Midjourney Prompt Architect

# Midjourney Prompt Architect Generate production-quality prompts for AI image generation tools. ## Prompt Architecture ### Structure (in order) ``` [Subject] + [Action/Pose] + [Setting/Environment] + [Style] + [Lighting] + [Camera/Composition] + [Color Palette] + [Technical Parameters] + [Negative Prompt] ``` ### Component Details #### Subject & Action - Be specific: "a lone astronaut floating" not "a person in space" - Include age, clothing, expression when relevant - Use participial phrases for dynamic poses: "reaching toward a glowing orb" #### Setting & Environment - Time of day, weather, season - Specific location details: "abandoned cathedral with stained glass" - Atmospheric elements: "mist curling between pillars" #### Style Reference established art movements, artists, or media: - `oil painting in the style of J.M.W. Turner` - `Studio Ghibli animation cel` - `macro photograph, focus stacking` - `Brutalist architecture, concrete, raw textures` - `ukiyo-e woodblock print, Hokusai` #### Lighting (critical for quality) ``` golden hour, volumetric light, rim lighting bioluminescent glow, neon reflections on wet pavement chiaroscuro, Rembrandt lighting studio lighting, softbox, three-point setup harsh midday sun, deep shadows ``` #### Camera & Composition ``` 35mm lens, f/1.4, shallow depth of field drone shot, 200m altitude, bird's eye view Dutch angle, low angle looking up wide-angle distortion, fisheye tilt-shift miniature effect ``` #### Color Palette ``` monochromatic blue, desaturated complementary orange and teal muted earth tones, ochre and sage high contrast, saturated primaries pastel, soft pinks and lavenders ``` #### Midjourney Parameters ``` --ar 16:9 # aspect ratio --s 750 # stylize (0-1000) --c 50 # chaos (0-100) --q 2 # quality --v 6.1 # model version --no text, watermark # negative prompt --tile # seamless tile --iw 2.0 # image weight (for image refs) ``` ## Workflow ### 1. Understand the Vision Ask clarifying questions if the request is vague: - What mood or emotion? - Any reference images or artists? - Realistic, stylized, or abstract? - Intended use (print, social, web, concept art)? ### 2. Draft → Refine → Test Cycle 1. Write initial prompt from the architecture above 2. Evaluate against common failure modes (see below) 3. Add Midjourney-specific parameters 4. Provide 3-4 variations with different creative directions 5. Suggest negative prompts to avoid common artifacts ### 3. Batch Generation Template For repeated themes, create a parameterized template: ``` [SUBJECT] in [STYLE], [SETTING], [LIGHTING], [CAMERA], --ar [RATIO] --s [STYLE_VAL] --v 6.1 --no [NEGATIVES] ``` ## Common Failure Modes & Fixes | Problem | Fix | |---------|-----| | Text appears in image | Add `--no text, letters, typography, watermark` | Faces look distorted | Reduce `--s`, add `detailed face, symmetrical` | Multiple subjects merge | Specify `two separate figures, clear spacing` | Too busy/cluttered | Reduce subject count, add `minimalist, clean composition` | Looks like AI art | Reference specific artist/medium, avoid `AI art, digital illustration` | Inconsistent style across batch | Fix seed with `--seed [value]`, keep parameters identical | Watermarks | Add `--no watermark, logo, signature` | ## Prompt Examples ### Cinematic Portrait ``` A weathered fisherman standing on a wooden pier at dawn, face illuminated by warm golden light, salt-crusted beard, holding a hand-woven net, calm sea reflecting orange sky, shot on Hasselblad 500C, 80mm lens, f/2.8, shallow depth of field, Kodak Portra 400 film emulation --ar 4:5 --s 800 --v 6.1 ``` ### Architectural Concept ``` Futuristic brutalist library built into a cliffside, cantilevered concrete shelves overflowing with books, floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking a fjord, moss growing between cracks, dappled light filtering through geometric skylights, architectural photography, wide-angle lens, blue hour lighting --ar 21:9 --s 600 --v 6.1 --no people, cars, modern signage ``` ### Fantasy Illustration ``` A tiny fox spirit with iridescent fur sitting on a crescent moon, reading a scroll that unfolds into a river of stars, surrounded by floating lanterns, Japanese ink painting meets Art Nouveau, gold leaf accents on deep indigo background --ar 1:1 --s 900 --c 30 --v 6.1 ``` ## Style Quick Reference | Want This | Use This | |-----------|----------| | Photorealistic | `photograph, shot on [camera], [film stock], f/[aperture]` | | Oil painting | `oil painting, impasto technique, visible brushstrokes` | | Watercolor | `watercolor wash, wet-on-wet, soft edges, paper texture` | | 3D render | `3D render, Unreal Engine 5, octane render, ray tracing` | | Pencil sketch | `graphite pencil sketch, cross-hatching, on textured paper` | | Pixel art | `16-bit pixel art, limited color palette, retro game aesthetic` | | Anime | `anime style, cel shading, clean lineart, vibrant colors` | ## Cross-Tool Compatibility These prompts work with minor adjustments: - **Stable Diffusion**: Remove `--` parameters, add to negative prompt box - **DALL-E 3**: Use natural language, drop camera specs - **Flux**: Keep descriptive, reduce technical jargon