Create Custom Fonts with Midjourney: A Comprehensive Guide

Unleash your creativity with custom fonts! This guide provides a detailed walkthrough on using Midjourney to design unique and personalized typography. Whether you're a seasoned designer or a creative enthusiast, this tutorial will empower you to craft fonts that stand out. Learn the prompts, parameters, and techniques to generate stunning, one-of-a-kind typefaces.

Step 1: Crafting Your Foundational Prompt

The foundation of any successful Midjourney creation lies in the prompt. A well-crafted prompt guides the AI toward the desired outcome. For Font creation, a foundational prompt serves as the blueprint for all subsequent letters. This Prompt needs specific elements to ensure consistency and quality across your entire Typeface.

Five key elements to focus on:

1. Theme: Select a clear and concise theme for your font. Stick to one or two keywords to avoid diluting the prompt. For example, consider 'pirate-themed' or '90s electric'.

2. Outline: Decide on the outline style for your letters. Specify directions such as 'bold black Outline,' or feelings like 'crisp,' 'sleek,' or 'messy.' Even concrete terms like 'contour' can be effective.

3. Background: Include either a white or black background in your prompt to make it easier to isolate the letters later. This simplifies the process of extracting and refining your font.

4. Letter Choice: While not strictly required, it's recommended to start with the letter 'S.' This is a common starting point and can help establish the style and consistency of your font.

5. Parameters: Add specific Midjourney parameters to control the final output. These include:

   • --c 2 or --c 3 (Chaos): Introduce a small chaos value (2 or 3) to create variety in your generated letters. It gives you a broader selection to choose from.
   • --ar 1:1 (Aspect Ratio): Use a square aspect ratio (1:1) to get a well-proportioned output. You can experiment with different ratios, but a square ratio usually yields the best results for fonts.

Example Prompts:

• 'a pirate-themed letter “S” font, white background --ar 1:1 --c 2'
• 'a 90s electric-themed letter "S" font with bold black outline on a white background --ar 1:1 --c 2'
• 'a tie-dye letter "S" font with black outline, on a white background'
• 'retro-futuristic-themed letter "S" font with an aesthetic outline on a white background'

The most important thing is to experiment. You will be surprised how creative the results can be.

Step 2: Prompting for Other Letters

Once you've created your foundational 'S,' it's time to generate the rest of the alphabet. Reusing the foundational prompt ensures consistency across your font. It is important to keep the images consistent so they fit together as a full font.

Here's how to prompt for other letters:

1. Copy and Paste: Copy the foundational prompt (excluding the parameters). This maintains the core style and theme.

2. Replace 'S': Replace the letter 'S' in the prompt with other letters. You can do this one letter at a time or use permutations for efficiency.

   • One Letter at a Time: Manually change the letter in the prompt and generate the image for each letter.
   • Permutations: Use curly brackets to specify multiple letters in a single prompt (e.g., 'a zoo-themed letter {“Y”, “O”, “U”, “T”, “E”} font, white background'). This tells Midjourney to generate variations for each letter within the brackets.

3. Image and Style References: After getting the image you want, expand the image and copy the link and use in prompt, and then change to another letter to ensure images are consistently generated in similar ways.

4. Add Parameters: When adding the image to your prompt, remember to paste the image address at the end of your prompt. Add the parameters back in. These should include:

   • --iw [value]: Image weight.
   • --sref [original image url]: Style reference for consistent styling.
   • --ar [aspect ratio]: Aspect ratio for the new letters.

Following these steps, you can efficiently generate a complete set of letters that adhere to your chosen theme and style.

Step 3: Fixing Wonky Letters

Not all letters generate perfectly the first time. Certain letters (like 'L,' 'T,' and 'O') can be challenging for AI to render accurately. The following ways can fix issues.

Here's what you can do:

• Explore Variations: Use the 'Vary (Subtle)' and 'Vary (Strong)' buttons to generate alternative versions of the problematic letter. These variations can sometimes yield a more satisfactory result.

• Try Different Style Versions: Style version can greatly affect the letters. Use the '--sv' parameter with a value between 1 and 4 to see which brings your letters to life in the correct way.

These steps help refine your font, ensuring that each letter aligns with your desired aesthetic and maintains consistency within the typeface. Don't be afraid to iterate and experiment until you achieve the perfect look for your custom font.

Creating Fonts with Midjourney on Discord

Creating fonts on Discord is a breeze by following these steps:

1. Use the "/imagine" command in discord, and enter in your prompt.

2. Click on the image to make it full screen, then right click it.

3. Click on "copy image address"

4. Use the "/imagine" command again, copy and pasting the link in.

   These simple steps will help generate the font images you are looking for!

Understanding Midjourney's Subscription Options

Midjourney uses a subscription-based model. Here is a summary of what each plan entails:

Fast vs. Relaxed GPU Time: Fast GPU time provides immediate image generation, while Relaxed GPU time allows unlimited generation but with longer wait times, especially during peak hours.

The best plan for custom font creation depends on how many letters or styles you are looking to generate. For those creating fonts for commercial use, make sure that commercial use rights are included. This will allow you to make the fonts without legal recourse later.

Creative Applications of AI-Generated Typography

Midjourney fonts can be used in various design contexts:

• Logo Design: Craft unique logotypes that embody your brand's identity.
• Website Headers: Create eye-catching headers that draw visitors' attention.
• Social Media Graphics: Design engaging visuals with custom typography.
• Marketing Materials: Develop brochures, flyers, and posters that stand out.
• Book Covers: Design book covers that can create a unique feel and aesthetic.

These AI-generated fonts will bring your next project to life.