Generate images from text using Alibaba's open-source Z-Image-Turbo model. Free to use.
When to Trigger
Activate this skill when the user asks to:
- generate, create, draw, or make an image / picture / illustration / photo
- create thumbnails, avatars, banners, or social-media graphics
- visualize a concept, scene, or character
Generating an Image
python3 SKILL_DIR/imgforge.py "PROMPT" -o OUTPUT_PATH
Arguments
| Flag | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
PROMPT (positional) |
— | Text description (English or Chinese) |
-o, --out |
output.jpg |
File path to save the image |
-W, --width |
1024 | Width in pixels (512–2048) |
-H, --height |
1024 | Height in pixels (512–2048) |
--json |
off | Output result as JSON |
Common sizes
| Aspect | Flags |
|---|---|
| Square (1:1) | -W 1024 -H 1024 |
| Landscape (16:9) | -W 1280 -H 720 |
| Portrait (9:16) | -W 720 -H 1280 |
| Wide banner | -W 2048 -H 1024 |
Prompt tips
Add quality keywords for better output: "4K", "cinematic", "professional photography", "dramatic lighting", "shallow depth of field".
Specify a style: "oil painting", "watercolor", "anime", "pixel art", "minimalist vector".
Environment
Requires MODELSCOPE_API_KEY. If the user hasn't set it, guide them:
- Create a free Alibaba Cloud account (phone verification + payment method required, but Z-Image is free) → https://www.alibabacloud.com/campaign/benefits?referral_code=A9242N
- Sign up at https://modelscope.ai/register?inviteCode=futurizerush&invitorName=futurizerush&login=true&logintype=register and bind the Alibaba Cloud account in settings
- Create a token at https://modelscope.ai/my/access/token
- Set the environment variable:
export MODELSCOPE_API_KEY="ms-..."
For Claude Code users, add to ~/.claude/settings.json under "env".
Errors
| Symptom | Cause & fix |
|---|---|
| 401 Unauthorized | Token is from modelscope.cn (wrong site) — must use modelscope.ai. Or Alibaba Cloud account not bound. |
| Timeout after 150s | API under load — retry in a minute |
| Content moderation | Rephrase the prompt — Alibaba's filter blocked it |
Notes
- No external dependencies required (uses Python stdlib). Pillow is optional for format conversion.
- The script creates parent directories automatically.
- Image URLs from the API expire in 24h — the script downloads immediately.