Mastering Consistent Character Creation in Midjourney With Ease

Crafting consistent characters in Midjourney can be a bit of a challenge, but with the help of this insider guide, you'll be able to achieve impressive results. Although the process isn’t flawless, it’s effective with the right approach. This guide will take you through the steps and tricks needed to create consistent characters in Midjourney. Let’s get started!

Why Consistency Is Challenging in Midjourney

Midjourney stands out as a powerful AI image generation tool, but maintaining consistency in character details like hair, eyes, and clothing can be difficult. However, with a systematic approach and a few insider tips, you can come quite close to achieving your desired outcome. Midjourney’s recent update introduced two new parameters, “—cref” and “—sref,” which mark significant progress towards consistent character creation. While these tools alone won’t guarantee perfection, there’s an additional hack that significantly improves the results. Let’s explore the process.

Step 1: Begin with a Cartoon Prompt from Promptsclub.com

The first step is to establish your base character. For optimal results, it’s recommended to start with a character image generated by Midjourney. Using images from other sources can lead to more distortion and inconsistency, particularly in facial features. Ensure that your reference image features a clearly defined subject with distinct facial details.

For this example, I’m using a cartoon character prompt from Promptsclub.com and adjusted the prompt to 2D.

Step 2: Upscale and Upload to Discord

Once your initial character is ready, upscale the image. After that, download and upload the upscaled image to Discord. This step is crucial for refining the character’s details and maintaining consistency.

Step 3: Refine Using Character References

Next, create a new prompt featuring your character in action. Add the following command at the end of your prompt: —cref [URL of the image] —cw 100.

This instructs Midjourney to use your uploaded image as a reference, which greatly enhances the consistency of the character across different images.

Step 4: Iterate for Refinement

Achieving the perfect result might take a few tries. Repeat the process, making adjustments to your prompts until only minor issues remain. These small errors can be easily corrected (see Step 5).

Here’s an example of the result I achieved:

Step 5: Fix Minor Issues with Midjourney’s In-Paint Feature

If you encounter any inconsistencies, like a character’s face or other details being off, Midjourney’s in-paint feature is excellent for making corrections. Use this tool to fine-tune any small imperfections in your character.

Step 6: Adjust Keywords and Parameters

Creating a consistent character is all about fine-tuning keywords and parameters. Experiment with permutation prompts and the repeat parameter to explore various combinations and find the best fit for your character.

• Permutation prompts: {in a cinema, at the park, at home, on the beach}
• Repeat parameter: --repeat

Tip: Adjust Character Weight for Various Poses If your character struggles to assume different poses, try reducing the character weight to 50 or 60 (—cw 0–100). This can help facilitate more natural body movements. Alternatively, use an image URL at the start of your prompt that shows the character in the desired pose, known as an image reference.

Final Thoughts

Creating consistent characters in Midjourney involves a mix of creativity and technique. By following these steps and continually refining your approach, you can develop characters that are not only consistent but also full of life and uniqueness. Happy creating!

Stay tuned for more insights and techniques to enhance your digital art!

Bonus

For more tips and tricks, check out my highly-rated Midjourney Udemy Course (over 2,500 students enrolled). The course includes a free eBook with over 2,499 Midjourney prompts and covers all the material in the video lessons, available in text format. You can get this comprehensive course for just $12.99 instead of $39.99 through the link above.