Astronaut academy: 10 advanced MidJourney tricks to launch your prompts into orbit
(If you’re a newbie, read this article first)
So, you've nailed the basics of prompting. You've made some pretty sweet space explorers and dreamy astronaut scenes. But now you're ready for liftoff into more advanced territory. Whether you’re aiming for cinematic lighting, multiple subject variations, or true prompt sorcery—these tips will push your MidJourney art into a whole new galaxy.
And yes, we’re keeping our trusty astronaut in every example so you can see just how powerful these techniques really are.
1. Use double colons to separate ideas
MidJourney interprets everything you write as a stream of thought. You can guide its focus by separating concepts with double colons ::. This lets you weigh different parts of your prompt more evenly.
Prompt: astronaut::floating::deep space
You’ll get a surreal scene where each element has equal influence.
Result:
2. Weighted prompts (with numbers)
Take it further: assign numeric weights to parts of your prompt. This controls what matters most.
Prompt: astronaut::2 spaceship::1 candy planet::0.5
This tells MidJourney: "Focus most on the astronaut. Less on the candy."
Result:
3. Use stylize parameters like a director
--stylize (or --s) controls how artsy your image gets. Higher values = more creative, lower = more literal.
Prompt: astronaut riding a tiger on the moon --s 1000
Use --s 50 for realism. Use --s 1000+ to let MidJourney get weird.
Result:
4. Invoke aspect ratio
Don’t forget you can change the canvas shape. Perfect for posters, banners, or cinematic vibes.
Prompt: astronaut walking through a glowing forest --ar 16:9
Use --ar 9:16 for vertical mobile layouts.
Result: (Click to open full image)
5. Use the "No" parameter to remove stuff
You can tell MidJourney what not to generate with --no.
Prompt: astronaut in a candy galaxy --no text or watermark
It helps clean up messy renders or control unwanted details.
Result:
6. Try image prompts
Upload an image and use its URL as part of your prompt to blend text + visuals.
Prompt: https://your-image-url.jpg astronaut in matching suit on alien world
It uses your image as reference while interpreting the rest. (I used: https://facts.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Astronaut-in-the-outer-space-1536x957.jpeg)
Result:
7. Use the chaos parameter for variation
--chaos controls how varied your results are. Higher = wilder.
Prompt: astronaut eating ramen in Tokyo --chaos 100
Want consistency? Try --chaos 0. Want wild surprises? Go big.
Result:
8. Specify camera and lens styles
MidJourney understands terms like "macro lens," "fisheye," "cinematic lighting," and more.
Prompt: astronaut in pink neon diner, shot on 35mm film, cinematic lighting
It gives your prompt a photographic polish.
Result:
9. Use natural language for style
Instead of keywords, describe your style naturally:
Prompt: astronaut in a dreamlike 1970s romance comic
This creates more intentional, artistic vibes than generic terms like "vintage."
Result:
10. Combine artists or eras
Mashups are magic. Blend artists, genres, or design schools to get hybrid styles.
Prompt: astronaut by Monet and Studio Ghibli, vaporwave color palette
You’ll get dreamy, painterly pastels with animated charm.
Result:
Final launch thoughts
Prompting is part language, part imagination, part happy accident. The deeper you go, the more you realize: MidJourney is not just a tool—it's a creative collaborator. So keep experimenting, keep remixing, and don’t forget to have a little cosmic fun along the way.
Your astronaut is waiting.
