Discover how MidJourney style reference codes can power your creative process. Similar to the transformative power of Adobe Photoshop actions, style references help you quickly repeat a desired aesthetic. Let's explore the parallels, address common misconceptions, and learn how this Midjourney feature can enhance rather than replace artistic skills.
There's no denying that the way we create art has evolved over the years. Creatives have always been looking for ways to push boundaries and seek out new methods and processes to getting final results. Taking a manual process and making it digital was first met with backlash, and now we're seeing the next evolution in art through tech transformation and facing the same stigmas with AI.
One of the dominant players in the AI image generation space is Midjourney. I've been deep in experimentation mode with Midjourney for almost two years. As Midjourney evolved in capability, my creativity evolved with it. I've been able to create visuals that leave me surprised, inspired, and feeling unique!
I recently stumbled upon a new feature with Midjourney called style references. They have come to prove invaluable when you're trying to get consistent outputs out of a tool that can be as unpredictable as it can be expected. It had me thinking about how we used to use Adobe Photoshop actions to expedite parts of our creative editing proces, or sometimes entirely take place of our manual filtering and adjustments altogether. We could even batch process a bunch of images to get the same aesthetic with a single action.
How Do Style Reference Codes Work?
Midjourney style references are basically an AI version of a Photoshop Action. We can take a prompt and apply the desired style with a simple code. This eliminates the "capture" (camera) then "edit" (photoshop) step with these reference codes and I think that's pretty cool! We can capture (prompt) and edit (style reference code in the prompt) all in one step!
These codes serve as pre-defined sets of instructions that guide the AI in creating images with particular characteristics, such as color palettes, textures, and lighting effects.
Sample Style Reference Codes
Through my experiments I’ve uncovered many different style reference codes. You can see some of these examples if you follow along on socials and in some of my other writings, but I’m always happy to find an excuse to share out some of my favorite finds.
All of the styles shown in this segment use the same prompt "A woman gazes at the moon" and then has the numeric style code applied to it. This is so you can see how one consistent prompt can be affect by the style, and gauge what the style is manipulating versus what the prompt is changing.
Try it Yourself With a Random Code!
One of my favorite features of style reference codes is when I found out you can just apply a “random” parameter to the prompt and get a surprise style reference. It has led to me finding some pretty unique and unexpected styles that I would never know how to prompt for without doing a lot of research and through much trial and error.
Try applying –sref random to the end of your prompt and see what surprise you get! I’ve gotten things from bubbly to spooky and everything in between.
Another fun way I like to make things random is trying a string of numbers that means something to you. Was your grandma born on July 7th, 1932? Try the style reference code –sref 771932. Was your baby born at 12:42 pm? Try the style reference code –sref 1242! Sometimes the extra personal touch is not as random as you may think!
Weight the Style Reference
There is an additional feature when using style references, especially once you’ve found one that you like, that allows you to control how “much” of that style is applied using style weights. The default style weight when using any reference code is 100. You can change that by using the –sw parameter with a number between 0 and 1000!
Make Your Own Style Reference?
Now this one is obviously the most unique to the individual, but you can generate your own style reference with Midjourney’s personalization feature. This saves your style own unique style for faster prompting as well. I haven’t actually tried this one yet, but I have a feeling that this is going to be a really important tool in my toolsuite sooner rather than later!
Is Using a Style Reference Code Cheating?
There is a reluctance to embrace AI-generated images and the process of creating any content with AI is typically argued to not be artistic at all.
Digital art has come a long way since the early days of pixel manipulation. Today, tools like Adobe Photoshop and Procreate provide artists with the means to automate time consuming processes previously done more manually. Like waiting for paint to dry...
Digital tools help creatives save time and allow artists to focus on refining their craft and streamline their exploration, practice, and experimentation by saving them time through automating tasks. (Sounds like a very similar value proposition to AI, doesn't it?)
So let’s think about it this way. Photoshop actions, which allow users to record and replay a series of edits, have long been a staple in the digital artist's toolkit. Especially if you're a photographer doing consistent photo editing for certain types of events or venues. They enable the editor to apply consistent effects across multiple images, ensuring a cohesive look and feel without the repetitive manual effort.
And we think this is an extremely good and valuable enhancement in our creative process!
Similarly, MidJourney style reference codes offer a streamlined approach to achieving specific visual styles in AI-generated art.
Just as Photoshop actions can be applied with a single click, style reference codes can be input into MidJourney's platform to quickly generate visually stunning and stylistically consistent images.
And the best part is, you don't even have to have the image yet you want to apply the effect to.
You can create the image and the effect in one step!
Just as photographers use Photoshop actions to achieve specific looks without spending hours on manual edits, digital artists can use MidJourney style reference codes to explore new artistic directions quickly. The key lies in the artist's ability to interpret and manipulate the outputs, adding their unique touch and perspective to the final image.
Who wouldn't want to speed up their creative process? Try more ideas faster? Get inspired by the happy accidents that come with AI prompting. I mean, all of it is a win in my book!
Embracing AI in the Creative Process
Despite the very clear benefits, the reluctance to embrace AI-generated images can leave you feeling unsure if you should enter the world of AI generated visuals. With the rising concerns that these tools might undermine the value of human creativity, it is obvious why you would hesitate. If this is you, you're not alone.
If this isn't you, you probably know someone who has this mindset.
This perspective often overlooks the fact that AI tools like genrative fill in Photoshop or rendering new images in MidJourney are designed to enhance, not replace, the artist's vision.
That’s my motto now: “Embrace, not Replace”
The use of AI in the creative process provides a foundation upon which artists can build, allowing for greater experimentation and refinement.
Pushing Past the Misconceptions
How we can evolve with AI without fear of quality being lost, human touch being added, and devaluing our creativity?
One common misconception is that using AI-generated images or automated processes diminishes the artist's role. However, just as Photoshop, and other digital editing software, requires skill and creativity to be used effectively, so do AI tools like MidJourney.
The artist's expertise in selecting, modifying, and combining these tools is crucial to the success of the final piece. Having the creative vision is more than half the battle when it comes to creativity and artistry.
And I’ll be the first to admit that most AI images are not final when you render them. Many artists use the AI generated content as a foundation to continue modifying and refining. This can happen in an AI tool, or be taken to an entirely different digital tool like Photoshop. Either way, the key is the head start you get with AI.
Moreover, the integration of technology into the creative process is not a new phenomenon.
Artists have always used technology to push the boundaries of their work, from early digital painting software to advanced photo editing tools. The reluctance to use AI images often stems from a fear of the unknown, but history has shown that embracing new technologies leads to greater artistic innovation.
These tools, when used thoughtfully, can significantly enhance the creative process, offering artists new ways to express their vision and streamline their workflow.
Embracing AI in digital art is not about replacing human creativity but augmenting it, providing artists with powerful new tools to explore and expand their artistic horizons.