How to Use Midjourney: A Complete Beginner Guide

How to Use Midjourney: Complete Beginner Guide

Midjourney is the most popular AI art generator, known for creating stunning, artistic images. This guide will take you from zero to creating amazing AI art.

Getting Started

Step 1: Join Discord

Midjourney operates through Discord. If you don't have a Discord account, create one at discord.com.

Step 2: Join Midjourney Server

Go to midjourney.com and click "Join the Beta" to join the Midjourney Discord server.

Step 3: Subscribe

Midjourney no longer offers free trials. You'll need to subscribe starting at $10/month.

Your First Image

Basic Command

Type this in any bot channel:

/imagine prompt: a beautiful sunset over mountains

The AI will generate 4 variations. Use the buttons below to:

U1-U4: Upscale that image

V1-V4: Create variations of that image

🔄: Regenerate all 4

Prompting Tips

Be Descriptive

Bad: "a cat" Good: "a fluffy orange tabby cat sleeping on a velvet cushion, soft lighting, detailed fur"

Add Style Keywords

"cinematic lighting"

"oil painting style"

"photorealistic"

"watercolor"

"anime style"

Use Aspect Ratios

Add --ar 16:9 for widescreen or --ar 9:16 for vertical images.

Quality Settings

--q 0.5: Faster, less detailed

--q 1: Default quality

--q 2: Highest quality (slower)

Advanced Techniques

Remix Mode

Enable remix mode to modify your prompt when creating variations.

Image Prompts

Upload an image URL before your text prompt to use it as reference.

Multi-Prompts

Use :: to separate concepts: hot:: dog = a hot dog (food) hot ::dog = a dog that's hot

Best Practices

1. Start simple, then add details 2. Study other users' prompts 3. Iterate on successful images 4. Save prompts that work well

Conclusion

Midjourney has a learning curve, but the results are worth it. Start with simple prompts, experiment with different styles, and don't be afraid to iterate.

Happy creating!