Midjourney AI: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Image and Video Generation
Imagine if you could conjure up a painting or even a short video just by describing it in words. That’s exactly what Midjourney enables you to do. Midjourney is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that turns your written ideas into visual art. It has quickly become one of the most popular platforms for AI-generated images – and as of 2025, it even offers AI-powered video clips. In this article, we’ll explain what Midjourney is, how it works, its latest features (including both image and video generation), why it’s so popular, and some limitations and considerations to keep in mind. The goal is to keep things simple and easy to understand, even if you have no prior experience with AI tools.
What Is Midjourney?
Midjourney is a generative AI program and online service that creates images from text-based descriptions provided by users . In other words, you type in a description of an image you have in mind – called a prompt – and Midjourney’s AI will generate a completely new image that matches your description. This could be anything from a realistic landscape photo to a fantasy painting of a dragon. Midjourney works similarly to other AI art tools like OpenAI’s DALL-E or Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion, but it has risen to become one of the biggest names in this field .
Midjourney was first launched in mid-2022 and is developed by an independent research lab (led by co-founder David Holz). It started as an invite-only beta and then opened up to the public, rapidly gaining popularity among artists, designers, and hobbyists. One of Midjourney’s defining traits is its accessibility – you don’t need any specialized hardware or graphics software to use it. Originally, people accessed Midjourney through a chat platform (Discord), where the Midjourney bot would generate images in response to prompts. Today, there’s also a handy web interface, so you can use Midjourney right from your browser. The barrier to entry is low: anyone can create high-quality images by simply typing a description, even if you’ve never drawn a thing in your life  . Midjourney essentially unlocks visual creativity for everyone, regardless of artistic skill.
While Midjourney began with a focus on still images, it has continuously evolved. As of 2025, Midjourney’s capabilities have expanded beyond just pictures. The platform introduced new features that go beyond simple static images, adding elements of movement and even emotion to the creative process . In practical terms, this means Midjourney can now generate short AI-driven videos in addition to images. We’ll dive more into that exciting feature shortly, but first, let’s look at how Midjourney works behind the scenes.
How Midjourney Works
Midjourney is powered by advanced AI models, but you don’t need to understand complex math to use it. From a user’s perspective, using Midjourney is straightforward. You enter a text prompt describing the image you want, and the AI does the rest. For example, you might type something like “a cozy cottage in the woods during winter, in painting style” – and Midjourney will then generate a set of images based on that description. In fact, the system typically produces four image variations for each prompt by default . These variations are like different interpretations of your idea. You can pick the one you like best and then ask Midjourney to refine it (this is called “upscaling,” which makes the chosen image larger and more detailed, adding finishing touches). You can also request variations of an image you like, prompting the AI to create new images similar to that result. This iterative process – prompt, get images, choose or tweak, and repeat – lets you hone in on a perfect image through simple steps.
So, what is the AI actually doing under the hood when it creates these images? Midjourney uses a type of machine learning model known as a diffusion model to generate art. It might sound technical, but the basic idea is surprisingly intuitive. When given your prompt, the AI essentially starts with a canvas of random noise (imagine television static). Then it uses the prompt as a guide to gradually refine that noise into a coherent image, step by step. In essence, Midjourney’s AI “dreams up” the picture by iteratively adding and removing patterns until an image emerges that matches your description . This process happens very quickly – usually within a minute or less – but the image doesn’t just pop out fully formed; it develops through a series of improvements, which is why you see it getting clearer during generation. The end result is an image created from scratch by the AI, not a copy-paste of existing art, but a new composition that resembles the kinds of images it learned from.
It’s important to note that Midjourney was trained on a vast collection of images and text. By learning from millions of examples (photos, paintings, illustrations, and their descriptions), the AI model learned patterns that allow it to associate words with visual concepts. So when you say “a purple sunset over a mountain range” the AI has an idea of what sunsets and mountains look like and what purple tones might be, and it combines these concepts into a new image. This is why Midjourney can handle a huge variety of styles and subjects – from photorealistic portraits to cartoon-like fantasy scenes – all depending on your prompt. And you don’t need to install anything heavy on your computer; Midjourney’s AI runs on powerful cloud servers. You simply connect through the internet (via the Discord chat or the web app), and the computations happen behind the scenes on Midjourney’s side. This makes it convenient: no coding or graphics expertise is required – just your imagination and a few words to describe what you want.
Midjourney’s AI Image and Video Generation
Midjourney is best known for its AI image generation. Over several versions of the model (Midjourney is updated frequently, with versions 1 through 7 so far), the quality of the images has improved dramatically. The latest image model as of 2025 (Midjourney V7) produces notably cleaner and more detailed images, with better understanding of complex prompts. For instance, it got much better at rendering human anatomy (like hands and faces correctly) and writing readable text on images (like signs or logos) – areas where earlier AI models often stumbled . You can create virtually any visual style: a hyper-realistic photograph, a watercolor painting, an anime character, a 3D game art scene, and so on. Midjourney allows stylistic commands and even letting you provide example images to guide the style. The flexibility and quality of the image generation is a big reason for Midjourney’s popularity (many users have marveled at how sometimes the AI’s outputs look so good they could be mistaken for a real photograph or a piece of professional artwork).
New in 2025, Midjourney introduced an AI video generation feature, adding a whole new dimension to what you can create. This feature is often referred to as Midjourney’s V1 Video model. Unlike some other AI tools that attempt to generate video purely from text prompts, Midjourney’s approach (at least in this first version) is an image-to-video workflow . That means you begin with a still image – it could be one you generated with Midjourney or even a photo you upload – and then Midjourney will animate it into a short video clip. With the click of an “Animate” button in the Midjourney web app, the system takes your image and produces a 5-second MP4 video out of it . Essentially, it brings movement to the scene: for example, if your image is a portrait of a person, the video might have the person subtly tilting their head or the background shifting; if your image is a landscape, the video could add gently moving clouds or flowing water. You can imagine it as breathing life into a still picture.
This video feature is designed to be easy and fun to use. There’s an automatic mode where the AI will decide how to animate the image on its own (adding a random but sensible motion), and there’s also a manual mode where you can describe how you want the scene to move . Additionally, you can choose “high” or “low” motion – high motion means a lot of movement happening (great for dynamic scenes), while low motion keeps things more subtle (better for a calm, slow vibe). Each animation request doesn’t just give one result; Midjourney actually generates four short video variations for you (just like it does with images) . Each video is around 5 seconds long by default, but here’s a cool feature: you can extend the video if you like the result. The system allows extending the clip in roughly 4-second increments, up to four times . In total, your animated video can be up to about 20–21 seconds long at most . While these AI-generated videos are currently silent (no audio) and not very long, they’re perfect for adding a bit of motion to social media graphics, designing animated artwork, or creating simple looping video backgrounds .
It’s worth noting that Midjourney’s video clips start at a modest resolution (around 480p, similar to standard definition) since this is a brand-new feature. However, they can be upscaled or improved, and the Midjourney team has indicated that higher-resolution video generation is on the horizon as the technology evolves. Even with the initial release, users have been impressed by how coherent and smooth the AI-made videos look – they maintain that signature Midjourney artistic quality, now with motion added . This ability to animate images opens up lots of creative possibilities. For example, a business owner could create a product image in Midjourney and then animate it to make a short promotional clip. An artist could bring a fictional character to life by making them move slightly in a scene. It’s a big step towards AI that can generate not just a single frame but an entire visual story.
In summary, Midjourney today is not just an “AI art generator” for still pictures. It’s evolving into a broader creative AI platform – one that can produce beautiful images and also transform them into brief videos. These innovations (like the video model introduced in mid-2025) show how the platform is continuously expanding its toolkit for creators . And the best part is that it’s all still geared toward ease of use: you don’t have to be a video editor or animator to make use of these features. A few clicks and a simple prompt are enough to generate something eye-catching.
Why Midjourney Is Popular
Midjourney has attracted a huge following and a lot of media attention in the past couple of years. But what makes it stand out in a growing field of AI creative tools? Here are some key reasons why Midjourney is so popular and loved by its community: • Impressive, High-Quality Results: Midjourney is widely regarded as one of the best* AI image generators in terms of output quality and artistry. Many users find that the images it produces can be incredibly detailed, imaginative, and visually stunning – often on par with professional artwork or photography. In fact, Midjourney’s outputs have sometimes been so realistic or well-crafted that they fooled people into thinking they were real (for example, an AI-generated image of Pope Francis in a stylish puffer jacket went viral because it looked like an authentic photo) . This level of quality sets Midjourney apart and inspires users to keep creating and sharing their results. • Ease of Use and Accessibility: Another big factor is how easy it is to use Midjourney. You don’t need any technical background in AI, no coding, and no special software. If you can send a text message, you can use Midjourney – because interacting with it is as simple as typing a description and hitting enter. Initially, it operated through a Discord chat bot (where you type the /imagine command and your prompt), which was novel but still user-friendly. Now with a dedicated web interface and even features like voice input (letting you speak your prompt instead of typing) introduced, Midjourney has lowered the barrier to entry even further . This means literally anyone with an internet connection can start creating art with Midjourney in minutes. The immediacy – getting four images back in under a minute – gives a satisfying, almost magical user experience. • Creative Freedom and Fun: Midjourney offers a vast creative playground. Users aren’t limited to a fixed set of styles or templates; you can conjure up almost anything you can imagine. Whether you want a photo-realistic portrait, a surreal dreamscape, or a picture “in the style of Van Gogh,” Midjourney can attempt it. This freedom to explore ideas visually is incredibly fun and addictive. For people who don’t have traditional art skills, it’s a revelation – you can finally visualize the scenes or characters in your head. For artists and designers, it’s a powerful brainstorming partner, great for rapid prototyping of concepts . The tool often adds its own “creative twist” to prompts, which can lead to surprising and inspiring results. This blend of control (your prompt) and discovery (the AI’s interpretation) makes the creative process feel collaborative and engaging. • Active Community and Inspiration: Midjourney’s popularity is also tied to its community. Since it started on Discord, it naturally created a space where users share their creations, swap tips on how to write prompts, and even collaborate on projects. Seeing what others have made with Midjourney can be jaw-dropping and motivating – people post everything from fantastical concept art to logo ideas to book illustrations made with the AI. There are public showcases (like Midjourney’s own community feed or social media groups) where you can browse and get inspired. This community aspect makes learning the tool more enjoyable; beginners can pick up prompt ideas from experienced users, and everyone improves together. Midjourney’s user base includes hobbyists, professional artists, game designers, writers, and more, all feeding off each other’s creativity. The excitement and word-of-mouth from the community have significantly driven its popularity. • Continuous Improvements and Features: Midjourney hasn’t stayed static; the developers frequently update it with new versions and features, often influenced by user feedback. Each version (v4, v5, v6, v7, etc.) has brought improvements – like better detail, new art styles, or smarter prompt understanding. They’ve added tools like the ability to zoom out of an image (extending the scene), inpainting (editing part of an image), and as discussed, the brand-new video generation feature. Knowing that the platform is always evolving keeps users invested, because it means the possibilities keep expanding. It’s exciting to see an AI tool get better at things that were once limitations (for example, hands in images now look much more normal in the latest versions ). This commitment to progress has helped Midjourney remain a leader in the AI art space.
All these factors combined have made Midjourney a bit of a phenomenon in the AI world. By early 2025, it’s not only one of the best-known AI art generators out there, but also a showcase of how AI can empower creativity for a wide audience . Whether used for serious design work or just for fun, Midjourney has cemented itself as a go-to tool for generating imaginative visuals.
Limitations and Considerations
Despite its impressive capabilities, Midjourney (like any technology) has its limitations and things to be mindful of. If you’re starting to experiment with this AI tool, here are some important considerations: • Quality Can Vary: While Midjourney often produces amazing images, it’s not infallible. Sometimes the result might not match what you envisioned. The AI might interpret your prompt in an unexpected way, or produce an image that looks odd on close inspection. For example, earlier versions of Midjourney had a notorious quirk of messing up human hands (extra fingers or odd shapes) and although this has improved a lot in recent versions , you might still catch occasional strange details. The bottom line is that AI isn’t perfect – you may need to refine your prompt or try multiple times to get a perfect image. • Prompt Crafting is an Art: The output you get is heavily influenced by how you phrase your prompt. A limitation here is that it can take some trial and error to learn what phrasing gives the best results. For instance, adding style cues like “digital painting” or “unreal engine render” can drastically change the outcome. Beginners sometimes find this challenging at first – a slight change in wording can yield a very different image. Fortunately, there are lots of examples and community tips to help, but be prepared for a learning curve. Don’t be discouraged if your first image isn’t exactly what you wanted; tweaking the words or adding details can guide the AI more effectively. • Content Rules and Filters: Midjourney has moderation rules about what you can generate. It will refuse or block prompts that violate its content guidelines. This includes sexually explicit imagery, extremely graphic violence, or harmful and harassing content. In the past, certain keywords (including some political or public figure names) were outright banned to prevent misuse . As of 2025, the moderation system has become a bit more nuanced – it may allow some previously banned terms in benign contexts, but it still won’t produce disallowed content . The important point for a user is that Midjourney won’t generate everything; it has an inbuilt filter for safety and ethical reasons. For example, you can’t ask it to create hateful imagery or realistic pornographic material. These safeguards are a good thing, but it’s worth knowing so you don’t inadvertently hit a content warning. Always use the technology responsibly and within the community guidelines. • Copyright and Ethical Considerations: A big topic in the AI art world is the question of intellectual property. Midjourney’s model was trained on images from the internet, and some of those were artworks by real artists. This has raised concerns that the AI might emulate an artist’s style without credit or consent. There have even been lawsuits by artists and companies claiming copyright infringement by generative AI tools  . As a user, you should be mindful of these issues. If you generate an image that looks very much like a specific artist’s work or a famous character, there could be ethical or legal questions if you use it commercially. Likewise, if you upload someone else’s photo to Midjourney to animate it, be sure you have the rights to use that image. Generally, for personal creative exploration, you’re fine – just remember that AI art exists in a gray area regarding ownership. Many creators treat AI outputs as starting points or concept art, rather than final commercial products, to be on the safe side. • Limitations of the Video Feature: The new video generation capability in Midjourney is exciting, but it’s still in an early stage. Currently, you cannot simply type a text prompt and get a full video from scratch (unlike some cutting-edge text-to-video systems emerging elsewhere) – Midjourney’s video requires an initial image to work from . This adds an extra step: you need a good image first (which you might generate with Midjourney itself). Also, the videos are short (a few seconds) and lack audio, so they are more like animated GIFs or clips than full-fledged videos with sound and narrative. The resolution is somewhat limited (480p by default, which is okay for web usage but not high-definition). These limitations mean the video tool is fantastic for quick visuals – like making a product spin or adding motion to a piece of art – but it’s not going to produce a movie or a long video advertisement at this point. The Midjourney team is likely working on expanding these capabilities (they’ve hinted that more advanced video and even 3D might be in the future), but as of 2025, consider the video feature a fun experimental tool rather than a professional video studio replacement. • Possibility of AI Mistakes and Bias: AI models like Midjourney learn from data, and sometimes they also learn the biases or flaws in that data. That means if there are stereotypes or imbalances in the training images, the AI might reflect them in its outputs. For example, if you simply prompt “a doctor” and all the training images associated doctors with a certain gender or ethnicity, the AI might produce a narrow range of results. The Midjourney community often actively tries to counteract this by specifying details in prompts (like “female doctor” or “doctor of XYZ ethnicity”) to broaden representation. It’s a consideration to keep in mind: the AI doesn’t intend to be biased, but it can mirror biases present in the online content it was trained on. Being aware of this can help you craft prompts that yield more diverse and fair results. Also, occasionally the AI might create images that are unintentionally weird or creepy (like distorted faces) – user discretion is advised, especially if children are involved in using it.
In summary, Midjourney is a powerful and inspiring tool, but it’s not a magic perfection box. Understanding its limits will help you use it more effectively and responsibly. Think of it as a very talented but sometimes quirky assistant: it can do a lot, but it benefits from your guidance, and it operates within certain boundaries. By setting realistic expectations and using good judgment in how you apply AI-generated content, you can avoid pitfalls and fully enjoy what Midjourney has to offer.
Final Thoughts
Midjourney represents an exciting intersection of technology and creativity. It has made it possible for anyone – not just skilled artists – to generate stunning visuals by simply describing their ideas. For beginners and non-experts, Midjourney offers an accessible entry point into the world of AI art. You don’t need to know how to paint or how to code; you just need your imagination. The tool does the heavy lifting, turning your words into images (and now short videos) that you can marvel at, refine, and share. This democratization of art creation is a big reason why Midjourney has captured the public’s attention. It’s not just a novelty; for many, it’s become a go-to creative assistant, useful for brainstorming, illustration, design mock-ups, or just having fun visualizing wild ideas.
As of 2025, Midjourney is no longer just about still images – it’s on a path toward richer media generation, with the introduction of animations being a major leap. The platform’s ongoing improvements suggest that we may see even more sophisticated features in the near future (perhaps longer videos, interactive 3D scenes, or other advancements the team is hinting at  ). The world of AI creative tools is evolving fast, and Midjourney is at the forefront of this evolution. It’s inspiring to think that a few years ago, AI art was rudimentary at best, and now we have tools producing gallery-worthy images and mini animated clips on demand.
For a general audience, the key takeaway is that Midjourney makes AI creativity approachable. If you have an idea or a picture in your mind, Midjourney can help bring it to life visually, whether as a beautiful image or a short dynamic video. It’s informative and engaging to experiment with – many users find that it actually boosts their creativity, giving them visuals they can then build stories or projects around. Of course, as we discussed, it should be used thoughtfully, respecting ethical guidelines and understanding its quirks. But with a bit of practice and imagination, Midjourney can be an incredibly rewarding tool.
In the end, Midjourney is more than just software; it feels like a collaborator in your creative journey. The results can surprise you, the process can teach you (about art concepts or how to communicate ideas), and the sheer possibility of “AI art at your fingertips” still feels a bit magical. Whether you’re a curious beginner or just someone who wants to see their daydreams visualized, Midjourney offers a friendly gateway into AI-generated art and now video. It’s proof that technology, when designed right, can amplify human creativity and make art accessible to all. So if you’ve ever found yourself imagining something and wishing you could see it, Midjourney might be the perfect place to start turning imagination into reality – one prompt at a time.