5 Best Midjourney Prompts: February 2024 (Illustrations)

Prompt modifiers to create sketches and illustration effects.

Happy Thursday, picture pundits!

Last month, I was thinking of retiring the monthly Midjourney prompt tradition.

But then this happened:

The only dissenting voice up there is my own misclick, so it really looks like you want these to continue.

So be it!

This month, I have a bunch of descriptors that make your images look like drawings or illustrations.

Remember: I only share short prompt modifiers rather than paragraph-long prompts. My philosophy is that a simple modifier combined with a detailed scene description written in natural language is the way to go. (So forget splatterprompting.)

Note: All sample images are Midjourney Version 6.

Prompt #1: Don’t lift up that pen!

Midjourney prompt:

[subject], one-line drawing

What it does:

In Midjourney, “one-line drawing” simulates a simple sketch drawn in one nonstop movement. This modifier doesn’t work equally well with every subject, so test it out. You can try using the word “continuous” instead of or in addition to “one-line.”

Sample images:

Cat, tulip, person

Prompt #2: Travel back in time

Midjourney prompt:

[subject], retro poster

What it does:

This one’s fun. It typically returns images reminiscent of vintage ads or posters from the first half of the 20th century. They’re often vibrant and colorful. You can try adding a written message by including a short text enclosed in ““.

Sample images:

Party, theme park, Olympics

Prompt #3: Get to doodling

Midjourney prompt:

[subject], doodle

What it does:

It’s, well, a doodle. This modifier isn’t precise and can return a range of effects, but there’s a tendency toward black-and-white or monochrome images with many added details and objects. Most results are too fleshed out to be proper doodles, but they all feel like hand-drawn sketches.

Sample images:

Rhino, tree house, cloud

Prompt #4: Make some color prints

Midjourney prompt:

[subject], risograph

What it does:

Risograph printing sits midway between traditional screen printing and digital prints, which is why it’s often called “digital screen printing.” It’s named after Riso Kagaku Corporation, which invented the first digital duplicators used for this method. Adding “risograph” or “risograph print” to your Midjourney prompt strongly affects the chosen color palette and style.

Sample images:

Asteroid, circus, telephone

Prompt #5: Keep it 2D

Midjourney prompt:

[subject], flat illustration

What it does:

Flat illustrations are characterized by a minimalist aesthetic, vivid colors, and the use of simple 2D elements. Midjourney excels at this modifier, returning images with lots of character.¹

Sample images:

Race car, jungle, tango

Over to you…

Have fun with the new prompt modifiers.

Don’t forget to try them in other text-to-image generators to see how they respond.

Have prompts of your own to share or want to ask me something?

Leave a comment or shoot me an email at whytryai@substack.com.

If you’re a paid subscriber, you can even message me directly:

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The full list of Midjourney prompts lives in this ever-expanding guide:

1. This post’s featured image is “ninja fight, flat illustration --ar 3:2”