Representation Learning for Visual Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1908.07919/) (2019)
- [Qwen-Image Technical Report](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.02324/) (2025)
- [SAM 3: Segment Anything with Concepts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.16719/) (2025)
- [Resolution-robust Large Mask Inpainting with Fourier Convolutions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.07161/) (2021)
- [U2-Net: Going Deeper with Nested U-Structure for Salient Object Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.09007/) (2020)
- [Text2LIVE: Text-Driven Layered Image and Video Editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.02491/) (2022)
- [Layered Neural Atlases for Consistent Video Editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.11418/) (2021)
- [Transparent Image Layer Diffusion using Latent Transparency](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.17113/) (2024)
- [Bilateral Reference for High-Resolution Dichotomous Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.03407/) (2024)
- [Highly Accurate Dichotomous Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.03041/) (2022)
- [CanvasVAE: Learning to Generate Vector Graphic Documents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.01249/) (2021)
- [Pyramid Grafting Network for One-Stage High Resolution Saliency Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.05041/) (2022)
- [Shape-aware Text-driven Layered Video Editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.13173/) (2023)
- [MULAN: A Multi Layer Annotated Dataset for Controllable Text-to-Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.02790/) (2024)
- [A Survey on Intrinsic Images: Delving Deep Into Lambert and Beyond](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.03842/) (2021)
- [Text2Layer: Layered Image Generation using Latent Diffusion Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.09781/) (2023)
- [ART: Anonymous Region Transformer for Variable Multi-Layer Transparent Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.18364/) (2025)
- [Generative Image Layer Decomposition with Visual Effects](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.17864/) (2024)
- [Qwen-Image-Layered: Towards Inherent Editability via Layer Decomposition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.15603/) (2025)
- [LayerDiff: Exploring Text-guided Multi-layered Composable Image Synthesis via Layer-Collaborative Diffusion Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.11929/) (2024)
- [LayerD: Decomposing Raster Graphic Designs into Layers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.25134/) (2025)
- [LayerFusion: Harmonized Multi-Layer Text-to-Image Generation with Generative Priors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.04460/) (2024)
- [DreamLayer: Simultaneous Multi-Layer Generation via Diffusion Mode](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.12838/) (2025)
- [LayeringDiff: Layered Image Synthesis via Generation, then Disassembly with Generative Knowledge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.01197/) (2025)
- [OmniPSD: Layered PSD Generation with Diffusion Transformer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.09247/) (2025)
- [PSDiffusion: Harmonized Multi-Layer Image Generation via Layout and Appearance Alignment](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.11468/) (2025)
- [Rethinking Layered Graphic Design Generation with a Top-Down Approach](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05601/) (2025)
- [DatasetAgent: A Novel Multi-Agent System for Auto-Constructing Datasets from Real-World Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.08648/) (2025)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Bunraku: Turning a Single Illustration into an Editable Live2D Character](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.27348/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Recent advances in generative models have empowered impressive layered image generation, yet their success is largely confined to graphic design domains. The layering of in-the-wild images remains an underexplored problem, limiting fine-grained editing and applications of images in real-world scenarios. Specifically, challenges remain in scalable layered data and the modeling of object interaction in natural images, such as illumination effects and structural boundary. To address these bottlenecks, we propose a novel framework for high-fidelity natural image decomposition. First, we introduce an Agent-driven Data Decomposition (ADD) pipeline that orchestrates agents and tools to synthesize layered data without manual intervention. Utilizing this pipeline, we construct a large-scale dataset, named LiWi-100k, with over 100,000 high-quality layered in-the-wild images. Second, we present a novel framework that jointly improves photometric fidelity and alpha boundary accuracy. Specifically, shadow-guided learning explicitly models the illumination effects, and degradation-restoration objective provides boundary-correction supervision by recovering clean foreground image from degraded one. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our framework achieves state-of-the-art (SoTA) performance in natural image decomposition, outperforming existing models in RGB L1 and Alpha IoU metrics. We will soon release our code and dataset.