Midjourney: Create Stunning AI-Generated Images and Art

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Midjourney is a subscription-based AI image and video-generation service that turns text prompts, image references, and style directions into visual concepts. Its strongest use is not one-click perfection but iterative art direction: generate several options, choose the best composition, refine it, and finish the result in a design or photo-editing application when precision matters.

Midjourney’s current default model is V8.2, released as the default on July 24, 2026. The workflow is now primarily web-based through the Create page, although Discord remains supported. Check the current version documentation if you are following an older V6 or V7 tutorial.

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What is Midjourney?

Midjourney is a cloud-based creative-generation tool. You describe an image in natural language, and its AI model produces a batch of visual interpretations. You can then create variations, upscale an image, change its framing, edit selected areas, apply references, personalize the style, or animate a still image into a short video.

The core inputs are:

• Text prompts: describe the subject, setting, composition, lighting, materials, and mood.
• Image prompts: guide content, color, composition, or visual direction.
• Style References: influence the appearance and stylistic language of a result.
• Omni References: help reuse a character or object across images.
• Personalization and moodboards: steer results toward a preferred or project-specific visual direction.

Midjourney is best understood as a creative generation and iteration system, not an autonomous artist or a complete replacement for design work. It can produce striking concepts quickly, but final typography, logos, retouching, compositing, color correction, and production-ready layout may still require Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, Lightroom, or another finishing tool.

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You can use Midjourney on the web through the Create page or through Discord. The official Getting Started Guide now centers the web workflow.

How much does Midjourney cost?

Pricing and features checked August 16, 2026. They can change; confirm the current details on the official plan comparison page.

Annual billing is described as a 20% discount. Additional Fast GPU time costs $4 per hour. Midjourney does not provide a simple fixed number of images per plan: GPU use varies according to the model, image mode, aspect ratio, references, video, and upscaling.

Which plan should you choose?

• Basic: suitable for occasional experimentation and small projects.
• Standard: the best default for regular image creators who want unlimited image generation in queued Relax mode.
• Pro: the practical choice when privacy, client work, heavier production, or SD video in Relax mode matters.
• Mega: intended for high-volume users who need substantially more Fast capacity and concurrency.

Do not choose Pro only because it sounds more powerful. For many commercial users, its most important differentiator is Stealth privacy, not merely speed.

How to create your first Midjourney image

Using the web Create page

1. Go to Midjourney and sign in.
2. Choose a subscription plan.
3. Open the Create page.
4. Enter a description in the Imagine bar.
5. Press Enter or select the send button.
6. Wait for the initial four-image batch to finish.
7. Select the most promising composition.
8. Use variations, upscaling, zoom, pan, or Editor tools to refine it.
9. Download or organize the finished creation.

The first prompt is a starting point, not a final delivery. The fastest route to a strong image is usually to compare several compositions before spending GPU time on detailed refinement.

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Using Discord

In Discord, the basic command is:

/imagine prompt: [your description]

Useful commands include:

/info
/settings
/fast
/relax
/turbo
/stealth
/public
/describe

Discord commands and web controls are not always identical. The web interface is generally easier for beginners, while Discord remains useful for command-based workflows and established users. See the current Discord command list before relying on an older command or parameter.

How to write better Midjourney prompts

A practical prompt structure is:

[subject] + [action or pose] + [environment] + [composition] +
[lighting] + [materials or visual details] + [mood] + [format parameters]

For example:

A weathered red canoe resting beside a misty alpine lake at dawn,
wide cinematic composition, soft blue-gold light, realistic wet wood,
distant snow-covered peaks, quiet atmospheric mood --ar 16:9 --raw

Build prompts around observable visual decisions:

• Subject: What should appear?
• Action: What is happening, and what is the pose?
• Environment: Where does the scene take place?
• Composition: Is it a close-up, overhead view, centered portrait, wide shot, or editorial layout?
• Lighting: Specify softbox light, golden hour, overcast daylight, neon rim light, or another visible lighting condition.
• Materials and texture: Use details such as brushed metal, linen, wet stone, or translucent glass.
• Color palette: Name a restrained palette, complementary colors, or monochrome treatment.
• Mood: Quiet, playful, ominous, luxurious, documentary, or another clear emotional direction.
• Format: Set the aspect ratio and other parameters needed for the final use.

Prompting principles that make iteration easier

• Start with the visual goal instead of stacking disconnected adjectives.
• Use concrete nouns and details that could actually be seen in the image.
• State the composition explicitly when layout matters.
• Change one or two variables at a time so you know what improved the result.
• Use references when a style, object, character, or visual identity is difficult to describe.
• Avoid contradictory instructions. “Minimal, crowded, empty, highly detailed” gives the model competing priorities.
• Use exclusions cautiously. Negative instructions are not guaranteed to behave like strict masks.

Longer prompts are not automatically better. A short prompt with a clear subject, composition, light, and intended mood often produces a more coherent result than a paragraph of conflicting descriptors.

Three prompts to try

A glass greenhouse on a cliff above a stormy ocean,
architectural photography, dramatic overcast light,
wet stone, windblown grasses, restrained natural color palette --ar 16:9

Editorial portrait of an elderly botanist in a dark green studio,
soft north-window light, detailed linen clothing, natural skin texture,
quiet contemplative expression --ar 4:5 --raw

A whimsical children's-book illustration of a fox delivering letters
through a snowy village, expressive characters, warm lantern light,
hand-painted textures --ar 2:3

Midjourney parameters beginners should know

--ar 16:9       # aspect ratio
--v 8.2         # select a model version
--raw           # reduce default stylization and improve prompt adherence
--fast          # use Fast mode
--relax         # use Relax mode
--turbo         # use Turbo mode where supported
--stealth       # request private visibility where available
--public        # request public visibility

Aspect ratio is one of the most useful controls:

V8.2 documentation lists a maximum aspect ratio of 14:1, with a narrower 4:1 maximum for HD images. Choose the final format before generating whenever possible. Cropping a square image into a banner can remove important peripheral details, while generating extra space around a subject can leave room for later text overlays.

Use --v 8.2 when you need to specify the current model explicitly. Model versions are not interchangeable: they can differ in prompt interpretation, style, detail handling, reference compatibility, aspect-ratio behavior, editing tools, GPU cost, and personalization support. Midjourney’s version documentation also lists compatibility layers in which some tools use earlier-model behavior.

How to improve and edit Midjourney images

Once you have a promising image, choose the tool according to the problem:

• Variations: create alternate interpretations while retaining some of the selected image’s direction.
• Subtle upscale: enlarges the image while attempting to preserve its appearance closely.
• Creative upscale: enlarges the image and may add or change details.
• Zoom Out: extends the scene beyond the original frame.
• Pan: expands the image in a chosen direction.
• Vary Region or Editor: changes a selected area or extends part of the composition.
• Remix: lets you change the prompt while creating a variation.
• Organize: helps sort, filter, and place creations into folders.

Midjourney’s documentation says the Subtle and Creative upscalers double the original image size. Creative upscaling can alter details, so it is not merely a resolution increase. Standard U# buttons in versions 5 and later separate an image from a grid but do not themselves change its size. See the upscaler documentation.

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A practical refinement loop

1. Generate four broad concepts.
2. Select the strongest composition.
3. Use subtle variations when the structure is already right.
4. Use creative variations when the concept is promising but underdeveloped.
5. Fix framing with Pan or Zoom Out.
6. Use Editor or Vary Region for localized changes.
7. Upscale only after composition and important details are satisfactory.
8. Finish typography, logos, retouching, color correction, or compositing externally.

Using image prompts and references

References are powerful, but they are influences rather than guaranteed pixel-perfect controls.

• Image prompts can influence content, composition, color, and overall direction.
• Style References transfer aspects of visual appearance, such as color, texture, and stylistic language, without necessarily copying the exact layout.
• Omni References are designed to help maintain a character or object across multiple images.
• Personalization steers results toward your aesthetic preferences.
• Moodboards collect visual examples for a recurring project or visual identity.

Reference failures are normal. A face may change, clothing can drift, a product logo may become inaccurate, and multiple references may compete. A style reference can transfer color and texture without preserving the reference’s composition.

When a result does not match, reduce the number of competing references, separate style references from content references, describe the desired composition in text, and choose a reference with a similar pose or framing. Treat references as directional guidance, not as exact controls.

Keeping characters and styles consistent

For a series, create a personalization profile or project moodboard, then keep the following stable:

• Model version.
• Prompt structure and key descriptive terms.
• Aspect ratio and composition conventions.
• Reference assets.
• Important style settings and parameters.

Record these details for reproducibility. Personalization can improve stylistic consistency, but it does not guarantee identical facial features, clothing, props, products, or layouts. For high-stakes continuity, expect to composite, retouch, or redraw parts of the final images in another application.

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GPU time, Fast, Relax, and Turbo modes

Midjourney plans provide GPU time rather than unlimited instantaneous processing. Approximate documented costs include:

See the current GPU speed documentation because costs and model support can change.

• Fast: uses your plan’s monthly Fast allocation.
• Relax: queues jobs instead of using Fast time. Unlimited image Relax is available on Standard, Pro, and Mega.
• Turbo: generates faster but consumes Fast time at twice the rate where supported.

Fast time resets at renewal and unused time does not roll over. Relax is not free instant processing: documented waits can range from zero to approximately 30 minutes depending on demand and usage. If you run low on GPU time, explore in SD, avoid unnecessary batches and upscales, switch to Relax where available, and reserve HD or Creative upscaling for finalists.

Are Midjourney images private?

Not by default. Midjourney’s privacy documentation says creations may be discoverable on the website’s Explore page. Stealth mode is available only on Pro and Mega plans. Working in a Discord direct message does not automatically make a creation private on the Midjourney website, and work generated in public Discord channels remains visible there.

Use /stealth or the equivalent prompt control where available. Use /public to request public visibility. Stealth controls website visibility but does not override visibility in shared Discord spaces. It also does not automatically privatize earlier public creations. Trashing an image is not the same as making it private; Midjourney warns that trashed creations may still be found through Explore, rankings, job IDs, or creation URLs. Review the Stealth Mode and privacy documentation.

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For confidential client work, confirm that your plan supports Stealth, use the web Create page or a private workflow, avoid public Discord channels, and review the current terms and privacy documents before uploading client assets. A private Discord server does not mean the material is invisible to the service provider.

Can you use Midjourney images commercially?

Midjourney’s current commercial-use page says users own the images and videos they create, including after canceling a subscription, subject to its stated exceptions. That is a contractual platform position, not a guarantee that every output qualifies for copyright protection.

Important qualifications include:

• If you upscale another user’s image, the original creator owns that image and you need permission.
• A company with more than $1 million in annual gross revenue must use a Pro or Mega plan for commercial use under Midjourney’s stated terms.
• Copyright eligibility varies by country and may depend on the amount of human creative contribution.
• Client assets, trademarks, recognizable people, copyrighted characters, and protected brand elements can raise separate legal issues.

Read Midjourney’s commercial-use guidance and Terms of Service. Midjourney says it cannot provide legal advice; consult a qualified lawyer for a consequential commercial project.

Midjourney video generation

Midjourney can turn a still image into a short video. The current video documentation describes five-second videos, optional text prompting, default batches of four, and SD or HD output depending on the plan. HD video is available on Standard, Pro, and Mega, while Relax-mode SD video is available on Pro and Mega.

Video parameters include:

--motion low
--motion high
--raw
--loop
--end
--bs 1
--bs 2
--bs 4

Video is a useful extension for animating an approved visual, but image generation remains Midjourney’s central strength for most painters, designers, marketers, and illustrators. Details are listed in the official Video documentation.

Midjourney’s strengths and weaknesses

Midjourney is a strong fit for

• Cinematic, painterly, fantasy, editorial, and highly stylized imagery.
• Rapid concept development and moodboards.
• Advertising directions and visual pitches.
• Exploring multiple interpretations of one idea.
• Image-to-image experimentation.
• Users who want a polished aesthetic without building a local AI system.

It may be a poor fit for

• Guaranteed private generation on the cheapest plan.
• Precise typography, logos, labels, diagrams, and technical drawings.
• Exact product replicas with consistent dimensions.
• Pixel-level control over every object.
• Fully local, offline, or open-source generation.
• Predictable per-image pricing without subscription and GPU accounting.
• Guaranteed copyright protection for every output.
• Perfect identity preservation across many scenes without manual cleanup.

Midjourney alternatives

The right alternative depends on the constraint that matters most:

• Adobe Firefly suits Adobe-centric workflows and users seeking a more conventional design-production environment.
• ChatGPT is attractive for conversational ideation and prompt iteration; verify current image-generation access and plan limits before subscribing.
• Ideogram is worth considering when readable text, posters, logos, or typographic compositions are central.
• Leonardo.Ai may suit asset-generation and game-art workflows with more configurable production pipelines.
• Stable Diffusion or FLUX-based tools are relevant when local execution, model choice, extensibility, and control matter more than convenience.

For final production, Midjourney often works best alongside Photoshop for retouching and compositing or Illustrator for vector artwork, logos, and controlled typography.

A simple beginner exercise

Generate the same concept three ways:

1. Use a plain text prompt.
2. Add an aspect ratio and an explicit composition instruction.
3. Add an image or style reference.

Compare subject accuracy, composition, consistency, detail quality, and suitability for the intended use. The exercise demonstrates the central Midjourney lesson: better results usually come from controlled iteration rather than simply making a prompt longer.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Wacom Intuos Small, Wired Graphic Drawing Tablet with Pen + Software

$39.95

SaleBestseller No. 2

XPPen Deco 01 V3 10x6 Drawing Tablet, 16K Battery-Free Stylus, 8 Keys

$45.00

SaleBestseller No. 3

HUION Inspiroy H640P 6x4 inch Drawing Tablet 8192 Pen Pressure

$29.99

Bestseller No. 4

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$9.99

SaleBestseller No. 5

XPPen Artist 13.3 Pro V2 Drawing Tablet with Screen, 16K, Full-Laminated

$211.00

ThatPainter Team

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.