fal.ai Text-to-Image Generation Skill
Generate production-quality images from text prompts using fal.ai's state-of-the-art text-to-image models including FLUX, Recraft V3, Imagen4, and more.
When to Use This Skill
Trigger when user:
Requests image generation from text descriptions Wants to create images with specific styles (vector, realistic, typography) Needs high-resolution professional images (up to 2K) Wants to use a reference image for style transfer Mentions specific models like FLUX, Recraft, or Imagen Asks for logo, poster, or brand-style image generation Quick Start Basic Usage uv run python fal-text-to-image "A cyberpunk city at sunset with neon lights"
With Specific Model uv run python fal-text-to-image -m flux-pro/v1.1-ultra "Professional headshot of a business executive"
With Style Reference Image uv run python fal-text-to-image -i reference.jpg "A mountain landscape" -m flux-2/lora/edit
Model Selection Guide
The script intelligently selects the best model based on task context:
flux-pro/v1.1-ultra (Default for High-Res) Best for: Professional photography, high-resolution outputs (up to 2K) Strengths: Photo realism, professional quality Use when: User needs publication-ready images Endpoint: fal-ai/flux-pro/v1.1-ultra recraft/v3/text-to-image (SOTA Quality) Best for: Typography, vector art, brand-style images, long text Strengths: Industry-leading benchmark scores, precise text rendering Use when: Creating logos, posters, or text-heavy designs Endpoint: fal-ai/recraft/v3/text-to-image flux-2 (Best Balance) Best for: General-purpose image generation Strengths: Enhanced realism, crisp text, native editing Use when: Standard image generation needs Endpoint: fal-ai/flux-2 flux-2/lora (Custom Styles) Best for: Domain-specific styles, fine-tuned variations Strengths: Custom style adaptation Use when: User wants specific artistic styles Endpoint: fal-ai/flux-2/lora flux-2/lora/edit (Style Transfer) Best for: Image-to-image editing with style references Strengths: Specialized style transfer Use when: User provides reference image with -i flag Endpoint: fal-ai/flux-2/lora/edit imagen4/preview (Google Quality) Best for: High-quality general images Strengths: Google's highest quality model Use when: User specifically requests Imagen or Google models Endpoint: fal-ai/imagen4/preview stable-diffusion-v35-large (Typography & Style) Best for: Complex prompts, typography, style control Strengths: Advanced prompt understanding, resource efficiency Use when: Complex multi-element compositions Endpoint: fal-ai/stable-diffusion-v35-large ideogram/v2 (Typography Specialist) Best for: Posters, logos, text-heavy designs Strengths: Exceptional typography, realistic outputs Use when: Text accuracy is critical Endpoint: fal-ai/ideogram/v2 bria/text-to-image/3.2 (Commercial Safe) Best for: Commercial projects requiring licensed training data Strengths: Safe for commercial use, excellent text rendering Use when: Legal/licensing concerns matter Endpoint: fal-ai/bria/text-to-image/3.2 Command-Line Interface uv run python fal-text-to-image [OPTIONS] PROMPT
Arguments: PROMPT Text description of the image to generate
Options: -m, --model TEXT Model to use (see model list above) -i, --image TEXT Path or URL to reference image for style transfer -o, --output TEXT Output filename (default: generated_image.png) -s, --size TEXT Image size (e.g., "1024x1024", "landscape_16_9") --seed INTEGER Random seed for reproducibility --steps INTEGER Number of inference steps (model-dependent) --guidance FLOAT Guidance scale (higher = more prompt adherence) --help Show this message and exit
Authentication Setup
Before first use, set your fal.ai API key:
export FAL_KEY="your-api-key-here"
Or create a .env file in the skill directory:
FAL_KEY=your-api-key-here
Get your API key from: https://fal.ai/dashboard/keys
Advanced Examples High-Resolution Professional Photo uv run python fal-text-to-image \ -m flux-pro/v1.1-ultra \ "Professional headshot of a business executive in modern office" \ -s 2048x2048
Logo/Typography Design uv run python fal-text-to-image \ -m recraft/v3/text-to-image \ "Modern tech startup logo with text 'AI Labs' in minimalist style"
Style Transfer from Reference uv run python fal-text-to-image \ -m flux-2/lora/edit \ -i artistic_style.jpg \ "Portrait of a woman in a garden"
Reproducible Generation uv run python fal-text-to-image \ -m flux-2 \ --seed 42 \ "Futuristic cityscape with flying cars"
Model Selection Logic
The script automatically selects the best model when -m is not specified:
If -i provided: Uses flux-2/lora/edit for style transfer If prompt contains typography keywords (logo, text, poster, sign): Uses recraft/v3/text-to-image If prompt suggests high-res needs (professional, portrait, headshot): Uses flux-pro/v1.1-ultra If prompt mentions vector/brand: Uses recraft/v3/text-to-image Default: Uses flux-2 for general purpose Output Format
Generated images are saved with metadata:
Filename includes timestamp and model name EXIF data stores prompt, model, and parameters Console displays generation time and cost estimate Troubleshooting Problem Solution FAL_KEY not set Export FAL_KEY environment variable or create .env file Model not found Check model name against supported list Image reference fails Ensure image path/URL is accessible Generation timeout Some models take longer; wait or try faster model Rate limit error Check fal.ai dashboard for usage limits Cost Optimization Free tier: FLUX.2 offers 100 free requests (expires Dec 25, 2025) Pay per use: FLUX Pro charges per megapixel Budget option: Use flux-2 or stable-diffusion-v35-large for general use Premium: Use flux-pro/v1.1-ultra only when high-res is required File Structure fal-text-to-image/ ├── SKILL.md # This file ├── pyproject.toml # Dependencies (uv) ├── fal-text-to-image # Main executable script ├── references/ │ └── model-comparison.md # Detailed model benchmarks └── outputs/ # Generated images (created on first run)
Dependencies
Managed via uv:
fal-client: Official fal.ai Python SDK python-dotenv: Environment variable management pillow: Image handling and EXIF metadata click: CLI interface Best Practices Model Selection: Let the script auto-select unless you have specific needs Reference Images: Use high-quality references for best style transfer results Prompt Engineering: Be specific and descriptive for better outputs Cost Awareness: Monitor usage on fal.ai dashboard Reproducibility: Use --seed for consistent results during iteration Resources fal.ai Documentation: https://docs.fal.ai/ Model Playground: https://fal.ai/explore/search API Keys: https://fal.ai/dashboard/keys Pricing: https://fal.ai/pricing Limitations Requires active fal.ai API key Subject to fal.ai rate limits and quotas Internet connection required Some models have usage costs (check pricing) Image reference features limited to specific models