What is a Prompt?

Creating an image with Midjourney starts with a “prompt.” A prompt is simply the text or phrase you use to tell Midjourney what kind of image you want.

Your prompt could be just one word or a complete phrase. The more thought you put into your prompt, the more unique and interesting your image can be. So, take a moment to think about what you want to see, and use your words to guide Midjourney’s creative process.

Prompting Tips & Tricks

Short and simple prompts typically generate the best images with Midjourney. Use phrases that clearly describe what you want to see. Think of it like giving a quick snapshot of your idea. Avoid making long lists or detailed instructions; these can confuse the process.

Example: Less Is More

❌ TOO COMPLEX

“Show me a picture of lots of blooming California poppies, make them bright, vibrant orange, and draw them in an illustrated style with colored pencils”

✓ BETTER

“Colored pencil illustration of bright orange California poppies”

Choose the Right Words

The words you pick matter! Try using specific synonyms. For example, instead of “big,” consider “huge,” “gigantic,” or “enormous.” Being precise can help get better results.

WORD CHOICE EXAMPLES

Instead of “big” → Try “huge,” “gigantic,” “enormous,” “massive,” “towering”

Instead of “small” → Try “tiny,” “miniature,” “petite,” “delicate”

Instead of “old” → Try “ancient,” “vintage,” “weathered,” “timeworn”

Instead of “pretty” → Try “stunning,” “ethereal,” “radiant,” “captivating”

Be Specific with Numbers

Plural words like “cats” can be vague. Instead, use specific numbers like “three cats.” Or go for collective nouns like “flock of birds” instead of just “birds.”

SPECIFICITY EXAMPLES

Instead of “cats” → Try “three cats” or “a pair of cats”

Instead of “birds” → Try “flock of birds” or “five sparrows”

Instead of “trees” → Try “a grove of oak trees” or “two towering pines”

Focus on What You Want

Describe what you do want instead of what you don’t. If you mention a party with “no cake,” a cake might still appear. For excluding items, read about the –no parameter.

❌ AVOID

“A birthday party with no cake” (cake might still appear!)

✓ BETTER

“A birthday party with balloons, streamers, and presents”

💡 TIP

To exclude specific elements, use the –no parameter at the end of your prompt:
“A birthday party –no cake”

Prompt Length and Details

Your prompts can be simple—even a single word or emoji works. Short prompts let Midjourney’s default style fill in the gaps. But if specific elements are important to you, be sure to include them. Fewer details mean more variety, but you get less control over the outcome.

Be clear about details that matter to you. Here are some areas to consider:

Element Question to Ask Examples
Subject Who or what? Person, animal, character, location, object
Medium In what form? Photo, painting, illustration, sculpture, doodle, tapestry
Environment Where? Indoors, outdoors, on the moon, underwater, in the city
Lighting What kind? Soft, ambient, overcast, neon, studio lights
Color In what shades? Vibrant, muted, bright, monochromatic, colorful, black and white, pastel
Mood Feelings to evoke? Playful, calm, gloomy, energetic
Composition How is it framed? Portrait, headshot, closeup, birds-eye view

EXAMPLE PROMPT USING MULTIPLE ELEMENTS

“Portrait of an elderly woman, oil painting style, soft ambient lighting, muted earth tones, calm and contemplative mood, closeup composition”

Subject: elderly woman | Medium: oil painting | Lighting: soft ambient | Color: muted earth tones | Mood: calm, contemplative | Composition: portrait, closeup

Advanced Prompts

Once you’re comfortable with basic prompts, start exploring more advanced options! Add one or more Image Prompts, use multiple text phrases, and apply tools called parameters. These give you the ability to create more complex or specific images. Experiment by mixing different elements to boost your creativity!

Advanced Feature What It Does
Text Prompt The text description of what you want to see. Well-written prompts help generate amazing images!
Image Prompts Adding images to your prompt influences the style and content of your new creations. You can use Image Prompts, Style References, and Character References.
Parameters Tools that let you customize how an image is generated. They can adjust things like aspect ratios to tailor your image to your liking. Parameters get added to the end of your prompt.

Common Parameters

PARAMETER EXAMPLES

–ar (Aspect Ratio): Change the width-to-height ratio
Example: “Mountain landscape –ar 16:9” (widescreen)

–no (Negative Prompt): Exclude specific elements
Example: “Forest scene –no people”

–style: Apply specific aesthetic styles
Example: “Robot –style raw”

–chaos: Add more variation to results (0-100)
Example: “Abstract art –chaos 50”

–stylize or –s: Control artistic interpretation (0-1000)
Example: “City skyline –s 750”

Quick Reference: Prompt Building Checklist

  • ☐ Keep it simple – Start with a clear, concise description
  • ☐ Use specific words – Choose precise synonyms over generic terms
  • ☐ Include numbers – Specify quantities instead of using plurals
  • ☐ Focus on what you want – Describe desired elements, not what to avoid
  • ☐ Consider the medium – Photo? Painting? Illustration?
  • ☐ Set the mood – What feeling should the image evoke?
  • ☐ Define the lighting – Soft? Dramatic? Neon?
  • ☐ Choose your colors – Vibrant? Muted? Monochromatic?
  • ☐ Frame the composition – Closeup? Wide shot? Birds-eye view?
  • ☐ Add parameters as needed – Aspect ratio, exclusions, style

More Prompt Help

Midjourney has a vibrant community that loves problem-solving and helping others! If you need more help or tips, make sure to visit:

  • Prompt Craft channel on Discord
  • Prompt Craft Room on web