Have you ever come across a mesmerizing image online and pondered how it was crafted? In the past, it was natural to assume it was the handiwork of a skilled artist or a tech-savvy individual adept at using Photoshop, correct?
However, in the past year, there's been a significant shift, all thanks to the emergence of artificial intelligence and platforms like Midjourney. It might surprise you to know that you too can unleash your inner artist and produce breathtaking visuals. Whether you have a penchant for art, require eye-catching thumbnails, or aim to prototype a product – all of this is achievable with Midjourney.
What is Midjourney?
Midjourney AI represents a novel AI image generator designed to produce images based on textual prompts. Leveraging a machine learning algorithm, it interprets the provided text prompt and generates entirely new visuals. Essentially, with this cutting-edge suite of AI tools and software, honing extensive artistic skills is no longer a prerequisite. Instead, one must possess the ability to vividly describe their envisioned creation in order to generate images. The AI then sifts through its vast resources to grasp the concepts you've presented, crafting AI-generated art and images, and occasionally producing pieces so remarkably similar to human-made art that it's bound to astound you.
Where Can You Generate Images?
Midjourney is presently accessible solely via a Discord bot on their official server. You can interact with the bot through direct messages or by inviting it to a third-party server.
During its initial launch, Midjourney was available for free through invitations or by requesting an invite. At that time, you could craft up to 25 captivating images without any cost.
However, starting from April 2023, the free trial option has been discontinued. To gain access, you'll need to subscribe to a plan, starting at $10 per month. The process for obtaining Midjourney remains unchanged. Here's how:
Visit Midjourney.com and select "Join Beta."
Complete the fields to create a free Discord account.
Alternatively, you can sign up directly on their Registration page: discord.com/register.
If you already have an account, click "Already have an account?" to log in.
Add the Midjourney server to your Discord account by clicking the "+" button on the left side of the Discord toolbar.
To begin generating images, subscribe to any of the paid plans. Enter /subscribe in the message field and press Enter.
How to Utilize Midjourney:
In Discord, head to the message field and type /imagine, followed by a space. This will prompt the text field to appear. Here, you can articulate the image you have in mind, whether it's a single word or a few sentences. Need some inspiration?
"Moonlit symphony under an alien sky."
"The final murmur of an ancient forest."
"In the marketplace of shadows, where memories serve as currency."
"Clockwork creatures hosting a carnival at daybreak."
"A city resting on the shoulders of a slumbering giant."
"The library where stars become books and galaxies tell tales."
"Reflections in a mirror maze from parallel dimensions."
"An underwater ballroom with jellyfish as the chandeliers."
"The convergence of forgotten deities in a modern coffee shop."
"A train station where the tracks lead to different epochs of time."
In under a minute, Midjourney will present you with four distinct images. To locate them, you may need to scroll either up or down to locate your username, particularly if you're in a server with a large membership. For a quicker search, click on the Inbox icon located in the upper right corner of the page and navigate to Mentions.
Once you've spotted your images, you'll observe eight buttons below them - U1, U2, U3, U4, V1, V2, V3, and V4. Additionally, you'll find a Re-roll button that, when clicked, will refresh your prompt and generate four new images.
The letter 'U' signifies Upscale, indicating the creation of a larger version with enhanced quality details. Conversely, the letter 'V' denotes Variations, instructing Midjourney to generate different versions of a specific image.
The numbers 1 through 4 correspond to the image sequence, ranging from top left to top right (1-2), and from bottom left to bottom right (3-4). Additionally, there's a re-roll button that will refresh the prompt, yielding four entirely distinct images.
To Achieve Desired Results, Fine-Tune the Images
By default, Midjourney crafts images with a square aspect ratio of 1:1, featuring a resolution of 1024 x 1024 pixels. Should you wish to alter your image to a rectangular shape, you can adjust its aspect ratio using the –aspect parameter. Remember, the aspect ratio should always be expressed in whole numbers (e.g., 142:1, not 1.42:1).
Midjourney also offers an Image Prompts feature, enabling you to incorporate an image into your prompt via a direct link. If you're uploading images from your device, simply send them to the Midjourney Bot, and it will automatically generate a link.
Assessment of Midjourney
As of 2023, Midjourney stands as the premier AI image generator with an impressive user base exceeding 15 million. Renowned for its ability to produce photorealistic images and offer robust customization options, it empowers individuals, including those with limited experience, to craft exceptional artwork. Although particularly beneficial for artists, bloggers, and entrepreneurs, it finds itself entangled in copyright legal disputes.