Midjourney's May 2024 Updates: Tips, Tricks and Insights #midjourneytutorial

Expres Prints
4 May 202414:15

TLDRIana from Express Prints welcomes viewers to a tutorial on the latest updates with Midjourney, a website for creatives that offers a range of tools for image generation and manipulation. The video, recorded on May 4, 2024, emphasizes the importance of keeping up with the rapidly evolving features of Midjourney. Iana discusses her recent focus on interior design and how Midjourney has been a valuable tool in this process. She clarifies that Midjourney is not a simple 'before and after' app but offers much more in terms of creative possibilities. The tutorial covers various aspects of the Midjourney platform, including the explore function, creating folders for images, the 'rooms' feature for community interaction, and the return of free hours for image generation. Iana also touches on the rating system, submitting ideas for improvement, and the leaderboard for community voting on feature enhancements. She concludes by expressing her excitement about the platform's future and invites viewers to share their thoughts on Midjourney's direction and their personal creative journeys.

Takeaways

  • πŸ“… The tutorial is about the latest updates on Midjourney's website as of May 4, 2024.
  • 🎨 Midjourney is not a before-and-after app but can be used for interior design and creative decoration.
  • πŸš€ Midjourney is trained on 2D images and does not perform before-and-after transformations on its own images.
  • πŸ’‘ The focus should be on what Midjourney can do, not what it cannot, to get the most out of the tool.
  • πŸ“ˆ The speaker has used Midjourney extensively, having created 12,000 images over time.
  • πŸ” There is an issue with the search function on the website where the search query disappears when navigating back.
  • 🌐 The website has an explore function, a prompt search box, and a room feature similar to a Facebook group for sharing prompts.
  • πŸ•’ Free hours for faster image processing have been reintroduced after a period of misuse by bots.
  • πŸ“Š Users can rate images and submit ideas for the platform's improvement, which are then prioritized by the community.
  • πŸ“ The tutorial also covers how to navigate the website, including creating folders and using different layouts.
  • ❓ The speaker invites users to share their experiences with Midjourney, particularly regarding creation fatigue and the need for focus or business goals.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of the tutorial video?

    -The tutorial video focuses on the updates and new features of the Midjourney website as of May 4, 2024, and discusses how to utilize the platform for home decorating and creative purposes.

  • Why is it important to know the date of the video recording?

    -It is important to know the date of the video recording because the Midjourney website is rapidly changing, and knowing the date helps viewers understand the latest developments and features at the time of the tutorial.

  • What does the speaker suggest about the use of Midjourney for home decorating?

    -The speaker suggests that while Midjourney is not a before-and-after app for home decorating, it can still be incredibly useful for the task. The focus should be on what Midjourney can do, leveraging its capabilities to enhance home decorating projects.

  • What is the significance of the number 100 in the context of the video?

    -The number 100 refers to the threshold of images created by a user on the Midjourney website. Once a user has created 100 images or more, they gain access to certain features and functionalities on the platform.

  • How does the speaker describe the experience of using Midjourney for an extended period?

    -The speaker describes experiencing creation fatigue after using Midjourney for a while, similar to what traditional artists might feel. They are interested in hearing from other users about whether they also experience this fatigue and how they maintain their creative drive.

  • What is the issue the speaker encounters with the search functionality on the Midjourney website?

    -The speaker encounters an issue where the search query disappears when they try to go back after performing a search, such as for 'home decor'. They express frustration with this and ask if others have found a workaround.

  • What new feature allows users to explore and share prompts on the Midjourney website?

    -The new feature called 'Rooms' allows users to explore and share prompts in a manner similar to Facebook groups, providing a space for community interaction and the sharing of creative ideas.

  • Why did Midjourney stop awarding free hours to users?

    -Midjourney stopped awarding free hours due to misuse by some users, including the use of bots to exploit the system. However, the speaker mentions that the free hours have been reintroduced with some changes.

  • How does the bonus hour system work on Midjourney?

    -Bonus hours are awarded for activities such as rating images on the platform. These hours roll over to the next month but are used first before the fast hours included in a user's plan, which do not roll over.

  • What is the purpose of the 'Rate Ideas' feature on the Midjourney website?

    -The 'Rate Ideas' feature allows users to submit and vote on suggestions for improving the Midjourney platform. This feedback helps the Midjourney team prioritize and decide on which features to develop next.

  • How does the speaker feel about the future of Midjourney?

    -The speaker is fascinated and excited about the future of Midjourney. They are eager to hear from other users about their thoughts on the platform's direction and how they plan to use it moving forward.

Outlines

00:00

πŸŽ‰ Introduction to Mid Journey Alpha Website Tutorial

Iana from Express Prints welcomes viewers to a tutorial about the Mid Journey Alpha website. She emphasizes the importance of knowing when the video was recorded due to the rapidly changing nature of the platform. Iana apologizes for not recording for over a month, explaining her focus on interior design and learning a lot about using Mid Journey for home decoration. She clarifies that Mid Journey is not a before-and-after app and encourages viewers to focus on its capabilities rather than its limitations. Iana also discusses her experiences with creation fatigue and seeks feedback from the community on their goals and directions with Mid Journey.

05:01

πŸ” Exploring Mid Journey's Features and Interface

The tutorial continues with Iana exploring various features of the Mid Journey website. She discusses the search functionality, the ability to look for similar images, and the use of reference images. Iana mentions a minor issue with the search feature and how it affects the user experience. She also talks about the different layouts available for working with the platform, the creation of folders for organizing images, and the 'rooms' feature, which is akin to Facebook groups for sharing prompts. Iana highlights the return of free hours for users, the importance of these hours, especially during peak times, and the changes in how bonus and fast hours are managed on the platform.

10:02

πŸ“Š Rating System and Community Feedback on Mid Journey

Iana explains the rating system on Mid Journey, noting that while it can be time-consuming, it also provides learning opportunities. She then introduces the 'Rate Ideas' feature, which allows users to submit and vote on ideas for the platform's improvement. Iana discusses the most popular ideas, such as improving hands and fingers, uploading and manipulating personal images, and creating multiple consistent characters in one image. She also covers the 'News' section, where users can find announcements, and the 'Help' section, which includes support and documentation. Lastly, Iana talks about the ability to change the background color on the website and invites viewers to share their thoughts on Mid Journey's development and their personal creative journeys.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Midjourney

Midjourney refers to a specific software or application that is used for creating and editing images. In the context of the video, it is the central tool being discussed for its updates and how it can be utilized for various creative tasks, such as interior design and home decoration. The speaker expresses a strong affinity for Midjourney and discusses its capabilities and limitations.

πŸ’‘Alpha website

The term 'Alpha website' typically refers to a preliminary or testing version of a website that is still under development. In the video, the speaker mentions the Midjourney Alpha website, indicating that it is a work-in-progress platform where users can access and experiment with new features before they are officially released.

πŸ’‘2D images

Two-dimensional (2D) images are flat images that represent a scene or subject in a single plane. The script mentions that Midjourney is trained on 2D images, which is significant because it means the software may have limitations in handling three-dimensional (3D) spatial relationships or layouts.

πŸ’‘Before and after

The phrase 'before and after' is commonly used to show the comparison between the initial and final states of something, often in the context of renovations or transformations. The speaker clarifies that Midjourney is not a 'before and after' app, meaning it does not specialize in showing transformations of the same image or scene.

πŸ’‘Creation fatigue

Creation fatigue refers to a state of feeling exhausted or overwhelmed by the process of creating, which can lead to a decrease in motivation or inspiration. The script discusses the concept in relation to long-term users of Midjourney who might experience a sense of burnout or struggle to find new directions for their creative work.

πŸ’‘Folders

In the context of the video, 'folders' are organizational tools within the Midjourney platform that allow users to categorize and store their images. The speaker mentions having created multiple folders, indicating that this feature is useful for managing a large number of images and keeping them organized.

πŸ’‘Rooms

The term 'rooms' in the script seems to refer to a feature within the Midjourney platform that allows users to create and join spaces for sharing and discussing their work, similar to how one might interact in a Facebook group. It suggests a social aspect to the platform where users can collaborate and communicate.

πŸ’‘Free hours

Free hours on the Midjourney platform refer to a benefit where users can utilize the service for a certain amount of time without incurring additional costs. The speaker discusses changes to the free hours policy, indicating that they are now being awarded again after a period when they were not due to misuse.

πŸ’‘Rating

Rating, in the context of the video, involves users assessing the quality of images generated by the Midjourney software. The speaker mentions that rating images not only contributes to the improvement of the platform but also provides a learning opportunity for users to understand what makes an image effective or appealing.

πŸ’‘Rate ideas

Rate ideas is a feature within the Midjourney platform that allows users to submit and vote on suggestions for improvements or new features. The speaker discusses this feature, noting that it gives users a voice in the development process and helps the Midjourney team prioritize updates.

πŸ’‘Style reference

Style reference is a tool or feature within Midjourney that enables users to guide the image generation process by providing examples of a particular style or aesthetic they wish to achieve. The speaker expresses enthusiasm for this tool and its potential for enhancing creative outcomes.

Highlights

Midjourney's May 2024 updates are discussed in a tutorial by Iana from Express Prints.

The tutorial focuses on the latest features and changes to the Midjourney Alpha website.

Iana apologizes for not recording for over a month, focusing instead on interior design and home decorating.

She shares her learnings on how Midjourney can assist with home decoration, emphasizing its capabilities rather than limitations.

Midjourney is not a before-and-after app and cannot do before-and-after transformations of its own images.

The tool is trained on 2D images, which is why it cannot understand certain layout requests.

Iana discusses the importance of focusing on what Midjourney can do and leveraging its strengths.

She mentions experiencing creation fatigue and seeks input from the community on how they stay motivated.

Iana has been using Midjourney for a long time, with a lifetime usage of 23,000 images.

Users who have created 100 images or more can now use the Midjourney website.

The website's explore function allows users to search for images, although Iana notes a bug with the search history.

The website has an improved layout for ease of use, including a brush tool and more options.

Iana explains how to create folders on the website to organize images.

Rooms on the website function similarly to Facebook groups, allowing users to share prompts.

Free hours for image creation have been reintroduced after a period of misuse by bots.

Bonus hours roll over, but fast hours included in a user's plan do not roll over.

Users can rate images and submit ideas for improvements on the website.

The leaderboard shows the most popular ideas for improvement, such as improving hands and fingers.

Iana expresses her fascination with the direction of Midjourney and invites community discussion.

The tutorial concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their thoughts and experiences with Midjourney.