How to Make Consistent Characters with MidJourney?
Creating consistent characters with MidJourney can be challenging, but by following these steps, you can achieve better continuity and cohesion in your character designs. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Upload a Portrait Picture and Copy the URL
The best way to start creating a consistent character in MidJourney is by uploading a reference image of the character. MidJourney uses the image as a base to generate similar features in its outputs.
- Upload a Reference Image:
- Upload your image to Discord (via any MidJourney chat channel or a private chat).
- Copy the Image URL:
- Right-click on the uploaded image and select “Copy Image Link.” This provides a direct URL that you can use in your prompts.
Step 2: Add Your Prompt
Combine the URL of the reference image with your descriptive prompt. The prompt should describe the character’s key traits, style, pose, clothing, or background you want to add.
- Example Prompt:
[Paste URL here] a confident female warrior with long braided hair, wearing silver armor, glowing sword, cinematic lighting, photorealistic, 4k resolution --ar 2:3
The image URL will help the AI retain key facial or character traits while using the prompt to customize clothing, poses, and context.
Step 3: Refine with MidJourney Parameters
To ensure consistency in style and detail, fine-tune the following parameters:
--ar(Aspect Ratio):- Use consistent aspect ratios to maintain continuity. For example:
- Portraits:
--ar 2:3or--ar 3:4 - Full-body:
--ar 9:16
- Portraits:
- Use consistent aspect ratios to maintain continuity. For example:
--v(MidJourney Version):- Use the latest version for improved detail and realism. For example:
--v 5or--v 5.2.
- Use the latest version for improved detail and realism. For example:
--style(Stylization):- Lower stylization values, such as
--style 250, can help reduce artistic abstraction and retain realistic features.
- Lower stylization values, such as
--q(Quality):- Use
--q 2or--q 3for high-quality outputs.
- Use
--seed(Seed Value):- Set a consistent seed value (e.g.,
--seed 12345) to guide the randomness in MidJourney’s generations, ensuring similar outputs in multiple attempts.
- Set a consistent seed value (e.g.,
Step 4: Iterate with Variations
Once you have your first set of results:
- Use the “V” buttons to create variations of your favorite image.
- Select the best outputs and refine them further by adjusting the prompt or reusing the image URL of your chosen output for even more consistency.
Step 5: Use Repeatable Descriptions
The consistency of your character design heavily depends on the prompts you use. Ensure your prompt contains repeatable elements such as:
- Physical Features:
- “Sharp jawline, piercing green eyes, curly auburn hair”
- Clothing:
- “Leather jacket with silver details, black boots”
- Style and Mood:
- “Cinematic, cyberpunk, neon lighting, dramatic shadows”
By reusing similar descriptions, you’ll get more consistent results.
Example Prompts for Consistent Characters
Example 1: Modern Detective
[Image URL] a sharp-dressed male detective, wearing a gray trench coat, holding a leather notebook, urban background at night, cinematic lighting, photorealistic --ar 2:3 --v 5.2 --q 2
Example 2: Fantasy Archer
[Image URL] a female elf archer, long silver hair, wearing a green tunic and leather boots, holding a glowing bow, standing in an enchanted forest, soft natural lighting, highly detailed, --ar 3:4 --v 5.2 --q 3 --style 250
Example 3: Cyberpunk Hacker
[Image URL] a futuristic cyberpunk hacker with neon glasses, wearing a black leather jacket, surrounded by holographic screens, vibrant neon lights, highly detailed, ultra-realistic, --ar 16:9 --v 5 --seed 5678
Additional Tips for Consistent Characters
- Save the Best Results:
- Use MidJourney’s upscale (U) buttons to save high-quality outputs of your chosen character.
- Use “Remix Mode”:
- Activate Remix Mode in MidJourney to tweak prompts slightly without losing the overall style.
- Experiment with Seeds:
- Reuse the same seed value (
--seed) to lock certain random elements and maintain consistency.
- Reuse the same seed value (
- Reference Outputs:
- Use previous outputs as new reference images to refine the character’s look further.
Final Thoughts
Creating consistent characters in MidJourney is all about combining reference images with detailed, repeatable prompts. By experimenting with parameters, refining your descriptions, and leveraging seed values, you can develop characters that retain their core identity across different poses, outfits, and scenarios. With these techniques, your characters will come to life in visually stunning and consistent ways!