The Ultimate Guide to Consistent Styles with Midjourney AI Prompting
March 5, 2024
In the dynamic world of digital art and design, harnessing the power of AI to create consistent and visually stunning artworks is a challenge many creatives face. With the advent of Midjourney AI, artists and designers have a revolutionary tool at their disposal. This blog post delves into the innovative features of Midjourney AI, focusing on how to utilise style references (sref), style weights (sw), and image weights (iw) to achieve a harmonious aesthetic across your AI-generated art. If you're navigating the realms of AI image prompting, this guide will help you master the art of creating consistent image styles with Midjourney AI.
Introduction to Midjourney AI's Style References
Midjourney AI introduces "Style References," a groundbreaking feature that enables users to direct the stylistic outcome of their AI-generated images. By integrating reference URLs within your prompts, you can guide Midjourney AI to replicate specific aesthetics, making it an essential tool for artists aiming for consistency in their projects. Compatible with the latest V6 and Niji V6 models, this feature opens up new horizons for creative expression, allowing for unprecedented customisation through style weighting and strength adjustments.
Before & after using style references & image references
How to Utilise Style References in Your Art
Implementing style references in Midjourney AI is straightforward yet profoundly impactful. Here's a step-by-step guide to harnessing this feature to its full potential:
Select Your Style Reference Images: Begin by choosing images that embody the style you wish to replicate. These could be artworks, photographs, or any visual content that captures your desired aesthetic.
Craft Your Prompt: Construct a detailed prompt describing the concept or scene you envision. Midjourney prompts should be descriptive and align with your art direction.
Incorporate the Style Reference: Append your prompt with the --sref tag followed by the URL(s) of your reference image(s). For example, if you're inspired by a specific interior design, your prompt might look like this:
an editorial image of a living room + style elements --sref https://yourreferenceimage.url
Adjust the Style Weight: Tailor the influence of your style reference using the --sw parameter. Setting --sw to a higher value strengthens the adherence to your reference style, while a lower value reduces its impact.
Advanced Techniques for Fine-Tuning Your Art
Blending Multiple Styles: Midjourney AI allows for the combination of styles from multiple sources. By listing several URLs with the --sref command and adjusting their relative weights, you can create a unique blend that meets your creative vision.
Controlling the Style Reference with Style Weight (SW): The --sw command is your tool for adjusting the overall impact of the style reference. The default setting is 100, but you can explore a range from 0 (no stylisation) to 1000 (maximum stylisation) to find the perfect balance for your artwork.
Maintaining Consistency with Image Weight (IW): To further ensure stylistic consistency, consider using the image weight (iw) parameter alongside your style references. This feature is particularly useful for projects where maintaining a consistent subject matter across multiple images is crucial.
Real-World Application: A Case Study
Here are a few images that I created within Midjourney AI. I have provided the prompt that I used and the starting images. But you can see how different the results are just by changing a few of the weight parameters.
Prompt: a moose walking through the widlerness of alaska, heavy snow fall, extreme wide shot, shot on canon eos mark iv, --c 20 --v 6.0 --s 1000 --ar 16:9
No Country For Old Men Still, Style Reference Image Used
Prompt: a moose walking through the widlerness of alaska, heavy snow fall, extreme wide shot, shot on canon eos mark iv, --c 20 --v 6.0 --s 1000 --ar 16:9 --sref (image link here) --sw 500
The Revenant Still, Image Prompt Used
Prompt: (image prompt link here) a moose walking through the widlerness of alaska, heavy snow fall, extreme wide shot, shot on canon eos mark iv, --c 20 --v 6.0 --s 1000 --ar 16:9 --sref (style reference image link here) --sw 1000 --iw 1.8
Prompt: (Image prompt link here) a moose walking through the widlerness of alaska, heavy snow fall, extreme wide shot, shot on canon eos mark iv, --c 20 --v 6.0 --s 1000 --ar 16:9 --sref (style reference image link here) --sw 1000 --iw 0.8
Prompt: (Image prompt link here) a moose walking through the widlerness of alaska, heavy snow fall, extreme wide shot, shot on canon eos mark iv, --c 20 --v 6.0 --s 1000 --ar 16:9 --sref (style reference image link here) --sw 1000 --iw 3.0
Frank Frazetta Painting, Used For Image Reference No.2
Prompt: (image prompt link here) a moose walking through the widlerness of alaska, heavy snow fall, extreme wide shot, shot on canon eos mark iv, --c 20 --v 6.0 --s 1000 --ar 16:9 --sref (style reference image link 1) ::1 (style reference image link 2) ::4 --sw 1000
Conclusion
Midjourney AI's style references feature represents a significant leap forward in the field of AI-assisted art creation. By empowering users with the tools to dictate the stylistic direction of their artworks, Midjourney AI opens up new possibilities for creative exploration. Whether you're an experienced artist or new to AI image prompting, mastering the use of style references, style weights, and image weights will enhance the consistency and impact of your digital creations. As the technology evolves, we eagerly anticipate the innovative ways creatives will leverage Midjourney AI to push the boundaries of artistic expression.
