demobook

Midjourney: Image Prompt vs. Style Reference

Demo summary

A comparison of how Midjourney treats an image as a standard image prompt (pulling pixels/subject) versus a style reference (pulling aesthetic/vibe).

Step-by-step

  1. Drag an image into the Midjourney interface
  2. Leave the image as a standard image prompt to pull subject matter and pixels
  3. Adjust the image weight to increase the importance of the image relative to the text prompt
  4. Click the paperclip icon to switch the image from an image prompt to a style reference
  5. Click Use to pull the previous prompt back into the input field

Options

  • Switch between image prompt and style reference modes
  • Adjust style weight when using style references
  • Increase image weight to pull in more specific elements like colors or shapes

Watch out for

  • High image weights can cause 'wonky' results where the subject of the image prompt conflicts with the text prompt (e.g., a hand-giraffe hybrid)
  • By default, dragged-in images are treated as image prompts rather than style references

Tips

  • Use image prompts when you want to pull in specific subjects, colors, or shapes like rainbows and text
  • Use style references when you want the aesthetic or vibe rather than the actual pixels or subject matter
  • Be aware that image prompts will try to pull in the actual 'subject' of the source image

Highlights

there's a huge difference when click that little paper clip so this is this is very important

All demos from “The ULTIMATE guide to Midjourney (AI Design Tutorial)

  1. 6:332:28Navigating the Midjourney Web App and Explore TabNick demonstrates how to use the Midjourney web interface instead of Discord, showing how to use the Explore tab to find inspiration and use existing images as style references.MidjourneyAI Image Generator
  2. 13:503:13Using Style References in MidjourneyThe demonstrator uploads vintage posters and applies them as style references (using the paperclip icon) to influence the aesthetic of a simple 'giraffe' prompt.MidjourneyAI Style Transfer
  3. 17:032:29Adjusting Style Weight and Aspect RatioNick shows how to use the '--sw' (style weight) parameter to increase the influence of a reference image and the '--ar' parameter to change the output to a poster aspect ratio.MidjourneyAI Image Generator
  4. 19:572:44Image Prompt vs. Style ReferenceCurrentA comparison of how Midjourney treats an image as a standard image prompt (pulling pixels/subject) versus a style reference (pulling aesthetic/vibe).MidjourneyAI Image Generator
  5. 25:291:45Using the Midjourney Editor to Remove ElementsNick uses the Midjourney web editor's brush tool to mask out unwanted text from a generated image and uses the '--no' parameter to refine the result.MidjourneyAI Object Remover/Eraser
  6. 29:344:04Fine-tuning with Midjourney PersonalizationThe video demonstrates the 'Personalize' feature where rating images creates a unique aesthetic code that can be applied to prompts to move away from the 'default AI look'.MidjourneyAI Image Generator
  7. 37:222:36Prompting with SREF CodesNick demonstrates using specific '--sref' numeric codes to apply consistent, curated styles to new prompts without needing to upload a source image.MidjourneyAI Style Transfer
  8. 39:585:12Blending Multiple Style ReferencesA demonstration of blending two different SREF codes using weighted double colons (e.g., ::2) to mix aesthetics like 'paper cutout' and 'glazed ceramic'.MidjourneyAI Image Combiner
  9. 50:462:24Mocking up Art in a Gallery with the EditorUsing the Midjourney Editor's outpainting/expand feature to place a previously generated giraffe illustration into a framed mockup on a gallery wall.MidjourneyAI Outpainting
  10. Watch “The ULTIMATE guide to Midjourney (AI Design Tutorial)” →

AI Image Generator

  1. 2:121:03Style scouting and mood boarding in MidjourneyThe narrator demonstrates how to use the Midjourney explore page to sort by styles, use the search bar for specific keywords like 'mob boss desk', and use the magnifying glass tool to narrow down stylistic ranges for a mood board.Futurepedia
  2. 3:171:00Generate character concepts in MidjourneyThe narrator demonstrates how to use Midjourney's prompt box and settings, including the repeater code and turbo mode, to generate multiple iterations of a 2D anime squirrel character.Curious Refuge
  3. 9:291:11Applying camera and lens metadata to AI promptsThe creator demonstrates how adding specific technical keywords like 'Panovision Millennium DXL2' and '14mm lens' to the prompt changes the visual output and framing in the AI generator.Theoretically Media
  4. 0:341:40Navigating the Midjourney Alpha Sidebar and SettingsThe creator demonstrates the new sidebar interface on alpha.midjourney.com, showing how to toggle models, adjust HD mode, and use the image upload tab for style references.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  5. 2:380:48Testing Negative Prompting in Midjourney V8 Conversational ModeThe user demonstrates how Midjourney V8 handles complex negative instructions like 'don't include dogs' by switching between standard, raw, and conversational modes.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  6. 4:451:05Comparing Detail Coherence: Midjourney V7 vs V8A side-by-side comparison of V7 and V8 generating a portrait with specific details like different colored eyes and a red mole to test model intelligence.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  7. 6:371:14Text Rendering and Paragraph Generation in V8The creator demonstrates Midjourney V8's ability to render specific text on a forehead and a full paragraph of handwritten notes compared to V7's gibberish.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  8. 9:291:08Real-time Render Speed ComparisonA live demonstration of the rendering speed difference between Midjourney V7 and V8, showing V8 completing a grid significantly faster.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  9. 11:070:30Generating 2K Resolution Images with HD ModeThe user shows how to enable HD mode to generate 2048x2048 resolution images directly in Midjourney V8.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  10. 15:512:22Adjusting Stylize, Weird, and Chaos ParametersThe creator demonstrates how varying the --stylize, --weird, and --chaos parameters affects the aesthetic output and variety of Midjourney V8 grids.Wade McMaster - Creator Impact
  11. 4:140:57Character Consistency and Editing in MidjourneyThe creator shows how to use the character reference icon and the '--cw' parameter in Midjourney, followed by using the editor's 'vary region' tool to fix specific facial details.Futurepedia
  12. 1:010:23Generate character images in MidjourneyThe user shows how to paste prompts into the image generator (referred to as Medeo), set the aspect ratio to 9:16, and generate character variations.Boss Media Tech