MidJourney Style Reference Guide: Unveiling AI-Enhanced Art Through Sref Commands in Diverse Visual Narratives

Midjourney Prompt

Color Palette

Dominant Colors

Collection Description

Exploring artistic endeavors through examples of –sref commands in MidJourney, a host of unique artworks have been masterfully created, each wielding its distinctive style and thematic essence. From an ominous cityscape infused with a sinister blend of alien encounters and neon-lit skyscrapers to a dynamic screenprint encapsulating the fervor of a cowboy in the Wild West, these visuals demonstrate the profound capacity of style reference commands to enhance AI-generated imagery. A striking illustration details the unbridled turmoil of racing cars, employing vivid contrasts and dramatic depictions that echo the intensity of Formula racing. Meanwhile, an aquatic tableau vividly portrays a goldfish amidst a coral reef, employing saturated colors and expressive strokes that celebrate the vibrancy of underwater life. Each piece, including the stark yet fascinating woodcut of an ancient Chinese teapot, not only delves into diverse artistic influences—from Frank Frazetta’s rugged fantasies to Masamune Shirow’s cyberpunk visions—but also highlights the effectiveness of utilizing specific references to generate visuals that resonate with both clarity and artistic integrity.

Image Descriptions and Image Prompts

Midjourney Prompt

Teapot

In this woodcut print, the depiction of an ancient Chinese black teapot is masterfully showcased against a stark red background, with smoke delicately rising from the spout, creating a captivating visual contrast. The print blends the techniques and styles of notable artists such as Zao Wou-Ki, David Shrigley, Mori Yuzan, Edward Gorey, Don Blanding, and Edward Bawden, bridging Eastern and Western artistic traditions. The high-resolution image retains exceptional quality with a high level of detail, making the silhouette of the teapot and the subtle hints of smoke stand out vividly. This composition, complete with ample white space and a striking color palette, uses the best practices for –sref in AI image generation, emphasizing clarity and impact in art.

Midjourney Prompt

Train

The image depicts a striking interpretation of a red electric train charging through an underground tunnel, captured in a melange of artistic styles that evoke a palpable sense of movement and vibrancy. Each artist’s influence enriches the artwork, from Ashley Wood’s and Tatsuyuki Tanaka’s dramatic play of black, white, and blue tones to Ralph Steadman’s bold, minimalist lines that resonate with Scandinavian art principles. The fusion of these styles underlines the benefits of using style references in AI art, showcasing how diverse visual techniques can convey dynamic themes and emotions. The train, cast in vivid red against a contrasting navy blue and white background, adds a splash of color that guides the viewer’s eye through the tunnel. This effect is further enhanced by the choice of medium, which ranges from oil paint to printmaking techniques like lithography or screen printing, offering rich textures and adding a tactile quality to the visual experience.

Midjourney Prompt

Mid-Shot of a Cowboy Riding a Horse

Capturing the raw, unbridled energy of the Wild West, this striking screenprint features a cowboy urgently riding his horse through rugged mountain terrain. Employing a bold color palette of red, white, and blue, the artwork pulsates with a vivid contrast and cinematic lighting that bring to mind the dramatic styles of artists like Butcher Billy, Yoji Shinkawa, Caravaggio, and John Brack. The dynamic composition and use of motion blur enhance the feeling of speed and action, making the scene leap off the canvas. The high contrast and interplay of dark and light tones underscore the intensity and peril of the cowboy’s fast-paced journey. Such artistic techniques showcase the benefits of using style references in AI art, allowing for a captivating fusion of different artistic influences that can convey motion and emotion powerfully. This linocut and screenprint method, combined with a thoughtful color scheme and stylistic nods to notable artists, richly depicts a timeless adventure in a modern light.

Midjourney Prompt

Peacock

This vivid portrayal of a peacock in a linocut print captures the essence of the bird’s striking beauty with a close-up perspective that highlights every meticulous detail. The artwork showcases the peacock’s feathers in saturated shades of red, blue, and hints of yellow, reminiscent of the pulp comics art style that combines hard-edge lines with high-intensity colors. Each feather is rendered with a precision that reflects the unique art styles of Jim Woodring, Dave Coverly, Tom Wigglesworth, Taro Okamoto, and Don Blanding, blending these influences into a cohesive and eye-catching piece. The linocut technique emphasizes the texture of the print, making it a standout piece both for its artistic technique and the vibrant portrayal of the majestic peacock. This blend of styles can inspire those exploring how to use MidJourney –sref for unique art styles, tapping into a rich visual journey through color, form, and composition.

Midjourney Prompt

Futuristic Space Station

A cityscape drenched in the hues of red and black unveils an intriguing blend of science fiction and dark fantasy, reminiscent of the distinctive styles of Katsuhiro Otomo and Masamune Shirow. This urban expanse, under a star-flecked sky, becomes the haunting playground of alien saucers and enormous, shadowy alien figures mingling with the residents below. The architectural design borrows from a retro-futuristic vision, akin to Enki Bilal’s work, featuring futuristic skyscrapers constructed of black metal and glass, their forms illuminated by the eerie glow of neon lights. This visual narrative is not merely a depiction but an exploration of a sinister, alternate reality where massive alien ships loom overhead, casting an ominous glow over the streets. The entire scene is enriched with a cinematic quality, boasting 8K ultra-realistic details, vivid colors, and dark shadows that contribute to its gothic horror atmosphere. As one delves deeper into this meticulously crafted world, it’s clear that it employs some of the best style reference techniques in MidJourney, showcasing a profound understanding of atmospheric and dramatic city design in visual storytelling.

Midjourney Prompt

Formula 1 Vehicle

This dynamic compilation of racing car images harnesses different artistic interpretations to depict the speed and intensity of Formula racing. The first illustration presents a black and red Formula One car in a comic book style reminiscent of Frank Miller’s artwork, capturing the vehicle speeding furiously on the track. A second image, drawn by Tom Toles, simplifies this into a black and white vector drawing with striking red details, maintaining the high-speed ethos. The third illustration further amplifies this energy through a more expansive black and white drawing focusing on the motion and energy of an F2 car, its red highlights, and dramatic weather conditions adding to the intensity with a backing of anime-inspired sharp lines and high contrasts. Finally, an F-2098 Formula One car is brilliantly depicted in a snowy setting, with the artistic use of inkblots and flat illustrations in a dark grey background. Each artwork uniquely contributes to the portrayal of these sleek machines, utilizing aspects like bird’s-eye views and low angle shots that emphasize their dynamic motion, ideal for projects using –sref for realistic AI art in MidJourney.

Midjourney Prompt

Living Room

This meticulously crafted image presents a chic New York apartment that balances contemporary style with eclectic artwork. The room features rich black wood floors that contrast sharply with the pristine white walls, creating a bold backdrop that accentuates the stunning array of wall art. Among the prominent pieces is a striking woodblock print of the Red Sun poster from Scarface, which dominates one wall, complemented by a large red abstract painting and various black framed artworks, including ink drawings and prints by renowned artists such as Hasui Kawase and Daniel Merriam. The furniture selections further enhance the aesthetic, with a standout zebra skin patterned sofa and vintage wooden pieces, punctuated by a uniquely crafted stone coffee table. The room is dressed in red accents and dark-toned furniture, illuminated naturally by large windows that invite ample lighting, contrasting the otherwise dark ambiance suggested by the woodblock print style. Exploring how different elements like the zebra pattern and bold reds impact MidJourney outputs could provide deeper insights into the synthesis of art and interior design in image generation.

Midjourney Prompt

Landscape

This captivating illustration draws the viewer into an alpine mountain landscape, vividly combined with the artistic touch reminiscent of Jean Giraud and Frank Frazetta. The scene artfully integrates a stone path meandering towards quaint, old houses nestled among dark, looming mountains. This path is lined with a vibrant array of red poppies and white flowers in full bloom, adding a splash of color against the muted, vintage tones of the surroundings. The background features imposing, snow-capped peaks that stand stark against the dark, foreboding sky filled with ominous clouds. This fantasy-style depiction not only mesmerizes with its detailed sharp focus but also cleverly incorporates best practices for -sref in AI image generation, ensuring that each element, from the bright red flowers to the textured stone paths, contributes to an aura of mystery and timeless beauty in the composition.

Midjourney Prompt

Ocean Wave

This striking acrylic painting masterfully uses advanced AI art techniques with MidJourney to depict a dramatic ocean scene, where massive red and blue waves crash with a ferocious energy against a night sky. The black sun setting behind the waves adds a mysterious allure, contrasting sharply with the dark, roughly textured backdrop. The intense interplay of colors and the abstract expressionist style imbue the piece with a sense of raw, natural power and emotional depth. The use of sparkling reds and blues not only captures the reflection of the sun on the water’s surface but also evokes feelings of awe and adventure, drawing the viewer into the tumultuous beauty of the depicted scene. This artwork is a vivid exploration of nature’s enduring force and beauty, rendered with bold brushstrokes and a vibrant palette.

Midjourney Prompt

Fish Under Water

Exploring –sref features in MidJourney reveals a captivating depiction of a red and white goldfish, blended with striking black stripes, swimming gracefully in an underwater environment rich with coral reefs rendered in colorful ink paintings. This intricate representation combines the vibrant, high-contrast colors and printed textures of an acrylic painting in the expressive style of Jim Woodring, featuring bold red, black, blue, yellow, and orange hues. Enhanced by a fisheye perspective, a close-up of the fish showcases detailed scales and a patterned tail that enhances the lively movements within this aquatic scene. The backdrop, a dark blue sky interspersed with water splashes and yellow fireflies, adds an atmospheric layer of mystery and energy. This visual extravagance, inspired by Japanese and Chinese art styles, uses strong brushstrokes and a high saturation to emphasize the goldfish’s dynamic presence in a serene yet vibrant underwater tableau.

Midjourney Prompt

Cartoon Character

In this captivating illustration, we see Wally, a character sketched in the whimsical Pixar style, emanating warmth and charm. Wally is a vibrant orange cartoon boy with sleek black hair and glasses, adding a touch of intellect to his cute, oversized facial features. He sports a bright red shirt beneath blue checkered overalls, secured with brown suspenders that stretch down to his knees. His large head and even larger eyes, gazing directly at the camera, exude a friendly demeanor as he smiles cheerfully, possibly at something just out of view. Wally is set against a dark, cozy background filled with shelves that overflow with colorful boxes, reminiscent of a toy store, enhancing the lively yet intimate ambience of the scene. The detailed character design and the playful use of colors and patterns are perfect for those trying to understand how to use MidJourney –sref for unique art styles, providing a wonderful example of how this tool can bring imaginative characters to life in a distinctly Pixar-like manner.

Midjourney Prompt

A Lion

The red lion in the image encapsulates a striking visual narrative, blending attributes from print-style and acrylic painting to create a vibrant and dynamic portrait. Set against a blue backdrop, the lion’s fur radiates in shades of dark red and crimson, executed with bold, strong lines that evoke the techniques found in woodcut printmaking. This artistic fusion brings forth a compelling contrast between light and dark elements, emphasizing the lion’s powerful facial expressions. The piece draws inspiration from renowned artists such as Dmitry Kustanovich and Richard Corben, featuring exaggerated features reminiscent of Ralph Steadman’s work. The high-contrast lighting and textured background further enrich the scene, making the painting a perfect example of the best style reference techniques in MidJourney, where urban art meets traditional expression in a captivating display.