How to Use Midjourney: A Beginner's Guide to Prompts, Styles & Parameters
Key Takeaways
- Midjourney runs on Discord; you type prompts in a server or your DMs with the bot.
- A strong prompt = subject + context + style reference + parameters (like --ar 16:9).
- Style references (--sref) let you clone the look of an existing image without describing it.
- Parameters control aspect ratio, stylization, weirdness, and more—use them to refine output.
---
What Is Midjourney and How Do You Access It?
Midjourney is an AI image generator that works inside Discord. You don't install software—you just join their Discord server, pick a channel, and type commands. It’s not a web app (though there’s a web alpha now). As of early 2025, the latest model is Midjourney V6.1, which gives you better coherence, more detailed textures, and improved prompt adherence.
To start:
1. Go to midjourney.com and click "Join the Beta."
2. Create a Discord account if you don't have one.
3. Accept the invite to the Midjourney Discord server.
4. Find a `#newbies` channel (there are hundreds) or DM the Midjourney Bot directly.
5. Type `/imagine prompt:` followed by your description.
I recommend Direct Messages (DMs) for learning—no one else sees your failed attempts. Right-click the Midjourney Bot in any channel and select "Message."
---
Writing Your First Prompt: The Anatomy
A basic prompt is just a sentence. But you get much better results if you structure it intentionally. Here’s the formula I teach:
Subject + Action/Context + Environment + Lighting/Color + Style + Parameters
Example:
`/imagine prompt: a calico cat wearing a tiny wizard hat, sitting on a stack of old books, dim candlelight, warm amber tones, digital painting style --ar 16:9 --v 6.1`
- Subject: a calico cat wearing a tiny wizard hat
- Context: sitting on a stack of old books
- Environment: dim candlelight
- Color: warm amber tones
- Style: digital painting style
- Parameters: `--ar 16:9` (widescreen aspect ratio), `--v 6.1` (version)
Without the style reference, Midjourney defaults to its own trained aesthetic—often a polished, slightly glossy look. If you want something specific (oil painting, 8-bit pixel art, black-and-white photography), you have to say it.
---
Style References: The Shortcut to Consistency
Style references (`--sref`) are one of the most powerful features added in V6. You can give Midjourney an image URL and tell it to apply that image’s visual style to your prompt—without describing it.
How to use `--sref`:
1. Upload an image you like to Discord or any public URL (like imgur).
2. Copy the image’s direct link.
3. Add `--sref [URL]` at the end of your prompt.
Example:
`/imagine prompt: a futuristic city skyline at sunset --sref https://i.imgur.com/abc123.jpg --ar 16:9`
This works well for mimicking specific artists, film stills, or textures. But be careful: if the reference image has a strong color cast, your output will inherit it. I once used a photo of a red desert landscape, and my “futuristic city” came out all rust-colored.
You can also chain multiple style references with `--sref [url1] [url2]` to blend looks.
---
Key Parameters You Should Know
Parameters are flags you add with double dashes. Here are the ones I use most often:
| Parameter | What It Does | Example | Notes |
| ----------- | -------------- | --------- | ------- |
| `--ar` | Aspect ratio (width:height) | `--ar 16:9` | Default is 1:1. For posters use 2:3, for wide landscapes use 16:9. |
| `--v` | Model version | `--v 6.1` | V6.1 is current. Older versions (V5, V4) give different results. |
| `--s` | Stylization (0 to 1000) | `--s 250` | Low values stick closer to prompt; high values make it more artistic. I default to 250. |
| `--cw` | Chaos (0 to 100) | `--cw 10` | Lower = more consistent across images in a batch. Higher = wilder variations. |
| `--iw` | Image weight (0.5 to 2) | `--iw 1.5` | Only works with image prompts. Higher = more influence from the starting image. |
| `--no` | Negative prompt | `--no trees, water` | Exclude things you don’t want. Works better than typing “no trees” in the prompt. |
| `--weird` | Weirdness (0 to 3000) | `--weird 500` | Adds surreal, unexpected elements. Above 1500 gets chaotic. |
Pro tip: Don’t pile on too many parameters at once. Start with just `--ar` and `--v`. Add stylization or chaos once you’re comfortable.
---
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
1. Overloading the prompt. Midjourney can only process about 60 words effectively. More words dilute focus.
- Bad: `a photo of a beautiful young woman with blonde hair wearing a red dress standing next to a white car in a parking lot with palm trees in the background during sunset with soft lighting and a vintage filter`
- Good: `young woman, blonde, red dress, vintage car, parking lot at sunset, soft light, retro film look`
2. Ignoring aspect ratio. Default 1:1 works for icons, but not for banners or print. Always set `--ar` if you know the final use.
3. Using vague style terms. “Beautiful” or “high quality” does almost nothing. Instead say “photorealistic,” “watercolor,” “isometric 3D render.”
4. Forgetting `--no`. If you keep getting unwanted objects (like trees or people), add `--no trees, people`.
5. Not upscaling. After generation, you get four thumbnails. Click U1–U4 to upscale one, or V1–V4 to make variations. Don’t just screenshot the low-res version.
---
Advanced Techniques: Remix, Blend, and Pan
Once you’re comfortable, try these:
- Remix mode: Turn it on in `/settings`. Then after generating, click Vary (Region) to edit a specific part of the image. Great for fixing a weird hand or changing an object.
- Blend: Use `/blend` instead of `/imagine` to merge two images. You can weight them (e.g., 60% image A, 40% image B).
- Pan: After upscaling, click the directional arrows (← → ↑ ↓) to extend the image in that direction. Useful for creating wide panoramas.
- Seed: Add `--seed [number]` to reproduce a similar composition. You can find the seed of any image by reacting with the envelope emoji.
---
FAQ
Q: Do I need a paid subscription to use Midjourney?
Yes. There is no free tier. The cheapest plan is $10/month for about 200 generations. The $30/month plan gives unlimited fast generations and Stealth mode (private images). As of 2025, you get 15 free trial generations, but that may change.
Q: Can I use Midjourney for commercial projects?
Yes, if you have a paid subscription. Under the current Terms of Service, you own the images you generate and can sell them. But you cannot use Midjourney to create a competing service. Always check the latest Terms—they update occasionally.
Q: Why do my images have weird hands or faces?
Midjourney V6 handles hands much better than V5, but it still struggles with fingers (especially overlapping fingers or complex poses). To reduce weird hands, avoid prompts that require precise hand gestures (like “counting on fingers”) and try adding “--no deformed hands” or upscaling with Vary (Subtle). For faces, use the `--style raw` parameter to minimize Midjourney’s default smoothing.