100+ Best Midjourney Prompts for Mindblowing Results in 2024

AI is amazing. It can help you write lightening fast, animate videos, and with Midjourney you can create images of literally anything you can imagine!

I’ve spent hundreds of hours playing around in Midjourney. I remember playing with version 3 thinking how incredible it was, it blows my mind seeing how far it has come in just a few short months since then!

Nowadays, me and over 20 million other people use Midjourney to create images for everything you can image. From ultra real human portraits, to food photography, to coloring in books! If you can image it, chances are Midjourney will generate it.

In this guide, I’ve taken the time to put together the best Midjourney prompts I’ve ever created, some of which have taken hours of work to get just right!

If you have any ideas or questions, feel free to send me an email! I love to hear all your feedback. 🙂

What Are The Best Midjourney Prompts?

Here’s a list of the best Midjourney prompts to help your AI-powered creative journey:

• Movie and Music Posters 🆕
• Pixel Art 🆕
• Macro Photography
• Playing Cards
• Vintage Photography
• 3D Company Logos
• Animals of the Amazon
• National Flag Stickers
• Calvin Klein Models
• Ultra Realistic Foods
• Tattoos
• Cartoon Animals
• Professional Product Photography
• Realistic Human Portraits
• Logos and Brand Mascots
• Lifestyle Stock Images of People
• Landscapes
• Polaroids
• T-Shirt Design
• Anime
• Coloring Book Pages
• Oil Paintings
• YouTube Thumbnails
• Watercolor Designs
• eCommerce Icons
• Chalk Sketches
• Grand Theft Auto
• Simpsons Characters
• Pokemon!

I update this page frequently with the best new Midjourney prompts I come up with, so add it to your favorites bar and come back anytime!

If there’s anything you don’t understand within the text prompts on this page, considering reading this Midjourney prompt guide I put together for the Midjourney web app.

For a quick reference, you can also download my Midjourney cheat sheet here too!

Movie and Music Posters 🆕

Midjourney trained on a massive set of images which when, forgetting possible copyright implications allows us to generate some pretty epic posters!

Terminator 2: Judgment Day: A gritty movie poster featuring the T-800 emerging from flames, with a metallic skull partially visible beneath his face, dystopian, futuristic, action-packed, groundbreaking special effects

It’s great for creating movie posters from the 90s and also, music posters like the ones we used to Blue-Tak to the wall.

A 90's style musician poster featuring Kurt Cobain with a blurry background, incorporating grunge textures and a plaid shirt, and a distinctive logo of the band’s, retro, vintage, graphic, nostalgic, poster art.

This Michael Jackson poster is pretty epic!

A 90's style musician poster featuring Michael Jackson with a blurry background of a stage, incorporating a fedora hat and single glove, and Jackson's distinctive moonwalk silhouette logo, retro, vintage, graphic, nostalgic, poster art

Pixel Art 🆕

Everybody loves some nostalgic pixel art, and Midjourney does an epic job at generating pixel art in a snap!

A cozy pixel art café with steaming coffee cups and patrons, viewed through a rainy window, 32-bit point and click.

When creating pixel art in Midjourney, specifying the bit depth always helps. Include terms such as 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit in your prompt.

8-bit style adventure game inventory screen filled with pixel swords, potions, and mysterious artifacts.

I’ve found a good term to include in your prompt is “point and click”, which was a popular style of game in the 90s.

A cyberpunk cityscape at night, neon lights reflecting in puddles, 16-bit pixel art.

Combining cyberpunk and pixel art creates some epic shots! Try combining art styles with terms like “cyberpunk”, “vaporwave”, “kawaii”, or “glitch art”.

Macro Photography

Extreme close-up by Oliver Dum, magnified view of a dewdrop on a spider web occupying the frame, the camera focuses closely on the object with the background blurred. The image is lit with natural sunlight, enhancing the vivid textures and contrasting colors.

These macro photography style images from Midjourney are awesome! See what you can come up with.

Ultra close-up macro photograph of an old, weathered coin found in the dirt while metal detecting, highlighting the worn inscriptions and patina, with natural, overcast light, and a gritty texture of the soil. The Canon EOS R5 focuses closely on the coin with the background blurred. The scene is ultra detailed with realistic textures resembling a photograph taken using a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens.

Extreme close-up by Oliver Dum, magnified view of a butterfly wing occupying the frame, the camera focuses closely on the object with the background blurred. The image is lit with natural sunlight, enhancing the vivid textures and iridescent colors

Playing Cards

A depiction of four poker cards arranged in a straight flush with a green felt backdrop --ar 3:2

These playing card prompts create awesome looking casino style felt table shots.

A depiction of a blackjack hand (Ace and Jack) on top of a green felt blackjack table --ar 3:2

Vintage Photography

Photograph of women working, Daguerreotype, calotype, tintype, collodion, ambrotype, carte-de-visite, gelatin silver, dry plate, wet plate, stereoscope, albumen print, cyanotype, glass, lantern slide, camera --ar 3:2 --style raw

Create these awesome vintage style photographs with this simple to use Midjourney prompt.

Photograph of men working, Daguerreotype, calotype, tintype, collodion, ambrotype, carte-de-visite, gelatin silver, dry plate, wet plate, stereoscope, albumen print, cyanotype, glass, lantern slide, camera --ar 3:2 --style raw

Photograph of children getting ready for school, Daguerreotype, calotype, tintype, collodion, ambrotype, carte-de-visite, gelatin silver, dry plate, wet plate, stereoscope, albumen print, cyanotype, glass, lantern slide, camera --ar 3:2 --style raw

3D Company Logos

Check out these 25 Midjourney logo prompts for businesses and content creators!

3D thumbnail of the Facebook logo, simple, iconic, versatile, contemporary, symbolic, Set against a solid white background, high contrast, natural elegance

Generating 3D company logo tiles and blocks is super handy in Midjourney for content creators with a focus on tech or social media. Give it a try!

3D thumbnail of the Microsoft logo, simple, iconic, versatile, contemporary, symbolic, Set against a solid white background, high contrast, natural elegance

3D thumbnail of the YouTube logo, simple, iconic, versatile, contemporary, symbolic, Set against a solid white background, high contrast, natural elegance

Animals of the Amazon

[Jaguar with green eyes stalking prey]::7 [detailed vegetation and waterfall in amazon rainforest background, cinematic shoot, ultrareal, morning light]::3 --ar 16:9 --s 400

This was one of the first Midjourney prompts I ever made money with. I uploaded the prompt to PromptBase.com and to my surprise people started buying it!

To generate these Animals of the Amazon in Midjourney, start with the Animal you want, a feature you would like, and an activity. E.g. Red-Bellied Piranha wide mouth hunting OR red Poison-dart-frog dilated pupils stalking prey.

Then, set the weights at the end of the square brackets. The base setting is 7 and 3. If you would like more emphasis on the animal increase the 7 value, for more emphasis on the background increase the 3.

Finally, set your –s value, to get a similar art style as these stunning images, I’ve had the best results around 400 to 600. I generally don’t change the words in the second lot of square brackets.

Some good keywords are Stalking, Hunting, Focused, Swimming, Spread Wings, Wide Eyes, Focused, Green Eyes, Showing Off, and Working. Ask ChatGPT for a list of Amazonian Animals to create a whole series!

[Giant anaconda yellow eyes stalking prey]::7.5 [detailed vegetation and waterfall in amazon rainforest background, cinematic shoot, ultrareal, morning light]::2.5 --ar 16:9 --s 400

You can already see from this surreal underwater world how incredible AI art can be!

[Amazon river turtle wide eyes swimming underwater]::8 [detailed vegetation and waterfall in amazon rainforest background, cinematic shoot, ultrareal, morning light]::2 --ar 16:9 --s 500

National Flag Stickers

[Mexican flag sticker in the shape of Mexico, white background]::7 [detailed matte finish, hyper realistic logo]::3 --s 20 --v 4

This was another prompt I designed to sell on PromptBase, plus I thought it was just be a neat idea too!

The stock settings work well for this Midjourney flag prompt. Play around with the 7 and the 3 values, as you lower the 7 value you will get less flag and more culture in the art style.

For example, swapping these values on the Australia flag, I started to see kangaroo-shaped flags etc. I have kept –s value low at 20, this can be increased up to 1000 but the results get very abstract. For flag stickers, it’s better to have a less detailed illustration. Again, a lower style value is key.

Notice I am using version 4, the flag prompt doesn’t seem to work as well on later Midjourney versions.

Calvin Klein Models

[A beautiful woman in bra and calvin klein jeans]::3.5 [B&W full body size hyper realistic modelling photoshoot]::6.5 --ar 9:16 --s 400 --v 4

[A young man in top and calvin klein jeans]::3 [B&W full body size hyper realistic modelling photoshoot]::7 --ar 9:16 --s 200 --c 5

I thought this might be a cool idea for a Midjourney prompt due to the strong branding that’s familiar with a Calvin Klein photoshoot.

To create a detailed illustration in the style of a Calvin Klein photoshoot, play around with the model weight, the setting weight, and the –s value (between 0-1000).

I try to keep the weights adding up to ten that way it’s easier to see what works. –c can be changed too but 5 seems to work best most of the time.

(Note: Midjourney has blocked the use of words like bra and underwear in later versions, they can still be used in v4).

Ultra Realistic Foods

STYLE: Close-up shot | GENRE: Gourmet | EMOTION: Tempting | SCENE: A plate of freshly grilled fish and chips with seasoning and garnish | TAGS: High-end food photography, clean composition, dramatic lighting, luxurious, elegant, mouth-watering, indulgent, gourmet | CAMERA: Nikon Z7 | FOCAL LENGTH: 105mm | SHOT TYPE: Close-up | COMPOSITION: Centered | LIGHTING: Soft, directional | PRODUCTION: Food Stylist| TIME: Evening --ar 16:8

This is one of my favorite Midjourney prompts but be warned, the AI art can be dangerous if you’re hungry! When it comes to food, Midjourney can really generate some truly stunning images.

PRESENTATION: Macro Lens | CUISINE TYPE: Upscale | AMBIENCE: Alluring | VISUALS: Desert serving of Pavlova | ATTRIBUTES: Upscale gastronomy imagery, seamless arrangement, intense yet elegant spotlight, sumptuous, refined, irresistible, lavish, gourmet | TOOL: Nikon Z7 | LENS DETAIL: 105mm | SHOT PERSPECTIVE: Close Proximity | ALIGNMENT: Equilibrium in focus | ILLUMINATION CHARACTERISTICS: Subtle, with a single point of origin | BEHIND THE SCENES: Gourmet Arrangement Specialist | PHOTO SESSION TIMING: Twilight --ar 16:8

The Midjourney prompts shown here are quite detailed – Credit to IZAM on YouTube for the original Prompt formatting. It’s worth mentioning that you can probably reduce the complexity of the prompt quite a bit and still get some amazing images. When writing prompts, play around with all the parameters and try not to get too hungry!

APPROACH: Detailed Focus | CATEGORY: High-end Cuisine | MOOD: Inviting | DESCRIPTION: Fresh beef burger with vibrant salads and beautiful pillow buns | KEYWORDS: Sophisticated food capture, neat framing, evocative illumination, posh, graceful, drool-inducing, decadent, gourmet | EQUIPMENT: Nikon Z7 | LENS: 105mm | SHOT NATURE: Close-range | FRAME: Balanced Central | ILLUMINATION: Gentle, from one direction | CREW: Culinary Stylist| SHOOTING SCHEDULE: Dusk --ar 16:8

Tattoos

yakuza arm tattoo, ultrareal, photorealisitic, close-up, centered, Nikon D850 105mm --ar 2:1

I was thinking about tattoos one day and decided to see what Midjourney could come up with. The results as you can see were impressive as always. The possibilities for creating amazing images of Midjourney tattoos are literally endless, there are so many art styles, body parts, and artists to put in your prompt. Check out these examples and modify them to see the tattoos you desire!

long vertical tattoo flash design of a skull with flowers coming out of its head, in black and white ink tattoo style, clean white background --v 4 --ar 2:1

anime tattoo bright ink on young woman, 105mm, lumix GH5 --ar 2:1 --s 800 --c 80

When creating your Midjourney prompts, specifying a camera type with camera lenses in the prompt can make a huge difference. Here are some good examples to use in your image prompt to improve the realism of the final image. (Just ask ChatGPT for the best camera for your photograph style).

• Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
• Nikon D850 with Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens
• Sony A7 III with Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS

Other terms that can be used with the tattoo prompt are softbox lighting, ring light, and polarizing filter. A wider aperture (lower f-number) will blur the background and keep the attention on the tattoo.

Cartoon Animals

a puppy happy with excitement, in the style of cartoon realism, disney animation, hyper-realistic portraits, 32k uhd, cute cartoonish designs, wallpaper, luminous brushwork --ar 2:1

This is one of the most popular Midjourney prompts I’ve created amongst people looking to create kids’ stories and sell them.

a cat wide eyed paying attention, in the style of cartoon realism, disney animation, hyper-realistic portraits, 32k uhd, cute cartoonish designs, wallpaper, luminous brushwork --ar 2:1

It’s the best Midjourney prompts for creating amazing images of farm animals too! The prompt itself is pretty straight forward. Choose your animal and an expression that can be associated with that animal, and choose a setting. Midjourney will do the rest!

a happy dairy cow just finished grazing, in the style of cartoon realism, disney animation, hyper-realistic portraits, 32k uhd, cute cartoonish designs, wallpaper, luminous brushwork --ar 2:1 

Professional Product Photography

professional photograph of a high end scotch whiskey presented on the table, eye level, warm cinematic, Sony A7 105mm, close-up, centred shot --ar 2:1

These are the best Midjourney prompts to generate images and concepts for product shoots and packaging. Honestly, they’re stunning images and could be used for the real thing. And with Midjourney’s Vary(Region) features you can literally create product images for your brand with these prompts.

professional photograph of organic pea protein powder packaged in high end packaging - recyclable material, eye level, warm cinematic, Sony A7 105mm, close-up, centred shot, octane render --ar 2:1

freshly made hot cappuccino on glass table, angled top down, midday warm, Nikon D850 105mm, close-up, centred shot --ar 2:1

luxury high resolution jewelry, minimalist wedding band, angled top down, studio bright, Nikon D850 105mm, close-up centred shot --ar 2:1

Realistic Human Portraits

candid portrait of young man on a new york street, early 1900s, natural lighting, Nikon D850 35mm and f-stop 1.8, global illumination --ar 2:1

This prompt could warrant an entire photography prompt article of its own. Here’s a very brief checklist to create high-quality ultrarealistic human portraits:

• Describe the photo: Include words like candid, portrait, photorealistic, capture, etc.
• Describe the lighting: Natural lighting, afternoon lighting, warm lighting, etc.
• Specify a camera type: If you don’t know, ask ChatGPT or use some of the options in the Tattoo section
• Candid: Use the word ‘candid’ in your prompt
• Cinematic: Use the word ‘Cinematic’ to give your image the classic Cinematic feel.
• Use Describe: Try using the Describe feature in the Midjourney web app for inspiration!

candid photo portrait of beautiful woman on busy street, natural lighting, Nikon D850 105mm, f-stop 1.8, cinematic --ar 2:1

This is the best Midjourney prompt if you currently pay for stock images and are looking an AI digital art alternative to save a few dollars!

A candid shot of young best friends dirty, at the skatepark, natural afternoon light, Canon EOS R5, 100mm, F 1.2 aperture setting capturing a moment, cinematic --ar 2:1

If you want access to a full library of portrait prompts, check out my other website, createthat.ai. 👇

Logos and Brand Mascots

a worker mascot for a futuristic manufacturing company, simple, line art, iconic, vector art, flat design, sky blue theme, creamy beige background --ar 2:1

Midjourney prompts can do everything – even allow you to generate brand logos and mascots. Midjourney doesn’t generate text very well so if you’re looking for some AI-generated text for your logos check out Ideogram or Adobe Firefly’s lettering tool. I’ve found Dall-E 3’s latest integration into ChatGPT also puts together some decent letters these days too!

An emblem logo for a rustic coffee company, 'Aroma Trails', minimalistic, line art, iconic, vector art, flat design, earthy brown and charcoal grey theme --ar 2:1

This is also one of the best Midjourney prompts if you’re looking to create simple t-shirt designs to print and sell using printify and shopify, there’s also some more t-shirt designs later in the article!

A soothing mascot for an organic skincare brand, minimalistic, line art, vector art, flat design --ar 2:1

If you’re looking to remove the background you can use this AI background remover for free!

a worker mascot for a futuristic manufacturing company, simple, vector art, flat design, Creamy beige background --ar 2:1

Lifestyle Stock Images of People

A photograph of a couple caught in a loving moment with a scenic beach sunset as the background context, during dusk with soft, natural lighting and shot with a portrait lens, shot with a Sony Alpha a7 III, using the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens --ar 2:1

Paying for stock images can get seriously expensive and the free options are usually lacking in quantity and quality. Using these Midjourney prompts you can generate realistic stock images which makes your Midjourney subscription great value for money!

A photograph of a lady engaged in an intense workout with a modern, well-equipped gym as the background context, during the morning with bright, natural lighting and shot with a telephoto lens, shot with a Canon EOS R5, using the Canon EF 70-200mm lens. --ar 2:1 --v 5.1 --s 200

When writing prompts for stock images try to consider the scene, lighting, mood, background, and it doesn’t hurt to include the camera style like we spoke about in the Tattoo section!

A photograph of two friends engaged in the act of having coffee with a bustling café as the background context, during the early afternoon with warm, ambient lighting and shot with a wide-angle lens, shot with a Nikon D850, using the Nikkor 24-70mm lens --ar 2:1 --v 5.1

Landscapes

RAW photo, an award-winning National Geographic style HD photograph featuring the untamed beauty of the tropical rainforest. It's just after a rain shower at dusk, the orange-purple hues of twilight permeating the scene, casting long, dramatic shadows and creating a soft, diffused light that gives the landscape an almost ethereal feel. Taken using a Sony Alpha 1 with a 50mm f/1.8 lens, f/11 aperture, shutter speed 1/200s, ISO 100, This stunning image is rendered in insanely high resolution, realistic, 8k, HD, HDR, XDR, focus + sharpen + wide-angle 8K resolution + HDR10 Ken Burns effect + Adobe Lightroom + rule-of-thirds + high-detailed leaves + high-detailed bark + high-detailed feathers. An added touch of depth-of-field effect, lens flare, and digital negative are used to enhance the visual appeal. --ar 2:1

These are the best Midjourney prompts for detailed landscape photography. Modify the prompt to suit your landscape photography needs. With some landscapes, I found that less detail in the prompt was better, I also like to play around with –s and –c values (read the sections at the end of this article for an explanation).

RAW photo, an award-winning National Geographic style HD photograph featuring the striking beauty of the Australian Outback. Weather conditions are dry, causing the landscape to take on a deep, sun-baked hue, the long shadows creating stark contrasts. Taken using a Sony Alpha 1 with a 50mm f/1.8 lens, f/11 aperture, shutter speed 1/200s, ISO 100, realistic, 8k, HD, HDR, XDR, focus + sharpen + wide-angle 8K resolution + HDR10 Ken Burns effect + Adobe Lightroom + rule-of-thirds + high-detailed leaves + high-detailed bark + high-detailed fur --ar 2:1

Credit to Making the Photo on YouTube for the original prompt formatting, I tweaked it a little bit as I found the original prompt to have a bit too much detail which made the images look unnatural.

RAW photo, an award-winning National Geographic style HD photograph featuring the tranquil allure of a pristine Thai beach. Captured during the magic hour of sunset, the sky unfolds a symphony of pinks and oranges, casting a warm, romantic glow on the scenery. Taken using a Sony Alpha 1 with a 50mm f/1.8 lens, f/11 aperture, shutter speed 1/200s, ISO 100, This stunning image is rendered in insanely high resolution, realistic, 8k, HD, HDR, XDR, focus + sharpen + wide-angle 8K resolution + HDR10 Ken Burns effect + Adobe Lightroom + rule-of-thirds + high-detailed leaves + high-detailed bark. Effects of color grading, water motion blur, and starburst are incorporated for a visually arresting impact. --ar 2:1

Polaroids

a polaroid capture of highscool lovers happy on the car bonnet, late 1960s america, flash photography --ar 2:1

These are the best Midjourney prompts for anyone looking to take a walk down memory lane with some Polaroid-style images.

To make the best Polaroid shots, a lower –s value (style) seems to make the image appear more like a polaroid. Higher –s values just make it look like a normal Midjourney-generated image or photo.

polaroid snapshot of beautiful girl next door, 1990s, nostalgia, retro, vintage --s 10

polaroid snapshot of skateboarding, 2000s, nostalgia, retro, vintage --s 60

T-Shirt Designs

happy flowers, tshirt design graphic, cute and happy kawaii style, colorful, clear outline, vector, contour, white background --ar 2:1 --s 1 --v 5.2

By crafting the right Midjourney prompts, you can produce stunning vector art, retro illustrations, and unique patterns perfect for t-shirts. Experiment with prompts for neon lo-fi aesthetics, kawaii art styles, psychedelic fantasy worlds, and more.

The digital art created in Midjourney opens up limitless possibilities. Compose prompts to create your own digital oil color painting or any desired graphic art style, or geometric shapes for tees.

iconic idol, flat vector, groovy neon lo lo-fi, isolated on a white background, surrounded by circle --ar 2:1 --s 100 --v 5.2

Browse examples and this best Midjourney prompts list for t-shirt design inspiration.

lionface circle tshirt design, in the style of detailed botanical illustrations, colorful cartoon, exotic atmosphere, 2d game art, white background, contour --ar 2:1 --s 400 --v 5.2

retro sci-fi spacex rocket in outer space, tshirt design, vector artwork, neon theme, in a circle, white background, --ar 2:1 --s 100 --v 5.2

Anime

Midjourney features a model specifically for anime graphics – known as Niji.

To access Niji type /settings and select Niji from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, enter –niji (version number) after your prompt. The example below shows the normal Midjourney 5.2 output vs. Niji 5 for the same prompt.

anime girl with pink hair, large expressive eyes, wearing school uniform, detailed painting --niji 5

As you can see from the example the best Midjourney prompts for anime should use the Niji function first!

Two samurai fighting with katanas on a bamboo bridge over a river in a mystical feudal Japan forest, highly detailed anime painting --ar 2:1 --niji 5 --s 1000

A cute chibi magical girl with pink hair, wearing a frilly dress, holding a star wand, surrounded by sparkles, intricate manga illustration --ar 2:1 --niji 5 --s 600

I’ve found that anime-style images tend to look better with a high style value (500+) (–s).

Futuristic mecha robot walking through a neon cityscape, with lens flares, dramatic lighting, illustrated like a Gundam anime poster --ar 2:1 --niji 5 --s 1000

Coloring Book Pages

Midjourney is awesome… It can even generate digital art in the form of coloring book pages! Generate some of these black and white coloring book pages for you, or your kids, or even design a coloring in book!

Coloring book page, fantasy theme: A simple illustration of a mystical forest, towering trees, and hidden paths. adult coloring book page, thin black lines on a white background, no solid fill, large closed shapes, edge-to-edge design, whimsical style, only outline art – no noise, book, logo, page, letters, words, grayscale --ar 2:1 --s 90

The main keywords that define the coloring page style within these text prompts should include:

• Coloring book page: Specifies the format and intended use.
• Thin black lines: Describes the line weight and color, common in coloring book illustrations.
• White background: Standard background color for coloring pages, allowing for user customization.
• High detail: Indicates a complex and intricate design.
• Outline art: Focuses on contours and shapes without shading or fill.
• Edge-to-edge design: Maximizes the use of space on the page.
• No fill, No solids: Ensures that areas are left uncolored for user interaction.
• Vector illustration: A scalable format that keeps lines crisp.
• Strong outline: Defines the boundary of shapes clearly.
• No dither, no gradient: Prohibits specific shading or texturing techniques.
• Large closed shapes: Refers to the accessibility of the design for coloring.
• No noise: Eliminates any unnecessary visual clutter or background elements.

Coloring book page, spiritual and geometric shapes, A simple and harmonious design featuring sacred geometry symbols like the Flower of Life, and intertwined fractals. High detail adult coloring book page, thin black lines on a white background, no solid fill, edge-to-edge design, intricate patterns, only outline art, focusing on mathematical beauty and cosmic order – no noise, book, logo, page, letters, words, grayscale – no black background.

The text prompts don’t even need to be this complex for coloring book pages, as you can see below.

simple black and white line art of a puppy for a kids coloring book --ar 3:2 --s 10

Oil Paintings

A serene lakeside scene at sunset with visible brushwork. Impasto texture and chiaroscuro lighting, emulating the style of a classical oil painting --ar 2:1

The oil painting is another popular style of AI art often generated with Midjourney. Oil painting as an art form is known for its rich texture, depth of color, and flexibility in technique.

Characteristics like luminosity and opacity make it distinct from other mediums like watercolor or acrylic. Techniques such as glazing, where thin layers of translucent paint are applied over dry layers, and impasto, a method that involves applying paint in thick layers, showcase the medium’s unique properties.

The style also allows for intricate brushwork, offering fine details and smooth gradations of tone. The oil painting slow drying time provides artists the opportunity to make adjustments over extended periods, which can result in highly detailed and layered works.

Another notable attribute is the use of chiaroscuro, a technique involving the play of light and shadow to create a sense of volume in two-dimensional works. Overall, oil painting is versatile and offers a range of possibilities for artistic expression.

Capture a bustling European café scene, complete with intricate details, such as filigree ironwork and cobblestone streets. Use impasto technique for texture and employ sfumato for a smoky atmosphere, in the tradition of old master oil paintings. --ar 2:1 --s 600 --c 100

Using the above section describing an oil painting, use key words and phrases in your Midjourney prompt!

Create an image of a tranquil autumn forest with a meandering stream. Use palette-knife strokes for a textured appearance, incorporating Afremov's signature bold and vibrant color palette. --ar 2:1 --c 50

YouTube Thumbnails

Typical YouTube Thumbnail --ar 16:9 --s {100, 200, 600, 1000} --c {1, 50, 100}

When generating YouTube thumbnails with Midjourney I’ve found sometimes a simple prompt like the one above is best. Take advantage of permutation prompts and let the AI come up with something random!

Be warned: The above prompt will generate 12 images. If you’re not familiar with permutation prompts be careful it doesn’t use all your fast GPU minutes! If you’re on a Pro plan it shouldn’t be a worry though.

Typical YouTube thumbnail featuring a man with an open mouth standing in front of a group of monkeys. Turn on RTX for realistic detail. --ar 16:9

Notice the difference? It comes from the key term “Turn on RTX for realistic detail”.

Generic Alex Hormozi YouTube thumbnail --ar 16:9 --s 200 --c 50

See what I mean they’re kinda random. Unless you have a specific style you want I suggest keeping it simple and asking for ‘generic YouTube thumbnails’ or ‘typical YouTube thumbnail in the style of Mr. Beast’ (for example).

Obviously you’ll want to edit these further too. But they can be a great start for your next YouTube video!

iPhone review YouTube thumbnail --ar 16:9 --c 1

Watercolor Designs

Assorted fruits for a calendar separately illustrated in watercolor with masterful and flat shading techniques, showcasing a harmonious blend of colors and hand-drawn elements, reminiscent of a traditional artistry

The key to getting these nice separated watercolor style images in Midjourney is with the use of the words “assorted” and “calendar”.

Assorted native Australian birdlife for a calendar separately illustrated in watercolor with masterful and flat shading techniques, showcasing a harmonious blend of colors and hand-drawn elements, reminiscent of a traditional artistry. --s 1000 --c 100

You can easily cut the individual items out to make calendars, books illustrations, postcards, and much more!

Assorted botanical elements for a calendar, separately illustrated in watercolor with adept layering and gradient wash techniques, showcasing a harmonious blend of colors and hand-drawn elements --s 1000 --c 100

eCommerce Icons

Black shopping cart icon depicted on a white background, rendered in a clean-lined, bold outline style with functional aesthetics embodying a blend of digital artistry and vector art essence --s 600 --c 50

This eCommerce style icons Midjourney prompt is a great way to add a bunch of extra flare to your eCommerce store.

eCommerce heart icon depicted on a white background, rendered in a clean-lined, bold outline style embodying a blend of digital artistry and vector art --s 600 --c 100 

For great eCommerce style Midjourney prompts try using some of the following keywords in your prompt: Trolley, Envelope, Letter Icon, Wishlist, Cart, Thumbnail, Carousel, Checkout.

eCommerce checkout logo on a white background, rendered in a clean-lined bold black outline style showcasing digital artistry and vector art --s 600 --c 100

Chalk Sketches

[A chalkboard silhouette outline drawing in the style of chalk art]::4 [Elon Musk chalk sketch on black chalkboard background]::6 --ar 3:2 --s 1

These chalk sketches in Midjourney are a super awesome way to create new art using the AI image generator!

[A chalkboard silhouette outline drawing in the style of chalk art]::4 [a puppy on black chalkboard background]::6 --ar 3:2

They can be a bit tricky to get right depending on how complex of an image you’re trying to generate. I’ve found a low “style” (–s) value seems to give the best chalk board effect we’re after!

[A chalkboard silhouette outline drawing in the style of chalk art]::4 [A leopard face front on, chalk sketch on black chalkboard background]::6 --ar 3:2

Try playing with the weights after the square brackets too. The higher the number here the more emphasis the Midjourney AI will put on that part of the prompt!

Grand Theft Auto

[2 computer scientists shaking hands and smiling]::4 [GTA5 style art]::6 --ar 3:2 --s 200 --c 1

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) artwork is iconic. These Midjourney prompts will allow you to create your own original GTA artworks in whatever scenario you can image!

miami 1980s gangster dealer, Grand Theft Auto GTA5 vice city style game art by Rockstar North --ar 3:2 --c 1

The prompt itself is pretty simple. GTA artwork is pretty iconic so Midjourney doesn’t have too much trouble recreating it! Have fun!

gangster outside the corner store, Grand Theft Auto GTA5 style art --ar 3:2 --s 200 --c 50

detroit gangster outside the corner store, Grand Theft Auto GTA5 style game art by Rockstar North --ar 3:2 --c 50

Simpsons Characters

Full body yellow skinned man with stubble hair and a torn vest as a Simpsons character on white background, 2D cartoon illustration by Matt Groening, Heads and bodies are round and bulbous with no sharp angles or corners. Bright and bold color palette with a focus on primary colors like red, blue, and yellow. Cartoonish shapes and exaggerated proportions. --ar 2:3

Full body yellow skinned woman with straight hair wearing a uniform outfit as a Simpsons character on white background, 2D cartoon illustration by Matt Groening, Heads and bodies are round and bulbous with no sharp angles or corners. Bright and bold color palette with a focus on primary colors like red, blue, and yellow. Cartoonish shapes and exaggerated proportions. --ar 2:3

Full body yellow skinned man with an afro wearing a tie die outfit as a Simpsons character on white background, 2D cartoon illustration by Matt Groening, Heads and bodies are round and bulbous with no sharp angles or corners. Bright and bold color palette with a focus on primary colors like red, blue, and yellow. Cartoonish shapes and exaggerated proportions. --ar 2:3

Pokemon!

This is a pretty simple prompt to use, just enter which Pokemon you want to see and the facial expression!

[pokemon name] drawn in an animation style that is commonly associated with Japanese anime Pokemon, [facial expression - happy, angry, sad, etc] facial expression. The simplicity and boldness of the colors are characteristic of digital animation techniques often used in children's shows. The art style is smooth and clean, with clear outlines and vibrant, flat colors. 

Here’s a list of the original 151 Pokemon if you can’t remember!

Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard, Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree, Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot, Rattata, Raticate, Spearow, Fearow, Ekans, Arbok, Pikachu, Raichu, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Nidoran♀, Nidorina, Nidoqueen, Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking, Clefairy, Clefable, Vulpix, Ninetales, Jigglypuff, Wigglytuff, Zubat, Golbat, Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, Paras, Parasect, Venonat, Venomoth, Diglett, Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Psyduck, Golduck, Mankey, Primeape, Growlithe, Arcanine, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam, Machop, Machoke, Machamp, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Victreebel, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Geodude, Graveler, Golem, Ponyta, Rapidash, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Magnemite, Magneton, Farfetch’d, Doduo, Dodrio, Seel, Dewgong, Grimer, Muk, Shellder, Cloyster, Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Onix, Drowzee, Hypno, Krabby, Kingler, Voltorb, Electrode, Exeggcute, Exeggutor, Cubone, Marowak, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Lickitung, Koffing, Weezing, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Chansey, Tangela, Kangaskhan, Horsea, Seadra, Goldeen, Seaking, Staryu, Starmie, Mr. Mime, Scyther, Jynx, Electabuzz, Magmar, Pinsir, Tauros, Magikarp, Gyarados, Lapras, Ditto, Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Porygon, Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, Kabutops, Aerodactyl, Snorlax, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Mewtwo, Mew.

Midjourney Syntax Tips and Tricks

'The Singularity' silicon future --ar 16:9

The effectiveness of Midjourney text prompts largely depends on how specific you want to be, as well as the intricate details you have in mind for your image. Sometimes the best prompts are simple, but other times you need to be more specific to get the desired details.

Here are some of the best parameters and commands for crafting effective digital art in Midjourney. You can try including all of them, some of them, or none of them!

Installing Midjourney

bright beautiful sunrise over the sea and rocky mountains, photorealistic, --ar 16:8 --s 200

Getting started in Midjourney is easy, I’ll give a very basic outline here and if you need further help you can find it in the Midjourney docs here.

1. You must have a verified Discord account to use Midjourney, so either login, or create a new account.
2. Subscribe to a Midjourney plan based on your needs.
3. Add the Midjourney server in Discord by clicking the + symbol on the left, press join a server and paste the following: http://discord.gg/midjourney
4. Go to any #General or #Newbie channel
5. Enter your first Midjourney prompt by typing /imagine <followed by your prompt>

warmly lit room with large monitors on the clean desk, overlooking the city, ultrareal and photorealistic, --ar 16:8 --s 900 

Versions

a puppy --version 5.1

Midjourney often releases new model versions to improve efficiency, coherency, and quality. The latest model (5.1) is the default, but other models can be used by adding the –version or –v parameter, or by using the /settings command and selecting a model version.

The default version is pretty much always the best but if you would like to play with an older version of Midjourney you can follow the instructions to change the Midjourney version.

Aspect Ratio

parkbench --ar 9:16

Adjusting the aspect ratio (–aspect or –ar) will be useful based on what platform you might be creating the images for. For example if you were creating an image for use in a YouTube video you would include –ar 16:9 in your prompt, for an Instagram Reel you might want to use a vertical ratio like –ar 9:16 within your prompt. The default Midjourney aspect ratio is 1:1.

Chaos

milky way ocean universe in a bottle --ar 16:8 --c 100 

The chaos parameter (–chaos or –c) influences how varied the initial image grids of the AI art are. A Midjourney image starts with an initial state which is then layered until the final image is complete.

High chaos values will produce more unusual and unexpected results and compositions. Lower –chaos values have more reliable, repeatable results. The chaos parameter accepts values from 0 to 100, the default is 0.

Some of the best Midjourney prompts I’ve come across have a high c value. What makes the AI art so good is just the pure randomness of the output.

Stylize

tigeristic silicone fashion, intricate details , high resolution photography, --s 900 

Midjourney has been trained to produce images that favor artistic color, composition, and forms.

When writing prompts, the –stylize or –s parameter influences how strongly this training is applied. Low stylization values produce images that closely match the prompt but are less artistic. High stylization values create images that are very artistic but less connected to the prompt. In other words a higher –s value allows the AI art appear more creative.

You can also consider using raw mode to completely remove this artistic flare from your images. But I’ve found in models v6 and later, it’s not really needed as much.

Prompt Weights

ice::3 cream

Adding a double colon :: to text prompts indicates to the Midjourney Bot that it should consider each part of the prompt separately. You can also assign weightings to each part of your prompt to increase the presence of that feature or remove it entirely.

This is a powerful tool when writing prompts for really refining your Midjourney image. In the image above you can see the heavier emphasis on the ice keyword in the right image.

[Forgotten old locomotive]::7 in the [jungle]::3

Entire sections of your prompt can be weighted by enclosing them in square brackets as seen above. You’ll notice the image on the left has a 70% weighting on the ‘forgotten old locomotive’ term – making the locomotive more predominant in the image. The image on the right has a 70% weighting on the ‘jungle’ term.

Negative Prompts

A Midjourney negative prompt is used to exclude certain elements or styles from AI-generated images.

There are two main methods: the –no parameter, which is simpler and specifies items to be removed, and negative weights, which adjust the influence of prompt elements by adding negative values.

Additionally, the Vary Region function allows direct modification of specific image areas. These techniques enhance control over image outputs by avoiding unwanted features or details.

Permutation Prompts

{green, purple, blue} apple

Permutation Prompts in Midjourney allow you to quickly generate variations of a Prompt with a single /imagine command. Wrap your desired variable in curly brackets as seen above.

This is equivalent to writing 3 separate prompts: green apple, purple apple, and blue apple. Used correctly this technique can save a significant amount of time when initiating and refining images.

a treehouse --s {50, 500, 1000}

Exercise caution when using this tool as it can very quickly use all your GPU minutes! Prompt /info to the Midjourney bot to see your remaining fast time generation minutes.

Tiles

American Flag --tile --ar 16:8

The Midjourney Tile parameter (–tile) generates images that can be used as repeating tiles to create seamless patterns for fabrics, wallpapers, and textures.

To use the Midjourney tile parameter, simply add –tile as seen in the American flag prompt above.

Prompt Stacking

lava planet --s 800 --c 80 --ar 16:8

Unlike many other AI art generators, Midjourney allows you to combine text prompts with images to generate a unique yet controlled image.

Prompt stacking works by stacking a series of Midjourney prompts to create unique sample images. Let’s walk through how to prompt stack:

1. Enter your first prompt. When writing prompts, I have found it best to make this image prompt a pattern or design style, rather than a specific item (but that still works too!). Upscale your favorite image style and save it to your computer.
2. Now, re-upload the image to Discord by clicking the small plus symbol to the left of the type box. Once uploaded, right-click the image and select copy link. Now for your next prompt, you text should follow this format:

<insert your copied image link> <your new prompts here>

You can repeat the steps as many times as you like and get some really abstract art with controlled intricate details. I decided to make a lava themed buzz lightyear:

<my copied image link> buzz lightyear