How long does this beginner tutorial take?

This tutorial takes about 10 minutes to complete. Take your time with each step — the goal is understanding, not speed.

Do I need any prior experience?

No prior experience is needed. This tutorial is designed for complete beginners.

Which tools do I need?

This tutorial uses midjourney, dalle 3, leonardo ai.

Is this tutorial free?

Yes, all of our tutorials are completely free to access. No signup required.

Generate Stunning Images with Midjourney: Step by Step

A complete walkthrough of Midjourney from setup to your first professional-looking image, including the prompt formula that works.

Sara Lindqvist

10 min readJuly 18, 2026

Choose your plan

Midjourney requires a subscription starting at $10/month. Sign up at midjourney.com and pick the plan that fits your volume — Basic gives roughly 200 fast generations.

Use the prompt formula

Structure prompts as: subject + style + composition + lighting + aspect ratio. Example: "a serene mountain lake at dawn, oil painting style, wide shot, soft golden light --ar 16:9."

Use style references

Add --sref followed by an image URL to match a specific aesthetic. This is the fastest way to keep a consistent look across a series.

Upscale and refine

Pick your favorite of the four results, then use Upscale and Remix to add detail or change elements without losing the composition.

Frequently asked questions

Sara Lindqvist

Creative AI Instructor

Sara explores the intersection of AI and visual art. Her tutorials on AI image and video generation have been viewed millions of times.