Using Midjourney (aI) to Create reference images for my colored pencil drawings
As a photorealistic artist, the search for the perfect reference image can often be a daunting task! The limitations of finding suitable images along with licensing and copyright restrictions can truly hinder your artistic process.
Earlier this year, I discovered Midjourney, an AI-powered image generation platform, and my creative possibilities have expanded exponentially.
In this blog post, I will explain why I have chosen Midjourney as my go-to tool for creating reference images and how it has transformed my artwork.
Reference Limitations
In the past, when I wanted to start a new drawing, I had 3 options.
1. Find a subject and photograph it myself. While seemingly straightforward, this approach proved to be a significant challenge for me. I am not a great photographer. And, truth be told, I don’t really care to learn. So, even if I find a beautiful flower or leaf, capturing it and editing it to use in my artwork is a real chore for me. I am also limited to whatever plants grow here in Indiana and I want to draw everything!
2. Use a Royalty-Free reference site. You can find some amazing images on a site like Pixabay. However, navigating through the thousands of images is quite a time-consuming endeavor. And, even though the images are royalty-free, they never truly felt like mine.
3. Use a subscription-based site to license a reference image. The quality of the images on sites like AdobeStock is really great! However, the steep cost associated with licensing these images can be prohibitive. And, because I am often teaching others how to draw, my students are required to obtain their own licenses if they want to share their artwork and this is not ideal.
Ultimately, I nearly always ended up settling for images that were close to what I wanted and never really finding exactly what I was picturing in my mind.
unleashing imagination
Midjourney utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms to generate images based on user prompts. Using this technology, you have the ability to bring to life any image you can imagine. As a photorealistic artist, this feature has been nothing short of life-changing for me. Gone are the days of relying on stock photos that often fell short of capturing my artistic vision. With Midjourney, I can now create reference images that perfectly align with the ideas and concepts I wish to portray in my artwork.
Getting Started
Even if you are new to Midjourney, getting started is not difficult. The platform offers a Quick Start Guide, allowing users to familiarize themselves with its features and functionalities. Personally, I found this resource to be extremely helpful. I spent about an hour reading through all of the information and setting up my accounts and then I was ready to start experimenting with the program. As this is an evolving technology, the inputs, and versions change frequently. I like to visit the Quick Start Guide before I generate new images to make sure I am updated on anything new that I need to know.
Floral Butterflies
In the accompanying video, I demonstrate how I used Midjourney to generate a series of butterflies inspired by flowers. When I decided to draw a butterfly for my May 2023 Patreon tutorial, I knew that I wanted it to be special. I wasn’t necessarily looking for the kind of butterfly that could be found in nature. I wanted an interesting composition and unusual color patterns. I imagined a flower becoming a butterfly. This is definitely not the kind of butterfly that could be photographed. I used Midjourney to combine an image prompt with a written description of what I was looking for. I kept fine-tuning my results until I had the perfect image. I continued to edit by brightening the image by increasing the contrast using PicMonkey.com. Finally, a way to bring my vision to life!
Conclusion
Midjourney is a game-changer for photorealistic artists like me who rely heavily on reference images. The freedom to create anything I can imagine without being limited by the availability of stock photos or copyright restrictions has unlocked a world of creative possibilities. If you can’t already tell, I am unbelievably excited about this new era and can’t wait to decide what to draw next!
