Midjourney's NEW Secret Weapon - Style Reference

Making AI Magic
7 Mar 202413:16

TLDRMidjourney introduces Style Reference (sref), a tool for users to replicate preferred styles in image generation. This feature, available in Midjourney version six and Niji version six, complements existing style parameters like style raw and stylize. Unlike image prompts that focus on composition, sref captures the aesthetic style of an image, making it ideal for consistent styling across a series. Users can combine sref with other parameters like stylize and even image prompts for varied results. The tool operates with an image URL, allowing users to upload or use online images and adjust the style weight (SW) for emphasis. Midjourney's style reference simplifies the creative process by enabling users to define their desired look without extensive verbal description.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Midjourney introduced Style Reference (sref) in February 2024 for version six and Niji version six.
  • 🖼️ Sref allows users to replicate a preferred style by using an image as a reference, simplifying the process for those who struggle to describe styles verbally.
  • 🔄 The new sref parameter is different from image prompts, which focus more on composition and less on capturing the overall style.
  • 🌟 Using sref helps maintain a consistent style across images, which is beneficial for projects like graphic novels.
  • 🔄 Style Raw (style raw) and Stylize parameters can be used in conjunction with sref for more control over the image's aesthetics.
  • 🔄 Version five has Style Tuner, offering a way to choose favorite styles based on image choices, while Niji 5 has anime-style options.
  • 📸 To use sref, users need an image URL, which can be obtained by uploading an image or using an online source.
  • 🤖 The AI creates a new image with each prompt, rather than directly mapping the style onto an existing image.
  • 🔄 Multiple style references can be blended by adding their URLs separated by spaces or using weights to indicate the importance of each reference.
  • 🔧 The website interface for sref is currently a bit confusing, but a shortcut is available by clicking the style button on an image.
  • 📈 The Style Weight (SW) parameter adjusts the influence of the style reference image, with a scale from 0 to 1000.

Q & A

  • What is Midjourney's style reference tool?

    -Midjourney's style reference tool, or sref, is a feature that allows users to replicate a specific style they like by simply pointing at an image and instructing the AI to create something with a similar aesthetic. It is particularly helpful for those who find it challenging to describe the style they want or when they wish to combine multiple styles.

  • When was the style reference tool introduced by Midjourney?

    -The style reference tool was introduced by Midjourney in February 2024, as part of their version six update.

  • What are the differences between style reference (sref) and image prompts in Midjourney?

    -While image prompts focus mainly on composition, layout, and to a lesser extent, color and style, style reference (sref) aims to capture the overall look and style of an image, helping to maintain a consistent aesthetic across a series of prompts. Image prompts influence the elements and arrangement in the generated image, whereas sref helps to keep the artistic style similar across different images.

  • Which version of Midjourney supports the style reference tool?

    -The style reference tool is available in Midjourney version six and Niji version six, as of February 2024.

  • How does the style weight (SW) parameter work with style reference?

    -The style weight (SW) parameter, similar to the image weight (IW) for image prompts, allows users to adjust the influence of the style reference image on the generated content. A higher SW value increases the impact of the style reference, while a lower value reduces it. The default style weight is set at 100, but it can be adjusted up to 1000 for a stronger style influence.

  • Can style reference and image prompts be used together?

    -Yes, style reference (sref) and image prompts can be used together in a single prompt. This combination allows users to focus on different aspects of the inspiration image, such as subject matter or composition from the image prompt and color and overall vibe from the style reference.

  • How do you use the style reference tool on the Midjourney website?

    -On the Midjourney website, users can upload an image by clicking the plus icon and dragging the image into the message bar. Once the image is uploaded, two boxes appear labeled 'add style reference' and 'add image prompt'. The user can drag the uploaded image into the 'add style reference' box and type their text prompt in the prompt bar. The style reference image will have a paperclip icon in the bottom right corner to distinguish it from a regular image prompt.

  • What is the purpose of the character reference (cref) parameter mentioned in the script?

    -The character reference (cref) parameter is an upcoming tool from Midjourney that will focus primarily on recreating a character reference from an image. This feature is designed to maintain consistency in character design across multiple prompts, which is particularly useful for projects like graphic novels or series of images featuring the same characters.

  • How can multiple style references be combined in a single prompt?

    -Multiple style references can be combined by inserting the URLs of each desired reference image, separated by spaces, after the --sref parameter in the prompt. Users can also use weights to give more influence to certain style references by adding a colon and a number after the URL (e.g., --sref::2). Higher numbers increase the weight, while lower numbers decrease it.

  • What is the default version of Midjourney as of February 2024?

    -As of February 2024, the default version of Midjourney is version six.

  • How does the style raw parameter affect the generated images in Midjourney?

    -The style raw parameter in Midjourney reduces the AI's style preferences, causing the generated images to stay closer to the user's prompt. However, this may result in less aesthetically pleasing images compared to when the AI is allowed to apply its style preferences. Users can enhance the beauty of the images by adding descriptive words to their prompts.

  • What is the role of the stylize parameter in Midjourney?

    -The stylize parameter in Midjourney controls the level of 'Midjourney beauty' in the generated images. The default value is set at 100, but it can be adjusted from zero for no Midjourney aesthetic touches to 1000 for a strong AI style. Lower values may improve prompt understanding, while higher values can enhance the aesthetics of the images.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Introducing Midjourney's Style Reference Tool

This paragraph introduces Midjourney's new Style Reference (sref) tool, which was released in February 2024 for version six and Niji version six. The sref tool is designed to replicate a specific style from an image, aiding users who find it challenging to describe the style they want or prefer combining styles. It is clarified that sref is different from image prompts, focusing on capturing the aesthetic of the image rather than its composition. The paragraph also briefly touches on other style parameters available in Midjourney version six, such as style raw and stylize, and mentions the style tuner from version five. The need for sref is explained in terms of creating consistent styles for projects like graphic novels, and the anticipation of a forthcoming character reference parameter (cref) is built up.

05:01

📸 Using the Style Reference Parameter

This paragraph delves into the practical application of the sref parameter. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to use sref in Discord and on the Alpha website, including how to upload an image, obtain its URL, and incorporate it into a prompt. The paragraph highlights the dual functionality of an image as both an image prompt and a style reference. It also introduces the style weight (SW) parameter, which adjusts the influence of the style reference image on the final output. The paragraph encourages users to experiment with combining sref with other parameters like stylize, weird, and chaos for varied results. Additionally, it addresses current confusion on the website regarding the differentiation between image prompts and style prompts, and suggests a shortcut for using style reference on the website.

10:02

🔍 Combining Image Prompts and Style References

The final paragraph emphasizes the necessity of including text with image prompts and style references. It explains the correct sequence for inputting image prompts and sref in Discord and the website, and clarifies that sref is not a direct style transfer tool but rather a reference for Midjourney to create new images. The paragraph discusses the possibility of blending multiple style references and adjusting their influence using weights. It encourages users to share their experiences and creative outputs using the style reference parameter and concludes with a call to action for collaboration in creating amazing AI-generated content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Midjourney

Midjourney is a creative tool that focuses on generating images based on user input. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a platform that has introduced a new feature called Style Reference (sref) to help users replicate preferred styles in their images. This tool is particularly useful for those who may struggle to describe the style they want in words, allowing them to point at an image and instruct Midjourney to emulate that style. The video discusses how this tool works and how it differs from other existing features like image prompts and style parameters.

💡Style Reference (sref)

Style Reference, often abbreviated as sref, is a parameter introduced by Midjourney to help users achieve a specific visual style in their generated images. This feature allows users to reference an image and instruct Midjourney to create new images that capture the style of the reference image, rather than focusing solely on composition. It is particularly useful for creating a consistent visual style across a series of images, such as a graphic novel, by maintaining the aesthetic of the reference image while altering the subject matter.

💡Style Weight (SW)

Style Weight, denoted as SW, is a parameter that allows users to adjust the influence of the style reference image on the generated image. It operates on a scale from zero to 1000, with higher values increasing the prominence of the style from the reference image. This feature provides users with more control over how much of the style they want to see in their final image, enabling them to fine-tune the aesthetic to their liking.

💡Image Prompts

Image prompts are a feature in Midjourney where users can provide an image as a reference for the composition and layout of the elements in the generated image. While image prompts are focused on the structure and arrangement of the visual elements, they do not necessarily capture the stylistic or aesthetic qualities of the reference image. The video contrasts image prompts with the new style reference parameter, emphasizing that the latter is more concerned with replicating the visual style.

💡Style Raw

Style Raw is a parameter in Midjourney that reduces the platform's stylistic preferences and allows the generated image to adhere more closely to the user's prompt. By using style raw, the resulting image may not be as aesthetically pleasing as those generated with Midjourney's default stylistic touches, but it can better reflect the user's specific visual requirements. This parameter can be combined with other features like stylize and SW for a more customized output.

💡Stylize

Stylize is a parameter in Midjourney that controls the degree to which the platform applies its own stylistic enhancements to the generated images. The default value is set at 100, but users can adjust this value from zero, which removes all Midjourney's stylistic touches, to 1000, which amplifies the platform's artistic influence. This feature allows users to balance between a more literal interpretation of their prompts and a visually stylized output.

💡Niji

Niji is a version of Midjourney that is specifically tailored for creating anime-style images. It comes with its own set of style parameters, such as scenic, cute, expressive, and original, which allow users to generate images that align with different anime aesthetics. The video mentions that Niji version six is the current default version as of February 2024, and it is compatible with the new style reference parameter.

💡Character Reference Parameter (cref)

Character Reference Parameter, or cref, is an upcoming feature in Midjourney that is designed to focus primarily on recreating a character reference. While the video does not provide extensive details about this feature, it suggests that cref will allow users to maintain consistency in character design across a series of images, similar to how sref helps with style consistency.

💡Style Tuner

Style Tuner is a feature from the previous version of Midjourney (version 5) that enables users to select their preferred styles based on image choices. By choosing favorite versions of an image, users receive a unique style code that can be used to replicate the chosen style in future image generations. This tool is particularly useful for achieving a specific look or aesthetic in a series of images.

💡Style Transfer

Style Transfer is a technique that involves taking the artistic style of one image and applying it to another image or content. While the video does not explicitly mention style transfer, it discusses the new style reference parameter, which seems to work on a similar principle by capturing the style of a reference image to influence the look of the generated image. However, it is important to note that sref is not a direct style transfer tool but rather a reference that guides the overall aesthetic.

💡Weights

In the context of the video, weights refer to the numerical values assigned to style reference images to indicate their relative importance or influence on the final image. Users can assign different weights to multiple style reference images, with higher numbers giving more prominence to the style of the corresponding image. This feature allows for a nuanced control over the combination of styles in the generated images.

Highlights

Midjourney introduces Style Reference (sref) tool for version six and Niji version six.

Style Reference allows users to replicate a preferred style by simply pointing at an image.

sref is particularly useful for those who struggle to describe the style they want with words.

Style parameters like style raw and stylize continue to be available for use alongside sref.

Style raw reduces Midjourney's style preferences to stay closer to the prompt, while stylize adjusts the level of Midjourney's aesthetic touches.

Version five introduced the Style Tuner, allowing users to choose favorite styles based on image choices.

Niji 5 offers anime-style options like scenic, cute, expressive, and original.

Style Reference (sref) aims to create consistent styles, beneficial for projects like graphic novels.

sref captures the style and look of an image, focusing less on composition and more on aesthetic.

Character consistency can be achieved with the upcoming character reference parameter (cref).

sref is not an update to image prompts but a distinct tool that can be used together with them.

To use sref, users need at least one image URL, which can be an online image or one uploaded into Midjourney.

Discord and the Alpha website both support the use of the sref parameter, with slightly different methods of implementation.

An image can serve both as an image prompt and a style reference, with the website distinguishing them visually.

Style Weight (SW) parameter can be added to the prompt to adjust the influence of the style reference image.

sref and image prompts can be combined, focusing on different aspects of the inspiration image.

Multiple style references can be blended by adding their URLs separated by spaces or dragging them into the web prompt bar.

Weights can be assigned to different style reference images to control their influence on the final image.

sref is a tool for quickly achieving desired aesthetics without the need for detailed verbal descriptions.

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