How to Create Custom Brand Icons Using Midjourney

In today’s fast-moving digital world, brands must stand out fast.

Your logo is often the first thing people see. It can shape their perception of your brand in seconds.

Now, thanks to AI image, you can create stunning brand icons using Midjourney without a design degree.

You can make logos that look professional, bold, and unique.

In this guide, we will show you five different types of brand icons you can design using Midjourney. You will see examples, tips, and ideas to bring your brand to life.

Let’s dive in!

What Is Midjourney and Why Use It for Brand Icons?

Midjourney is an AI tool that creates images from text descriptions. You type what you want, and the AI generates visual options based on your words.

Designers can now use Midjourney for brand icons because it saves time. Traditional icon design might take days or weeks. With Midjourney, you can create multiple options in minutes.

The cost savings are impressive, too.

Professional icon design services often charge hundreds or thousands of dollars. Midjourney subscriptions start at just $10 monthly (200 generations a month), making quality design more accessible.

Midjourney shines when you need creative inspiration. The AI combines ideas in unexpected ways, showing design possibilities you might not have considered.

The tool works differently from traditional design software. Instead of drawing each element, you guide the AI with words.

This approach makes icon design more accessible to everyone. People without formal design training can now create professional-looking icons.

However, having design skills and visual thinking still provides an advantage when crafting effective prompts and evaluating results.

The future of brand design isn’t choosing between human creativity or AI—it’s leveraging both.

Types of Brand Icons You Can Create with Midjourney

Midjourney excels at creating several types of brand icons:

• Lettermark Icons use stylized letters or initials. A tech company might use a modern, geometric “T” as its icon. Midjourney creates unique letter styling with the right prompts.
  
• Mascot Icons feature characters that represent your brand. Think of the Twitter bird or the Android robot. Midjourney can generate friendly, memorable mascots for your brand.
  
• Emblem Icons place symbols inside shapes like circles or shields. These work well for businesses wanting a traditional feel. Midjourney creates balanced, symmetrical emblems with ease.
  
• Pictorial Icons use recognizable images related to your business. A coffee shop might use a coffee cup icon. Midjourney generates countless creative variations on simple concepts.
  
• Minimal Icons use clean, simple designs with few details. These modern icons work well across many platforms. Midjourney can create sleek, minimalist designs when prompted correctly.

Midjourney does have some limitations. Text handling can be tricky, and very small details sometimes blur.

Icons may need minor touchups in other programs for perfect results.

Crafting Effective Midjourney Prompts for Brand Icons

Your prompt is the key to getting great icons from Midjourney. Clear, specific directions lead to better results.

Start with the icon type you want. Then add descriptive words about style, mood, and purpose.

This basic structure works well:

[Icon type] for [industry/company], [style description], [color preferences], [mood/feeling]

For example:

Minimalist lettermark icon for a tech startup, geometric style, blue and white, professional and innovative

Adding design keywords improves your results. Words like “flat,” “3D,” “gradient,” or “outlined” guide the visual style.

You can reference art movements for consistent styles:

• “Art deco style icon” creates elegant, geometric designs
• “Bauhaus style icon” produces clean, functional looks
• “Memphis style icon” generates playful, colorful patterns

Famous designers can inspire your icons, too.

Try phrases like “icon in the style of Paul Rand” or “logo inspired by Saul Bass” for distinctive looks.

Negative prompts tell Midjourney what to avoid. Add phrases like “no text,” “no gradients,” or “no photorealistic elements” after your main prompt.

Try several variations of your prompt.

Small wording changes can produce very different results. Save prompts that work well for future use.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating Brand Icons with Midjourney

Step 1: Define Your Brand Identity

Before opening Midjourney, know your brand personality.

Is your brand playful or serious? Modern or classic?

Make a short list of words that describe your brand voice.

Choose 2-3 main colors that represent your brand. Note any shapes or symbols already connected to your brand.

Think about where the icon will appear. Will it need to work on dark and light backgrounds? How small will it appear on mobile devices?

Step 2: Write and Refine Your Prompt

Start with a basic prompt describing your icon.

Include:

• Icon type (lettermark, mascot, etc.)
• Your industry
• Key design elements
• Color preferences
• Mood or feeling

Here’s a template:

[Specific icon type] for [industry], [style], [color palette], [mood], high contrast, brand icon, professional quality, [optional: include brand name], [optional: file format or usage]

Example Filled-In Prompt:
“Minimalist mountain icon for outdoor apparel, flat style, earth tones and deep blue, adventurous and trustworthy mood, high contrast, brand icon, professional quality, vector format.”

Add important details like “symmetrical,” “asymmetrical,” “high contrast,” or “minimalist” to refine the style.

Step 3: Generate and Select Variations

When you submit your prompt, Midjourney creates four initial options. Study these carefully.

Look for icons that:

• Connect visually to your brand purpose
• Stand out from competitors
• Works well at different sizes
• Have clean, clear shapes

If you like an option, use the variation command (V1, V2, etc.) to create more versions based on that design.

Try 3-5 different prompt variations to explore more options.

Small changes in wording can lead to very different results.

Step 4: Upscale and Export

Once you find a promising icon, upscale it for better quality.

The upscale command (U1, U2, etc.) creates a larger, more detailed version.

For brand icons, higher resolution is better. You can always reduce size later, but starting with more detail gives you flexibility.

Save your icon in the highest resolution possible. Download the image from Discord or use the Midjourney website gallery.

Step 5: Post-Processing

Most Midjourney icons benefit from some final touches in other software.

Programs like Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Figma, or even free tools like GIMP can help:

• Clean up any fuzzy edges
• Perfect the symmetry if needed
• Adjust colors to match brand standards
• Create versions for different backgrounds
• Scale to different sizes for various platforms

Many designers convert the raster image to vector format for better scaling. Tools like Adobe Illustrator or online converters can help with this process.

Best Practices for Consistent and Memorable Brand Icons

Strong brand icons share certain qualities. They stay simple and avoid too many details. Complex icons become blurry when small.

Your icon should work in one color.

Test it in black on white and white on black. If it loses impact, simplify further.

Test your icon at tiny sizes.

Can you recognize it at 32×32 pixels? If not, reduce complexity.

Create a “family” of related icons by using consistent:

• Line weights
• Corner styles (rounded vs. sharp)
• Overall shape language
• Color palettes

For legal protection, check that your icon doesn’t closely resemble existing brands. A quick image search can reveal potential conflicts.

Midjourney’s terms allow commercial use of images you create. However, you cannot trademark the exact output without modifications. Make some unique changes to fully own your brand icon.

Test your icon with target audience members.

Their first impressions matter more than your personal preference.

Conclusion

Midjourney has changed how businesses create brand icons.

The AI tool makes professional-quality design available to everyone. You no longer need years of design experience to create unique, effective brand assets.

The key to success lies in clear prompts, careful selection, and thoughtful refinement. Start with your brand values, experiment with different prompts, and polish your favorites.

Try creating your first Midjourney brand icon today. The process is fun, fast, and might surprise you with creative possibilities you never imagined.

Share your results with colleagues for feedback. Their reactions will help you choose the most effective icon for your brand.

Ready to transform your brand identity with AI-powered design?

Midjourney awaits your creative direction.

FAQs for Midjourney Brand Icons: A Complete Guide