How to Use Midjourney Negative Prompt: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating unique and realistic images using Midjourney is an exciting and enjoyable experience for many users. However, there are times when the generated output may not meet expectations or contain unwanted elements. To overcome this challenge, Midjourney offers the use of negative prompts.

In this comprehensive blog, we will explore the concept of negative prompting, its limitations, and various methods to effectively employ it.

What is negative prompting?

Negative prompting is a technique that allows you to specify what you don’t want in your Midjourney-generated images. By utilizing negative prompts, you can remove or reduce the presence of specific elements that do not align with your vision.

This feature allows for enhanced control over the image generation process and can lead to improved results.

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Image generated by Midjourney

Using Midjourney negative prompts: A guide

The following tutorial offers an in-depth guide to help you navigate and effectively use the negative prompt feature to create the perfect image.

Step 1: Sign up or log in

Before diving into the Midjourney platform, make sure you have a stable internet connection and an active Midjourney account. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one.

Open your preferred web browser and navigate to the Midjourney bot. Once you’re there, log in using your credentials. This is your entry point into the world of image generation with AI.

Step 2: Enter image prompt

Enter the /imagine command followed by your main prompt. For instance, if you’re seeking to generate a scenic landscape painting, your main prompt could be as simple as “a landscape painting.”

Step 3: Using the --no parameter

The --no parameter is a simple way to add negative prompting in Midjourney. You can include this parameter followed by the name of the element you want to remove from the generated image.

• Syntax: --no <element>


For example, if you want to generate a landscape painting without any rivers, you can write:

• a landscape painting --no rivers

Step 4: Using negative weights

Negative weights offer an alternative approach to specifying unwanted elements in image generation. You can assign negative weights to specific elements in your prompt, making these elements less likely to appear in the output.

To utilize negative weights, you can follow the element’s name with a double colon:: and a negative number (from -0.5 to -1).

• Syntax: <element>::-<weight>


For example, if you want to generate a fantasy landscape with fewer mountains and more trees, you can write:

• a fantasy landscape using watercolors::0.5 include details like trees::1 mountains::-0.5


The text weights allow you to adjust the influence each element has on image generation. The higher the weight (positive or negative), the more or less likely it is for that element to appear.

After you’re happy with the results, make sure to save your images properly.

Understanding negative prompts in Midjourney – Image via Freepik

Examples

Let’s look at some sample examples that showcase the application of the two negative prompt methods.

Example 1: Removing candles from a cake

Suppose you want to generate an image of a birthday cake without candles. You can use the --no parameter to remove the candles from the generated image:

Original prompt

• a birthday cake with candles


Negative prompt

• a birthday cake --no candles


Example 2: Changing the content of a meadow

Consider the following example where you want to generate an image of a meadow without any flowers:

Original prompt

• a beautiful meadow with flowers


Negative prompt

• a beautiful meadow --no flowers


In this case, the negative prompt successfully removes the flowers from the generated image, resulting in a meadow without any flowers.

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Example 3: Constructing a scene with negative text weights

If you want to generate an image of a cityscape with a focus on buildings and minimal presence of vehicles, try this:

Original prompt

• a cityscape with buildings and vehicles


Negative prompt

• a cityscape with buildings::1.5 vehicles::-0.5


By assigning a positive weight to buildings and a negative weight to vehicles, you can achieve a generated image that emphasizes buildings while minimizing the presence of vehicles.

Negative prompts do not always work.

It is important to note that negative prompts may not always result in the desired output. In some cases, Midjourney may still generate images containing the unwanted element despite the inclusion of negative prompts. This limitation highlights the need for experimentation and fine-tuning to achieve optimal results.

Overusing negative prompts or trying to remove too many elements simultaneously can confuse Midjourney and generate unrealistic images. It is essential to use them sparingly and only when necessary.

While you’re here, read about Stability AI and get a deeper understanding of its impact on the world of AI image generation.

Summing up negative prompts in Midjourney

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Final words

Midjourney negative prompts can significantly improve image generation by removing or reducing unwanted elements. You can incorporate negative prompts using the --no parameter or negative weights for greater control and customization.

Experimentation and fine-tuning are essential to achieving optimal results with negative prompts. Always remember to use negative prompts sparingly, be specific with your words, and use appropriate weights to generate the desired images.

With practice and creativity, Midjourney users can unlock the full potential of negative prompts in their image-generation projects.