Ever thought you could spark your next digital masterpiece with just a handful of words? I know it often feels like chasing a dream you can’t catch. But what if those few words really were the secret?
In this post, I’m sharing real Midjourney (an AI art tool) prompts that come with easy tweaks, like style tips, lighting ideas, and the right settings. You’ll see dragons with scales that shimmer in moonlight, neon city streets buzzing under a purple sky, or soft landscapes wrapped in morning mist. Think of it like baking cookies: pick the right ingredients, stir in a dash of color and glow, and watch your vision pop off the screen!
Practical Midjourney Prompt Examples

| Prompt | Style Modifiers | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| Majestic dragon soaring over snowy mountains | Cinematic lighting, hyper-realistic | –ar 16:9 |
| Genre: fantasy; Lighting: dramatic highlights; Palette: cool blues and whites. | ||
| Futuristic cyberpunk cityscape at dusk | Neon glow, high contrast | –ar 21:9 |
| Genre: sci-fi; Lighting: neon reflections; Palette: vibrant pinks and blues. | ||
| Portrait of an elderly woman with detailed wrinkles | Soft natural light, high detail | –ar 3:4 |
| Genre: portrait; Lighting: diffused sunlight; Palette: warm earth tones. | ||
| Surreal desert landscape with floating islands | Soft glow, dreamlike | –ar 4:3 |
| Genre: abstract; Lighting: ambient glow; Palette: muted pastels. | ||
| Retro video game pixel art forest scene | 8-bit style, limited palette | –ar 1:1 |
| Genre: retro; Lighting: flat shading; Palette: classic green and brown. | ||
| Steampunk brass airship over cloudy skies | Sepia tone, lens flare | –ar 16:9 |
| Genre: steampunk; Lighting: warm highlights; Palette: sepia and brass. | ||
| Layered paper art butterfly on floral background | Soft shadows, textured | –ar 1:1 |
| Genre: craft; Lighting: subtle shadow; Palette: contrasting pastels. | ||
| Abstract geometric shapes with bold colors | High saturation, flat design | –ar 1:1 |
| Genre: abstract; Lighting: even light; Palette: primary colors. | ||
| Hyper-realistic close-up of dew on spider web | Macro lens, crisp focus | –ar 4:5 |
| Genre: nature; Lighting: morning light; Palette: cool greens and silvers. | ||
| Epic space battle with glowing starships | Dynamic angles, lens flare | –ar 2:1 |
| Genre: sci-fi; Lighting: explosive highlights; Palette: deep blacks and neons. | ||
Here are some ready-to-use Midjourney prompts that mix clear subjects with style hints and simple settings. Pick one, plug it in, and watch Midjourney bring your vision to life!
For more tips and a deeper dive, check out the midjourney prompts guide. It’s filled with extra examples and tricks to help you master your prompts.
Best Practices for Midjourney Prompt Formatting

Ever wondered why some AI images nail the mood? It starts with a well-crafted prompt. Here’s how to make Midjourney really get you.
-
Use commas to separate each detail, like little train stops letting you soak in every part of the scene. When Midjourney hits a comma, it pauses and zooms in on that exact element.
-
Pick precise, sensory adjectives, dramatic lighting, soft glow, monochrome. These words shape the vibe so the AI knows exactly what feeling you’re going for.
-
Put any parameters (for example –ar 16:9 or –style anime) at the very end, always with double hyphens up front. That way Midjourney reads your scene first, then applies the ratio or style.
-
Add camera terms like wide-angle lens, macro, or polarizing filter to hint at real photo effects. Think of it as a nudge that helps the model think like a photographer.
-
Keep prompts crystal clear. Skip vague bits like “nice scene” or “cool stuff.” If you want a misty forest at dawn, just type “misty forest at dawn.”
Simple tweaks like these make your image outputs much more reliable. Give it a shot and watch your vision come to life.
Midjourney Prompts Examples Inspire Stunning Art

-
"post-apocalyptic city in retro-futuristic style with film grain, orange-teal grade, –ar 21:9"
Ever wondered what the end of the world looks like through an old movie lens? Picture a broken city at dusk, where burnt orange roads meet teal-tinted alleys. It’s wrapped in soft film grain that makes time feel sticky, like you’re watching a vintage sci-fi dream play out in ultra-wide 21:9. -
"steampunk insectoid mech, sepia tone with lens flare, cinematic depth, –ar 16:9"
This one’s like stumbling onto a giant brass beetle rolling down a Victorian street. Warm sunlight bounces off polished gears, leaving tiny lens flares dancing around. The sepia browns and brass golds, with subtle amber highlights, give it that aged mechanical nostalgia in a classic 16:9 shot. -
"bioluminescent deep-sea carnival with glowing jellyfish floats, –ar 4:3"
Dive into a neon ocean carnival where jellyfish lanterns pulse like living light bulbs. Electric blues and neon purples cut through the dark, creating an otherworldly glow. It feels like you’ve snapped a 4:3 photo of an alien party on the sea floor. -
"vaporwave mythological statue in pastel haze, soft focus, –ar 1:1"
Imagine an ancient hero statue bathed in pastel pinks and cyans, set against a soft neon sky. The haze merges sculpture and sunset in a gentle blur. It’s a square, pixel-perfect moment of retro surf pop meeting timeless myth. -
"cybernetic origami animals floating in zero gravity, sharp shadows, muted metallic tones, –ar 3:2"
Think origami cranes folded from steel drifting through empty space. Crisp highlights carve out hard edges on pewter grays and slate blues. This 3:2 vision feels both futuristic and strangely familiar. -
"gothic manga library with floating candles, high-contrast chiaroscuro, monochrome ink wash, –ar 2:3"
Step into a shadowy manga study where candles hover on their own and shelves rise like cathedral walls. Stark blacks meet soft whites in a dramatic dance of light and dark. In a tall 2:3 frame, you’ll feel every echo in this dark fantasy nook.
Advanced Midjourney Commands and Parameter Examples

Midjourney version 5 brings sharper, photo-like images, especially in faces and textures. You can almost hear the soft click of a camera shutter. Tinkering with these commands lets you guide the AI toward exactly the look you’re after.
-
ar (aspect ratio)
Controls the shape of your image (how wide or tall it is). Use--ar 21:9for a wide, cinematic feel and--ar 1:1for a square that’s Instagram-ready. It also nudges your composition and focal points on its own. -
stylize (0–1000)
Sets how much artistic flair (the style intensity) Midjourney applies. A low--stylize 50keeps things tight and realistic, while--stylize 750gives you looser, dreamier strokes. Try something around the middle for a balanced vibe. -
chaos (0–100)
Adds randomness (little surprises) to each render. With--chaos 10, you’ll see small tweaks; crank it up to--chaos 80and you’ll get unexpected layouts or color blends. Great when you’re hunting for fresh ideas. -
iw (0.25–2)
Stands for image weight (how much your reference image matters). At--iw 0.5, your text prompt leads the way. At--iw 2, the style leans heavily on the photo you picked. It’s a quick mix-and-match for two visual directions. -
niji
Switches on a special anime and manga style. Add--nijito your prompt for cleaner line art, brighter palettes, and characters that feel straight out of a comic. Fun, right? -
Negative prompts
Use--noto filter out unwanted elements. For example, “portrait of a knight in armor--no background” removes the scenery and leaves just your hero. A simple trick for tighter compositions.
Expert Tips for Iterative Prompt Refinement in Midjourney

Have you ever felt stuck after your first prompt? Try starting with something simple, like “moonlit desert dunes.” Think of it as laying down your blueprint. Broad ideas give you room for surprises, and let you almost hear the quiet hum of AI (software that learns from images) at work.
Next, add a few descriptive touches. Swap those bright oranges for muted indigos. Ask for a gentle lens flare. Toss in a style tag, watercolor wash or retro pixel art, maybe. These little tweaks help guide the AI without stifling its creativity.
And now for the fun part: remix your prompt or shuffle the words around. One mix might pop with bold shadows. Another could glow with intricate textures. Watch for the versions that make you say, “Wow.” Those are your keepers.
Finally, zoom in on that favorite. Tweak the lighting notes, dial up or down the chaos, tighten your color cues, or add a single negative tag to cut out clutter. This back-and-forth dance keeps your direction clear but still leaves space for the AI to surprise you, so the final image feels both precise and alive.
Community-Shared Midjourney Prompt Examples and Inspiration

Have you ever wondered how a single word can change an AI image? In one busy Discord channel, someone dropped what they called a “magic” token, discombobulate, to see the effect. Their starting prompt was:
“ancient oak forest at dawn, soft mist, cinematic depth, –ar 4:3, –stylize 500.”
At first, the AI painted a quiet, moody woods scene. Then they added discombobulate, and suddenly the forest glowed with extra branches and drifting light beams.
Let’s break that down. Subject: oak forest at dawn. Style: soft mist and cinematic depth. Parameters:
- –ar 4:3 sets the image shape like a 4 by 3 rectangle
- –stylize 500 tells the AI how much artistic flair to add
- discombobulate acts like a wildcard that nudges the unexpected
That tiny tweak turned a brooding grove into a lively morning spectacle.
Here’s another community win. A member shared a secret seed string, 3393f18b-a198-4658-a67b-c368e41ea935. A seed is like a fingerprint (it helps the AI repeat the same look each time). They used this prompt:
“ballerina silhouette over city skyline, sepia tones, gentle shadows, –ar 3:4 –style 4a –seed 3393f18b-a198-4658-a67b-c368e41ea935.”
The result? A surreal double-exposure portrait with balanced contrast and dreamlike overlays.
We can split it into subject, style, and parameters again:
Subject: ballerina silhouette and city skyline
Style: sepia tones and gentle shadows
Parameters:
- –ar 3:4 for a tall, portrait shape
- –style 4a to pick a preset look
- –seed 3393f18b-a198-4658-a67b-c368e41ea935 to lock in consistency
Breaking prompts into these parts gives clear guidance and reliable results every time.
For inspiration and ethical practice, try these tips:
- Browse Discord or subreddit threads for shared tokens and seed lists
- Swap living-artist names for public-domain masters like Monet or Klimt
- Credit any historical style source when you post your AI art
Final Words
in the action you skimmed through a table of ready-to-use prompts, each with style modifiers and parameters, plus notes on genre, lighting, and color tips. Then you picked up core rules for prompt formatting, looked at six niche genre ideas, and mastered advanced commands that tweak aspect ratio, stylize, and chaos settings.
Next you saw a four-step method for refining prompts and peeked into community case studies for fresh inspiration. By now those midjourney prompts examples spark your own projects nicely. The road ahead is bright.
FAQ
What are some good Midjourney prompts?
Good Midjourney prompts combine a clear subject description with style modifiers and end-of-prompt parameters. For example: “majestic dragon soaring over snowy mountains, cinematic lighting, –ar 16:9.”
How do I write effective Midjourney prompts?
Writing effective Midjourney prompts involves three parts: subject, style modifiers, and parameters. Use commas to separate each element and place parameters like –ar 16:9 at the end.
Where can beginners find or generate Midjourney prompt examples?
Beginners can explore example prompts in the official docs, community forums, and subreddit threads. They can also use built-in Discord bots or online prompt generators for fresh ideas.
Is there a downloadable Midjourney prompt guide pdf?
A Midjourney prompt guide pdf offers step-by-step crafting strategies and expanded examples. You can download it from our midjourney prompts guide for detailed tips and 10+ ready-to-use prompts.
How can I craft Midjourney prompts for character designs?
Crafting character prompts focuses on personality, attire, and pose. For example: “steampunk detective woman with brass goggles, dramatic lighting, –ar 3:4.” Add style modifiers and parameters to refine the look.
How do I create realistic photo-style prompts in Midjourney?
Creating realistic photos uses descriptors like “photorealistic portrait,” camera terms (macro lens), lighting (soft glow), and parameters (–ar 4:5). For example: “vintage car macro shot, soft glow, –ar 4:5.”
Where can I find community-shared or funny Midjourney prompts?
Community-shared and funny prompts are often posted on Reddit’s r/Midjourney and Discord channels. Look for tags like #funny or browse community threads to spark fresh creative ideas.
What are examples of effective prompting questions?
Effective prompting questions ask the AI to combine elements and context, like “How would you illustrate a futuristic cityscape with neon reflections, cinematic style, and dramatic contrast?” They invite rich visual details.
How do Midjourney prompts differ from other AI art tools?
Midjourney prompts resemble those in DALL-E and Stable Diffusion: subject + style + parameters. Yet Midjourney uses unique flags like –ar and –chaos for aspect ratio and randomness control.

