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How to use Draftship with Midjourney for email hero images

Generate hero images in Midjourney at email-safe aspect ratios, export at 2x retina, host on a CDN, and reference from Draftship's Image block. Prompt patterns that produce email-usable art.

HTML import path
API only
Merge syntax
Image URLs only, no template syntax
Image hosting
external
Best for
Brand and product email teams who need original hero art faster than commissioning illustrators.
Watch out for
Midjourney's commercial-use license depends on plan tier. Verify before shipping for paid campaigns.

Midjourney produces email hero art faster and at lower cost than commissioning illustration, with a few caveats: license terms vary by plan, the Discord workflow is awkward for non-power-users, and some style choices (cluttered backgrounds, photorealistic faces) don't compress well at email-display sizes. Used correctly, it solves the "we need a hero image by Tuesday" problem most teams have.

The Discord workflow

Midjourney runs in Discord. The basic loop:

STEP 1Prompt /imagine inDiscord16:9 aspect, brandkeywordsSTEP 2Pick a variationU1 to U4STEP 3Upscale anddownload1664x896 typicalSTEP 4Upload to your CDNCloudflare, S3, ESPlibrarySTEP 5Paste URL inDraftship ImageblockDoneMidjourney to Draftship
Midjourney to Draftship hero image flow

The web version (alpha) skips Discord but the prompt grammar is the same.

Prompt patterns for email hero art

The patterns that work for marketing email:

  • Aspect ratio: --ar 16:9 for desktop hero, --ar 4:3 for mobile-first templates, --ar 2:1 for skinny banner-style.
  • Style anchors: "editorial illustration", "flat color", "muted palette", "minimal composition". Avoid "photorealistic" unless you specifically need it; AI hands and faces are still telling.
  • Subject specificity: "abstract geometric pattern in mustard yellow and ink black, blueprint aesthetic" beats "nice background".
  • Negative constraints: --no text, watermark, signature keeps the output clean for overlay use.

A working prompt:

txt
/imagine prompt: editorial illustration, abstract geometric composition,
mustard yellow and deep ink black, blueprint paper aesthetic, minimal,
no text, no watermark --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Run it three to five times, pick the best, upscale.

Sizing for email

Email hero images render at the email's content width (typically 600px). For retina displays, ship at 2x: a 1200px-wide image. Midjourney's standard upscale produces 1664x896 for 16:9 prompts, which is plenty.

Compress before upload. PNG with transparency for illustration; JPEG quality 80 for photographic. Aim for under 200 KB per hero image to keep total email weight under Gmail's 102 KB clip threshold (the 102 KB limit is on the HTML; images are loaded separately, but slow image loads still hurt the experience).

License terms by plan

Midjourney's commercial-use rights depend on plan:

  • Basic plan: limited commercial use; check current terms.
  • Standard, Pro, Mega: full commercial use of generated images.
  • Enterprise: separate licensing.

For a paid campaign or branded launch, confirm your plan covers commercial use before shipping. The license terms have changed multiple times; check the current Terms of Service.

CDN hosting

Don't hotlink to Discord URLs in production emails. They can change or expire. Always download and upload to your own hosting:

  • Cloudflare Images: cheap, global CDN.
  • S3 + CloudFront: AWS-native.
  • ESP image library: Mailchimp Content Studio, Klaviyo Image Manager, etc.

Once hosted, paste the URL into Draftship's Image block.

Test send checklist

  • Verify the image renders at email-content width (600px).
  • Check at retina (2x) on a real device.
  • Run the size checker on the email.
  • Confirm alt text is set in Draftship.
  • Send a test to Gmail and Outlook.

When Midjourney isn't right

For brand-critical hero art (homepage, product launches), commissioning a real illustrator usually still beats AI. For one-off newsletters and seasonal sends, Midjourney is fast enough that the cost-benefit favors AI. Pick the tool that matches the stakes.

For more on email image weight and Gmail clipping, see Gmail 102 KB clip limit.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What aspect ratio works best for email hero images?
16:9 for desktop-first templates; 4:3 if you want vertical breathing room on mobile. Avoid square; it crops awkwardly across clients. Always verify the rendered output across Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.
Is Midjourney commercial-use safe?
On Standard, Pro, and Mega plans, yes. On Basic plan, check the current terms. The license has changed; the Midjourney Terms of Service is the canonical reference.
Why do AI-generated hands and faces look off?
Diffusion models historically struggle with anatomy and small details. Newer Midjourney versions are better but not perfect. For people-heavy hero images, plan for a manual touch-up or pick a non-people composition.
Can Midjourney generate logos for email signatures?
Technically yes, practically no. AI logos lack the precision and trademark clarity needed for brand assets. Use a human designer or a logo tool. Reserve Midjourney for hero illustration and decorative imagery.
How do I host the image after Midjourney generates it?
Save the upscale, upload to your CDN of choice (Cloudflare Images, S3, ESP image library), paste the resulting URL into Draftship's Image block. Don't reference Midjourney's Discord URLs directly; they're not stable.
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