ISNet Loader

Same story as BLIPLoader, but for background removal: this pack ships two ways to get an ISNet model into your graph, and this is the plain one. DownloadISNetModel fetches the weights for you on first use. ISNetLoader just reads whatever's already sitting in your ISNet models folder and lists it in a dropdown - no network call, no download step. If that dropdown comes up empty, the folder's empty; that's expected, not broken.

Reach for this one when you've already got the weights (from a prior DownloadISNetModel run, or placed by hand) and want a loader with a predictable, offline-safe execution path - handy on a locked-down box, or just to keep the download step out of a workflow you run repeatedly.

How it works

It scans the folder ArtVenture's ISNet nodes use, lists the checkpoint files it finds, and loads the one you pick into an ISNET_MODEL object. No inference happens here - that's ISNetSegment's job, which takes this node's output alongside an image and does the actual foreground/background split.

The inputs and outputs that matter

One input:

• model_name - a dropdown of ISNet checkpoints found locally. Based on what DownloadISNetModel offers, expect names like isnet-general-use.pth (general-purpose), isnetis.pth (tuned for anime/illustration), or RMBG-1.4.bin (BRIA's model, non-commercial license - worth checking before shipping it in anything you sell). Empty means nothing's downloaded or placed yet.

One output:

• ISNET_MODEL - wire it into ISNetSegment's optional isnet_model input.

How to install it

Ships with the Art Venture pack. ComfyUI Manager: search comfyui-art-venture, install, restart. Manually:

cd ComfyUI/custom_nodes
git clone https://github.com/sipherxyz/comfyui-art-venture

then pip install -r comfyui-art-venture/requirements.txt and restart. This node itself downloads nothing.

Common issues & troubleshooting

The dropdown is empty. No model file present yet. Run DownloadISNetModel once to fetch it automatically, then switch to this loader for later runs - or just keep using DownloadISNetModel if a download-capable graph works fine for you. On an offline setup, you'll need to place the file manually in the ISNet models folder.

Is ISNet still the right pick, or is there something better now? Honest answer: ISNet is the earlier generation of this problem. As of mid-2026, BiRefNet - which ComfyUI now ships natively - and InSPyReNet are the sharper default for demanding edges: hair, fur, semi-transparent material. ISNet is lighter and still perfectly fine for a clean subject on a contrasting background, and isnetis specifically remains a solid pick for anime/illustration cutouts where the newer photo-tuned models don't always do better. If you're fighting flyaway hair or glass and ISNet isn't cutting it, that's the model, not your settings - try BiRefNet.

RMBG-1.4 licensing. If your dropdown includes RMBG-1.4.bin, note it's BRIA's model and carries a non-commercial license. Fine for personal work; check the terms before building it into anything commercial. The ISNet-branded options don't carry that restriction.

Node missing after importing a workflow. The pack isn't installed - Manager's Install Missing Custom Nodes pulls in both loaders plus ISNetSegment.