Midjourney Complete Guide 2025: From Beginner to Advanced

Introduction

Midjourney is currently the most popular AI image generation tool, capable of creating stunning artwork through simple text descriptions. This tutorial will help you master Midjourney from basics to advanced techniques.

What You'll Learn

• Complete Midjourney setup and getting started
• Mastering prompt writing techniques
• Understanding and using parameters
• Advanced tips and best practices
• Real-world creative applications

Prerequisites

• Discord account
• Basic English reading ability
• Stable internet connection
• Payment method (for paid plans)

Time Required

Complete tutorial: ~30 minutes Basic proficiency: 2-3 hours of practice

Getting Started

Step 1: Create Discord Account

Midjourney runs on Discord, so you'll need a Discord account first.

1. Visit discord.com
2. Click "Register" to create account
3. Verify email address
4. Download Discord client (or use web version)

Step 2: Join Midjourney

1. Visit midjourney.com
2. Click "Join the Beta"
3. Authorize Midjourney bot access to your Discord
4. You'll automatically join the Midjourney Discord server

Step 3: Choose Subscription Plan

Midjourney currently offers the following plans:

Recommendation: Start with Basic plan to test, upgrade to Standard for regular use.

Basic Usage

Your First Image

1. Find a Channel

   • In Midjourney Discord server, find any #newbies-xxx channel
   • Or create your own server and invite @Midjourney Bot

2. Enter Command

   /imagine prompt: a beautiful sunset over mountains

3. Wait for Generation

   • Takes about 1 minute
   • You'll see 4 image variations

4. Choose Operation

   • U1-U4: Upscale specific image (higher resolution)
   • V1-V4: Create variations of specific image
   • 🔄: Regenerate all 4 images

Understanding the Interface

U1  U2      V1  V2
U3  U4      V3  V4
    🔄

• U (Upscale): Increase selected image resolution
• V (Variation): Generate similar versions of selected image
• 🔄 (Reroll): Generate 4 completely new images

Prompt Writing Mastery

Basic Prompt Structure

[Subject] + [Style] + [Details] + [Parameters]

Example:

/imagine prompt: a cute cat, digital art style,
wearing sunglasses, cyberpunk city background --ar 16:9

Effective Prompt Techniques

1. Be Specific and Detailed

❌ Bad: "a house" ✅ Good: "a modern minimalist house, white walls, large windows, surrounded by pine trees, sunset lighting"

2. Use Style Keywords

Common style keywords:

• Art styles: oil painting, watercolor, digital art, 3D render
• Artists: "in the style of Van Gogh", "Pixar style"
• Photography: portrait, landscape, macro, aerial view
• Mood: dramatic, peaceful, energetic, mysterious

3. Add Quality Modifiers

• highly detailed
• 8k resolution
• professional photography
• cinematic lighting
• award-winning

4. Specify Camera and Lighting

• shot with Canon EOS R5
• 50mm lens
• natural lighting
• golden hour
• studio lighting

Advanced Prompt Examples

Realistic Portrait:

professional headshot of a businesswoman, natural smile,
office background, shot with Canon EOS R5, 85mm lens,
natural window light, 8k, highly detailed --ar 3:4

Fantasy Artwork:

epic dragon flying over ancient castle, fantasy art style,
dramatic storm clouds, lightning, cinematic composition,
highly detailed, by Greg Rutkowski --ar 16:9

Product Photography:

luxury watch on marble surface, professional product photography,
studio lighting, reflections, black background,
shot with Phase One camera, 8k, ultra sharp --ar 1:1

Essential Parameters

Aspect Ratio (--ar)

Controls image dimensions:

• --ar 1:1 - Square (default)
• --ar 16:9 - Widescreen
• --ar 9:16 - Vertical (mobile)
• --ar 3:2 - Standard photo
• --ar 4:5 - Portrait

Usage:

/imagine prompt: mountain landscape --ar 16:9

Quality (--q)

Controls generation quality/time:

• --q 0.25 - Fastest, lower quality
• --q 0.5 - Fast, good quality
• --q 1 - Default balance
• --q 2 - Best quality, slower (costs more)

Stylize (--s)

Controls artistic interpretation:

• --s 0 - Literal interpretation
• --s 100 - Default
• --s 250 - More artistic
• --s 750 - Very artistic (maximum)

Comparison:

Low stylize (--s 0):   More literal, realistic
High stylize (--s 750): More artistic, creative

Chaos (--c)

Controls variation between results:

• --c 0 - Default, similar results
• --c 100 - Maximum chaos, very different results

Other Useful Parameters

• --v 6 - Use specific Midjourney version
• --style raw - More photorealistic results
• --tile - Create seamless pattern
• --no - Exclude elements (e.g., --no people)

Advanced Techniques

1. Image Prompts

Use existing images as reference:

/imagine prompt: [image URL] a futuristic city --iw 1.5

• Upload image to Discord
• Right-click → Copy Link
• Paste link in prompt
• --iw controls image weight (0.5-2)

2. Multi-Prompts

Weight different parts of your prompt:

/imagine prompt: hot:: desert:: cold:: ice:: --ar 16:9

• :: separates concepts
• Add numbers for weight: hot::2 ice::1

3. Permutations

Generate multiple variations efficiently:

/imagine prompt: {red, blue, green} sports car --ar 16:9

Creates 3 images: red car, blue car, green car

4. Remix Mode

Enable with /settings → Remix Mode

• Allows editing prompt when creating variations
• Useful for iterative refinement

5. Pan and Zoom

After upscaling an image:

• ⬅️ ➡️ ⬆️ ⬇️ - Extend image in direction
• 🔍 - Zoom out (1.5x or 2x)

Workflow Best Practices

Iterative Refinement Process

1. Start Broad

   mountain landscape, sunset

2. Add Details

   snow-capped mountain landscape, dramatic sunset,
   alpine meadow in foreground

3. Refine Style

   snow-capped mountain landscape, dramatic sunset,
   alpine meadow in foreground, landscape photography,
   golden hour lighting --ar 16:9

4. Fine-tune

   majestic snow-capped mountain landscape, dramatic
   orange and pink sunset, wildflowers in alpine meadow,
   professional landscape photography, golden hour lighting,
   shot with Canon 5D Mark IV, 24mm lens, f/16,
   award-winning composition --ar 16:9 --v 6

Do's and Don'ts

✅ Do:

• Start simple, add complexity gradually
• Use specific, descriptive language
• Reference art styles and artists
• Experiment with parameters
• Save successful prompts

❌ Don't:

• Write overly long prompts (150 words max)
• Use contradictory terms
• Expect perfect results on first try
• Ignore the community guidelines
• Copy others' work without credit

Common Use Cases

1. Social Media Content

modern flat lay composition, coffee and laptop,
minimalist aesthetic, soft shadows, top-down view,
Instagram aesthetic --ar 1:1

2. Blog Header Images

abstract technology background, blue and purple gradient,
geometric shapes, modern design, wide banner format
--ar 16:9 --v 6

3. Logo Design

minimalist tech company logo, letter M, clean lines,
modern, simple, vector style, white background --ar 1:1

4. Character Design

fantasy RPG character, female elf warrior, detailed armor,
character sheet, multiple views (front, side, back),
concept art style --ar 16:9

5. Interior Design

modern minimalist living room, Scandinavian style,
natural light, wood floors, white walls, plants,
cozy atmosphere, architectural digest photography --ar 3:2

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Images Don't Match Prompt

Solution:

• Make prompt more specific
• Add style references
• Use negative prompts (--no)
• Increase --s value for more artistic freedom
• Try --style raw for more literal results

Issue 2: Low Quality Output

Solution:

• Use --q 2 for better quality
• Add quality keywords: "highly detailed", "8k"
• Upscale results with U buttons
• Try newer model versions (--v 6)

Issue 3: Inconsistent Characters

Solution:

• Use consistent seed: --seed [number]
• Reference previous image
• Describe character in detail
• Use character reference sheets

Issue 4: Slow Generation

Solution:

• Reduce quality: --q 0.5
• Use Relax mode (Standard+ plans)
• Generate during off-peak hours
• Consider upgrading plan

Tips for Success

Prompt Library

Build your own prompt collection:

Category: Portraits
- professional headshot, natural lighting...
- editorial fashion photography...
- character portrait, fantasy art...

Category: Landscapes
- aerial view, drone photography...
- golden hour mountain landscape...
- urban cityscape at night...

Learn from Community

• Join Midjourney Discord community
• Study prompts in #showcase channels
• Follow Midjourney artists on Twitter
• Save inspiring results

Experiment Constantly

• Try different parameter combinations
• Test various art styles
• Explore unusual combinations
• Learn from unexpected results

Advanced Resources

Useful Commands

• /settings - Adjust default settings
• /info - Check subscription and usage
• /describe - Reverse engineer prompts from images
• /blend - Merge 2-5 images

Community Resources

• Midlibrary: Prompt search database
• PromptHero: Prompt examples and inspiration
• Midjourney Showcase: Best community creations
• r/midjourney: Reddit community

Conclusion

Mastering Midjourney takes practice, but with these techniques you're well-equipped to create amazing AI art. Remember:

1. Start simple and iterate
2. Be specific in your descriptions
3. Experiment with parameters
4. Learn from the community
5. Practice regularly to improve

Next Steps

1. Practice basic prompts (30 minutes)
2. Experiment with parameters (1 hour)
3. Try advanced techniques (ongoing)
4. Join community discussions
5. Build your prompt library

Related Resources

• Best AI Image Generators 2025
• Midjourney vs DALL-E vs Stable Diffusion
• AI Art Copyright Guide

Tutorial Version: 2025 Edition Midjourney Version: V6 Last Updated: January 2025 Next Update: Quarterly or when major features released