Flat Vector Illustration
AI Prompt Inspiration
Get keyword inspiration for simple flat illustrations for Midjourney and Firefly generative AIs.
“Prompt: illustration of a woman holding an umbrella in the style of art deco”
~Built in Midjourney
“Prompt: illustration of a skyline, art deco illustration, art deco architecture”
~Built in Firefly
“Prompt: Art Deco illustration of a chair in the corner of a room, Art Deco interior decoration”
~Built in Firefly
“Prompt: Illustration of a person at the motel pool, in the style of art deco”
~Built in Midjourney
Midjourney & Firefly Tested Keywords
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How It Works
I’ve selected 4 different prompts that touch on as many different Flat Art mediums as possible.
I then used those same exact prompts but added Flat Art for each keyword so you can see how the specific keyword changes the image.
Illustration of a Galaxy
a flat vector illustration of the galaxy
Fashionable Woman Wearing the Hat
a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat
Illustrative Sci-Fi Movie Poster
a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster
Tiny People Working on a Giant Phone
a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app
History
Qualifications
Artists
Colors
Brief History: Flat Art
Although Flat illustrations really came into popularity in 2013 when Apple launched its flat OS, the style can trace its roots back to the 50s with the popularity of Swiss Style (also called International Style).
That being said, Flat Art is a really modern design trend. With the emerging need for responsive web design, flat illustrations because really popular. Style’s like Google’s Material Design, and the infamous Corporate Memphis really took the internet by storm due to their lightweight assets and ambiguous characters.
1950s Swiss Style
The Swiss Style–popular in the ’50s–is often cited as an early form of Flat Vector art.
Web Design
Flat Vector Illustrations became very popular in web and mobile design due to their customizability and responsiveness.
Corporate Memphis
Corporate Memphis is the name of the design style that creates scenes and characters using simple geometric shapes and bright colors. It is popularly used in web design.
Material Design
This is the name of Google’s design language, first developed in 2014.
Modern
Flat Vector Illustrations are extremely popular in modern design.
1950s Swiss Style
The clean, minimalistic style of the Swiss Style (or international style) is apparent in all the generated images. See how the Midjourney movie poster even attempts to use a clean sanserif font classic to the style.
All the images appear era-appropriate. The illustrations have a vintage feel to them, the people’s clothes were fashionable for the time, and the Midjourney phone illustration even goes as far as creating a Rube-Goldberg-looking machine since phones hadn’t been invented at the time.
Lastly, the keyword often encourages a red color palette. This likely has to do with the Swiss flag being red.
Midjourney
Firefly
“Prompt: a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the 1950s Swiss Style“
~Built in Midjourney
Web Design
The web design keyword causes a lot more whitespace in images. Subjects are often contained in a shape (often a circle) as if it is an image on a web page.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of web design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of web design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of web design”
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of web design“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the style of web design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of web design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the style of web design“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of web design“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of web design”
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of web design“
~Built in Midjourney
Corporate Memphis
Both AI’s tend to generate photos that use much more simplistic shapes and create characters that are much more geometric and abstract. This keyword also tends to add patterns and textures to the designs similar to the Corporate Memphis style.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, in the style of Corporate Memphis”
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, in the style of Corporate Memphis”
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, in the style of Corporate Memphis”
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of Corporate Memphis“
~Built in Midjourney
Material Design
The Material design creates images that are incredibly simplified, similar to Google’s design language. Google’s green, blue, and red colors are often present in the images. Lastly, lines are often added to images.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of Material Design“
~Built in Midjourney
Modern
There’s no other way to put it, images generated with the Modern keyword just tend to be better. Probably because the styles generated align with our modern tastes.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, in the style of web design“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a modern flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Sponsored
What Makes Flat Art, Flat Art?
Flat design emerged as a counter to the Skeuomorphism movement dominating digital design in the late 2000s. Flat Art removed all the drop shadows, bevels, and embossments used in Skeuomorphism, and takes a more simplistic approach. The style aims to create a minimalistic abstraction of an object using simple shapes, rather than a realistic representation.
Geometric
Minimalistic
Simple
Pop Art
Retro
Geometric
Images generated with this keyword tend to be completely constructed using simple geometric shapes. This is especially apparent in the portraits and the movie posters.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “A geometric flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a geometric flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Minimalistic
Illustrations with the minimalistic keyword are much more stripped back. Midjourney in particular often plays with some negative space as seen in the movie poster and the portrait of the woman. These images tend to look more modern due to their simple compositions.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a minimalistic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Simple
Similar to the minimalistic keyword, simply makes the resulting images much less complex. Illustrations are parred down to the essentials giving them a modern look.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of web design“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, in the style of web design“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a simple flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Pop Art
The biggest impact the pop art keyword has by far is its color! Just look at those bright saturated palettes. 😍
You can also see both AI’s attempts at the comic-book style so connected to pop art. You can even see the attempt at a starburst pattern behind the Midjourney portrait. However, none of the AIs are good at replicating the Pop Art style entirely.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a pop art flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Retro
The retro keyword creates some of the coolest images in my opinion. Although the images are still flat, retro images add layers of highlights and shadows to add such interesting detail to the images.
Some of these retro images remind me of vintage propaganda posters or retro movie posters.
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a retro flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Sponsored
In the Style of:
Artists
Since vector art is a modern design trend, it’s difficult to find artists Midjourney knows.
Here are three popular Vector artists Midjourney knows the style of.
It’s important to call out here, that not all of these artists have consented for their work to be used in Midjourny. If you are going to use their name in your prompt, try to steal like an artist. Meaning, use their work as inspiration, don’t just replicate it.
*Artist Names Don’t Work in Firefly
Adobe doesn’t train its AI on artist names so Firefly images have been removed from this section.
Dan Mumford
Shepard Fairey
Aaron James Draplin
Dan Mumford
London, UK
Bio
Dan is an illustrator based out of London whose work spans some of the most creative companies in the world. Including but not limited to: Disney, Hasbro, Apple, Adobe, and Sony.
Effect on Midjourney
- The color palettes Midjourney uses are extremely similar to Dan’s previous work.
- Uses the same trippy digital paint strokes seen in Dan’s work.
Midjourny Images
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of Dan Mumford“
~Built in Midjourney
“Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat in the style of Dan Mumford“
~Built in Midjourney
“Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster in the style of Dan Mumford“
~Built in Midjourney
Shepard Fairey
Los Angeles, US
Bio
Shepard is world renown American contemporary artist & activist. He has murals all over the world, and has some of his work featured museums such as Ney York’s MET. He is most famous for his Obama HOPE poster.
Effect on Midjourney
- Has the same retro, highly contrasted style.
- Often wants to add a female subject, even when one isn’t prompted for.
- Similar retro red palettes to Shepard.
Midjourny Images
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of Shepard Fairey”
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat in the style of Shepard Fairey“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster in the style of Shepard Fairey“
~Built in Midjourney
Aaron Draplin
Portland, US
Bio
Aaron Draplin is a popular American graphic designer. He’s designed for companies like Nike, and artists like TenaciousD. He is especially popular for his color books and iconic logos.
Effect on Midjourney
- Uses bright contrasted palettes.
- Often supports Oregon imagery.
- Often tries to add Draplin himself even when not prompted for.
Midjourny Images
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of Aaron James Draplin“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster in the style of Aaron James Draplin“
~Built in Midjourney
“Prompt: illustration of a skyline in the style of Tamara de Lempicka“
~Built in Midjourney
Sponsored
Flat Illustration Colors
Flat illustration colors palettes tend to be bright, and highly saturated. Here are a couple of keywords to generate beautiful images.
#ffffff
Monochrome
#ed3b73
Chromatic
#ffbb17
Colors that Pop
#f2613e
Vintage Colors
#543290
Dreamy
Monochromatic
#ffffff rgb(255, 255, 255)
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app”
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a monochromatic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Chromatic
#ed3b73 rgb(237, 59, 115)
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a Chromatic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a Chromatic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a Chromatic flat vector illustration of the galaxy“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a chromatic flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat“
~Built in Midjourney
Pop Colors
#ffbb17 rgb(255, 187, 23)
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy with colors that pop“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat with colors that pop“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy with colors that pop“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat with colors that pop“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster with colors that pop“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app with colors that pop“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster with colors that pop“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app with colors that pop“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy in the style of web design”
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat with colors that pop“
~Built in Midjourney
Vintage Colors
#f2613e rgb(242, 97, 62)
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, vintage colors”
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, vintage colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, vintage colors“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, vintage colors“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, vintage colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, vintage colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster, vintage colors“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app, vintage colors“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy, vintage colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat, vintage colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Dreamy Colors
#543290 rgb(84, 50, 144)
Midjourney
Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy with dreamy colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat with dreamy colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy with dreamy colors“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat with dreamy colors“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster with dreamy colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app with dreamy colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustrative sci-fi movie poster with dreamy colors“
~Built in Firefly
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of two small characters designing a giant mobile app with dreamy colors“
~Built in Firefly
Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of the galaxy with dreamy colors“
~Built in Midjourney
Prompt: “a flat vector illustration of a fashionable woman wearing a hat with dreamy colors“
~Built in Midjourney