Advanced Prompting: Weights, Parameters & Negative Prompts
You've learned the basics. Now it's time to master the advanced techniques that separate casual users from professionals. This lesson covers prompt weighting, platform-specific parameters, and negative prompts.
Prompt Weighting in Midjourney
Midjourney's :: syntax lets you assign relative importance to different parts of your prompt.
Basic Weighting
subject::2 background::1
The number after :: sets the relative weight. Higher numbers mean more emphasis.
Weight Ratios in Practice
| Prompt | Effect |
|---|---|
cat::1 dog::1 | Equal emphasis on both |
cat::3 dog::1 | Cat dominates the image |
cat::1 dog::3 | Dog dominates the image |
portrait::2 background::0.5 | Strong focus on subject, minimal background |
Negative Weights
In Midjourney, you can use negative weights to suppress elements:
vibrant forest landscape::2 people::-0.5 --ar 16:9
This tells Midjourney to actively avoid including people.
Negative Prompts Across Platforms
Midjourney: --no Parameter
The --no parameter is a simple way to exclude elements:
Common --no terms for cleaner results:
--no text, watermark, signature— Removes unwanted text--no blurry, distorted, deformed— Improves quality--no people, person, crowd— Removes human figures--no frame, border— Removes framing artifacts
DALL-E 3: Natural Language Exclusion
DALL-E 3 doesn't use --no. Instead, be explicit in your prompt:
Stable Diffusion: Dedicated Negative Prompt Field
Stable Diffusion UIs have a separate negative prompt box:
Positive prompt:
portrait of a woman in a garden, golden hour, soft focus
Negative prompt:
ugly, blurry, low quality, distorted, deformed, extra limbs,
bad anatomy, watermark, text, cropped, out of frame
Advanced Midjourney Parameters
Repeat (--repeat or --r)
Generate the same prompt multiple times to explore variations:
ethereal forest spirit, bioluminescent --ar 2:3 --r 4
This generates 4 separate grids (16 total images) from the same prompt.
Weird (--w)
Introduces unexpected, experimental elements. Range: 0-3000.
Stop (--stop)
Stops generation partway through for softer, more abstract results. Range: 10-100.
dreamy landscape, impressionist painting --stop 75
Stopping at 75% creates a softer, less defined result that can look more painterly.
Tile (--tile)
Creates seamless, repeating patterns:
Perfect for backgrounds, wallpapers, and textile designs.
Combining Parameters for Professional Results
Here's how professionals stack parameters:
Parameter strategy:
- Set your aspect ratio first (
--ar) - Adjust stylize for artistic vs. literal (
--s) - Use chaos for exploration vs. consistency (
--c) - Add negative prompts to clean up output (
--no) - Use weights to prioritize key elements (
::)
Quality Modifiers That Work Everywhere
These keywords improve results across all platforms:
Resolution & Detail:
- highly detailed, intricate details
- 8K, ultra high resolution
- sharp focus, crisp details
Professional Quality:
- award-winning, masterpiece
- professional photography
- editorial quality
Rendering:
- ray tracing, global illumination
- subsurface scattering (for skin)
- volumetric lighting
Key Takeaway
Advanced parameters give you fine-grained control over your output. Use :: weights to prioritize elements, negative prompts to exclude unwanted artifacts, and stack parameters like --ar, --s, and --c to dial in exactly the result you want. The difference between a good prompt and a great one is often just a few well-chosen parameters.