A guide to Midjourney AI Prompteneering for beginners
A guide to Midjourney AI Prompteneering for beginners
A guide to Midjourney AI Prompteneering for beginners
AI-generated art is taking the creative world by storm — and Midjourney is one of the most powerful tools leading the charge. But as any user quickly learns, typing “a cat on a skateboard” and getting a jaw-dropping image takes more than luck. The secret? Prompt engineering.
Whether you’re a designer, artist, or curious beginner, this guide will help you get started with Midjourney and write better prompts that turn your imagination into stunning visuals.
What Is Midjourney?
Midjourney is an AI that generates images based on text prompts. You describe what you want to see, and the AI interprets your prompt to create a visual. Think of it like commissioning a digital artist who works at the speed of light.
But like any artist, Midjourney needs clear direction. That’s where prompt engineering comes in.
1. Start simple, Then add detail
You can begin with a basic idea like:
“a futuristic city at sunset”
Then, refine it:
“a sprawling cyberpunk cityscape at sunset, glowing neon signs, flying cars, cinematic atmosphere, high detail”
Use adjectives to shape the mood and style: moody, ethereal, gritty, dreamlike.
2. Use style references
Want something in the style of a specific artist or genre? Add that into the prompt:
“portrait of a woman, in the style of Gustav Klimt”
“minimalist landscape, inspired by Japanese ink paintings”
This gives Midjourney a stylistic anchor.
3. Aspect ratios matter
Want a vertical poster? A wide wallpaper? Use --ar (aspect ratio) to guide the image shape:
--ar 3:2(landscape)--ar 9:16(vertical/portrait)--ar 1:1(square)
4. Use version and quality parameters
Midjourney evolves fast. Try --v 6 or --v 7 to use the latest version. You can also tweak detail level:
--q 1is standard--q 2gives more detail (but takes longer)
5. Experiment, remix, iterate
AI art is part creation, part curation. Don’t aim for perfection in one go. Try variations. Mix prompts. Change one word and see what happens.
If you’re stuck, use this simple structure:
[Subject], [style/adjectives], [lighting], [medium], [reference artists]
Example:
"Portrait of a cybernetic astronaut, hyper-detailed, dramatic lighting, digital painting, inspired by cyberpunk"
AI-generated art is taking the creative world by storm — and Midjourney is one of the most powerful tools leading the charge. But as any user quickly learns, typing “a cat on a skateboard” and getting a jaw-dropping image takes more than luck. The secret? Prompt engineering.
Whether you’re a designer, artist, or curious beginner, this guide will help you get started with Midjourney and write better prompts that turn your imagination into stunning visuals.
What Is Midjourney?
Midjourney is an AI that generates images based on text prompts. You describe what you want to see, and the AI interprets your prompt to create a visual. Think of it like commissioning a digital artist who works at the speed of light.
But like any artist, Midjourney needs clear direction. That’s where prompt engineering comes in.
1. Start simple, Then add detail
You can begin with a basic idea like:
“a futuristic city at sunset”
Then, refine it:
“a sprawling cyberpunk cityscape at sunset, glowing neon signs, flying cars, cinematic atmosphere, high detail”
Use adjectives to shape the mood and style: moody, ethereal, gritty, dreamlike.
2. Use style references
Want something in the style of a specific artist or genre? Add that into the prompt:
“portrait of a woman, in the style of Gustav Klimt”
“minimalist landscape, inspired by Japanese ink paintings”
This gives Midjourney a stylistic anchor.
3. Aspect ratios matter
Want a vertical poster? A wide wallpaper? Use --ar (aspect ratio) to guide the image shape:
--ar 3:2(landscape)--ar 9:16(vertical/portrait)--ar 1:1(square)
4. Use version and quality parameters
Midjourney evolves fast. Try --v 6 or --v 7 to use the latest version. You can also tweak detail level:
--q 1is standard--q 2gives more detail (but takes longer)
5. Experiment, remix, iterate
AI art is part creation, part curation. Don’t aim for perfection in one go. Try variations. Mix prompts. Change one word and see what happens.
If you’re stuck, use this simple structure:
[Subject], [style/adjectives], [lighting], [medium], [reference artists]
Example:
"Portrait of a cybernetic astronaut, hyper-detailed, dramatic lighting, digital painting, inspired by cyberpunk"
AI-generated art is taking the creative world by storm — and Midjourney is one of the most powerful tools leading the charge. But as any user quickly learns, typing “a cat on a skateboard” and getting a jaw-dropping image takes more than luck. The secret? Prompt engineering.
Whether you’re a designer, artist, or curious beginner, this guide will help you get started with Midjourney and write better prompts that turn your imagination into stunning visuals.
What Is Midjourney?
Midjourney is an AI that generates images based on text prompts. You describe what you want to see, and the AI interprets your prompt to create a visual. Think of it like commissioning a digital artist who works at the speed of light.
But like any artist, Midjourney needs clear direction. That’s where prompt engineering comes in.
1. Start simple, Then add detail
You can begin with a basic idea like:
“a futuristic city at sunset”
Then, refine it:
“a sprawling cyberpunk cityscape at sunset, glowing neon signs, flying cars, cinematic atmosphere, high detail”
Use adjectives to shape the mood and style: moody, ethereal, gritty, dreamlike.
2. Use style references
Want something in the style of a specific artist or genre? Add that into the prompt:
“portrait of a woman, in the style of Gustav Klimt”
“minimalist landscape, inspired by Japanese ink paintings”
This gives Midjourney a stylistic anchor.
3. Aspect ratios matter
Want a vertical poster? A wide wallpaper? Use --ar (aspect ratio) to guide the image shape:
--ar 3:2(landscape)--ar 9:16(vertical/portrait)--ar 1:1(square)
4. Use version and quality parameters
Midjourney evolves fast. Try --v 6 or --v 7 to use the latest version. You can also tweak detail level:
--q 1is standard--q 2gives more detail (but takes longer)
5. Experiment, remix, iterate
AI art is part creation, part curation. Don’t aim for perfection in one go. Try variations. Mix prompts. Change one word and see what happens.
If you’re stuck, use this simple structure:
[Subject], [style/adjectives], [lighting], [medium], [reference artists]
Example:
"Portrait of a cybernetic astronaut, hyper-detailed, dramatic lighting, digital painting, inspired by cyberpunk"