Image editor

  • Updated

Use the Optimizely Opal image editor to refine a generated image without recreating it. Select an element, draw over an area, or outline a region with a shape to edit the image.

Open the image editor

Upload a starting image or ask Opal to generate an image in Opal Chat to begin. Click Edit on the generated image to display the editor.

Screenshot of Opal Chat where Edit is highlighted on a generated image.

Image editor layout

The image editor displays the image and Opal Chat side by side. The toolbar holds the three editing modes, Select, Draw, and Shape. It also contains a drop-down list to change the aspect ratio of the image.

Screenshot of the image editor with the editing modes and aspect ratio highlighted.

The image editor also opens at a default zoom level. Click Zoom to set a custom zoom level or select a preset.

Screenshot of the image editor with zoom selected and zoom options highlighted.

Edit an image

Edit your image using the three editing modes.

Select individual elements

Select mode detects the separate parts of an image, such as text, shapes, and objects. Change one part without affecting the rest.

  1. Click Select.
  2. Click the element you want to edit.

    Screenshot of the Image Editor with Select clicked and an element highlighted.

Opal displays the edit element options.

Screenshot of the image editor where the edit element options display for a selected element.

Depending on how you want to edit the element, see the following options:

Remove element – Click Remove. Opal queues the element removal. See Queue and run edits.

Edit the element – The edit box depends on the element type:

  • Text element – The edit box displays the current text in the text field.
    1. Replace the text with the text you want.

      Screenshot of a text element selected and the Headline text updated.
    2. Clic Run.
    3. Select Run Now or Add to Queue. See Queue and run edits.
  • Other element – The edit box displays a text field for your change instructions.
    1. Describe the change you want Opal to make. You can also drag-and-drop an image from your computer or copy it and paste it in the text field.

      Screenshot of a photo placeholder selected with the text field empty.
    2. Click Run.
    3. Select Run Now or Add to Queue. See Queue and run edits.

Draw over an area

Draw mode lets you paint over the exact area you want to change for finer control than Select mode. Use it when a change does not map to a single detected element, or when you want to target only part of one.

  1. Click Draw.
  2. (Optional) Drag the Brush Size slider to set the brush width.

    Screenshot of the image editor with Draw highlighted.
  3. Paint over the area you want to change.
  4. In Edit brush area, describe the change you want Opal to make. You can also drag-and-drop an image from your computer or copy it and paste it in the text field.

    Screenshot of the Draw mode with an area selected and the Edit brush area page displayed.
  5. Click Run, then select Run Now or Add to Queue. See Queue and run edits.

Outline an area with a shape

Shape mode lets you select a specific area of the image.

  1. Click Shape.

    Screenshot of the image editor with Shape highlighted.
  2. Click and drag to create a rectangle.
  3. In Edit brush area, describe the change you want Opal to make. You can also drag-and-drop an image from your computer or copy it and paste it in the text field.

    Screenshot of Shape mode where a rectangle selects an area and the edit box displays.
  4. Click Run, then select Run Now or Add to Queue. See Queue and run edits.

To clear the painted area, click Clear mask.

To refine your selection, click Eraser, then click and drag over the area you want to erase.

Queue and run edits

Run an edit immediately, or add it to a queue to run several edits together. Each editing mode has its own queue, and you cannot mix the modes in a single run.

When you finish an edit, click Run and select an option:

  • Run Now – Applies the edit immediately and creates a version.
  • Add to Queue – Holds the edit so you can add more edits of the same mode before you run them.

    Screenshot of the generated image with Run highlighted.

To run queued edits, follow these steps:

  1. Add one or more edits of the same mode to the queue.
  2. Click Run Now to run the queue.

    Screenshot of the Image Generator with the Queued image edits highlighted and Run Now selected.

If you switch editing modes while edits are pending, Opal prompts you to run or clear them first.

How Opal applies queued edits

Opal combines the queued edits into a single instruction and applies them at the same time. Opal then creates a version with the result.

When the queue holds more than one edit, the order sets how Opal writes the instruction. The order affects the results because each edit reads as part of a sequence. For example, you queue the following changes:

  • Change the background to a night sky.
  • Add stars in the sky.

The current order makes sense. The reverse order does not, as the night sky would hide the stars.

Manage queue

Manage the queue in Queued Image Edits in Opal Chat:

  • Reorder a queued edit to change its position in the instruction.

    Screenshot of the Queued Image Edits with the reorder selection highlighted.
  • Click Delete to remove a queued edit.

    Screenshot of the Queued Image Edits with Delete highlighted.

Change the aspect ratio

Change the aspect ratio to resize the image for a different placement. For example, use 1:1 for a social post or 16:9 for a banner. Aspect ratio changes apply immediately. Opal does not add them to the queue.

  1. Click the aspect ratio drop-down list.

    Screenshot of the Image Generator with Aspect Ratio highlighted.
  2. (Optional) Enter a ratio in the filter field to narrow the list.
  3. Select an aspect ratio.

Opal resizes the image and creates a version with the result.

Manage versions

Every run creates a version, shown as a card in Opal Chat. Use versions to compare results and revert to an earlier image when an edit does not look right.

  • Each card displays a preview of the image.
  • Click Edit to open that version in the image editor and continue editing from that point.
  • Click Download to save a version on your computer.

    Screenshot of Opal Chat with the edit card displayed.

Select different versions in the image editor from the drop-down list.

  1. Click the version drop-down list.

    Screenshot of the image editor with the version drop-down list opened
  2. (Optional) Enter a version number or an edit to filter the list.
  3. Click a version to open it in the editor.