MIDNIGHT Illustrious // Prompting Guide

Refined Techniques for Enhanced Image Generation

Introduction :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

MIDNIGHT Illustrious is a refined version of the Illustrious checkpoint, tailored for users who value a unique blend of photorealistic rendering and a distinct artistic style. Built on advanced prompt conditioning techniques and informed by recent research (including insights from arXiv:2409.19946v1), MIDNIGHT Illustrious offers a particular aesthetic that may resonate with those looking for a creative edge. This guide will also applicable to most Illustrious checkpoints.

Model Reference:
MIDNIGHT Illustrious on Civitai or MDNT_Illus on Huggingfaces
Explore MDNT_Illus_V5-V20 and its variants to see how this style can be integrated into your projects.

// 1. Unique Aspects of MIDNIGHT Illustrious

Rather than making bold claims about being the best in every category, MIDNIGHT Illustrious offers a distinctive approach that focuses on:

• A Unique Aesthetic:
  A style that combines photorealism with an artistic, refined look—perfect for users who appreciate a different take on image generation.

• Consistent Scene Rendering:
  Enjoy detailed and coherent scene creation that works well for those who prefer a balanced integration of character and environment.

• Flexible Prompt Conditioning:
  Benefit from a structured approach to prompts that, while similar to other models, offers its own creative flavor and invites experimentation.

Recommended Settings:

Sampling Steps: 25-32
CFG Scale: 5.3
Sampler: Euler Normal
Clip Skip: 1

// 2. Crafting Effective Prompts for MIDNIGHT Illustrious

Structured Prompt Format

A well-structured prompt for MIDNIGHT Illustrious typically includes:

1. Character and Scene Details:
   Define the number of characters and provide names or attributes if applicable.

   +Positive:

   1girl, [CharacterName]

   
   Fig1. Example used replace the placeholder [CharacterName] with

   hazurewaku_no_joutai_ijou_skill_de_saikyou_ni_natta_ore_ga_subete_wo_juurin_suru_made

   Prompt Formatted In:

   1girl, hazurewaku_no_joutai_ijou_skill_de_saikyou_ni_natta_ore_ga_subete_wo_juurin_suru_made

2. Descriptive Sentences:
   Write detailed sentences to describe the character’s appearance, attire, pose context.

   +Positive:

   1girl, [CharacterName], wearing a blue dress with long wavy hair, smiling gently in a relaxed pose.

   Fig2. Example used appearance, attire, pose context and replaced the placeholder [CharacterName] with

   1girl,  hazurewaku_no_joutai_ijou_skill_de_saikyou_ni_natta_ore_ga_subete_wo_juurin_suru_made, wearing a blue dress with long wavy hair, smiling gently in a relaxed pose.

3. Quality and Style Tags:
   Append descriptors such as "realistic, photorealistic, aesthetic, best quality" to help guide the output without overstepping. Where I usually place it prefix of core prompt.

   +Positive:

   realistic, photorealistic, very aesthetic, best quality, absurdres, masterpiece, amazing quality, newest, scenery, depth of field, high-resolution, high definition, ...

4. Negative Prompts:
   Include negative directives to minimize unwanted effects like low resolution or artifacts.

   -Negative:

   bad hands, extra digits, multiple views, lowres, bad anatomy, jpeg artifacts, watermark, unfinished 

Fig2. Full Example Prompt for MIDNIGHT Illustrious

+Positive:

realistic, photorealistic, very aesthetic, best quality, absurdres, masterpiece, amazing quality, newest, scenery, depth of field, high-resolution, high definition,

1girl,  hazurewaku_no_joutai_ijou_skill_de_saikyou_ni_natta_ore_ga_subete_wo_juurin_suru_made,

wearing a blue dress with long wavy hair, smiling gently in a relaxed pose.

-Negative:

bad hands, extra digits, multiple views, lowres, bad anatomy, jpeg artifacts, watermark, unfinished 

// 3. Advanced Techniques and Optimization

Detailed Scene Descriptions

For richer output, layer your prompt with multiple sentences to add depth and nuance:

+Positive:

1girl, [CharacterName]. A portrait of a girl with long, wavy hair, captured in a sunlit park with vibrant greenery and delicate flowers. The scene is rendered with natural lighting and crisp details. realistic, photorealistic, masterpiece, best quality.

// Iterative Refinement

• Experiment with Tag Order: Play with the sequence of descriptive and quality tags to find what works best for your vision.

• Balance Positive and Negative Prompts: Clearly define what you want to see and what should be avoided.

// Troubleshooting Tips

• For Blurry or Low-Res Images: Increase sampling steps or adjust the CFG scale.

• For Persistent Artifacts: Expand the negative prompt with terms like "extra digits" or "bad quality."

// 4. How Illustrious XL/NAI-XL Interprets Prompts

Although MIDNIGHT Illustrious has natural language interpretation, it still relies heavily on Danbooru-style tagging:

• It tokenizes sentences into key tags rather than fully interpreting sentence meaning.

• It favors short, structured prompts.

• Artist and model tags are critical for directing style, even though they may require careful combination.

For example:
Natural Language Prompt:

A girl holding a striped umbrella walks down the street with her pigtails flying in the wind.

What Illustrious XL/NAI-XL: might interpret:

1girl, holding, striped, umbrella, walking, street, pigtails, flying, wind

A hybrid approach works best: keep natural phrasing minimal and reinforce key descriptive words with tags.

// 5. Conclusion

MIDNIGHT Illustrious offers a unique artistic style that may appeal to users looking for an alternative approach to AI image generation. By employing structured prompts, optimized settings, and a clear balance of positive and negative instructions, you can achieve images that align with your creative vision while retaining a distinctive aesthetic.

Feel free to use the provided snippet boxes as templates, and explore how this model can add a refined touch to your projects. For more details and community discussions, visit MIDNIGHT Illustrious on Civitai and MDNT_Illus on Huggingfaces.

// Got Questions or Feedback?

Feel free to reach out!

Created by Magnabos.co | Creative Artist