Using today’s Midjourney prompt we are going to create depictions of everyday life.
Everyday Life in Art
The depiction of everyday life in art has a long history that dates back to ancient times. Artists throughout the ages have been fascinated by capturing scenes of ordinary people engaged in their daily activities, whether it's at home, work, or leisure. This genre of art provides insights into the social, cultural, and historical contexts of different periods and societies.
Ancient civilizations, such as those in Egypt, Greece, and Rome, depicted everyday life in their artworks, often focusing on scenes of labor, domestic activities, and social gatherings. These artworks served various purposes, including religious, political, and decorative functions.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, religious and mythological themes dominated the art world. However, artists like Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Hieronymus Bosch incorporated elements of everyday life into their works. Bruegel, in particular, became renowned for his detailed and lively scenes of peasants and village life.
In the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age witnessed a significant rise in genre painting. Artists like Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, and Gerard ter Borch captured scenes of daily life, including domestic interiors, landscapes, and genre scenes depicting activities such as cooking, drinking, music-making, and family interactions. These artworks often reflected the values, customs, and social classes of the time.
In the 19th century, the advent of photography and the Industrial Revolution influenced the depiction of everyday life in art. Realism and Impressionism emerged as artistic movements, emphasizing accurate and honest representations of the contemporary world. Artists like Gustave Courbet, Édouard Manet, and Edgar Degas depicted scenes from urban life, including cafes, theaters, street scenes, and the working class. They sought to capture the changing social dynamics and the impact of industrialization on everyday life.
In the 20th century, artists continued to explore everyday life through various artistic movements, such as Cubism, Dadaism, and Pop Art. Artists like Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and Andy Warhol challenged traditional notions of art and incorporated elements of mass culture, consumerism, and the mundane into their works.
Contemporary art also encompasses a wide range of approaches to depicting everyday life. Some artists continue to explore realism and social commentary, while others employ abstraction, conceptualism, or multimedia installations to express their ideas about everyday experiences and contemporary society.
Overall, the depiction of everyday life in art provides a glimpse into the ordinary and familiar aspects of human existence. It allows us to reflect on our shared experiences, cultural diversity, and the evolving nature of society over time.
Example Images
Here is what we are going to create….
Midjourney Prompt
So here is the prompt I used:
Base Prompt
Imagine a large, hyper-detailed artwork. It combines realistic depictions of everyday life [OPTIONAL SUBJECT] with playful, cartoonish scenes. Packed with hidden details and inspired by the Bechers' typologies, it showcases jazzy interiors --ar 2:3
/settings: Version 5.2 and Stylize Med.
So for the example images…
The first four, I didn’t use a subject, then I used ‘in a factory’ and ‘in a library.’
What Next?
As always, make the prompt your own and try a little tweak or two.
‘in a pub’
For this final image I didn’t use a subject but I did add in the new ‘weird’ option to the prompt:
Imagine a large, hyper-detailed artwork. It combines realistic depictions of everyday life with playful, cartoonish scenes. Packed with hidden details and inspired by the Bechers' typologies, it showcases jazzy interiors —weird 1500 --ar 2:3
This is fascinating. At first, I could not figure out why all of them had that cross-section of an apartment building sort of feel when you had not specified it in your prompt. Then I noticed the Becher typologies modifier, which I had never heard of. Gonna be playing with this for sure! Thanks once again. 😘