PRPickrack

AI-Art QR Generator

Stable Diffusion + ControlNet creates a scannable QR code blended into a custom artwork. ~25-30s per generation.

Checking GPU status...

URL or text to encode. The artwork will be generated around this QR pattern.

Switching to a non-loaded model adds ~10-30s for download on first use; ~5s thereafter (LRU cache of 1).

Be descriptive: subject + style + lighting + mood. Try a preset below.

Result

Generated artwork appears here.
Test the scan with the QR Scanner before printing.

Stable Diffusion + ControlNet blends a scannable QR code into a custom artwork. Powered by Replicate. ~10-30s per generation.

AI-Art QR Generator uses Stable Diffusion with a ControlNet model trained on QR patterns to merge your QR code with any artwork you can describe — a misty mountain landscape, a cyberpunk street, a watercolor of cherry blossoms. The result still scans like a normal QR (verified in the browser before you download), but looks like a piece of art instead of a black-and-white square.

Use it for restaurant menu boards, music album covers, marketing posters, branded business cards, or any place where a generic QR would look ugly. The QR pattern is built into the image at the right structural points so phone cameras detect it, but the visual design is fully customizable.

Pickrack proxies your request to Replicate (a managed Stable Diffusion service). Each generation costs roughly $0.02-0.05 (charged to whoever's Replicate account is used). By default, the tool may use Pickrack's shared key with a hard cap of 5 generations per IP per day. For unlimited use, paste your own Replicate API token in Advanced — it's stored only in your browser's localStorage and never logged on our server.

Key features

  • ControlNet QR blending — Uses the open-source QR-Monster ControlNet model (well-known for QR illusions). The QR pattern guides the diffusion process so the final art is scannable.
  • 8 style presets + custom prompt — One-click presets for mountain sunrise, cyberpunk city, watercolor, forest, vintage botanical, art deco, ocean sunset, autumn cabin. Or write your own free-form prompt.
  • Scan verification built-in — After the AI generates the image, Pickrack runs it through jsQR (the same scanner used by /tools/calc/qr-scanner/) to verify the QR still decodes. Green check = safe to print, amber = bump the QR weight up.
  • QR weight slider — Trade artistic freedom against scannability. 0.5-2.5 range; 1.2-1.6 is the sweet spot for most art. Higher = more visible QR; lower = more painterly but harder to scan.
  • Bring your own Replicate token — Free signup at replicate.com gives you ~$1 free credit. Your token stays in your browser localStorage and is forwarded to Replicate via our proxy without ever being logged.
  • Quality + cost controls — Inference steps slider (10-50) trades generation time + cost against quality. 30 steps is the balanced default.

How to use

  1. Step 1: Enter QR content — URL, text, or any QR payload (WiFi, vCard, payment, etc. — same formats as the QR Generator).
  2. Step 2: Describe the art — Pick a preset or write a free-form prompt. More detail = better result: subject + style + lighting + mood. e.g., 'misty mountain at sunrise, peaceful, photorealistic'.
  3. Step 3 (optional): Tune QR weight — Open Advanced. 1.4 is default. Decrease for more painterly look, increase if the scan check fails.
  4. Step 4: Generate — Click Generate. Wait 10-30 seconds (longer if the queue is busy). Result + scan-check appears on the right.
  5. Step 5: Verify + download — Test the scan in your phone before printing (also use Pickrack's QR Scanner tool to verify). Click Download to save PNG.

When to use

  • Restaurant menu board — a watercolor of the dish surrounding a scan-to-menu QR
  • Music album / playlist cover — generate art for a song's Spotify QR code
  • Wedding invite RSVP — botanical-style art with the RSVP QR embedded
  • Marketing campaign poster — branded artwork QR that doesn't look like a generic black square
  • Coffee shop loyalty card — themed art (autumn cabin, ocean) on the back of the card
  • Personal business card — your portfolio URL as an artwork QR, instantly memorable
  • Conference name badge — a city-skyline QR for the host city's vCard
  • Product packaging — visually integrated QR linking to instructions or warranty

Frequently asked questions

How does this differ from the regular QR Generator?

The regular Generator outputs a clean black-and-white (or color) QR pattern with optional dot styling, gradient, logo, and frame. The AI-Art QR Generator uses Stable Diffusion + ControlNet to DRAW an entire artwork that IS the QR — the modules of the QR pattern become elements of the picture. Same scan reliability when set up right; very different aesthetic.

Why does it cost money? Other Pickrack tools are free.

Stable Diffusion needs GPU compute — Replicate charges roughly $0.0002 per GPU-second, so a 30-step generation at 512×512 costs around $0.02-0.05. Pickrack runs the rest of its tools without paid APIs (browser-side, or Anthropic's small Haiku tier). For this tool we either consume small free quotas or you bring your own Replicate token (signup gives ~$1 free credit = ~20-50 generations).

Is my QR content sent to Replicate?

Yes — the QR content and prompt are sent through Pickrack's proxy to Replicate's API for image generation. The QR content shows up in Replicate's logs (similar to how Anthropic logs API calls). If your QR contains sensitive data (private URL, personal contact), generate a public QR first and use the URL alone.

Is my Replicate API token safe?

It's stored in your browser's localStorage (visible to JavaScript on Pickrack only). When you click Generate, the token is sent in the POST body to Pickrack's server, which forwards it to Replicate as the Authorization header. Pickrack does NOT log the token in any server-side log. You can revoke any leaked token instantly in your Replicate dashboard.

Why does the scan check sometimes say 'hard to scan'?

The QR weight slider controls the trade-off between art quality and scannability. Low weight (0.5-1.0) produces beautiful art but the QR pattern fades — scanners can't detect it. Bump to 1.4-1.8 and regenerate. Also: print at large size (≥4cm × 4cm), high contrast paper, and avoid printing on tiny screens.

Can I use this commercially?

Yes — the underlying QR-Monster ControlNet model is OpenRAIL licensed, allowing commercial use. Generated images are yours to use. Replicate's terms also allow commercial use of model outputs. Pickrack adds no additional restrictions.

Why is it sometimes slow?

Two causes: (1) cold start — Replicate's GPU may need to load the model into memory if it's been idle (adds 30-60s the first time), subsequent requests are faster; (2) high traffic on Replicate's queue. Inference itself is 5-15s once it starts. The progress timer keeps you informed.

Can I save my favorite prompts?

v1 has 8 preset buttons. Custom prompt saving is on the roadmap. Workaround: keep your favorite prompts in a separate notes file and paste them when needed.

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