Create Custom Brand Images with AI Using MidJourney
Tired of the same generic stock photos everyone else uses? Discover how to create custom brand images using MidJourney—a powerful AI tool that transforms your branding process.
Whether you're a designer, marketer, or creative, this guide will help you capture cohesive, high-quality visuals that elevate your projects and websites.
What You’ll Learn in This Workshop:
How to create custom branded images with AI using MidJourney
Tips and techniques for crafting cohesive visuals
Matching style, tone, and imagery for consistent results
Understanding and using style references (SRFs) effectively
Maintaining branding with SRFs and adjusting their weights
Practical applications for AI-generated images in design projects
Check out the replay!
Don’t forget to download your Midjourney Cheat Sheet
Rather read all about it? Read the Full Shownotes below …What Makes an Image "Branded"?
Branded imagery is more than just pictures that look nice. It’s about creating a consistent visual style that aligns with a brand’s message. What makes images cohesive?
Tone: Is the brand playful, elegant, or futuristic? Images should reflect that.
Style: Artistic style should stay uniform across images to avoid visual chaos.
Colors: Brand colors (or complementary tones) should connect everything visually.
Composition: From lighting to subject focus, everything should feel intentional.
For example, a tech startup aiming for innovation might lean on sleek, modern visuals, while a luxury jewelry brand might focus on rich, opulent imagery. When every image follows these rules, the brand instantly feels polished.
Why Stock Photos Can’t Keep Up
If you’ve ever scrolled through stock photo libraries, you know the struggle. Generic stock images aren’t just overused—they rarely match a brand’s unique tone. Want a tropical backdrop that feels moody but classy? Good luck finding exactly that.
Even with minor edits, stock photos often look disconnected from the overall brand identity. AI imagery fixes that. With the right prompts and references, custom visuals become as personalized as the brand itself.
The Essential Branded Image Kit
To put together a full set of branded imagery, think about everything a website or marketing campaign needs:
Hero Banners: Eye-catching visuals for headers.
Icons: Custom illustrations or symbols for navigation and content highlights.
Textures: Background patterns or subtle gradients to add depth.
Product Shots: Close-ups or styled photos showcasing the brand focus.
Abstract Graphics: Unique graphics for social media or branding assets.
With MidJourney, you can create every one of these tailored to fit your brand.
Getting Started with AI Imagery in MidJourney
MidJourney is a powerful AI tool that generates stunning visuals from simple text prompts. It’s fast, customizable, and ideal for creating designs that feel cohesive.
If you’ve never used MidJourney before, you’ll need basic knowledge to get started. For beginners, the MidJourney Mastery Course by Rory Flynn is highly recommended—it’ll take you from zero to expert in no time.
If you’re familiar with the basics, let’s talk about how to produce branded visuals that actually work.
Style Reference Codes (SRFs): The Secret Sauce
SRFs are numeric codes in MidJourney that guide the artistic style of your images. Think of them as shortcuts for consistency. When you use an SRF code, the AI applies specific artistic techniques, colors, and tones to your images, ensuring a cohesive look.
Finding and Generating SRFs
Not sure where to find SRF codes? Here are some tips:
Experiment with MidJourney’s
--srf randomto discover hidden gems.Search AI-focused communities on LinkedIn or Twitter (creators often share their codes).
Use directories like SRF Style or Creator Impact for easy access.
Using SRFs to Build Better Designs
Once you have SRFs to work with, applying them strategically is key. Here are some ways to make sure your brand designs stand out.
Assigning Style Weights for Precise Results
MidJourney allows you to assign weights to your SRF codes using --sw (e.g., --sw 20). Lower weights give you flexibility for creative adjustments, while higher weights force closer adherence to the reference style. Experiment with different numbers to balance creativity and brand consistency.
Example Output:
At
--sw 60: A photo closely resembles the reference style.At
--sw 20: The image includes elements of the style but with creative adjustments (e.g., varied colors or tones).
Using Logos as Style References
Want to stick to a brand's visual identity? Upload the company logo and use it as a style reference. MidJourney can create backgrounds, social media graphics, or even website headers inspired by that logo’s style. This ensures everything feels on-brand.
Example Workflow:
Upload the logo to MidJourney.
Extract the image link.
Use it in prompts with
--sref <image link>.
This can be a game-changer for any custom website project.
Creating Textures and Background Patterns
Branded textures are great for website backgrounds, section dividers, or subtle overlays. With MidJourney, you can prompt for tiled textures using the --tile feature. Combine this with SRFs to ensure patterns match the overall brand style.
For example, a jewelry brand could prompt:
"Golden leaf texture, ornate, luxurious, no background –tile --sw 20"
The result? A beautiful, repeatable design ready for web use.
Advanced Techniques for Refinement
Want to boost creativity? Step beyond standard SRFs and leverage MidJourney’s advanced features like tiling background patterns, blending image styles, or even generating icons that align perfectly with the rest of your suite.
For more examples on using abstract visuals or trends in graphic elements, consider reading this detailed guide on Web Design Trends and Visual Innovation.
Combining Style References for Layered Results
Want to mix two distinct styles? MidJourney lets you blend multiple references by weighting them in the prompt. For instance:
<image1>::3 <image2>::1 --swe 30
The first image heavily influences the design, while the second adds subtle elements. Perfect for creating something bold yet balanced.
Maximizing Prompt Efficiency
Use longer, more detailed prompts to get better images. See the examples below.
A strong prompt can make or break your image quality. Keep these basics in mind:
Place important details at the start of your prompt.
Aim for clarity; overly long prompts can confuse the AI.
Use creative descriptors for dynamic effects (e.g., “glowing golden light, cinematic shadows”).
If you’re stuck, use tools like ChatGPT or Claude to generate detailed prompts based on a basic idea. For example, input “luxury tech branding” and they’ll return refined text you can plug into MidJourney.
Fine-Tuning with Parameters
Sometimes, small tweaks make all the difference.
Aspect Ratios: Wide shots for headers (
--ar 16:9), square for icons (--ar 1:1).Chaos Levels: Higher chaos (
--chaos 50) creates more variation in outputs.Describe Tool: Upload an image, and MidJourney breaks down its style. Use this to reverse-engineer cohesive designs.
Building a Complete Branding Image Suite
Every successful website or design portfolio needs three main types of visuals. Here’s how to approach each:
Background and Medium Shots
These set the tone. Use SRFs to create environment-based images with extra space for text. Imagine a hero banner where lush greenery frames the product in focus. Think of these as visual “anchors” for branding.
Prompt Idea:
"Serene natural landscape, soft lighting, minimal subjects –ar 16:9 --swe 20 ¬–tile"
Close-Ups for Storytelling
Zoom in to highlight what matters. Showcase product details, human gestures, or textures that align with the brand story.
Prompt Idea:
"Close-up of athletic shoes running through dirt, dynamic dust clouds –swe 30 --ar 4:3"
Abstract Graphics and Icons
From patterns to custom illustrations, these are great for adding flair. Abstract styles can appear across website sections or as social media elements. They’re subtle but effective for tying designs together.
Example Usage:
Icons of floral patterns for a wellness site, or futuristic neon elements for a tech brand.
Final Tips for Elevating AI Imagery
Design doesn’t stop at image generation. Polished, professional visuals often require final tweaks. Tools like Canva or Photoshop help clean edges, remove backgrounds, or add text overlays. You can also adjust colors for precision if the AI gets close but not perfect.
Seriously, don’t settle. MidJourney makes custom branding easier than ever, but practice is everything. The more you experiment with prompts, weights, and SRFs, the better your results will be.
Additional Tools and Resources
MidJourney is only one piece of the branding puzzle. To gain momentum in your branding journey:
Explore the Free Resources for high-quality, supportive tools to enhance your visuals.
Learn about defining brands holistically using the principles outlined in The Truth About Branding.
These resources are designed to improve the clarity and impact of your work.
Wrapping Up
Creating cohesive visuals doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With MidJourney, you can bring fresh, professional touches to your branding, while maintaining your originality. Play with SRFs, get creative with weighted prompts, and never settle for uninspired stock pictures again.
Start experimenting and take your designs to the next level today. Want to dive deeper? Share your results or questions in the comments and showcase your work—it’s time to let your creativity shine!
Curious to dive in? Grab the tools like my MidJourney Cheat Sheet, test your SRF skills, and let AI take your brand to new levels!
