Midjourney V6: Make AI Characters Look the Same Every Time

A Midjourney generated image using Midjourney Automation Suite

Creating digital characters with AI is fun. But keeping them looking consistent across many images can be tricky. Midjourney's latest update changes that. Now you can generate your own AI character and maintain their look across different scenes, clothes, and styles. This guide shows you how to use the new character reference feature to make endless versions of your unique character.

Start with a Consistent Character

First, you need a main character image. In Midjourney, you just type a prompt to create them. For example:

closeup front shot of an Asian girl with purple hair in a pink dress sitting in a cafe cinematic style Raw AR 16:9

Once you have an image you like, save its URL. This image will be your character reference.

How to Use Character Reference ([--cref])

Using the character reference feature starts with `--cref`. Add `--cref` to the end of your prompt, followed by the URL link of your character image.

Let's say you want your character, 'Sally', to wear a yellow hoodie instead of a pink dress. You take your original prompt, change "pink dress" to "Yellow hoodie", and add the character reference:

closeup front shot of an Asian girl with purple hair in a Yellow hoodie sitting in a cafe cinematic style Raw AR 16:9 --cref [URL link of your character image]

Midjourney will generate images based on your new prompt using the look of the character from the image you provided as a reference.

Control Consistency with Character Weight ([--cw])

Sometimes, using `--cref` might copy more than just the face. The character might not look exactly right in the new outfit. This is where `--cw` comes in. Character weight controls how closely the AI follows your character reference image.

The standard value for `--cw` is 100. If you lower the number, Midjourney focuses more on the character's face from your reference image. To make the character look more like the face while changing other things (like clothes), you'll want a lower `--cw` value. The lowest setting is 0.

Try adding `--cw 60` to your prompt. This tells Midjourney to put less weight on the full character image, focusing more on the face while still incorporating the new prompt details like the yellow hoodie. Experimenting with values below 40 might make the face less consistent, so find what works best for your specific image and goal.

Change the Scene and Setting

Once you have your character consistent, you can place them anywhere. Keep your character reference (`--cref`) and weight (`--cw`) settings, and simply change the location in your prompt:

Different Locations

Try changing "in a cafe" to:

[LI]in a desert[/LI>

[LI]in a jungle[/LI>

[LI]in the middle of Antarctica filled with snow[/LI]

[/UL]

Your consistent character will appear in these new places.

Vary Camera Angles

You can also direct the viewpoint. Change phrases in your prompt to control the camera:

[LI]low angle shot[/LI>

[LI]underwater shot[/LI]

[/UL]

Each angle gives a new perspective on your character while keeping their look consistent.

Managing all these variables for different shots can get complicated quickly. If you're creating many images or need to manage multiple character looks, consider using an automation tool. The Midjourney Automation Suite by TitanXT (https://www.titanxt.io/midjourneyautomator) can help streamline this process, letting you focus on creative ideas instead of repetitive tasks.

Get Varied Expressions and Poses

Your character doesn't have to have the same expression or pose in every image.

Changing Emotions

Add emotional descriptions to your prompt:

• being happy

• being scared

• being surprised

• being angry

The AI will generate images showing your consistent character with different feelings expressed on their face.

Altering Poses

You can also describe actions or poses:

[LI]looking upwards[/LI>

[LI]covering her mouth with her hands[/LI]

[LI]combing her hair with her hands[/LI]

[/UL]

You can even try for a full body shot by changing the aspect ratio. However, if your original character reference was a closeup, the AI might not know what the rest of the body or original outfit looked like.

Update Outfits and Add Products with Vary Region

If you want to change the outfit on an existing image, especially if your character reference didn't show the full body, Vary Region is a powerful tool.

Upscale the image you want to change. Click the Vary Region button. Select the part of the image you want to alter (like the clothes). Type your new prompt for that section, for example, "yellow hoodie".

Important: When using Vary Region to change an outfit, make sure you do not include your character reference (`--cref`) or style reference (`--sref`) in the Vary Region prompt. If you leave the character reference in, the AI might try to keep details from the original character image, creating a mix instead of a clean change.

This method is great for specific updates. You can even use Vary Region to put products on your character. Upload an image of a product (like a Nike hoodie) and use its URL in the Vary Region prompt. This lets you effectively place your consistent AI model into product shots.

This ability to change clothing and add products means you can create diverse fashion lookbooks or product previews with the same AI character, opening doors to ventures like creating virtual influencers for brand work. Having a tool like the Midjourney Automation Suite (https://www.titanxt.io/midjourneyautomator) can be incredibly helpful for organizing prompts and managing image generation when building out content for an AI influencer project.

Transform Your Characters' Style ([--sref])

Beyond looks and scenes, you can change the artistic style of your consistent character images using `--sref` (style reference).

If you have an image with a specific style you like (e.g., a comic book style), upload it to Midjourney and get its URL. Add `--sref` followed by this style image URL to your prompt:

Character prompt describing Sally --cref [Character URL] --sref [Style URL]

This tells Midjourney to generate the image in the artistic style of the style reference image while keeping your character consistent. For cartoon or illustration styles, you might also find the `--nija` model helpful. You can add `--nija 6` (or other values) to your prompt for better results with non-realistic art styles.

Combine `--sref` with `--cref` and experiment with `--cw` to fine-tune the look and style.

Beyond the Basics: Becoming a Pro

With the ability to control your character's look, scene, expression, pose, clothes, and style, the options are vast. You can create full narratives, diverse portfolios, or content for social media using the same consistent face.

Experiment with these features. Try combining different prompt elements and weights to see what results you get. Practice changing settings like `--cref`, `--cw`, `--sref`, and using Vary Region.

Generating many variations requires keeping track of prompts, URLs, and settings. Tools designed for Midjourney workflows, like the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT (https://www.titanxt.io/midjourneyautomator), can help manage this complexity, allowing you to scale your creative projects more easily.

The new character reference features open up exciting ways to use Midjourney for consistent character work. Give it a try and see what you can create!