How to Use Midjourney: Beginner's Guide to AI Art (2025)

Midjourney creates some of the most stunning AI-generated art available today. This guide will take you from complete beginner to creating impressive images.

What is Midjourney?

Midjourney is an AI art generator that creates images from text descriptions (prompts). It's known for:

• Highly artistic, stylized outputs
• Excellent at fantasy, sci-fi, and concept art
• Strong understanding of artistic styles
• Active creative community

Getting Started: Setup

Step 1: Join Discord

Midjourney runs through Discord (a chat platform):

1. Go to discord.com
2. Create a free account
3. Download the app or use the web version

Step 2: Join Midjourney

1. Visit midjourney.com
2. Click "Join the Beta"
3. Accept the Discord server invite

Step 3: Subscribe

Midjourney requires a paid subscription:

• Basic ($10/month): ~200 images/month
• Standard ($30/month): 15 hours of fast generation
• Pro ($60/month): 30 hours of fast generation

Creating Your First Image

Basic Command

In any Midjourney channel or DM with the bot, type:

/imagine prompt: a cozy coffee shop in Tokyo during cherry blossom season

What Happens Next

1. Midjourney generates 4 image variations
2. Wait 30-60 seconds
3. You'll see a grid of 4 images

Image Options

Below your images, you'll see buttons:

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

Writing Better Prompts

The Basic Formula

[Subject] + [Style] + [Details] + [Mood/Lighting]

Example Prompts

Portrait:

portrait of an elderly wizard with a long silver beard, dramatic lighting, oil painting style, detailed wrinkles, wise expression

Landscape:

misty mountain valley at sunrise, ancient pine trees, ray of golden light, Studio Ghibli style, peaceful atmosphere

Product:

sleek wireless headphones on marble surface, product photography, soft studio lighting, minimalist, white background

Useful Parameters

Add these to the end of your prompt:

Aspect Ratio

• --ar 16:9 (widescreen)
• --ar 9:16 (vertical/phone)
• --ar 1:1 (square, default)
• --ar 3:2 (standard photo)

Style and Quality

• --stylize 100 (lower = more literal)
• --stylize 1000 (higher = more artistic)
• --quality 2 (more detail, uses more time)

Other Useful Parameters

• --no [thing] (exclude something)
• --seed [number] (reproduce similar results)
• --chaos 50 (more varied results)

Style Keywords That Work Well

Art Styles

• "oil painting", "watercolor", "digital art"
• "pencil sketch", "3D render", "anime style"

Photography Styles

• "portrait photography", "macro photography"
• "cinematic", "product photography"

Lighting

• "golden hour", "dramatic lighting"
• "soft diffused light", "neon lights"

Pro Tips

1. Be Specific About What You Want

Bad: "A cat" Good: "A fluffy orange tabby cat sleeping on a velvet cushion, warm sunlight, cozy home interior, photorealistic"

2. Iterate and Refine

• Generate initial concepts
• Use V buttons for variations you like
• Add/remove details
• Try different styles

3. Study the Community

Browse midjourney.com/showcase to see what prompts create great images.

Commercial Use

• Paid plans: You can use images commercially
• Check terms: Some restrictions on certain content

The Bottom Line

Midjourney is powerful but takes practice. Start with simple prompts, experiment with parameters, and learn from the community. You'll be creating amazing images in no time.

Learn More AI Art Techniques →