Midjourney: AI-Powered Image Generation for Creatives

Introduction

Midjourney is an independent research lab that has developed a proprietary artificial intelligence program that creates images from textual descriptions, known as "prompts." Launched in 2022, it has quickly gained popularity for its ability to generate highly detailed, artistic, and often surreal images. Midjourney operates primarily through a Discord bot, where users interact with the AI by typing commands to produce a wide array of visual content. It's renowned for its distinct aesthetic and is a favorite among artists, designers, and hobbyists for its creative capabilities.

Key Features

Midjourney offers a rich set of features that allow for fine-tuned control and artistic exploration:

  • Text-to-Image Generation: Transforms written prompts into unique images.
  • High Artistic Quality: Known for producing visually striking, detailed, and often painterly or illustrative outputs.
  • Model Versions (--v): Access to different versions of the Midjourney model (e.g., V5, V6, and the latest V7 as of early 2025), each with unique characteristics and improvements in prompt understanding and image coherence.
  • Aspect Ratios (--ar): Control the dimensions of generated images (e.g., 1:1, 16:9, 3:2).
  • Stylization (--stylize or --s): Adjusts how artistically an image is rendered; lower values produce images closer to the prompt, while higher values increase artistic interpretation.
  • Chaos (--chaos or --c): Influences the variety and unexpectedness of the initial image grid. Higher values produce more unusual and diverse results.
  • Image Prompts: Use existing images as part of your prompt to influence the style, composition, or content of the generated output.
  • Upscaling: Increase the resolution and add more detail to selected images from the initial grid.
  • Variations: Create different versions of a selected image, exploring alternative compositions or details.
  • Remix Mode: Allows users to change parts of their prompt when creating variations, offering more iterative control.
  • Parameters for Negative Prompting (--no): Specify elements to exclude from the generated image.
  • Seed (--seed): Use a specific seed number to generate more consistent images across prompts or to revisit previous styles.
  • Style Reference (--sref): Use an image URL as a style reference for new generations.
  • Character Reference (--cref): Attempt to maintain character consistency across different images using an image URL as a reference.
  • Describe Command (/describe): Upload an image and Midjourney will provide text prompts that could have generated a similar image, useful for learning prompt crafting.
  • Personalization (with V7): Newer models like V7 can be tuned to individual user preferences based on image ratings, leading to more personalized outputs.
  • Draft Mode (with V7): A faster, lower-quality rendering mode ideal for quick ideation and testing multiple concepts efficiently.

Specific Use Cases

Midjourney's unique artistic capabilities make it suitable for a wide array of creative applications:

  • Concept Art & Illustration: Generating characters, environments, and scenes for games, films, and books.
  • Graphic Design: Creating unique visuals for posters, album covers, branding, and marketing materials.
  • Digital Art & Personal Projects: Enabling artists and hobbyists to explore new styles and bring imaginative ideas to life.
  • Inspiration & Mood Boarding: Quickly visualizing concepts and creating mood boards for creative projects.
  • Book Covers & Editorial Illustrations: Designing striking and thematic visuals for publications.
  • Game Asset Ideation: Brainstorming ideas for in-game items, characters, and environments.
  • Fashion Design: Experimenting with new patterns, textures, and apparel concepts.
  • Architectural Visualization (Artistic): Creating artistic renderings of architectural ideas.
  • Print-on-Demand Products: Designing unique graphics for T-shirts, mugs, and other merchandise.
  • Educational Tools: Creating engaging visual aids for learning.

Usage Guide

Interacting with Midjourney primarily happens on Discord:

  1. Join the Midjourney Discord Server:
    • Go to the Midjourney website (https://www.midjourney.com) and find the invitation to join their official Discord server. You'll need a Discord account.
  2. Navigate to a Newbie Channel:
    • Once on the server, find a designated channel for new users (often named #newbies, #general, or similar).
  3. Use the /imagine Command:
    • In the message bar, type /imagine and a prompt: field will appear.
    • Enter your descriptive text prompt for the image you want to create (e.g., /imagine prompt: a mystical forest with glowing mushrooms, cinematic lighting, highly detailed).
    • Press Enter to send your prompt.
  4. Image Generation Process:
    • The Midjourney bot will process your request and generate an initial grid of four low-resolution image options.
  5. Upscale (U buttons) or Create Variations (V buttons):
    • Below the image grid, you'll see buttons labeled U1, U2, U3, U4 and V1, V2, V3, V4.
    • Clicking a U button (e.g., U1 for the top-left image) will upscale that specific image, increasing its resolution and adding more detail.
    • Clicking a V button will create four new variations based on the style and composition of the selected image.
    • A re-roll button (often a circular arrow) allows you to generate a new grid of four images from the same prompt.
  6. Saving Your Image:
    • Once an image is upscaled, you can click on it to view it larger and then right-click to save it.
  7. Using Parameters:
    • Add parameters to the end of your prompt to control aspects like aspect ratio (--ar 16:9), stylization (--s 250), model version (--v 6), etc.

Pricing and Subscription Plans

Midjourney requires a paid subscription. There is generally no persistent free trial available directly on Discord, though limited trials might occasionally be offered via special promotions or their mobile app (niji·journey).

Midjourney offers several subscription tiers (prices are approximate and subject to change, always check the official website):

PlanMonthly Price (USD)Annual Price (USD - Approx. 20% discount)Fast GPU Time/MonthRelax GPU TimeStealth ModeMax Concurrent Jobs
Basic~$10~$96 ($8/month)~3.3 hoursNoNo3 Fast
Standard~$30~$288 ($24/month)~15 hoursUnlimitedNo3 Fast/Relax
Pro~$60~$576 ($48/month)~30 hoursUnlimitedYes12 Fast, 3 Relax
Mega~$120~$1152 ($96/month)~60 hoursUnlimitedYes12 Fast, 3 Relax
  • Fast GPU Time: Used for generating images quickly.
  • Relax GPU Time: Allows unlimited image generation at a slower pace once Fast hours are depleted (available on Standard, Pro, and Mega plans).
  • Stealth Mode: (Pro and Mega plans) Generated images are not publicly visible on the Midjourney website gallery by default.
  • Extra GPU time can typically be purchased.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Midjourney? A1: Midjourney is an AI program and research lab that creates images from user-supplied text prompts. It's known for generating high-quality, artistic, and often complex visuals, primarily through a Discord bot.

Q2: How do I access Midjourney? A2: You access Midjourney by joining their official Discord server and using text commands to interact with the Midjourney bot in designated channels. You will need a paid subscription.

Q3: Is there a free trial for Midjourney? A3: Midjourney generally does not offer a persistent free trial directly through Discord. Limited trials may sometimes be available through special promotions or their niji·journey mobile app. A paid subscription is required for full access.

Q4: Can I use images generated by Midjourney for commercial purposes? A4: Yes, if you have a paid subscription, you are generally free to use the images you create in almost any way you want, including commercially. However, specific terms apply, especially for large companies (e.g., those with over $1M USD in annual gross revenue may need a Pro or Mega plan). Always refer to the official Midjourney Terms of Service for the most up-to-date details on usage rights.

Q5: Who owns the images created with Midjourney? A5: According to Midjourney's Terms of Service, subject to their rights, you own all Assets you create with the Services (assuming you are a paid subscriber). However, by using the services, you also grant Midjourney a license to use your prompts and images. Review their ToS for full details.

Q6: What is Midjourney's content policy? A6: Midjourney has strict community guidelines and content policies to ensure the platform remains respectful and safe (aiming for PG-13). They prohibit the generation of gore, adult content, hate speech, and other abusive or offensive imagery. Some prompts are automatically blocked, and users violating these guidelines may be banned.

Q7: Does Midjourney have an API? A7: As of early 2025, Midjourney does not officially offer a public API for third-party developers to integrate its image generation capabilities into other applications.

Q8: How does Midjourney compare to other AI image generators like DALL·E or Stable Diffusion? A8: Midjourney is often praised for its highly artistic and stylized outputs, excelling at complex compositions and painterly aesthetics. DALL·E is known for its strong prompt understanding and photorealism, while Stable Diffusion is open-source and offers high customizability. The best choice depends on the user's specific needs and desired artistic style.

Last updated: May 26, 2025

Found an error in our documentation?Email us for assistance