Name: Expressive Illustration Generator API (krea-2-medium)
Brand: magicapi
SKU: api-magicapi-expressive-illustration-generator-krea-krea-2-medium
Availability: InStock
Author: API Market

Shashank Agarwal

# 🎨 Fast Expressive Illustration Generator API (krea-2-medium)

## Overview
krea-2-medium is a foundation image model from Krea, tuned for expressive illustration, anime and painterly styles. Krea describes it as fast and consistent across artistic directions. You send a text `prompt` and get back the URL of one image. You can also set the aspect ratio, control how far the model expands on your prompt (`creativity`), transfer the style of up to 10 reference images, or apply a Krea moodboard.

## Features
- **Text to image**: describe the image in `prompt` (required).
- **Aspect ratios**: `1:1` (default), `4:3`, `3:2`, `16:9`, `2.35:1`, `4:5`, `2:3`, `9:16`.
- **Creativity**: `raw` renders only what you describe, `low` fills in obvious gaps, `medium` (default) adds reasonable interpretation, `high` takes meaningful creative liberty.
- **Style reference images**: up to 10 image URLs in `style_reference_images`; their style is applied with `style_reference_strength` from 0 to 1 (default 0.5).
- **Moodboards**: pass a Krea moodboard UUID in `moodboard_id` and set `moodboard_strength` from 0 to 1 (default 0.35). Moodboards are created in the Krea web app; the UUID is the `?share=<uuid>` value of the moodboard share URL.
- **Seed**: set `seed` for reproducible generation.

## Use Cases
1. **Editorial illustrations**: create artwork for articles, newsletters and blog posts.
2. **Anime and character art**: generate characters and scenes in anime styles.
3. **Painterly concept art**: explore painterly looks for scenes, covers and posters.
4. **Matching a house style**: pass your own reference images or a moodboard so new images follow an existing look.

## Visual Examples
### Example Input
Prompt: "A playful illustration of a fox reading a book under a mushroom, soft pastel colors"

Settings: `aspect_ratio` `1:1`. All other fields were left at their defaults.

### Example Output
![krea-2-medium output: a playful pastel illustration of a fox reading a book under a mushroom](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/krea-2-medium-output-api-market.webp)

## Input Parameters
| Field | Type | Required | Default | Allowed values | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `prompt` | string | Yes |  |  | Text prompt describing the image. |
| `aspect_ratio` | string | No | `1:1` | `1:1`, `4:3`, `3:2`, `16:9`, `2.35:1`, `4:5`, `2:3`, `9:16` | Aspect ratio of the generated image. |
| `creativity` | string | No | `medium` | `raw`, `low`, `medium`, `high` | How far the model expands on your prompt. 'raw' renders only what you describe; 'low' fills in obvious gaps; 'medium' adds reasonable interpretation; 'high' takes meaningful creative liberty. |
| `style_reference_images` | array of string (URL) | No | `[]` | up to 10 image URLs | Up to 10 reference images whose style should be transferred to the output. Their style is extracted and applied with the strength controlled by `style_reference_strength`. |
| `style_reference_strength` | number | No | `0.5` | 0 to 1 | How strongly to apply the style of the reference images. 0 means no influence, 1 means the style dominates. Applied to all style reference images. |
| `moodboard_id` | string | No | none |  | Optional Krea moodboard UUID. Moodboards must first be created in the Krea webapp (https://www.krea.ai/moodboards). Get the UUID from the moodboard share URL: `?share=<uuid>`. |
| `moodboard_strength` | number | No | `0.35` | 0 to 1 | How strongly the moodboard shapes the output. |
| `seed` | integer | No | none |  | Random seed. Set for reproducible generation. |

## Pricing
- **Pay As You Go (PAYG) pricing**: you only pay for what you use.
- **Price**: $0.002 per API unit.
- Each request returns one image. The units per image depend on the inputs you use:
  - **Text prompt only**: 19 units, $0.038 per image.
  - **With `style_reference_images`** (at least one image): 22 units, $0.044 per image.
  - **With a `moodboard_id`**: 25 units, $0.05 per image.
  - **With both style reference images and a moodboard**: 25 units, $0.05 per image (the higher rate applies).
- Aspect ratio, creativity, strengths and seed do not change the price.
- **Failed or cancelled predictions are not billed.**
- **GET requests to check prediction status** are free and don't count toward API unit usage.
- **No monthly subscription fee.**

## API Documentation

### Base URL
All API requests go to: `https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/expressive-illustration-generator-krea-krea-2-medium`

### Authentication
Send your api.market API key in the `x-api-market-key` header:
```
x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY
```

### Asynchronous Processing
**IMPORTANT**: This API is asynchronous. The flow is:
1. Send a POST request to `/predictions`. A successful request returns **201 Created** with a prediction `id` and a `status` of `starting` or `processing`.
2. Poll GET `/predictions/{id}` with that ID.
3. Keep polling while `status` is `starting` or `processing`.
4. Stop when `status` is `succeeded` (read `output`), `failed` or `canceled` (read `error`).

A polling interval of 1 second and an overall timeout of 600 seconds (10 minutes) work well.

### Endpoints

#### Create a Prediction
```bash
curl -X POST "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/expressive-illustration-generator-krea-krea-2-medium/predictions" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "version": "fdeccdd3d80352e9242423053e23f6350ff56ccb6178e45bf4131510b9a933b6",
    "input": {
      "prompt": "A playful illustration of a fox reading a book under a mushroom, soft pastel colors",
      "aspect_ratio": "1:1"
    }
  }'
```

Response (201 Created):
```json
{
  "id": "ufawqhfynnddngldkgtslldrkq",
  "version": "fdeccdd3d80352e9242423053e23f6350ff56ccb6178e45bf4131510b9a933b6",
  "status": "starting",
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T10:39:29.457Z"
}
```

#### Check Prediction Status
```bash
curl -X GET "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/expressive-illustration-generator-krea-krea-2-medium/predictions/{id}" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
```

Response when the prediction has finished (200 OK):
```json
{
  "id": "ufawqhfynnddngldkgtslldrkq",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "output": "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/krea-2-medium-output-api-market.webp",
  "error": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T10:39:29.457Z",
  "started_at": "2026-10-13T10:39:30.457Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-13T10:40:20.457Z"
}
```

`output` is the URL of one image.

### Status Codes
- **201 Created**: prediction created (POST `/predictions`). This is the normal success response.
- **200 OK**: prediction details returned (GET `/predictions/{id}`).
- **400 Bad Request**: invalid input, for example a missing `prompt` or an `aspect_ratio` that is not in the list.
- **401 Unauthorized**: missing or invalid API key.
- **404 Not Found**: no prediction with that ID.
- **429 Too Many Requests**: rate limit exceeded.
- **500 Internal Server Error** or **503 Service Unavailable**: temporary server problem; retry later.

## Rate Limits

All plans allow 10 requests per second. Requests above that return `429 Too Many Requests`; back off before retrying and honour any `Retry-After` header. Polling a prediction with GET is free but still counts toward the per-second limit, so poll every 1 to 5 seconds rather than in a tight loop.

## Error Handling
- Check the HTTP status code of every request and read the response body for the error message.
- A prediction can also end with `status` set to `failed`; the `error` field then explains why. Failed predictions are not billed.
- Retry 429, 500 and 503 responses with exponential backoff. Fix the input before retrying a 400.

## Implementation Guide
### Example Code

#### JavaScript
```javascript
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY";
const baseUrl = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/expressive-illustration-generator-krea-krea-2-medium";

async function createAndWaitForPrediction(input) {
  const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "x-api-market-key": apiKey
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ version: "fdeccdd3d80352e9242423053e23f6350ff56ccb6178e45bf4131510b9a933b6", input })
  });

  if (response.status !== 201) {
    throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
  }

  const prediction = await response.json();
  return pollForResults(prediction.id);
}

const delay = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));

async function pollForResults(predictionId) {
  const maxTimeout = 600000;
  const pollInterval = 1000;
  const startTime = Date.now();

  while (Date.now() - startTime < maxTimeout) {
    const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions/${predictionId}`, {
      headers: { "x-api-market-key": apiKey }
    });

    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
    }

    const prediction = await response.json();

    if (prediction.status === "succeeded") {
      return prediction.output;
    }

    if (prediction.status === "failed" || prediction.status === "canceled") {
      throw new Error(`Prediction ${prediction.status}: ${prediction.error || "Unknown error"}`);
    }

    await delay(pollInterval);
  }

  throw new Error("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes");
}

createAndWaitForPrediction({
      "prompt": "A playful illustration of a fox reading a book under a mushroom, soft pastel colors",
      "aspect_ratio": "1:1"
  }).then((output) => console.log(output));
```

#### Python
```python
import time
import requests

API_KEY = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
BASE_URL = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/expressive-illustration-generator-krea-krea-2-medium"

def create_and_wait_for_prediction(input_data):
    headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json", "x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    response = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/predictions",
        headers=headers,
        json={"version": "fdeccdd3d80352e9242423053e23f6350ff56ccb6178e45bf4131510b9a933b6", "input": input_data},
    )

    if response.status_code != 201:
        raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

    return poll_for_results(response.json()["id"])

def poll_for_results(prediction_id):
    max_timeout = 600
    poll_interval = 1
    headers = {"x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    start_time = time.time()

    while time.time() - start_time < max_timeout:
        response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/predictions/{prediction_id}", headers=headers)

        if response.status_code != 200:
            raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

        prediction = response.json()

        if prediction["status"] == "succeeded":
            return prediction["output"]

        if prediction["status"] in ("failed", "canceled"):
            raise Exception(f"Prediction {prediction['status']}: {prediction.get('error') or 'Unknown error'}")

        time.sleep(poll_interval)

    raise Exception("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes")

print(create_and_wait_for_prediction({
    "prompt": "A playful illustration of a fox reading a book under a mushroom, soft pastel colors",
    "aspect_ratio": "1:1"
}))
```

## FAQ
- **How many images does one request return?**
  - One. `output` is a single image URL.
- **How do I use a moodboard?**
  - Create the moodboard in the Krea web app, copy the UUID from its share URL (`?share=<uuid>`) and pass it in `moodboard_id`. Requests with a moodboard cost 25 units ($0.05).
- **Do style reference images change the price?**
  - Yes. A request with at least one style reference image costs 22 units ($0.044) instead of 19 ($0.038).
- **How long does a prediction take?**
  - It varies by request. Poll every second and stop after 10 minutes.
- **What if my prediction fails?**
  - Failed predictions are not billed. Read the `error` field, adjust the input and try again.

## Contact Us

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can reach out to us through the embedded chat on the bottom right corner of the page or send an email to hello@magicapi.com.


Generate expressive illustrations, anime and painterly images from a text prompt with Krea's krea-2-medium, with style reference images and moodboards.