Midjourney CREF Deep Dive | Consistent Character Ultimate Guide | Midjourney v6 Tips
TLDRMidjourney has introduced a groundbreaking update with the character reference feature (CF), which aligns with the character's appearance rather than a visual aesthetic. This is particularly useful for storytelling through visual narratives where a character recurs in various scenes. The video explains how to use CF by adding the --CF parameter followed by the image URL of the character. It emphasizes that CF works best with Midjourney's own images and maintains the character's core look without copying exact details. The video also covers character weight (CW), which controls the adherence to the character's clothing and hairstyle, and how to use CF for multiple characters in a scene. Additionally, it explores combining CF with style reference for a cohesive visual style and mentions that CF can be used with non-human subjects and abstract patterns. The video concludes by advising on creating effective character references for Midjourney, suggesting the use of clear, well-defined images with distinct features for the best results.
Takeaways
- 🎨 **Character Reference Feature**: Midjourney introduced a new feature that allows matching character visuals across different scenes or outfits.
- ⚙️ **Basic Usage**: To use character reference, include the `--CF` parameter followed by the URL of the character image in your prompt.
- 🔗 **URL Integration**: The character reference URL should ideally link to an image created by Midjourney for the best results.
- 🧥 **Character Details**: While the feature captures the character's overall look, it doesn't replicate exact clothing details, which can be specified in the text prompt.
- 🤳 **Multiple Scenes**: The feature facilitates creating visual narratives by placing the same character in various scenes and poses.
- 📈 **Character Weight (CW)**: Use the `--D-CW` parameter to control how closely Midjourney adheres to the reference character's clothing and hairstyle, with a scale from 0 to 100.
- 👕 **Changing Outfits**: Decrease the character weight if you want to alter the character's outfit while maintaining their facial features.
- 🌐 **Website Integration**: On Midjourney's website, you can upload a character reference image directly in the Imagine bar for easier integration.
- 🎭 **Style Transfer**: Character reference can be used to transfer a character into different visual styles, like oil paintings or comic book art.
- 🔄 **Combining Features**: For increased visual cohesiveness, combine character reference with Midjourney's style reference feature.
- 👾 **Non-Human Characters**: The character reference feature isn't limited to humans; it can also be used for non-human characters or abstract patterns.
- 👥 **Multiple Characters**: Creating scenes with multiple characters requires careful mapping and descriptive text in the prompt to avoid character blending.
- 📐 **Panning and Zooming**: Utilize Midjourney's pan and zoom features to adjust character positioning and size in multi-character scenes.
- 🔍 **Fine-Tuning**: Experiment with character weight and image references to achieve the desired character pose and composition.
- 🖼️ **Best Practices**: For optimal results, use a clear, Midjourney-created character reference image with distinct facial features and multiple poses.
Q & A
What is the character reference feature in Midjourney v6?
-The character reference feature in Midjourney v6 is a tool that allows users to input an image of a character and have the AI generate images that visually match the appearance and likeness of that character. It's particularly useful for storytelling with visual narratives where the same character appears in different scenes or outfits.
How do you use the character reference feature in Midjourney?
-To use the character reference feature, you type in your prompt and then add the --CF parameter followed by a space and the URL of the image containing the character you want to use. Midjourney will then attempt to generate results that visually match the character.
What is the character weight parameter (D-CW) used for?
-The character weight parameter (D-CW) is used to control how closely Midjourney adheres to the clothing and sometimes hairstyle of the reference character. It ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being the default that tries to fully match the character's likeness and clothing.
How does character weight differ from other strength parameters in Midjourney?
-Character weight works differently from other strength parameters such as style weight. A lower character weight does not mean a character that is less similar to the reference because Midjourney will always lock onto the face regardless of the character weight. It is used to decrease the strength when you want to change a character's outfit or if you're having difficulty getting the character into a different pose.
Can you use the character reference feature to create images with multiple characters?
-Yes, you can use the character reference feature for scenes with multiple characters, but it requires careful prompting to ensure that Midjourney correctly maps each character and their positioning. You can also use the pan feature or the very region method to create images with multiple characters.
What are some techniques to transfer a character to different visual styles using character reference?
-You can prompt for stylized renditions such as an oil painting, vintage photograph, or comic book art. By using creative prompting, you can explore your character through vastly different style lenses without needing to include anything about the character in your text prompt.
How can combining a character reference with a style reference enhance your image generation?
-Combining a character reference with a style reference allows you to maintain a similar character across image generations while also applying a consistent visual style. This approach increases the visual cohesiveness of scenes and can be used to apply cinematic movie styles, abstract geometric styles, or specific illustration styles.
What types of images can be used as character references in Midjourney?
-Character references are not limited to human subjects. You can use any image, including non-human characters or even abstract patterns and shapes. Midjourney will use the core shapes and features of the reference image to guide the character creation process.
What makes a good character reference image for Midjourney?
-A good character reference image for Midjourney is one that was made using Midjourney, as non-Midjourney images can lead to more distortion and inconsistencies. The image should have a clearly defined subject with distinct facial features, and it can be helpful to have the character in multiple poses.
How can you use image references to guide character pose and composition in Midjourney?
-Image references placed at the beginning of a prompt can guide character pose and composition. By including an image URL that shows the character in the desired pose, you can help Midjourney understand the intended posture and positioning for the character in the generated images.
What is the purpose of the pan feature in Midjourney when creating images with multiple characters?
-The pan feature allows you to create an image with one character, then 'pan' to a different area of the scene to introduce a second character. This can help with controlling the relative size differences between multiple characters and maintaining their individual characteristics.
How does the very region method help with generating images with multiple characters?
-The very region method allows you to generate a base image and then swap in each character's face using the character reference. This method can be useful for creating images where the characters' faces need to be distinct and accurately represented.
Outlines
🎨 Introduction to Character Reference in Mid Journey
The video introduces a new feature in Mid Journey called 'character reference,' which is used to maintain the visual consistency of a character across different scenes or outfits. The feature works by matching the character's appearance and likeness from a provided image reference. It is particularly useful for storytelling with visual narratives. The video promises to cover everything from the basics of using character reference to creating images with multiple reference characters. Viewers are encouraged to like and subscribe for more content on this topic.
📌 How to Use Character Reference and Character Weight
The script explains the technical process of using character reference in Mid Journey. Users are instructed to type their prompt and then add the '--CF' parameter followed by the URL of the character image. The character weight parameter ('--CW') is introduced, which allows control over how closely Mid Journey adheres to the character's clothing and hairstyle. The character weight ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being the default for matching the character's likeness and clothing. Lowering the character weight can help change the character's outfit or pose. The video also demonstrates how to use these parameters on Mid Journey's website and suggests including specific details in the text prompt for greater accuracy.
🌟 Advanced Techniques and Applications of Character Reference
The video discusses advanced techniques for using character reference, such as transferring a character to different visual styles like oil paintings or comic book art. It also covers the use of non-human characters and abstract patterns as references, which can lead to unique and imaginative results. For scenes with multiple characters, the video suggests methods like using descriptive text to help Mid Journey map the characters correctly, using the pan feature, custom zoom, and the very region method for swapping faces in generated images. The importance of using a clear and well-defined character reference image made by Mid Journey for the best results is emphasized. The video concludes by encouraging experimentation and providing tips for using character reference effectively.
✌️ Conclusion and Engagement Invitation
The final paragraph serves as a conclusion to the video, inviting viewers to share their experiences, ask questions, or provide tips regarding character reference in the comments section. The video host expresses hope that the viewers found the information helpful and prompts them to like the video and subscribe for more content. It ends with a friendly farewell, promising to catch the audience in the next video.
Mindmap
Keywords
Character Reference Feature
CF Parameter
Character Weight (D-CW)
Visual Narratives
Style Weight
Nii Model
Style Reference
Pan Feature
Zoom Feature
Varying Character Poses
Image References
Highlights
Midjourney has introduced a new character reference feature for consistency in visual narratives.
The character reference feature matches the character's appearance rather than a visual aesthetic.
Using the --CF parameter with an image URL helps generate results that visually match the character.
Character reference works best with images created by Midjourney.
The character's core look is maintained, but outfit details may not be perfectly recreated.
Character weight (D-CW) can control how closely Midjourney adheres to the character's clothing and hairstyle.
A character weight of 100 tries to fully match the character's likeness and clothing, while 0 locks onto the face only.
CF makes it easier to create visual narratives with the same characters in different scenes and poses.
Character reference can be used to transfer a character to different visual styles, like oil paintings or vintage photographs.
Combining character reference with Midjourney's style reference feature increases visual cohesiveness.
Character reference is not limited to human subjects and can include non-human characters or abstract patterns.
For scenes with multiple characters, descriptive text in the prompt can help Midjourney map the characters correctly.
Midjourney's pan feature can be used to create images with multiple characters by changing character references.
A good character reference image should be made by Midjourney for best results, with clear facial features.
Portraits and full body images work well as character references, and including multiple poses can reinforce key details.
Lowering the character weight can help with body movement and different poses in the results.
Image references at the beginning of a prompt can guide character pose and composition.
Experimentation is key to finding the right workflow with character reference in Midjourney.