MidJourney Version 8 vs 6.1 for Clipart... Which One Actually Wins?

Midjourney just dropped version 8 in alpha. Of course I had to test it right away.

Here is the thing. I sell clipart on Etsy. I have made over £85,000 and more than 33,000 sales. The AI tool I use matters. The version I use matters too. So when something new comes out I go in and test it for you.

Let me tell you exactly what I found. ✨

A Quick Look at What We Are Testing

In Midjourney you can pick from several versions right now. Version 6.1, version 7, version 8, and version 8.1.

My favourite until now has been 6.1. That might sound strange when newer versions exist. For my niche, cute watercolour nursery style clipart, 6.1 has always given me the best look.

So the big question is... does version 8 change that?

I will walk you through what I found when I tested them all with the same prompts from my prompt library.

The Witch Prompt Test

I started with a witch prompt. It is one of my favourites to test because I know exactly what I want from it.

Here is what each version gave me.

Version 6.1

Version 6.1 was my winner. Sharp, cute, that lovely watercolour style that sells well in my shop. It is the style my buyers already know and love.

Version 7

Version 7 was still cute... but it does not have the same charm as 6.1. In my own shop 6.1 sells more. So this one was a no for me.

Version 8

Version 8 was not for me at all. It felt like it had paper texture behind the paint. More like mixed media. Not what I want for nursery style.

Version 8.1

Version 8.1 was more interesting. It had a soft fluffy texture. I could see it working if you built a whole collection in that style. It has potential... just not for my main shop look.

The Second Prompt Test

After the first test I narrowed it down to version 6.1 and 8.1. Those two were worth comparing more.

And again... 6.1 won for me.

Version 8.1 was starting to look a little too real. A bit too polished. For nursery clipart you want a soft cute illustrated feel. Version 8.1 was sliding away from that.

You could tweak the prompts to pull it back... but why add work when 6.1 already does it so well?

But Wait... Standard vs HD in Version 8.1

Here is something interesting I found. Version 8.1 has two modes. Standard and HD.

And this changes things.

When I tested the same prompt in Standard mode... the watercolour feel came back. Softer, cuter, much closer to the style I want.

HD mode was more detailed and sharp. Beautiful on its own... but it moved away from the soft watercolour look I need for my niche.

So if you want to try version 8.1... use Standard mode. Also try raw stylisation so Midjourney follows your prompt more closely and does not add odd extras on top.

That combo gave me much better results.

So What Is the Verdict?

For cute watercolour nursery clipart... here is my honest take after testing everything.

Version 6.1 is still the winner. It gives the most steady, cute, sellable style for my niche. If your shop looks like mine I would stay on this one.

Version 8.1 in Standard mode is worth trying. Especially if you want a different collection feel or something a little fluffier and softer. Always test your own prompts before you commit to a big collection.

Versions 7 and 8 were not for me in this niche. They might work for other styles. For cute watercolour clipart... I am not switching.

Want Access to My Prompt Library?

The prompts I used in this post are all inside my community The AI Creator Lab. 🎨

Inside you get my full prompt library, step by step training on how I make my clipart, how I pack it and list it on Etsy, and a create with me session almost every week or two where I show you what I am working on.

It is everything I wish I had when I started.

If you want to join us the link is below. Come say hi inside... I would love to see you there 💛

Watch the video