This tutorial will explain how to create perfectly repeating patterns in MidJourney using the --tile feature, which is available in --v 5.
Perfectly repeating patterns
Patterns are a compelling design aesthetic. As humans we are hard wired to look for repetition in our environments. It's commonplace to find wallpaper, lamp shades, and even apparel such as Hawian shirts sporting seamless repeating patterns. Creating these patterns has historically been challenging, as even the slightest imperfection can be glaringly obvious when tiled. Fortunately with the advent of AI tools like MidJourney, it's now easy to rapidly iterate perfectly repeating designs.
1. Setup
To get started you will need access to MidJourney. Head over to their getting started guide. This will give a concise up-to-date overview on how to get an account.
At time of writing, you can only interact with Midjourney through Discord. There is a free trial, and you don't need to pay anything, but you will likely want to install the app, and create an account.
Once you have followed the setup guide and have access to the MidJourney sever, you can typing prompts using the /imagine command.
2. Prompting --tile
Typing the /imagine prompt you will now be able to specify instructions.
<SUBJECT> --v 5 --tile
Replace <SUBJECT> with what you want to tile. This can be as specific, or vague as you wish (experimentation is recommended). The key parts are these two flags:
--v 5this tells MidJourney to use Version 5 of it's engine.--tilethis instructs MidJourney to produce a perfectly repeating tile, so the edges will be seamless.
MidJourney will produce 4 variants of the output, from here you can make adjustment. Once satisfied, upscale your preferred version and download it.
3. Testing the output
To understand how seamless the generated image is, go to https://www.pycheung.com/checker/ and drag your image into the browser. You can view the images tiled, as well as adjust the scale of the image using the toggle.
This creates a fast feedback loop to produce > evaluate > adjust your prompts.
Showcase
There is a dedicated tile-showcase channel on Discord if you want to see excellent examples of what can be produced.
The five sample prompts showcase just what MidJourney is capable of, depending on the stylistic direction you want to explore:
# Clouds prompt:
A cloud and sunshine, minimal, no shadow, in the style of James Jean, on a light solid background, --v 5 --tile
# Trees prompt:
Seamless repeating pattern of oak trees, hand drawn, on a light background, green and brown and blue, --v 5 --tile
# Cyclist prompt:
Seamless repeating pattern of cyclists, hand drawn, on a light background, Pixar, --v 5 --tile
# Coffee prompt:
A coffee machine, minimal, no shadow, in the style of James Jean, on a light solid background, fullscreen, --v 5 --tile
# Coral prompt:
Seamless pattern of coral and fish, Bohemianism style --v 5 --tile
Further reading
If you are interested in exploring tiles further, or want to understand how you could monetize the designs, check out the following resources: