Midjourney Tutorial: From Beginner to Pro

After creating thousands of images with Midjourney over the past two years, I've learned what works, what doesn't, and how to get consistently great results. This tutorial covers everything from your first prompt to advanced techniques professionals use.

Getting Started with Midjourney

Step 1: Setting Up

Midjourney runs through Discord. Here's how to get started:

1. Join the Midjourney Discord server at discord.gg/midjourney
2. Subscribe to a plan (Basic $10/month gives you ~200 images)
3. Go to any #newbies channel or create your own server
4. Type /imagine followed by your prompt

Step 2: Your First Prompt

Start simple. Type: /imagine a golden retriever in a flower field

Midjourney will generate 4 image variations. You can:

• U1-U4: Upscale that image to higher resolution
• V1-V4: Create variations of that image
• 🔄: Regenerate all four with the same prompt

The Anatomy of a Great Prompt

Effective Midjourney prompts typically follow this structure:

Example:

Essential Parameters

Parameters control technical aspects of generation:

Aspect Ratio (--ar)

• --ar 1:1 Square (default)
• --ar 16:9 Widescreen/landscape
• --ar 9:16 Vertical/mobile
• --ar 2:3 Portrait photography
• --ar 3:2 Classic landscape photography

Stylize (--s)

Controls how "artistic" Midjourney interprets your prompt:

• --s 0 Very literal interpretation
• --s 100 Default balance
• --s 250-1000 More artistic, Midjourney's style shines through

Chaos (--c)

Controls variation between the 4 generated images:

• --c 0 All images very similar
• --c 50 Moderate variation
• --c 100 Wild variation (good for exploration)

Style Keywords That Work

Some keywords consistently produce great results:

Photography Styles

• professional photography - Clean, commercial look
• editorial photography - Magazine-worthy shots
• documentary photography - Authentic, candid feel
• portrait photography - Focus on subject's face/character
• product photography - Clean backgrounds, studio lighting

Art Styles

• concept art - Movie/game industry style
• digital painting - Painterly digital art
• oil painting - Classical texture and feel
• watercolor - Soft, flowing effects
• anime - Japanese animation style

Lighting Keywords

• golden hour - Warm sunset/sunrise light
• studio lighting - Professional, controlled
• dramatic lighting - High contrast, moody
• soft diffused light - Gentle, flattering
• backlit - Light from behind subject

Advanced Techniques

Image Prompts

You can use existing images as references. Upload an image to Discord, copy its URL, then:

Blending Images

Combine two images:

Negative Prompts

Exclude unwanted elements:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overly complex prompts: Start simple, add complexity gradually
• Conflicting instructions: "Bright sunny day, dark moody atmosphere"
• Too many subjects: Midjourney handles 1-2 subjects better than crowds
• Ignoring aspect ratio: Match aspect ratio to content type
• Not iterating: Use variations (V buttons) to refine results

Practical Prompt Templates

Portrait:

Landscape:

Product:

Conclusion

Midjourney is powerful, but mastery comes from practice. Start with simple prompts, learn what each component does, and iterate constantly. The best images usually come from refining a concept through multiple generations, not from a perfect first prompt.