Dear readers, today I want to talk to you about a novelty that, personally, I had been waiting for for some time and that finally Midjourney made available: the command Omni-Reference. It is a function that opens new possibilities in Personalization of imageswhile offering greater visual and narrative consistencywithout giving up creative freedom.
Who has already experienced the old man –Cref he knows how much a useful tool was for keep the traits of one character from one image to another constant. Even then it allowed us a good level of continuity, and it was a precious tool for those who work on character design, storytelling or serial visual concepts.
But today we are in front of an ‘substantial evolution. With –Oref (Omni-Reference), Midjourney introduces a much more solid, precise and versatile system. Personally, I consider this one of the most important additions of the last few months, because it brings us closer to us even more a professional and controlled use of the visual generation.
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Omni-Reference: how it works
The use is simple and adapts to both the web interface and discord.
- On the web: upload an image in the section Omni Reference and regulates the intensity with the slider Omni Weight.
- On discord: Add to your prompt –Oref (URL IMAGE) –OW (value).
The parameter –OW (Omni Weight) control how much the reference image will influence the final result. A low value (25–50) produces a light influence, while high values (400–1000) maintain the subject almost intact.
Omni-Reference: when to use it
Here are some use cases that I have already experienced and that I recommend trying:
- Consistent characters: Create a face and keep it constant in different environments, in sequential scenes or for narrative projects.
- Objects and products: See the same object (e.g. chair, lamp, vase) within different contexts while maintaining shape and style.
- Visual creatures and icons: A symbol or icon can now be carried out in a whole series of images, without losing identity, ideal for those who work in the world of concept art, creatures design or visual branding.
Omni-Reference from design to narrative scene
In this last period I started experimenting seriously with the command Omni-Referenceand I can say that it is a really interesting and useful tool for those who want to work in a more design way. Below I want to offer you a practical test to explore and better understand the functioning of this command.
As we know, Midjourney already allows us to explore new forms and create original designgenerating often surprising visual concepts.
In the image you see above, entirely generated with Midjourney, I developed a form of Padded sofa in orange velvetwith curved metal structure. An object that convinced me by proportion, material and visual language.
The interesting step comes when I used that same image as a reference through –Oref: Omni-Reference recognized the object and allowed me to insert it in a completely new contextmore narrative and “as a magazine”.
The result is the second image: the sofa comes outdoor reusedin the midst of a flowery meadow, with a Sleeping greyhound aboveimmersed in a golden afternoon light. The atmosphere is warm, intimate, almost cinematic. And the beauty is that the Original design of the sofa has been maintainedin a very consistent way both in form and in color.
A powerful system, but still in evolution
Naturally, Omni-Reference is not (still) a perfect tool. To obtain convincing results, it is often necessary to make some attempt: adjust the prompt, slightly change the perspective or relaunch multiple versions before finding the right one. Sometimes it takes little: too ambitious an extending, a difficult light or too complex subject can test the system.
But what I find really interesting is that we are moving towards one increasingly precise, coherent and customizable directionwhere even the construction of a scene with tailor -made elements is finally becoming within reach. Omni-Reference is a still young command, recently introduced, and it will take time to refine it fully, but the perspectives are more than rosy. The possibilities of control, continuity and visual storytelling it offers are already today a concrete leap forward in the work with the generative.
This experiment shows how Omni-Reference can turn into one Powerful design toolcapable of bringing an element from an abstract idea to a credible and set image.
See you soon, with new tests!
In the coming weeks I will continue to experiment, as always, within the Midjourney universe, trying to share with you the news introduced, new tests and concrete use scenarios to integrate this tool in visual and design work.
The weekly section “Architectural Prompting” is curated by the experts Luciana Mastrolia, Giovanna Panucci and Andrea Tinazzo
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