Midjourneys Style Reference HACK!

inbetweenstops
7 Feb 202416:59

TLDRIn this video, the creator explores the new 'Style Reference' feature released by Mid Journey, a tool that extracts style from uploaded images to create consistent and personalized artwork. The tutorial demonstrates how to use the feature in Discord with the Mid Journey bot, showcasing impressive results like a cheeseburger sketch and a detailed forest scene. The creator also shares a technique to enhance old prompts by using style references from previous versions of Mid Journey, achieving modern, detailed images with a vintage vibe. The video encourages viewers to experiment with their own art and old renders, highlighting the potential for unique creations by combining multiple style references.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ˜€ Midjourney has released a new feature called 'style reference' which extracts style from uploaded images for consistency in creative workflows.
  • ๐Ÿ–Œ๏ธ The style reference feature allows users to study and replicate the style of various artists, such as Blind Dekker Illustrator, in their own work.
  • ๐Ÿ“š It enables artists to manage consistency within their workflow by using their own sketchbook styles or other references.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ The process involves uploading an image to Discord, using the Midjourney bot, and then generating images in that specific style.
  • ๐ŸŽจ The feature is particularly useful for capturing the essence of hand-drawn sketches and transferring that style to new subjects.
  • ๐Ÿ” It can recreate details such as cross-hatching and the loose feel of sketches, even in complex subjects like a cheeseburger or a forest.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Artists can use their old prompts and combine them with the style reference feature to achieve results that were previously difficult to obtain.
  • ๐ŸŒŸ The feature can enhance older images, giving them a modern touch while retaining their original vibe.
  • ๐ŸŽญ It's possible to create a unique artistic style by combining multiple images and references, expanding creative possibilities.
  • ๐Ÿ’ป The video transcript demonstrates practical use cases of the style reference feature, showing its potential in transforming various subjects.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐ŸŽจ The feature encourages artists to experiment with their old artwork and prompts, breathing new life into their creative process.

Q & A

  • What is the main feature of the Midjourney Style Reference?

    -The main feature of the Midjourney Style Reference is its ability to extract style from images that users upload or reference, allowing for quick and consistent style application in their work.

  • How does the Midjourney Style Reference help with consistency in a workflow?

    -The Midjourney Style Reference helps with consistency by allowing users to apply a specific style across multiple images, ensuring a uniform look and feel in their projects.

  • What is the process of using the Midjourney Style Reference in Discord?

    -To use the Midjourney Style Reference in Discord, one must upload an image to the server, type in the command 'full', then use the '--brief' command followed by dragging the image link into the chat, set an aspect ratio, and hit enter to generate styled images.

  • How does the Midjourney Style Reference capture the style elements from the user's sketch?

    -The Midjourney Style Reference captures style elements such as cross-hatching, looseness, and line work from the user's sketch and applies these elements to generate new images in a similar style.

  • What is the benefit of using old prompts with the Midjourney Style Reference?

    -Using old prompts with the Midjourney Style Reference allows users to recreate the vibe of their favorite older images while taking advantage of the improved rendering skills of the current version of Midjourney.

  • How can the Midjourney Style Reference be used to enhance old renders?

    -The Midjourney Style Reference can be used to enhance old renders by using them as style references, which allows users to combine the original prompt with the style reference to achieve desired results with the current, more advanced rendering capabilities.

  • What is the significance of using personal sketchbooks with the Midjourney Style Reference?

    -Using personal sketchbooks with the Midjourney Style Reference allows artists to create unique styles based on their own sketching, which can then be applied to various subjects through the platform, personalizing the output.

  • How does the Midjourney Style Reference help in managing the fear of being replaced by AI?

    -The Midjourney Style Reference helps manage this fear by encouraging artists to engage with the tool as a creative partner, fostering a sense of collaboration rather than replacement, and by discussing these concerns with a community of artists on Discord.

  • What are some of the subjects that the Midjourney Style Reference can generate images of?

    -The Midjourney Style Reference can generate images of various subjects such as cheeseburgers, forests, houses, motorcycles, octopuses, skulls, trees, and women, all in the style of the referenced sketch.

  • How can the Midjourney Style Reference be used to create artwork that reflects on climate change?

    -The Midjourney Style Reference can be used to create artwork that reflects on climate change by using style references that capture the essence of environmental issues, such as flooded towns or the effects of storms, to generate images that visually communicate the climate crisis.

  • What is the potential of combining multiple style references in the Midjourney Style Reference?

    -Combining multiple style references in the Midjourney Style Reference allows for the creation of new and unique styles, offering artists a broader range of creative possibilities and enabling them to experiment with different combinations to achieve their desired artistic outcomes.

Outlines

00:00

๐ŸŽจ Introducing Mid Journey's Style Reference Feature

The speaker introduces a new feature from Mid Journey called 'style reference,' which extracts style from uploaded images to create consistent and stylized outputs. They express excitement about the feature's ability to quickly capture a user's artistic style and maintain consistency within a workflow. The explanation includes a demonstration of how to use the feature on the Mid Journey bot in Discord, starting with uploading an image and then using a command to generate styled images based on the uploaded reference. The results are showcased, showing how the feature captures specific artistic elements like cross-hatching and loose feel from the original sketch.

05:03

๐Ÿ”„ Reviving Old Prompts with Style Reference

The speaker discusses using the style reference feature to enhance older prompts that no longer produce satisfactory results with the current version of Mid Journey. They describe a process where older images with a desirable 'vibe' are used as style references to combine with old prompts, resulting in images that retain the original charm but with the detail and cleanliness of the newer Mid Journey engine. Examples are given, including a version three render that is reimagined with the style reference to achieve a consistent and detailed outcome that was previously unattainable.

10:03

๐ŸŒŠ Exploring Climate Change Through Art

The speaker shares their exploration of climate change through art, using Mid Journey's style reference feature to create images that convey the effects of climate change, particularly in coastal areas like Cape Cod. They compare an older image with a newer one generated using the same prompt but enhanced with the style reference feature, resulting in a more detailed and realistic depiction of a flooded town. The speaker also discusses the improvements in Mid Journey's rendering capabilities, such as better adherence to perspective and architecture, and how these enhancements have allowed for the creation of more intricate and visually appealing artwork.

15:04

๐ŸŽญ Expanding Creativity with Multiple Style References

The speaker encourages viewers to experiment with multiple style references to create unique and innovative artwork. They demonstrate how combining different images as style references can lead to new artistic outcomes, using a pumpkin scarecrow sketch as an example to generate a series of imaginative and detailed images. The speaker emphasizes the potential for personal growth and creativity that the style reference feature offers, allowing artists to repurpose old artwork and render it in new and exciting ways.

๐Ÿ“ข Engaging with the Artistic Community

In the concluding paragraph, the speaker invites viewers to engage with the artistic community, particularly on Discord, to discuss and explore the capabilities of Mid Journey's style reference feature. They highlight the importance of conversation among artists to navigate the exciting yet sometimes intimidating changes brought by AI in art. The speaker also encourages viewers to like, comment, subscribe, and support the channel through merchandise purchases to foster growth and continued exploration of the style reference feature in future videos.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กStyle Reference

Style Reference is a feature introduced by Midjourney that extracts style from images uploaded by the user. It is used to maintain consistency in the user's workflow and is particularly useful for artists who want to replicate a certain visual aesthetic. In the video, the creator uses his own sketches as a style reference to generate images that mimic his unique artistic style, demonstrating how the tool can be used to integrate personal artistic elements into digital art creation.

๐Ÿ’กMidjourney Bot

The Midjourney Bot is a tool within the Discord platform that allows users to interact with the Midjourney system for generating images based on prompts and style references. It is the interface through which the video's creator uploads his sketch and utilizes the Style Reference feature to create new images. The bot represents the technological interface that connects the user's creative input with the output of the AI image generation system.

๐Ÿ’กConsistency

Consistency in this context refers to the uniformity and predictability in the style and quality of the images generated by the Midjourney system. The video emphasizes the importance of consistency for managing the workflow of artists and designers. It is highlighted as a significant advantage of using the Style Reference feature, as it allows the creator to maintain a cohesive visual theme across multiple images.

๐Ÿ’กDiscord

Discord is a communication platform where the Midjourney Bot is hosted, allowing users to interact with it. In the video, Discord serves as the medium through which the creator accesses the Midjourney system, uploads his sketch, and engages with the community. It is a social hub where artists can share their work, ask questions, and discuss the creative process facilitated by AI tools.

๐Ÿ’กCross-hatching

Cross-hatching is a traditional artistic technique where intersecting lines are used to create shading and texture in a drawing. In the video, the creator's sketchbook style, which includes cross-hatching, is successfully replicated in the images generated by the Midjourney system. This demonstrates the system's ability to understand and apply complex artistic techniques from a style reference.

๐Ÿ’กSketchbook

A sketchbook is a book of sketches, often used by artists to record ideas, practice techniques, or study styles. In the video, the creator's sketchbook serves as a source of personal artistic style, which he uses as a reference to generate new images with the Midjourney system. The sketchbook represents the tangible expression of the creator's artistic journey and is a key element in the demonstration of the Style Reference feature.

๐Ÿ’กAspect Ratio

Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and the height of an image or screen. In the video, the creator specifies an aspect ratio of 16 by 9 when generating images, which is a common ratio used for widescreen displays. It is an important parameter in the image generation process as it determines the shape and dimensions of the final output.

๐Ÿ’กPrompt

In the context of the Midjourney system, a prompt is a set of instructions or a description provided by the user to guide the AI in generating an image. The video's creator uses prompts in conjunction with style references to produce images. The prompt is a crucial part of the creative input that, when combined with a style reference, allows the AI to generate images that align with the user's vision.

๐Ÿ’กRender

A render in digital art and 3D modeling refers to the process of generating a 2D image or simulation from a 3D model or scene. In the video, the term is used to describe the output images generated by the Midjourney system based on the creator's prompts and style references. The renders are the final images that result from the AI's interpretation of the user's input.

๐Ÿ’กVersion

In the context of software and technology, a version refers to a specific iteration or release of a program or system. The video discusses the evolution of the Midjourney system, with the creator comparing the image quality and capabilities of older versions to the current one. The concept of version is important as it highlights the improvements and advancements in AI image generation technology over time.

๐Ÿ’กClimate Change Series

The Climate Change Series mentioned in the video refers to a collection of images created by the artist that aim to visually represent the effects of climate change. This series is an example of how the artist uses the Midjourney system not only for artistic expression but also to convey a message about a pressing global issue. The series demonstrates the potential of AI tools to be used for social commentary and awareness.

Highlights

Mid Journey has released a new feature called 'style reference' that extracts style from images.

The style reference feature is a great way to manage consistency within your workflow.

To use style reference, you upload an image and interact with the Mid Journey bot on Discord.

The process involves typing in a command, attaching an image, and specifying an aspect ratio.

Results from the style reference can capture details like cross-hatching and sketchbook feel.

The feature allows artists to recreate and refine styles from their old sketchbooks.

Old prompts can be revitalized by using them as references in the Mid Journey style reference.

Style referencing can combine old Mid Journey renders with modern engine models for improved results.

The feature enables the replication of favorite images with enhanced detail and clarity.

Artists can use style reference to address the limitations of earlier Mid Journey versions.

The feature can be used to create visually striking images related to themes like climate change.

Style reference allows for the combination of multiple images to create unique new styles.

The speaker shares personal anecdotes about using sketchbooks to cope with stress while traveling.

The feature can transform old images into new styles, such as turning a pumpkin into a cheeseburger.

The speaker encourages viewers to experiment with style reference and share their experiences.

The video includes a call to action for viewers to like, comment, subscribe, and check out merchandise.

The speaker discusses the importance of community and conversation among artists in the face of AI advancements.