How To Use Midjourney To Create AI Art
How To Use Midjourney To Create AI Art. Credit: Shutterstock
Key Takeaways
- Midjourney centers on modifying and stylizing images through sophisticated algorithms, offering users a spectrum of tools for color alteration, artistic filters, and effects.
- Midjourney AI provides an intuitive interface allowing users to creatively transform images in real-time.
- Midjourney’s access is through subscription tiers, post the initial free usage. Users can choose plans based on their image generation needs, privacy preferences, and desired queue flexibility.
- Images generated through Midjourney are considered public domain, allowing for remixing, upscaling, and other manipulations by other users subscribing to the service.
What Is Midjourney?
Midjourney represents an impressive stride in generative AI, transforming natural language prompts into vivid images. Among its peers like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion, Midjourney has swiftly ascended to the upper echelons of AI innovation despite being self-funded and shrouded in closed-source operations, leaving the inner workings somewhat enigmatic.
Leaning on robust machine learning techniques, such as expansive language models and diffusion models, it consistently delivers results that are not just impressive but often uncannily lifelike.
This platform offers the capability to craft high-fidelity images from uncomplicated text inputs, all achieved seamlessly within the Discord chat app, devoid of any need for specialized hardware or software.
Is Midjourney Free To Use?
Upon its launch in July 2022, the platform allowed users to generate up to 25 images at no cost. Access was simple — signing up for a free Discord account and joining the Midjourney server granted this privilege. However, Midjourney has transitioned away from its initial free-access model, except for occasional promotional windows.
Unlike some competitors, accessing Midjourney’s full potential might require a nominal payment upfront, a contrast to the common practice of offering a few image generations for free.
How Much Does Midjourney Cost?
Midjourney’s subscription plans post the initial 25-image limit offer a range of options catering to diverse user needs. Here’s a breakdown:
- Basic plan: For $10 per month (or $96 annually), users gain access to a basic tier with a limited fast GPU allowance of 3.3 hours per month.
- Standard plan: Priced at $30 monthly ($288 annually), this tier steps up with a more substantial 15-hour fast GPU allowance. Additionally, it offers an unlimited, dynamic queue system under the relaxed mode.
- Pro plan: At $60 per month ($576 annually), users get a significant upgrade, featuring a 30-hour fast GPU allowance and the privilege of private generations. Stealth mode is available for added discretion.
- Mega plan: This top-tier option, priced at $120 monthly ($1152 annually), offers an extensive 60-hour fast GPU allowance, private generations, and the option of Stealth mode for utmost privacy.
Each plan after the initial free usage presents varying GPU allowances and features, enabling users to choose according to their image generation requirements and desired levels of privacy and queue flexibility.
How Does Midjourney Works: Step-by-Step Guide To Create AI Art
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating images using Midjourney:
Log In To Discord
Access the Midjourney Bot through Discord using a web browser, mobile app, or desktop app with a verified Discord account.
Subscribe to A Midjourney Plan
Visit Midjourney.com/account, sign in with your Discord account, and choose a suitable subscription plan (discussed above) based on your needs and preferences.
Join The Midjourney Server On Discord
Open Discord, locate the server list, click the + button, choose Join a Server, and paste the server URL (http://discord.gg/midjourney ) to join.
Access The Designated Channel
After joining the Midjourney server, navigate to channels labeled general-# or newbie-# to interact with the Midjourney Bot for image generation.
Use The /Imagine Command
Type ‘/imagine prompt:’ in the message field, describing the image you wish to create. Send the message to prompt the Bot to start generating the images.
Accept The Terms Of Service
Before image generation, agree to the Terms Of Service prompted by the Midjourney Bot.
Image Generation Process
The Bot processes your request, creating four unique image options within a minute using advanced GPUs. Monitor GPU time with the /info command.
Select An Image Or Create Variations
Upon image generation, use the interface buttons (U1, U2, U3, U4) to choose an image or create variations (V1, V2, V3, V4).
Enhance Or Modify Your Image
Additional options become available after selecting an image, allowing for variations, zooming, panning, favoriting, and more.
Save Your Image
Open the image, right-click to save on desktop or long-tap and select download on mobile. Images are also accessible on midjourney.com/imagine for immediate viewing.
Where Does Midjourney Get Its Images From?
David Holz, the founder of Midjourney, acknowledged in a Forbes interview that the company hadn’t obtained consent for the vast trove of images utilized to train its AI image generator, sparking outrage among photographers and artists.
Similar to other platforms in its sphere, Midjourney sourced images and their descriptive text from the internet without explicit permission, gathering millions of publicly available images for training purposes.
The technique employed by most AI image generators, including Midjourney, involves a method referred to as diffusion to generate these images.
Who Owns The Images Created By Midjourney?
Images generated through Midjourney are considered public domain, devoid of copyright claims.
Once created, these AI-generated images become part of Midjourney’s database, accessible for remixing, upscaling, and other manipulations by other users who have subscribed to the service.
Are You Allowed To Sell Midjourney Art?
For free or trial users, Midjourney grants a Commons Noncommercial 4.0 Attribution International License for the images generated. This license allows usage but prohibits commercial activities such as selling or profiting from these images. Additionally, attribution to Midjourney is required for these creations.
However, paying account holders are given ownership rights over the assets generated through Midjourney’s image generation and chat services. More details regarding ownership and usage can be found on their terms of service page .
MidJourney Vs. Dall-E vs. Stable Diffusion
Midjourney focuses on image manipulation, employing cutting-edge algorithms for modifying visuals. Offering tools for color alterations, artistic filters, and effects, it allows users to stylize and transform images creatively through an intuitive interface.
In contrast, DALL-E, developed by OpenAI, redefines image generation by utilizing generative adversarial networks (GANs) . It excels at creating high-quality images based on textual descriptions and is trained on a vast dataset to interpret and generate images from diverse prompts. Employing unsupervised and reinforcement learning techniques, DALL-E produces images aligned with given inputs.
Stable Diffusion introduces a novel approach to image synthesis, departing from traditional models. Leveraging the concept of “diffusion,” it refines random noise images step-by-step to produce coherent, diverse, and high-quality outputs. Users can intervene at various stages of the generation process.
Key Features Of MidJourney
- Focus: Centers on image manipulation and transformation.
- Strengths: Offers various tools and filters for modifying and stylizing visuals.
- Creativity: Empowers users to manipulate images creatively through an intuitive interface.
- Access: Standalone software available for individual purchase and installation.
- Cost: One-time purchase model without recurring charges.
- Image quality: Depends on input visuals and applied modifications, allowing for artistic alterations.
- Interactivity: Highly interactive, enabling real-time adjustments to images.
Key Features Of DALL-E
- Focus: Specializes in generating images from textual descriptions.
- Strengths: Excels in creating realistic and high-quality visuals based on textual input.
- Creativity: Allows users to visualize unique concepts or ideas through textual prompts.
- Access: Available through OpenAI’s platform with varying access options.
- Cost: Subscription-based, with different tiers and usage limits.
- Image quality: Known for producing detailed and realistic images from input descriptions.
- Interactivity: Mainly interactive through textual input prompts.
Key Features Of Stable Diffusion
- Focus: A novel approach to image synthesis via step-by-step refinement.
- Strengths: Creates diverse and high-quality images through the diffusion process.
- Creativity: Focuses more on image enhancement and restoration than creative exploration.
- Access: Accessed through compatible AI frameworks, often requiring technical expertise.
- Cost: Varied based on specific implementations and requirements.
- Image quality: Known for enhancing image quality and reducing artifacts.
- Interactivity: Allows interventions at different steps of the generation process.
Each model possesses unique strengths, catering to different user needs based on preferences for image generation, manipulation, interactivity, and creativity. The choice between these models depends on specific use cases and desired outcomes.
Is Midjourney AI Safe?
Like many AI-driven systems, Midjourney AI prioritizes security, taking numerous precautions to safeguard users and guard against potential threats. However, any AI system’s safety depends on how it is used and the rules that the platform and its users establish.
Midjourney AI may be trusted to create and change photos as long as it is utilized within the boundaries and guidelines designed for it. Like any AI tool, there can be restrictions or hazards connected to improper use or the creation of inappropriate content. Terms of service and community rules are frequently implemented on platforms such as Midjourney to uphold a polite and secure environment for users.
Users must always follow these rules, especially when creating and sharing information. Users should also be conscious of the consequences of creating and sharing photographs, ensuring they abide by the law and moral principles around using images and copyrights.
Reputable AI platforms frequently use encryption techniques and secure protocols to safeguard user data in terms of data privacy and security. Users should read the platform’s privacy policies and become aware of the handling and storage of their data.
Conclusion
Midjourney represents a significant stride in generative AI, excelling in transforming text prompts into vivid images. Despite its closed-source nature, this platform leverages robust machine learning techniques to deliver impressive and sometimes remarkably lifelike results.
Users can craft high-fidelity images from simple text inputs within Discord, albeit with certain limitations and subscription-based access.
FAQs
1. Where does Midjourney source its data from?
Midjourney collected images and accompanying text descriptions from the internet without explicit permission, similar to other AI platforms. It used these publicly available images for training purposes, employing a technique known as diffusion for image generation.
2. Are images created by Midjourney copyrighted?
No, images produced through Midjourney are public domain, devoid of copyright. These AI-generated images are stored within Midjourney’s database, accessible for modifications by subscribed users without copyright claims.
3. Is Midjourney AI secure?
Midjourney AI prioritizes security, yet the overall safety relies on responsible usage following established guidelines and community rules
4. Can I commercially sell artwork created via Midjourney?
For free or trial users, Midjourney grants a Commons Noncommercial 4.0 Attribution International License for generated images, allowing usage without commercial activities. Paid subscribers gain ownership rights detailed in the platform’s terms, permitting commercial utilization of the generated assets.
