Guide, Examples, and References

A Van Gogh-style sunset over the ocean or a flying city on the back of a giant turtle—MidJourney can illustrate anything you desire and more. At Friflex, we use this AI for practical purposes: it assists us with graphic design, banner references, image stylization, and other routine tasks.

Getting Started

To start working with MidJourney, you need to gain access to it.

1. Register and verify your account on Discord. The AI operates through a bot in this messenger.

2. Choose a plan. The basic plan costs $10 per month, the standard plan $30, the “Pro” plan $60, and the “Mega” plan $120. You can find all the details about the plans on the MidJourney website.

3. Connect to the MidJourney server on Discord. A chat with the bot will appear in your private messages. You can also create your own server and add the bot to it.

4. Go to your private messages and start entering commands.

Key Commands to Know in MidJourney

1. /imagine — sends a request to generate an image.

2. /settings — opens the settings window.

3. /blend — combines several images from your computer.

4. /describe — describes the generated image.

How to Generate an Image

1. Enter /imagine.

2. In the prompt line, write the description of the image in English. MidJourney understands other languages less effectively.

3. The bot responds with four images.

4. Under the collage, you’ll see buttons U1, U2, U3, U4 in the top row. Choose the most successful image, and the AI will enhance its resolution.

5. Under the collage, you’ll see buttons V1, V2, V3, V4 in the bottom row. If you’re curious about what else the AI can draw in the same style, select one of the images. MidJourney will generate four more variations of it.

6. Click the image you like, open it in full size in your browser, and save it.

How to Generate an Image

Create backgrounds and graphic elements for interfaces. The AI can generate a series of illustrations in one style. All you need to do is formulate the request correctly. You can specify the style name, colors, mention an artist's name, or add a reference.

Best styles: Vector illustration, Flat illustration, Abstract art, and 3D. If you want the image to be minimalistic, try adding the word "minimalism" in the description.

Example: To create graphics for the idChess app interface, we entered the prompt: "3D cubes minimal clean monochrome."

Find styles and inspiration in libraries like Midlibrary.

Generate images for social media and landing pages. You might have seen Friflex’s retro-futurism style images on social media. We often create them with MidJourney. The AI allows you to upload references, which is very convenient.

Example: We uploaded a picture of a cat in a box and wrote: "happy ginger cat curled up in a cardboard box, top view, top-down full body shot, photo-realistic, white background."

Other prompts: "retro computer with balloons," "1970s retro futuristic laptop and a cute robot near, top view," "a woman sitting near a retro computer, scene from 1986 science fiction ET, Steven Spielberg film style, 35mm color, retro futurism style."

Create collages. Writing a text prompt to create a collage in MidJourney can take a long time to find the right one. Instead, compile images on a white background and send them as a reference. Additionally, describe what you want, and the AI will offer different collage options. Set the image proportions with the --ar function.

Create prints. MidJourney offers endless pattern options. The --tile function creates images that can be used as repeating tiles for seamless patterns. Using references helps achieve precise results.

Experiment with graphic design. The AI helps create posters, postcards, book covers, and other print materials.

Create web design concepts. While the AI doesn’t generate logical UI perfectly yet, it creates excellent references, determines styles, and helps with case examples.

Generate logos and corporate identity. The AI quickly creates logo and corporate identity concepts. Show them to the client to understand their preferences. Once they choose, you only need to draw the elements in a photo editor and compile the brand book. Convert the image to a vector using another AI like Vectorizer.AI.

Draw mascots. The AI can generate references, suggest compositions, pose characters, and provide overall illustration solutions in minutes.

Find mockups. The AI helps find mockups in the angle or color you need.

Handling Artifacts

Artifacts are distortions, defects, or noise in images. They sometimes appear in MidJourney and other generative AIs. For example, we asked MidJourney to create an image of pet food, and unexpectedly, a cat appeared from the bowl.

To remove artifacts, use the Vary (Region) button. It activates the inpainting function, allowing you to select a part of the image, describe the changes, and edit it.

MidJourney is a fantastic design tool, but it’s not a magic wand that does everything for you. Formulating the right request and achieving a successful result takes some effort. Happy designing!