Project 50:50 ~ How Much Variation Is Possible?

Curiosity has always driven me.
And anyone who knows me, knows: I love merging.
Not just for the technical challenge ~
but for the chance to discover something new.

So I asked myself:
What happens when I let two of my own models “have a baby” ~ metaphorically speaking?
How do they react to language, to style prompts, to artistic signals ~
and what new worlds will unfold between them?

Project 50:50 was born from this curiosity.
A simple but powerful question:
What if I mix just two of my own models ~ 50:50 ~ and see what happens?
What personalities emerge?
What changes?
What stays?

Over the past months, I’ve poured so much into shaping my models.
Not just making something “useful” ~
but giving them a face. A soul. A presence.

I've always tried to craft a distinct signature:
A look that persists no matter the style prompt or quality tags.
A voice that shines through every detail.

And that voice doesn’t happen by accident.

Each merge I’ve released up until now has taken work shaped by heart.
From designing LoRAs ~ to making LoRAs just to make other LoRAs ~
to sculpting outputs that carry my brushstroke, my fingerprint.

Merging, to me, is a magical process.
It takes as long as it takes, until a moment arrives where I feel ...
That spark ~ when a model steps forward and I know:
There she is.

Until now, I’ve rarely merged only two models ~
unless both were mine.

Because for me, it’s never just about combining appearances.
It’s about blending personalities, attitudes, depth ~ and prompt understanding.
It’s about balance, individuality, and surprise.

But now, I want to know:
What happens when I do the opposite?
What if I only blend two of my own characters ~
with no extra layers, no refinement…
at first?

Will a new spark appear?

That’s what Project 50:50 is here to explore.
I’ll be mixing many of my existing models together in 50:50 pairs.
Some may look similar.
Some might clash.
But each one will have the potential to become something more ~
especially over time.

And I want to be transparent about something important:

None of the first-step 50:50 models will be available in Early Access.
Not because I don’t value them ~ on the contrary, many of them may truly surprise me.
But precisely because of that, I want to remain honest with myself and u.

My earlier merges took immense effort, refinement, and heart.
I don’t feel comfortable placing these early-stage mixes into buzz-driven formats.
They’re part of a journey.
And for now, I’d rather let myself be surprised than distracted.

Project 50:50 is a space for curiosity.
For listening.
And maybe that’s what gives it its quiet strength.

~ Beyond 50:50 ~ A Look Ahead ~

But maybe… this isn’t the end.
Maybe Project 50:50 is only the beginning of something deeper.

What if the next step is to include completely new, unreleased LoRAs into selected merges ~
to inject their hidden language into 5 or 10 combinations and see what awakens?

What if some of these new personalities are mixed again ~
fed back into the process, like layered memories in motion?

Perhaps, as Project 50:50 unfolds, something else becomes important to me:
stepping back from the constant pursuit of perfection ~ just letting art and creativity guide me.
Letting go of rigid standards of quality and instead sensing what happens between the lines.
Just like with the models themselves ~ each mix is a line,
and I am the curious explorer,
searching for the world in between.
The treasures, the subtle wonders,
as if they are portals into another dimension ~
and that’s the one I now long to explore.

It’s a project made of nuance and contrast.
Of elegance and roughness.
Of forms sculpted from pixels ~
and I wonder:

What shapes will appear?
What stories will surface?
What will remain?

I stay curious ~
to see which of my models will step forward first,
and which exciting, unexpected personalities will reveal themselves.

Let’s find out. 🌟

best regards
~♥ Reij

Inbetweij ~ Project in process ♥

Echoes of Inbetweij

•~ Inbetweij No.01 ~•

I begin by reading between the lines.
Who is she ~ Inbetweij No.01?

Beside her: Anicomeij and Ilijelle ~
the two characters she emerged from.

At first, my gaze catches the similarities ~
shapes, features, a familiar language.
But then I want more.
I want to look closer,
to see what lies beneath it all.

What is her own voice?
Which nuances are new?
What stance is truly hers?

She appears soft, almost cautious ~
yet there's a quiet strength in her expression.
Something that whispers:
“I am not just a middle ground ~
I am a space between, full of possibility.”

And so it begins:
Not with a statement.
But with a question.
With a gaze
that lingers.

♡

✦ First minds:

idiosyncratic, sometimes I have to look closer, how do I have to formulate something? further tests: reduced from 40 to 30 steps and let's test without quality tags... compliments? gladly to someone else XD that was what I thought when I met No.01 for the first time without +quality tags. At least the question arose for me and I realized that the project could be even more exciting. okay, now I was curious... let's test without a negative prompt, red flags are individual but what does No.01 say if I don't say anything? and I think...

woh, okay, now she's coming closer---literally she feels like she's sticking out of the image, much more deep, almost tangible,... I would say, yes, as if she wanted to give me a hand, only well, there was only her head. I hope she didn't want to give me a headbutt, because I just waved compliments and red flags at her before I even asked who she was... she definitely wanted to show herself and that's when she had me,...we'll start again, I'm Reij and you are? we'll find out...

When I thought about No.01 and during the first tests I had an idea, an idea of ​​where the journey could go... but there was this quiet whisper... be open-minded... listen... and during the first merge it was already in my head: Do I want to press No.01 into a mold now? really? or do I take a closer look at her shape? Okay, idea pushed aside ~ I want to get to know her, like on the first date.
I could butter her up with empty praise ~ or listen, look ~ attentively ~ and then react.
I didn’t want to stick a label on her, shove her in a drawer before she could show me something about herself.
So ~ step back, Reij… and take a look.
Enjoy…
... Okay ~ I’m drifting off now, ehem,... there’s already a film playing in my head…
NSFW comes later.

No sweet-talking here ~ just truth whispered in pixels...

and that's the magic of merging ~ suddenly you feel the magic, I wanted to get involved with it. ~♥

✦ initial findings: ~ Project 50:50 · Day 1 ~

No.01 reminded me of what my very first Illustrious merge once sparked in me ~
it reignited my love for Illustrious itself.

When I tried to see something in her,
I almost missed what she was simply trying to show me.

I love merging.
And I love trying to understand the language of a model.
But Day 1 of the project reminded me of something deeply valuable:

With all the possibilities of quality tags,
with all the ways to flatter or “compliment” in hopes of bringing out the best ~
sometimes the most surprising things emerge
when you lean back and let something come to you.

In this case:
Let the model speak for herself ~ No.01.

✦ observation update No.01 ~ Project 50:50 · Day 2~

After further tests, the previous finding remains valid: No.01 hears quality tags, but she doesn’t rely on them. She listens ~ but she doesn’t change herself to impress.
However, what is noticeable is how attentively she responds to stylistic descriptions.
Especially prompts like "2d", "sketch" or "western comic style" ~ she adapts quickly, adjusts the rendering style with ease, yet still remains unmistakably herself.
This makes her an incredibly versatile character model for mixed-style workflows, concept frames, and comic-inspired narrative projects.

✦ observation conclusion No.01

After all experiments and explorations, one thing stands out: No.01 responds best when u’re clear with her.
She listens ~ not so much to praise, but to direction. She doesn't require flattery to shine.
She wants to know what u want, and when u guide her ~ whether gently or precisely ~ she delivers.

The answer is: just guide her.
A model with a voice, yes ~ but also one who’s ready to listen.

•~ Inbetweij No.02 ~•

No.02 began without any quality tags ~ and yet, right away, it felt like we understood each other.
Words like masterpiece, detailed_eyes, or worst_quality helped build a shared vocabulary ~ but she was never dependent on them.

She appeared confident. feminine, clear, maybe even a little assertive.
Which is why testing red flags became especially interesting:
No.02 seems to know what she wants ~ and what she doesn’t.

Her body language speaks for itself.
When she enters a scene, she doesn’t tiptoe.
She reacts to body-centered prompts openly ~ sometimes a bit too directly.
But never without intent.

Upscaling her felt natural.
Whether at 832×1216 or 1000×1600 ~ she expands without distortion.
More space simply brings more depth, more composure, more presence.
At 1200×2000 things get experimental ~ but around 1000×1600, she shines:
balanced, natural, self-assured.

✦ Day 2: A New Direction

I continued without quality tags ~ but approached it playfully.
Tried UniPC, drifted back to Euler a, swapped out the Hires Sampler ~
and then it happened:

An image like balance.
Soft, yet sharp.
Contoured, but never harsh.
Light, expressive, fluid.
Expected in an unexpected way.

I loved it.

✦ Prompt behavior

Over time, she revealed a distinct language around quality.

Positive prompt base:

masterpiece, detailed_eyes, high_quality, best_quality, highres, subject_focus, depth_of_field

This core brings clarity without over-enhancement.
Especially subject_focus and depth_of_field help her hold the frame with presence and depth.

Negative prompt (contextual, error-based):

lowres, bad anatomy, deformed face

• added filters depending on the visual context:
  bad hands, cleavage, extra limbs, and so on.

This setup gives her space to speak, while staying technically clean.

✦ Aha moment

And then came that familiar moment again.
When u realize a model listens ~
not just to words, but to tone.

At first, I had a certain image in mind.
But when I let go of assumptions, tried again with a softer voice,
something opened up.

I learned:
It’s not just about perfect prompting.
It’s about listening.
About sensing.

No.01 and No.02 both reminded me of this:
When taking a slightly different path ~ not further, just… elsewhere ~
we sometimes stumble into a clearing.

A place where everything feels lighter.
More honest.

A new view.
And I like it.

•~ Inbetweij No.03 ~•

Right from the first images, there was no need for long prompts or detailed composition setups ~ her body language spoke loud and clear.

So I thought:
Alright, let’s see where she leads.

And she did not hold back ~ Her reaction?
She showed me exactly what she’s got ~ and what she can do.
And suddenly I found myself thinking:
Okay... so I didn’t plan to promote an overtly NSFW model in this project ~
Sure, most of my merges are open to it, but I’ve rarely focused into that intentionally.

But No.03?

It’s captivating, honestly ~
the way textures wrap around her skin, how her form commands attention without trying too hard.
She plays her cards openly.
Not what I initially had in mind ~ but she stays bold.
Unapologetically so.

✦ Aha Moment

One thing Project 50:50 has shown me ~ even though I’ve been merging far longer than two days ~
is how important it is to stay open to what a model wants to show us.
To truly see what it offers, even if it challenges ur comfort zone.

No.03 surprised me with something I’ve aimed to achieve in past merges, often without success:

An intuitive understanding of color.

She nailed monochromatic palettes with subtle elegance.
Even more impressively, when I prompted for “monochromatic colors" with "limited palette” ~
she just did it. No struggle. No workaround.
Just pure prompt fluency.

That was the moment I realized:

Sometimes, a model doesn’t need to be forced into form.
Sometimes, it simply whispers:
“This is me. And this is my strength.”

From that point, it’s up to me ~
to step back, listen, and follow the thread of that quiet spark.

Sure, I have my comfort zones ~
those prompt spaces where I feel safe and steady.
Areas I tend to explore in every merge.

But with No.03, a question arose:
What if there are other rooms I haven’t dared to enter yet?

Rooms lit by strange colors.
Whispers I’ve not yet followed.

And that’s where the true adventure begins.

•~ Inbetweij No.04 ~•

From the very first renders, something was… quieter.
More reduced.
But that silence wasn’t empty ~ it was intentional.

So I asked myself:
What if less could actually show me more?

No.04 didn’t scream for attention.
She moved differently.
Every line, every surface ~ chosen. Not accidental.

I didn’t prompt for boldness.
I barely prompted at all.
Minimalism ~ not just as aesthetic, but as method.

And yet, she reacted.
Not cold. Not distant.
But with a kind of intimate defiance.

She took the space I left ~ and filled it, on her own terms.

✦ Aha moment

I’ve often leaned toward density ~
layers of style, expression, abstraction.
That’s my natural territory. That’s what my LoRAs are built for.

But with No.04, I stripped it back.
No quality tags. No heavy styling.
Just… curiosity. And minimal direction.

Her response?

Unexpectedly open.
At times, more revealing than I’d ever intended ~
Not because I asked for it,
but maybe because a part of her was shaped by earlier influences ~
LoRAs I’d trained long ago, embedded deep in her merge.

Was that a glitch?
Or was it character?

That’s what I kept asking.

Because something about how she embraced minimalism ~
not visually, but conceptually ~
felt like she was showing me what she believes to be essential.

Not what I expected.
But maybe… that is the point.

✦ The print in minimalism

She doesn’t rely on noise.
She knows how to use absence.
There’s a quiet clarity in her forms ~
a kind of visual honesty I wasn’t ready for.

Minimalism, in her world, isn’t about emptiness.
It’s about signal.
Precision. Intention.

One version is bold, another restrained ~
but both speak.
Clear lines. Clear voice.

That’s No.04.

And suddenly I’m not just watching her emerge ~
I’m listening.

Because sometimes it’s not about pushing harder ~
Sometimes it’s about pulling back,
and letting the model show what it understands when we don’t try to control it.

No.04 taught me this:

Expression doesn’t always shout.
Sometimes, it whispers ~ and still lingers long after.

... to be continued....