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How to Use Midjourney for Character Design Exploration and Mood Boarding

Leverage Midjourney not for final assets, but as a powerful brainstorming partner to explore visual styles for a brand mascot. This workflow turns AI-generated images into a mood board to guide strategic design conversations.

From How I AI

How I AI: Atlassian's Joel Unger on Prototyping UI, Animating Logos, and Illustrating Puppies

with Claire Vo

How to Use Midjourney for Character Design Exploration and Mood Boarding

Tools Used

Midjourney

AI image generation

Step-by-Step Guide

1

Craft Detailed Prompts for Consistency

To explore a character's style, write detailed prompts in Midjourney. Include specific attributes like color, accessories, fur style, and eye color to guide the AI towards your vision.

Prompt:
Cute cartoon husky clip art, blue collar, grey fur, solid blue eyes, etc.
2

Reframe the Goal from 'Final Art' to 'Inspiration'

Recognize that current image models may struggle with perfect character consistency. Instead of aiming for production-ready assets, shift your goal to generating a wide range of ideas for creative exploration.

3

Compile the Output into a Mood Board

Select the most interesting and relevant generated images and arrange them into a mood board. This collection becomes a tangible starting point for discussion.

4

Facilitate a Strategic Design Conversation

Use the mood board in a team setting, such as a 'design day,' to discuss the character's visual direction. The images help anchor the conversation and answer subtle design questions like 'How floofy should the fur be?' or 'Are his paws pink or black?'

5

Define the Official Style Guide

Use the insights and decisions from your AI-assisted brainstorming session to create a formal, human-defined style guide for the character, ensuring future consistency.

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How to Use Midjourney for Character Design Exploration and Mood Boarding | AI Workflows