Urban Gothic Images with Midjourney

Using today’s Midjourney prompt we are going to generate some atmospheric urban gothic images.

Urban Gothic Art

Urban Gothic style in art is a genre that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily in literature, but later influencing other artistic forms like architecture, film, and visual arts. It draws its inspiration from the Gothic tradition, characterized by dark, mysterious, and eerie themes, but it situates these elements within an urban, often industrial, environment.

In literature, urban Gothic often explores the dark underbelly of cities, portraying them as places of decay, alienation, and moral corruption. It frequently incorporates elements such as gloomy and decaying urban landscapes, complex and morally ambiguous characters, and supernatural or psychological horror. Prominent works in this genre include Edgar Allan Poe’s tales set in 19th-century cities, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” as well as more contemporary authors like Clive Barker and Neil Gaiman.

In visual arts, urban Gothic style can be seen in paintings, illustrations, and photography that capture the eerie and unsettling aspects of city life. Artists often use dark and moody color palettes, stark contrasts, and surreal or distorted perspectives to evoke a sense of unease. Iconic examples include the urban landscapes of Edward Hopper and the unsettling, nightmarish imagery of Francis Bacon.

In architecture, urban Gothic style is reflected in the design of buildings and urban spaces that incorporate Gothic elements like pointed arches, gargoyles, and intricate ornamentation into urban settings. This fusion of architectural styles can be found in some older urban areas, especially in Europe, where Gothic structures coexist with more modern ones.

In film and television, urban Gothic style is evident in works that explore the dark and mysterious aspects of urban environments. Examples include the film noir genre of the 1940s and 1950s, as well as contemporary TV shows like “Penny Dreadful” and “American Horror Story,” which combine elements of horror and Gothic storytelling with urban settings.

Urban Gothic style in art provides a compelling and often unsettling commentary on the complex and sometimes disturbing aspects of modern urban life, blending the eerie and mysterious with the familiar and everyday.

Example Images

Here is what we are going to create….

Midjourney Prompt

So here is the prompt I used:

Base Prompt

[SUBJECT], in the style of suburban gothic, crimson, hyper-realistic portraits, erased and obscured, inventive character designs

So for the example images, the subject was:

• Sad girl
• Lovers
• boy
• fashion show

What Next?

As always, make the prompt your own and try a little tweak or two. I use ‘crimson’ in the prompt because of the gothic connotations, but give it a run with alternative colors. My favorites…

• Lips
• Grim reaper
• Little dog x2
• feet in an alleyway in the rain
• lips, yellow

… lips, yellow

And Finally

If you like this prompt, don’t forget to add it to your copy of the AI Prompt Pod. If you don’t yet have a copy, you can find out more HERE.