Simple Steps for Consistent Midjourney Image Styling
- kylixie
- Apr 30, 2025
- 5 min read
Creating a series of images that share the same visual style is crucial for telling a story or building a brand. Until recently, getting images in Midjourney to look consistent could be tricky. But with the latest updates, Midjourney offers a powerful new tool to achieve this with ease: Style Reference.
This guide explains how to use the Style Reference feature to apply a unified look and feel across your Midjourney creations. Say goodbye to inconsistent aesthetics in your projects.
What is Style Reference in Midjourney?
Style Reference is a new Midjourney tool designed specifically for transferring styles between images. It lets you pick one or more images to set the look for others. These reference images define the visual style – like the art medium, art style, and overall mood – that Midjourney should apply consistently to your new generations.
Think of it as using an image to dictate the *vibe* or *aesthetic* for new images, rather than just copying the image itself. This helps your series of images feel connected and harmonious.
How to Use the Style Reference Parameter (--sref)
Using Style Reference is straightforward.
Basic Usage (Single Image)
First, you need your reference image. Upload it to Discord (or the Midjourney website if you have access) using the plus sign button. Once uploaded, you'll need the image's URL. The easiest way in Discord is to send the image, then copy the image address by right-clicking or tapping on it.
Next, write your prompt for the new image you want to create. After your prompt, add the parameter `--sref` followed by the image URL. Make sure there is a space between `--sref` and the URL.
For example:
`/imagine prompt a young woman with dreadlocks in hippie outfits --sref [URL of your reference image]`
Midjourney will generate an image based on your text prompt but will try to apply the visual style from your reference image.
Using Multiple Style References
You can use more than one image to influence the style. Simply add multiple image URLs after the `--sref` parameter, separated by spaces.
`/imagine prompt peculiar looking grapes --sref [URL of Image 1] [URL of Image 2]`
Controlling Style Influence
Midjourney gives you control over how much influence the style reference has.
Relative Style Weight (with multiple images)
When using multiple style references (e.g., `--sref url1 url2`), you can adjust the influence of each individual source image. This is similar to how multi-prompting works. You add a weight after each URL using a double colon `::`.
`/imagine prompt retro fashion photo --sref [URL of Image 1]::2 [URL of Image 2]::1` (Image 1 has more influence here)
`/imagine prompt retro fashion photo --sref [URL of Image 1]::1 [URL of Image 2]::2` (Image 2 has more influence here)
Experimenting with weights helps get the right blend, though sometimes adjusting your text prompt to align better with the style direction is also key.
Overall Style Weight (--sw)
You can adjust the overall strength of the style reference using the `--sw` parameter. This parameter accepts values from 0 to 1000.
`--sw 0` effectively turns off the style reference, defaulting closer to a photorealistic look (or the default Midjourney aesthetic).
`--sw 50` or `--sw 100` allows Midjourney to balance the style reference with your text prompt, often creating a nice mix.
`--sw 250` or `--sw 500` or `--sw 1000` makes the style reference much more dominant, potentially focusing less on details from your text prompt and leaning heavily into the reference image's aesthetic.
Add `--sw` at the end of your prompt after the `--sref` parameter and URLs.
`/imagine prompt illustrative drawing of a character --sref [URL of reference image] --sw 1000`
Managing multiple images and parameters for consistency can get complex. Automating your Midjourney workflow can save you time and effort. Explore the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT. It helps streamline your image generation process.
Style Reference vs. Image Prompt
Before `--sref`, the `--iw` (Image Weight) parameter with an image prompt was sometimes used for style, but it worked differently.
Image Prompt (`--iw`): With a high Image Weight, the output image tries to resemble the reference image closely. It copies details like colors, main subjects, and even text placement.
Style Reference (`--sref`): focuses on capturing the *aesthetic*, *vibe*, *lighting*, and *mood* of the reference image. It's more flexible. You can change the main subject or action in your prompt while still keeping the overall look and feel from the reference.
Use Style Reference when you want a similar aesthetic look without copying the subject or specific details. Use Image Prompt when you want the new image to strongly resemble the reference image, almost like an image-to-image conversion.
Applying Styles from Films and Photos
A fun application of Style Reference is transferring the style from famous films or real-world photos. You can take the color palettes, lighting, and mood of a movie scene or a photograph you admire and apply it to a completely new subject from your text prompt.
Examples include applying:
A specific film's color scheme (like the yellow-green of Breaking Bad or the pink of Barbie).
The cool, icy feel of a nature documentary.
The unique visual style of a director like Wes Anderson or Tim Burton.
The mood of a photograph from your own archive.
This opens up exciting possibilities for creating unique visuals with a recognizable aesthetic.
Style Reference and the Stylize Parameter (--s)
The original video tested how the `--s` (stylize) parameter works with `--sref`. The results weren't totally conclusive across all types of prompts, but some observations were made, particularly with illustrative styles:
Higher `stylize` values sometimes caused the "camera" to zoom closer to the subject.
There was a subtle change in style, with high `stylize` values possibly bringing illustrative images closer to realism while keeping some painted effects.
Lighting seemed to improve with higher `stylize` values in some cases.
The interaction might still be evolving, so testing with your specific prompt and reference image is recommended.
Why Consistent Style Matters
Consistent style is really important for visual storytelling, creating cohesive marketing materials, designing mood boards, or simply building a portfolio with a recognizable look. Midjourney's Style Reference tool makes achieving this consistency far simpler and more effective than before.
For large projects requiring consistent imagery, consider ways to automate your Midjourney workflow. The Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT is built to help you manage and scale your creative output efficiently, ensuring style consistency across many generations.
Conclusion
The Style Reference feature in Midjourney V6 is a significant step forward for creators needing visual consistency across image series. By understanding how to use `--sref`, manage weights with `--sw`, and knowing when to choose it over `--iw`, you can better control the aesthetic outcome of your generations.
Experiment with different styles and prompts to see how this powerful tool can enhance your projects and visual narratives.
Ready to take your Midjourney workflow to the next level? Explore the possibilities of automating consistent style and much more with the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT.
