The Problems with Midjourney & All Other Generative Fill Apps On the Market

When it comes to creating artwork with MidJourney and other generative AI apps, the first and most glaring issue is resolution. While MidJourney has the ability to upscale images, the final product often falls short of what’s required for large-format printing, like those high-quality pieces you want on your wall. The upscaling features can only take you so far before the image begins to pixelate, leaving you with something that lacks the crispness and sharpness that a physical print demands. This makes it challenging for artists trying to sell prints, as potential buyers expect art that stands up to scrutiny at close range.

Another significant challenge is the nagging imperfections that generative AI often leaves behind. While MidJourney can get a lot of things right, it also has a tendency to miss details in an awkward way. It could nail the composition or the lighting, but completely botch a hand, facial feature, or background element in a way that's almost embarrassing to share. These imperfections, if left untouched, can distract from the overall impact of the artwork, making it unsuitable for professional use. The raw output from MidJourney, much like the raw format in photography, is just the starting point. Without proper editing, it’s simply not gallery-ready or polished enough for commercial use.

Then there’s the issue of uniformity. The art coming out of MidJourney and similar platforms often has that unmistakable “AI look.” No matter how creative your prompt might be, the underlying algorithms are the same for everyone, meaning you’re bound to get results that carry a similar aesthetic to those of other users. This creates a serious limitation if you’re aiming to produce unique, standout artwork. Over time, the repetition in visual styles makes it difficult for your work to break free from the "AI-art" mold. This is where customization becomes essential—changing elements, tweaking features, adding textures, and applying your personal touch to ensure your art stands apart from the crowd.

Beyond these key issues, there are additional limitations that generative AI apps can't overcome on their own. One problem is the inability to add assets or fine details that can enhance a portrait or scene. For example, you might want to add accessories to a portrait, like a unique hat or detailed jewelry, or perhaps include cars, animals, or specific objects in a scene to enhance the story your artwork tells. Without advanced editing, you’re stuck with whatever the AI outputs, missing out on the opportunity to make your images richer and more personalized.

Another common frustration with AI-generated art is the lack of control over color schemes. While MidJourney can deliver vibrant visuals, you don’t have the flexibility to easily tweak colors to fit a specific mood or palette, which can be critical for creating art that aligns with your vision. If the colors are off, or they don't suit the space you're designing for, your hands are tied unless you bring in advanced editing techniques.

Lastly, there’s the issue of lighting and contrast. AI tools are good at creating striking images, but they often miss the mark when it comes to nuanced lighting. Sometimes the highlights are too strong, or the shadows too flat, resulting in a loss of depth. In photography, we know how crucial it is to balance the light and shadow to create mood and dimension. The same goes for AI art—without fine-tuning, the image might fall flat where it could have been dynamic.

This is where I come in. With my workshops, I’ll teach you how to overcome these limitations using advanced photo editing techniques, helping you transform AI-generated images into polished, professional pieces of art ready for print or digital sale.

Looking to go beyond what MidJourney spits out? In these workshops, I'll teach you how to transform AI-generated images into polished works of art using advanced post-production techniques. We’ll take your AI creations and give them the professional touch needed to sell them as prints or digital downloads.

Let Me Help You Take Your Midjourney Art To the Next Level with My Online Workshop

What You'll Learn:

• Photoshop, Lightroom, Luminar Neo & More: Master the tools essential for taking MidJourney images to the next level. Whether it’s refining textures, enhancing lighting, or adjusting color tones, we’ll cover how to turn rough outputs into gallery-worthy artwork.

• Third-Party Plugins: We’ll explore other editing tools and plugins that can help you achieve stunning results—perfect for giving your work that extra layer of professionalism.

• Prompting Techniques: Get better results from MidJourney itself. Learn how to craft prompts that generate higher-quality images from the start, saving you time in the editing process.

• Personalized Coaching: I’ll provide one-on-one feedback throughout, helping you develop your skills and sharpen your artistic eye. This isn't a cookie-cutter course—it's tailored to where you're at and where you want to go.

Who Is This Workshop For?

• Artists Who Want More: If you're tired of sharing raw AI outputs straight from MidJourney and want to create artwork that truly stands out, these workshops are for you. Ideal for artists looking to sell their AI art as prints, digital downloads, or even physical pieces.

• Creatives Ready to Sell: Perfect for those who want to build a professional portfolio of AI art or enhance their pieces for sale online. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, you’ll walk away with skills that make your artwork shine.

Tuition:

Single workshop - $45 for 60 minutes of online learning via Zoom.

Get discounted rates for bundles of 4.

Save Money and Learn More with Weekly Workshops

Let’s Take a Look At a Few Before and After Images

My edit

This edit on the Midjourney image is relatively minor. The exposure has been adjusted, the color balance adjusted, and texture added. This involved multiple tools and layers in Photoshop along with Luminar Neo. I realize that the first image isn’t really that bad at all and some of you may even prefer it. I’m showing the Before and Afters though to demonstrate how you can make your work not look like AI artwork. Chances are that many could also confuse this image as an actual photo if given just a glance. That’s the power of a little editing. Let’s take a look at a couple more.

Noise and texture added. The sky has been replaced and the sun positioned between the two Deadies holding hands (or stumps?). The color has also been warmed up and the exposure adjusted through several local edits. There were many other local edits made to bring out the texture and details.