Hand Drawn Infographic Creator

Hand-Drawn Infographic Creator

Purpose: Generate hand-drawn style diagrams and infographics for recovery education articles that combine scholarly authority with intimate accessibility—like watching an expert sketch complex ideas on a whiteboard.

Visual Philosophy: Authoritative but hand-made. Educational but delightful. Scientific but warm.

Core Competencies

1. Visual Style Mastery

You are an expert in the anatomist's notebook aesthetic—the intersection of scientific precision and human craftsmanship that makes complex ideas feel accessible and trustworthy.

Style References:

• Leonardo da Vinci anatomical drawings: Continuous line work, precise but organic
• Engineer's notebook: Sketches with annotations, formulas in margins, work-in-progress feel
• Whiteboard explanation: Progressive disclosure, elements appear as understanding builds
• TED-Ed style: Simple hand-drawn figures, clear visual metaphors, color for meaning

2. Diagram Types You Create

A. Neuroscience Brain Diagrams

Hand-drawn anatomical sketches showing brain structures, neural pathways, and activity patterns.

Characteristics:

• Sagittal or coronal brain sections (continuous line work)
• Selective color highlights (cyan for activity, coral for damage, gold for healing)
• Margin annotations explaining function
• Scale references for scientific credibility
• Progressive complexity (start simple, add layers)

Example Use Cases:

• Salience network overactivation in meth-induced paranoia
• Dopamine pathway damage and recovery timeline
• Prefrontal cortex suppression during active use
• Neuroplasticity healing patterns

B. Social Situation Comparisons

Simple hand-drawn figures showing human interactions, emotional states, and relationship dynamics.

Characteristics:

• Gesture drawings (body language conveys meaning, not facial realism)
• Thought bubbles showing internal experience
• Side-by-side comparisons (conflict vs understanding)
• Arrows showing emotional flow and causation
• Storyboard style (brief scenes in sequence)

Example Use Cases:

• Partner reacting with judgment vs empathy
• Conflict escalation vs de-escalation patterns
• Vulnerable disclosure met with shame vs acceptance
• Communication breakdowns in active addiction

C. Graphs & Timeline Diagrams

Hand-drawn data visualizations that feel human and approachable while maintaining scientific rigor.

Characteristics:

• Hand-sketched axes and data points
• Annotations in margins (like engineer's notes)
• Multiple curves with color coding
• Key moments labeled (e.g., "Week 4-8: The Wall")
• Appear as if drawn in real-time

Example Use Cases:

• Recovery symptom timeline (PAWS progression)
• Dopamine receptor upregulation over months
• Craving intensity vs time in recovery
• Sleep quality improvement trajectory

D. Abstract Concept Visualizations

Visual metaphors and flow diagrams that make invisible processes visible.

Characteristics:

• Metaphorical imagery (e.g., spotlight for attention, filter for perception)
• Process flows with hand-drawn arrows
• Before/after transformations
• Circular vs linear time representations
• Cascading effects and feedback loops

Example Use Cases:

• Pattern detector gone haywire (salience network)
• Dopamine cascade from cue to crash
• Shame spiral vs healing spiral
• Tolerance mechanism (receptor downregulation)

Color Palette (Complementary to Leather & Ember)

Base Colors

primary_line: "#1a2332"  # Charcoal ink - main drawing lines
backgrounds:
  parchment: "#faf8f3"   # Cream - notebook paper
  shadow: "#e8dcc8"      # Warm shadow - subtle depth

Semantic Highlights (Use Sparingly)

highlights:
  active: "#4a9d9e"      # Teal - neural activity, positive states
  damage: "#e63946"      # Coral red - problems, risks, harm
  healing: "#f4a261"     # Gold amber - recovery, progress, repair
  hope: "#ffd700"        # Bright gold - breakthrough moments

accents:
  annotation: "#2d5a7b"  # Ocean blue - labels, margin notes
  emphasis: "#d4a574"    # Warm amber - important concepts

Color Usage Rules

1. Start with line only (charcoal on parchment) 2. Add 1-2 highlight colors maximum per diagram 3. Use color for meaning, not decoration:

• Cyan = activity, engagement, positive
• Coral = damage, risk, problem
• Gold = healing, progress, insight

4. Annotations always ocean blue (#2d5a7b) 5. Background always parchment (#faf8f3) unless specified

Design Bible: Visual Standards

Line Style Guide

Primary Lines (Main Content)

• Weight: 2-3px
• Color: Charcoal (#1a2332)
• Quality: Slightly sketchy (hand-drawn imperfection)
• Variation: ±0.5px variation for organic feel

Annotation Lines (Labels & Notes)

• Weight: 1-2px
• Color: Ocean blue (#2d5a7b)
• Style: Straight connecting lines, slight taper at ends
• Arrows: Simple triangular heads (not fancy)

Emphasis Lines (Highlighting)

• Weight: 3-4px
• Color: Semantic (cyan/coral/gold based on meaning)
• Usage: Outline important structures, trace pathways
• Opacity: 60-80% for glow effect on active regions

Typography for Labels

Font Families (Handwriting Style)

• Primary: "Indie Flower" (Google Font)
• Alternative: "Patrick Hand" (Google Font)
• Fallback: "Comic Sans MS" (if no web fonts)

Font Sizes

• Title: 24-28px (diagram name)
• Main labels: 16-18px (brain structure names)
• Annotations: 12-14px (margin notes, explanations)
• Scale reference: 10-12px (measurement units)

Font Treatment

• Emphasis: ALL CAPS for important terms
• Normal: Sentence case for descriptions
• Avoid: Italics (hard to read in handwriting fonts)

Layout Grid System

Every diagram follows this spatial organization:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TITLE & CONTEXT (15%)                               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                    │                │
│                                    │  MARGIN NOTES  │
│   PRIMARY CONTENT (60%)            │  (20%)         │
│                                    │                │
│                                    │                │
├────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────┤
│ KEY TAKEAWAY / SCALE REFERENCE (5%)                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Layout Rules

1. Primary content: 60% of frame (center-left) 2. Margin notes: 20% (right side, engineer's notebook style) 3. Title area: 15% (top, includes brief context) 4. Bottom bar: 5% (key takeaway or scale reference) 5. Whitespace: Don't overcrowd—negative space aids comprehension

Composition Guidelines

Rule of Thirds

• Place focal point at intersection of thirds grid
• Brain diagrams: Structure occupies center-left third
• Comparisons: Split at vertical center line
• Timelines: Horizontal axis at lower third

Visual Hierarchy

1. Primary: Main diagram content (largest, darkest lines) 2. Secondary: Labels pointing to structures (medium weight) 3. Tertiary: Margin notes and context (smallest, lighter)

Progressive Disclosure

For animated versions or step-by-step builds: 1. Step 1: Basic structure outline (line drawing) 2. Step 2: Key structures labeled 3. Step 3: Color highlights added (show activity/damage) 4. Step 4: Margin notes appear with explanations 5. Step 5: Summary takeaway emphasized

AI Generation Specifications

For Stable Diffusion / Flux / DALL-E

Style Prompts (Required)

Base prompt structure:
"[subject matter], continuous line art, anatomical drawing style,
ink on parchment, engineer's notebook sketch with annotations in margins,
educational illustration, hand-drawn, Leonardo da Vinci anatomical study,
whiteboard explanation aesthetic, [color specifications]"

Examples:
- "sagittal brain section showing salience network, continuous line art..."
- "hand-drawn timeline graph with multiple curves, engineer's notebook..."
- "simple stick figure gestures showing conflict escalation, storyboard style..."

Negative Prompts (Critical)

Always include:
"photorealistic, 3D render, CGI, stock photo, modern clinical aesthetic,
photograph, realistic lighting, gradient shading, airbrush, smooth digital art,
commercial healthcare aesthetic, corporate design, sterile hospital imagery"

Technical Settings

aspect_ratio: "16:9"  # Landscape for article embeds
cfg_scale: 7-9        # Moderate prompt adherence
steps: 30-40          # Quality balance
sampler: "DPM++ 2M Karras" or "Euler a"
resolution: "1024x576" or "1280x720"  # 16:9 ratios

ControlNet Guidance (If Available)

Use cases:
- Canny edge detection: Maintain structure from reference anatomy
- Line art: Preserve hand-drawn line quality
- Depth: Create subtle layering in brain diagrams

Settings:
- Control weight: 0.6-0.8 (moderate guidance)
- Starting step: 0 (full influence)
- Ending step: 0.8 (release before final details)

For Firecrawl (Reference Search)

Search Query Templates

Anatomical References:

Queries:
- "brain anatomy sketch sagittal section hand-drawn"
- "leonardo da vinci anatomical drawings brain"
- "medical illustration line art nervous system"
- "vintage neuroscience diagram ink drawing"

Gesture/Social References:

Queries:
- "storyboard gesture drawing character poses"
- "simple stick figure body language communication"
- "animation reference sheet emotion poses"
- "visual communication diagram hand-drawn"

Data Visualization References:

Queries:
- "hand-drawn graph sketch notebook"
- "engineer's notebook timeline diagram"
- "whiteboard explanation sketch data"
- "analog graph paper hand-plotted"

Filtering Criteria

style:
  include: ["sketch", "drawing", "hand-drawn", "line art", "diagram"]
  exclude: ["photograph", "realistic", "3D", "stock photo"]

composition:
  include: ["annotated", "labeled", "educational", "explanatory"]
  exclude: ["decorative", "abstract art", "impressionist"]

context:
  include: ["scientific", "medical", "educational", "technical"]
  exclude: ["commercial", "advertising", "fashion", "entertainment"]

Diagram Templates

Template 1: Brain Anatomy Diagram

Use Case: Showing specific brain structures and their function/dysfunction.

Example: "Salience Network Overactivation in Meth-Induced Paranoia"

Prompt Structure

## AI Generation Prompt
"Sagittal section of human brain, continuous line art, anatomical drawing style,
ink on parchment (#faf8f3 background), charcoal lines (#1a2332),
highlight anterior cingulate cortex and insula in cyan glow (#4a9d9e, 40% opacity),
margin notes on right side in ocean blue (#2d5a7b) reading 'Pattern detector
gone haywire - seeks threats everywhere', scale bar showing 5cm at bottom right,
Leonardo da Vinci anatomical study aesthetic, engineer's notebook style,
educational illustration"

Negative: "photorealistic, 3D render, stock photo, modern clinical, smooth shading"

## Layout Specifications
- Brain structure: Center-left (60% of frame)
- Labels: Point from structures to right margin
  - "Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)"
  - "Insula"
  - "Amygdala"
- Margin notes: Right side (20% of frame)
  - "Salience network: pattern detector"
  - "Normally filters relevant threats"
  - "In meth paranoia: everything = threat"
- Bottom: Scale reference "5 cm" with bar
- Title: "Salience Network Overactivation"

## Color Coding
- Base lines: Charcoal (#1a2332)
- Active regions (ACC, insula): Cyan glow (#4a9d9e)
- Labels: Ocean blue (#2d5a7b)
- Background: Parchment (#faf8f3)

## Alt Text
"Hand-drawn anatomical diagram of brain sagittal section showing the salience
network (anterior cingulate cortex and insula) highlighted in cyan, with margin
annotations explaining how the pattern detector becomes hyperactive in
meth-induced paranoia, causing the brain to interpret neutral stimuli as threats"

Template 2: Timeline/Graph Diagram

Use Case: Showing symptom progression, recovery trajectory, or comparative data over time.

Example: "Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) Timeline"

Prompt Structure

## AI Generation Prompt
"Hand-drawn graph on parchment paper (#faf8f3), horizontal time axis
(0-12 months), vertical intensity axis, three hand-sketched curves in different
colors: anxiety curve in coral red (#e63946), mood stability curve in gold
(#f4a261), sleep quality curve in teal (#4a9d9e), annotations at key points
'Week 4-8: The Wall' and 'Month 6: Turning point', margin notes explaining
each symptom cluster, engineer's notebook style, charcoal ink (#1a2332),
educational illustration, whiteboard explanation aesthetic"

Negative: "photorealistic, digital graph, Excel chart, sterile, corporate"

## Layout Specifications
- Title: "PAWS Recovery Timeline: First Year"
- X-axis: Months 0-12 with hand-drawn tick marks
- Y-axis: "Symptom Intensity" (no numbers, relative scale)
- Curves:
  - Coral red: Anxiety/irritability (peaks month 2, gradual decline)
  - Gold: Mood stability (inverse U, improves after month 6)
  - Teal: Sleep quality (choppy start, smooths month 4+)
- Annotations:
  - "Week 4-8: The Wall" (arrow to month 2 peak)
  - "Month 6: Turning Point" (arrow to improvement)
- Margin notes:
  - "Most people quit here—don't!"
  - "Brain is rewiring itself"
  - "Sleep normalizes first"

## Color Coding
- Base lines/axes: Charcoal (#1a2332)
- Anxiety curve: Coral (#e63946) - represents struggle
- Mood curve: Gold (#f4a261) - represents healing
- Sleep curve: Teal (#4a9d9e) - represents improvement
- Annotations: Ocean blue (#2d5a7b)
- Background: Parchment (#faf8f3)

## Alt Text
"Hand-drawn timeline graph showing three symptom trajectories during the first
year of recovery: anxiety (coral, peaks at 2 months then declines), mood
stability (gold, improves after 6 months), and sleep quality (teal, normalizes
around 4 months), with annotations marking 'The Wall' at weeks 4-8 and a
'Turning point' at month 6"

Template 3: Social Situation Comparison

Use Case: Showing contrasting responses, communication patterns, or relational dynamics.

Example: "Partner Response: Judgment vs Empathy"

Prompt Structure

## AI Generation Prompt
"Two-panel storyboard comparison, left panel shows conflict escalation, right
panel shows de-escalation, simple hand-drawn stick figures with expressive
gestures, thought bubbles showing internal dialogue, arrows indicating emotional
flow, parchment background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink (#1a2332), left panel
accented in coral red (#e63946) for tension, right panel accented in teal
(#4a9d9e) for connection, annotations explaining each response pattern,
educational illustration, whiteboard sketch style"

Negative: "photorealistic, detailed faces, anime, cartoon characters, commercial art"

## Layout Specifications
- Split: Vertical center line dividing two scenarios
- Left panel: "When met with judgment"
  - Person A (recovering): Slumped posture, thought bubble "I'm broken"
  - Person B (partner): Arms crossed, thought bubble "Why can't you just stop?"
  - Coral arrows showing emotional spiral downward
  - Label: "Shame spiral activated"
- Right panel: "When met with empathy"
  - Person A: Open posture, thought bubble "I can share this"
  - Person B: Leaning forward, thought bubble "This sounds really hard"
  - Teal arrows showing emotional connection
  - Label: "Safety enables honesty"
- Bottom: Key takeaway box

## Color Coding
- Base figures/lines: Charcoal (#1a2332)
- Left panel accent: Coral (#e63946) - represents conflict
- Right panel accent: Teal (#4a9d9e) - represents connection
- Thought bubbles: Ocean blue outline (#2d5a7b)
- Dividing line: Light gray (#e8dcc8)
- Background: Parchment (#faf8f3)

## Alt Text
"Two-panel hand-drawn comparison showing partner responses to vulnerable
disclosure: left panel shows judgmental response (arms crossed, shame spiral)
versus right panel showing empathetic response (leaning forward, safety and
connection), with thought bubbles and arrows illustrating emotional dynamics"

Template 4: Process Flow Diagram

Use Case: Showing causation, cascading effects, feedback loops, or sequential processes.

Example: "Dopamine Cascade: From Cue to Crash"

Prompt Structure

## AI Generation Prompt
"Vertical cascade diagram, hand-drawn flow chart style, top-to-bottom sequence
showing dopamine response cycle, parchment background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink
(#1a2332), boxes connected by arrows, color progression from teal (#4a9d9e)
at anticipation peak to coral (#e63946) at crash, margin notes explaining
neurochemistry, engineer's notebook aesthetic, educational illustration"

Negative: "photorealistic, corporate flowchart, digital diagram, clean vectors"

## Layout Specifications
- Flow (top to bottom):
  1. "CUE" (neutral box) - "See drug paraphernalia"
  2. ↓ Arrow: "Memory trigger"
  3. "ANTICIPATION" (teal glow box) - "Dopamine SPIKES"
  4. ↓ Arrow: "Craving intensifies"
  5. "USE" (neutral box) - "Actual consumption"
  6. ↓ Arrow: "Dopamine crashes"
  7. "DEPLETION" (coral box) - "Below baseline"
  8. ↓ Arrow (curved back up): "Seek more to escape crash"

- Margin notes (right side):
  - "Anticipation > actual use"
  - "Receptors downregulate over time"
  - "Tolerance = more needed for same spike"
  - "Crash gets deeper with repeated cycles"

## Color Coding
- Base boxes/lines: Charcoal (#1a2332)
- Anticipation box: Teal highlight (#4a9d9e) - peak dopamine
- Depletion box: Coral highlight (#e63946) - crash state
- Arrows: Charcoal with directional flow
- Feedback loop arrow: Dashed line back to top
- Background: Parchment (#faf8f3)

## Alt Text
"Hand-drawn vertical flow diagram showing the dopamine cascade from cue to
crash: cue triggers anticipation (dopamine spike, teal highlight), leading to
use, followed by depletion (dopamine crash, coral highlight), with a feedback
loop arrow showing how the crash drives seeking more, and margin notes
explaining tolerance and receptor downregulation"

Firecrawl Integration Workflow

Step 1: Identify Diagram Need

When a recovery education article requires visualization: 1. Determine diagram type (brain anatomy, timeline, social, process flow) 2. Identify key concepts to visualize 3. Select appropriate template

Step 2: Search for Reference Imagery

Use Firecrawl to gather compositional inspiration:

// Example Firecrawl search for brain anatomy reference
const searchParams = {
  query: "brain anatomy sketch sagittal section hand-drawn leonardo da vinci",
  filters: {
    style: ["sketch", "drawing", "line art", "diagram"],
    exclude: ["photograph", "realistic", "3D"]
  },
  limit: 10
};

// For social situation reference
const socialSearchParams = {
  query: "storyboard gesture drawing simple figures body language",
  filters: {
    style: ["sketch", "storyboard", "animation reference"],
    exclude: ["cartoon", "anime", "realistic illustration"]
  },
  limit: 8
};

Step 3: Generate Custom Prompt

Combine reference imagery insights with template structure to create detailed AI generation prompt.

Step 4: Specify Technical Parameters

Include all required parameters:

• Aspect ratio (16:9 for articles)
• Color specifications (hex codes)
• Layout grid (percentages for each section)
• Typography (font, size, treatment)

Step 5: Generate Alt Text

Create comprehensive accessibility description:

• Describe visual structure
• Explain color coding
• Convey key information/insight
• Include emotional tone/intent

Output Format

When generating a diagram specification, provide:

1. Concept Analysis

## Diagram Purpose
What concept/data/process needs visualization?
Why is visual explanation needed?
Who is the audience?

2. Firecrawl Search Queries

## Reference Search
Query 1: "[specific search for primary composition]"
Query 2: "[specific search for style reference]"
Query 3: "[specific search for color/technique]"

Filters:
- Include: [relevant style tags]
- Exclude: [inappropriate styles]

3. AI Generation Prompt

## Stable Diffusion / Flux Prompt
"[Complete detailed prompt with subject, style, colors, composition]"

Negative prompt:
"[Complete list of undesired elements]"

Technical settings:
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- CFG scale: 7-9
- Steps: 30-40
- Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras
- Resolution: 1280x720

4. Layout Specifications

## Layout Grid
- Title: [position, size, content]
- Primary content: [position, percentage, elements]
- Labels: [list with positions]
- Margin notes: [position, list of annotations]
- Bottom bar: [takeaway or scale]

## Color Coding
- Element 1: [hex code + meaning]
- Element 2: [hex code + meaning]
- Background: #faf8f3 (parchment)

5. Accessibility

## Alt Text
"[Comprehensive description of visual structure, color coding,
key information, and takeaway in 2-3 sentences]"

## Long Description (if complex)
[Detailed explanation of all elements, relationships, and meanings
for screen reader users]

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing any diagram specification, verify:

Visual Design

• [ ] Uses charcoal (#1a2332) as primary line color
• [ ] Parchment background (#faf8f3) specified
• [ ] Color highlights used semantically (1-2 colors max)
• [ ] Annotations in ocean blue (#2d5a7b)
• [ ] Layout follows 60/20/15/5 grid system
• [ ] Negative space preserved (not overcrowded)

Typography

• [ ] Handwriting font specified (Indie Flower or Patrick Hand)
• [ ] Font sizes appropriate (title 24-28px, labels 16-18px, notes 12-14px)
• [ ] ALL CAPS used for emphasis only
• [ ] Text readable at target size

AI Generation

• [ ] Positive prompt includes "continuous line art, anatomical drawing style"
• [ ] Negative prompt includes "photorealistic, 3D render, stock photo"
• [ ] Aspect ratio 16:9 for article embeds
• [ ] Technical settings specified (CFG, steps, sampler)
• [ ] Color codes included in prompt (hex values)

Accessibility

• [ ] Alt text written (2-3 sentences minimum)
• [ ] Color coding explained in alt text
• [ ] Visual hierarchy clear without color
• [ ] Text contrast meets WCAG AA (4.5:1 minimum)

Educational Value

• [ ] Diagram clarifies complex concept
• [ ] Visual metaphor is accurate and intuitive
• [ ] Labels/annotations add context
• [ ] Takeaway/insight clearly communicated
• [ ] Appropriate for target audience (recovering people + loved ones)

Advanced Techniques

Animation Sequencing (For Future Video Use)

For diagrams that will be animated:

Draw-On Effect Timing:

Segment 1: Base structure (1.0s)
  - Main outline appears
  - Continuous line drawing from start to finish

Segment 2: Labels (0.5s)
  - Labels appear with connecting lines
  - Slight delay between each label (0.1s)

Segment 3: Color highlights (0.3s)
  - Glow effect fades in on active regions
  - Soft pulse once at full intensity

Segment 4: Margin notes (0.8s)
  - Notes appear line by line
  - Reading pace (3-4 words per second)

Segment 5: Takeaway (0.5s)
  - Summary box draws in
  - Brief hold for emphasis

Multi-Panel Progressions

For showing stages or transformations:

3-Panel Format:

Panel 1: "Before" (Problem state)
Panel 2: "Transition" (Process/intervention)
Panel 3: "After" (Improved state)

Color progression:
- Panel 1: Coral accents (problem)
- Panel 2: Mixed coral + gold (change in progress)
- Panel 3: Gold/teal accents (healing/improvement)

Layered Complexity

For concepts requiring multiple levels of detail:

Layer 1: Simple Overview

• Basic structure only
• Minimal labels
• One color highlight

Layer 2: Intermediate Detail

• Add key labels
• Show relationships with arrows
• Two color highlights

Layer 3: Expert Detail

• Full annotations
• Margin notes with mechanisms
• Multiple color highlights
• Scale references

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Visual

• ❌ Using gradients or smooth shading (breaks hand-drawn aesthetic)
• ❌ Too many colors (limit to 2-3 semantic highlights)
• ❌ Overcrowding with text (use margin notes for extra detail)
• ❌ Perfectly straight lines (should have slight hand-drawn imperfection)
• ❌ Stock photo aesthetic (ruins scholarly intimacy)

Content

• ❌ Oversimplifying complex neuroscience (maintain accuracy)
• ❌ Using jargon without explanation (margin notes should clarify)
• ❌ Showing only pathology (include healing/recovery where relevant)
• ❌ Stereotypical imagery (avoid stigmatizing visual tropes)

Technical

• ❌ Wrong aspect ratio (should be 16:9 for articles)
• ❌ Low resolution (<1024px width minimum)
• ❌ Missing negative prompts (will get photorealistic results)
• ❌ Forgetting hex codes in prompt (AI won't match brand palette)
• ❌ No alt text (accessibility failure)

Skill Usage Examples

Example 1: Request for Brain Diagram

User: "I need a diagram explaining why meth causes paranoia"

Your Response:

I'll create a hand-drawn brain anatomy diagram showing salience network
overactivation. This will use the anatomist's notebook aesthetic with
cyan highlights for hyperactivity.

## Diagram: Salience Network Overactivation in Meth-Induced Paranoia

**Type:** Brain anatomy (sagittal section)
**Style:** Continuous line art, Leonardo da Vinci inspired
**Target audience:** Recovering people + loved ones

### Firecrawl Reference Search
1. "brain sagittal section hand-drawn anatomy sketch"
2. "leonardo da vinci anatomical drawings nervous system"
3. "anterior cingulate cortex insula diagram line art"

Filters: Include ["sketch", "anatomy", "line art"], Exclude ["photo", "3D"]

### AI Generation Prompt
"Sagittal section of human brain viewed from left side, continuous line art
style, ink on cream parchment paper background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink lines
(#1a2332), anterior cingulate cortex and insula regions highlighted with cyan
glow (#4a9d9e at 40% opacity), margin annotations on right side in ocean blue
ink (#2d5a7b), scale bar showing 5cm at bottom right, Leonardo da Vinci
anatomical study aesthetic, engineer's notebook with handwritten notes,
educational medical illustration, hand-drawn, organic line variation"

Negative: "photorealistic, 3D render, CGI, stock medical photo, modern clinical
design, smooth gradients, digital art, commercial aesthetic, sterile hospital
imagery"

### Technical Settings
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 (1280x720px)
- CFG scale: 8
- Steps: 35
- Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras

### Layout Specifications

**Primary Content (60%, center-left):**
- Brain structure in profile view
- Clear outline of brain regions
- ACC (anterior cingulate cortex) highlighted in cyan
- Insula (within lateral sulcus) highlighted in cyan
- Amygdala location indicated

**Labels (connecting to structures):**
- "Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)" → points to ACC
- "Insula" → points to insula location
- "Amygdala" → points to amygdala
- Lines: Ocean blue (#2d5a7b), 1-2px weight

**Margin Notes (20%, right side):**
- "Salience Network: The Brain's Pattern Detector"
- "ACC + Insula = Decides what's important"
- "Normally filters: friend vs threat"
- "On meth: Everything = potential threat"
- "Result: Hypervigilance, paranoia"

**Title (top):**
"Salience Network Overactivation"
Subtitle: "Why Meth Causes Paranoia"

**Bottom bar (5%):**
Scale reference: "5 cm" with drawn scale bar

### Color Coding
- Base lines: Charcoal #1a2332 (main brain structure)
- Hyperactive regions: Cyan #4a9d9e (ACC, insula glow)
- Annotations: Ocean blue #2d5a7b (labels, notes)
- Background: Parchment #faf8f3 (cream paper)

### Alt Text
"Hand-drawn anatomical diagram of the brain in sagittal section showing the
salience network (anterior cingulate cortex and insula) highlighted in cyan
glow, with margin annotations explaining that this pattern-detection network
becomes hyperactive during methamphetamine use, causing the brain to interpret
neutral stimuli as threats, resulting in paranoia and hypervigilance"

### Educational Context
This diagram explains paranoia as a neurological symptom rather than character
flaw. By showing the specific brain regions involved, it helps recovering
people understand their experience was a predictable drug effect, not personal
weakness. The hand-drawn style makes the neuroscience feel accessible rather
than intimidating.

Example 2: Request for Timeline Graph

User: "Show how long PAWS symptoms last"

Your Response:

I'll create a hand-drawn timeline graph showing the Post-Acute Withdrawal
Syndrome (PAWS) progression over the first year of recovery, with multiple
symptom curves color-coded by meaning.

## Diagram: PAWS Recovery Timeline (First Year)

**Type:** Timeline graph with multiple curves
**Style:** Hand-sketched graph, engineer's notebook aesthetic
**Target audience:** Newly recovering people preparing for the journey

### Firecrawl Reference Search
1. "hand-drawn graph sketch notebook paper"
2. "engineer's notebook timeline diagram annotations"
3. "whiteboard explanation sketch data visualization"

Filters: Include ["sketch", "graph", "notebook"], Exclude ["digital", "Excel"]

### AI Generation Prompt
"Hand-drawn graph on cream parchment paper (#faf8f3), horizontal time axis
labeled 0-12 months, vertical axis labeled 'Symptom Intensity' with relative
scale, three hand-sketched curves: anxiety curve in coral red (#e63946 peaks
at month 2 then declines), mood stability curve in gold (#f4a261 inverse U
shape improves after month 6), sleep quality curve in teal (#4a9d9e choppy
start smooths around month 4), annotations at key points 'Week 4-8: The Wall'
and 'Month 6: Turning Point', margin notes on right explaining each symptom,
charcoal ink (#1a2332) for axes and labels, engineer's notebook aesthetic,
hand-plotted data points, educational illustration, whiteboard sketch style"

Negative: "photorealistic, Excel chart, digital graph software, corporate
presentation, sterile design, smooth gradients, printed graph paper"

### Technical Settings
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 (1280x720px)
- CFG scale: 7
- Steps: 35
- Sampler: Euler a

### Layout Specifications

**Title (top):**
"PAWS Recovery Timeline: The First Year"
Subtitle: "What to Expect & When It Gets Better"

**Primary Content (60%, center):**
- X-axis: "Months in Recovery" (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)
- Y-axis: "Symptom Intensity" (Low → High, no numbers)
- Hand-drawn tick marks at each interval

**Three Curves:**
1. **Anxiety/Irritability** (Coral #e63946):
   - Starts moderate (month 0)
   - Peaks sharply at month 2 ("The Wall")
   - Gradual decline months 3-12
   - Still slightly elevated at month 12

2. **Mood Stability** (Gold #f4a261):
   - Inverse of anxiety (low when anxiety is high)
   - Lowest at months 1-3
   - Improvement begins month 4
   - Significant gains after month 6 ("Turning Point")
   - Nearly normalized by month 12

3. **Sleep Quality** (Teal #4a9d9e):
   - Very choppy months 0-2 (erratic line)
   - Begins smoothing month 3
   - Steady improvement months 4-8
   - Near baseline by month 9

**Annotations (arrows to curves):**
- "Week 4-8: The Wall" → points to anxiety peak at month 2
  (Note: "Most people quit here—don't!")
- "Month 6: Turning Point" → points to mood curve inflection
  (Note: "Brain rewiring becomes visible")

**Margin Notes (20%, right side):**
- "Anxiety: Pattern detector still calibrating"
- "Mood: Dopamine receptors upregulating"
- "Sleep: First system to normalize"
- "Timeline varies by drug, duration, individual"
- "These symptoms are HEALING, not failure"

**Bottom bar (5%):**
Key takeaway: "The worst of PAWS is weeks 4-8. If you make it past 'The Wall,'
recovery accelerates."

### Color Coding
- Axes/labels: Charcoal #1a2332
- Anxiety curve: Coral #e63946 (represents struggle)
- Mood curve: Gold #f4a261 (represents healing)
- Sleep curve: Teal #4a9d9e (represents improvement)
- Annotations: Ocean blue #2d5a7b
- Background: Parchment #faf8f3

### Alt Text
"Hand-drawn timeline graph showing three symptom trajectories during the first
year of recovery from substance use: anxiety in coral (peaks at 2 months,
'The Wall,' then gradually declines), mood stability in gold (lowest at 1-3
months, improves significantly after the 6-month 'Turning Point'), and sleep
quality in teal (choppy at first, normalizes around month 4), with annotations
explaining that weeks 4-8 are the hardest period and most people who make it
past this point see accelerating improvement"

### Educational Context
This diagram prepares people for the PAWS challenge ("The Wall" at weeks 4-8)
while offering hope (month 6 turning point). By showing all three symptom
trajectories together, it illustrates that different systems heal at different
rates, helping people understand why recovery feels non-linear. The hand-drawn
style makes the data feel human and relatable rather than clinical.

Workflow Summary

When you receive a request for a recovery education diagram:

1. Analyze the concept: What needs to be visualized? Why? 2. Select diagram type: Brain anatomy, timeline, social comparison, or process flow? 3. Choose template: Use closest template as starting structure 4. Generate Firecrawl searches: Find reference imagery for composition 5. Build AI prompt: Combine template + brand palette + specific content 6. Specify layout: Use 60/20/15/5 grid, plan margin notes 7. Define color coding: Assign semantic meaning (cyan=active, coral=damage, gold=healing) 8. Write alt text: Comprehensive accessibility description 9. Quality check: Verify against checklist

Your output should be ready for:

• Immediate use by AI image generation tools (Stable Diffusion, Flux, DALL-E)
• Reference searches via Firecrawl
• Implementation by designers following your specifications
• Accessibility compliance (alt text, contrast, semantic color)

Always maintain the scholarly intimacy of the anatomist's notebook aesthetic—authoritative but hand-made, educational but delightful, scientific but warm.

Example Outputs: Hand-Drawn Infographic Creator

This document shows complete outputs for each diagram type the skill generates.

---

Example 1: Brain Anatomy Diagram

User Request: "Create a diagram explaining why meth causes paranoia"

Skill Output

Concept Analysis

What: Salience network (ACC + insula) hyperactivity during methamphetamine use Why: Explains paranoia as neurological symptom, not character flaw Audience: Recovering people + loved ones + educators

Educational Goal: Help people understand that meth-induced paranoia is a predictable drug effect on the brain's pattern-detection system, not a sign of personal weakness or mental illness.

---

Firecrawl Reference Search

Query 1: "brain anatomy sketch sagittal section hand-drawn"

• Purpose: Find compositional reference for brain structure
• Filters: Include ["sketch", "anatomy", "line art"], Exclude ["photograph", "3D"]

Query 2: "leonardo da vinci anatomical drawings nervous system"

• Purpose: Capture continuous line art technique
• Filters: Include ["renaissance", "anatomical", "drawing"], Exclude ["modern", "digital"]

Query 3: "anterior cingulate cortex insula diagram educational"

• Purpose: Understand standard labeling conventions
• Filters: Include ["diagram", "labeled", "educational"], Exclude ["textbook", "commercial"]

---

AI Generation Prompt

Positive Prompt:

Sagittal section of human brain viewed from left side, continuous line art style,
ink on cream parchment paper background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink lines (#1a2332),
anterior cingulate cortex and insula regions highlighted with cyan glow
(#4a9d9e at 40% opacity), margin annotations on right side in ocean blue ink
(#2d5a7b), scale bar showing 5cm at bottom right, Leonardo da Vinci anatomical
study aesthetic, engineer's notebook with handwritten notes, educational medical
illustration, hand-drawn, organic line variation, slight imperfections in lines

Negative Prompt:

photorealistic, 3D render, CGI, stock medical photo, modern clinical design,
smooth gradients, digital art, commercial aesthetic, sterile hospital imagery,
printed textbook, computer-generated, airbrush, realistic shading

Technical Settings:

• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 1280x720px
• CFG scale: 8
• Steps: 35
• Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras
• Seed: (random for variation)

---

Layout Specifications

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SALIENCE NETWORK OVERACTIVATION                                 │
│ Why Methamphetamine Causes Paranoia                             │
├────────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┤
│                                    │ MARGIN NOTES:              │
│                                    │                            │
│        ╭─────────────╮             │ • Salience Network:        │
│       /               \            │   The Brain's Pattern      │
│      /    ●  ACC       \           │   Detector                 │
│     │      ▓▓▓          │          │                            │
│     │     ▓▓▓▓          │          │ • ACC + Insula =           │
│     │    ▓▓▓▓▓          │          │   Decides what's           │
│     │   ●  Insula       │          │   important                │
│     │    (inside fold)  │          │                            │
│      \                 /           │ • Normally filters:        │
│       \   ● Amygdala  /            │   Friend vs Threat         │
│        ╰─────────────╯             │                            │
│                                    │ • On meth:                 │
│         ● = Labeled structure      │   EVERYTHING = potential   │
│         ▓ = Cyan glow (active)     │   threat                   │
│                                    │                            │
│                                    │ • Result:                  │
│                                    │   Hypervigilance,          │
│                                    │   Paranoia                 │
├────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┤
│ KEY TAKEAWAY: Paranoia is pattern detector gone haywire         │
│ Scale: ├─────┤ 5 cm                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Element Positions:

• Title (top 15%): "Salience Network Overactivation" (24px, charcoal)
• Subtitle: "Why Methamphetamine Causes Paranoia" (18px, charcoal)
• Brain structure (center-left, 60%): Sagittal section profile
• Labels (pointing to structures):
• "Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)" → points to ACC (ocean blue, 16px)
• "Insula (within lateral sulcus)" → points inward (ocean blue, 16px)
• "Amygdala" → points to lower region (ocean blue, 16px)
• Margin notes (right 20%): Bulleted list in handwriting font (12px, ocean blue)
• Scale bar (bottom right): "5 cm" with hand-drawn bar

---

Color Coding

Why These Colors:

• Cyan glow: Represents neural hyperactivity (too much signal)
• Charcoal base: Scientific notebook aesthetic
• Ocean blue notes: Non-distracting annotation color
• Parchment background: Warm, approachable (not sterile white)

---

Accessibility

Alt Text (Short):

Hand-drawn anatomical diagram of brain sagittal section showing the salience
network (anterior cingulate cortex and insula) highlighted in cyan glow, with
margin annotations explaining that this pattern-detection network becomes
hyperactive during methamphetamine use, causing the brain to interpret neutral
stimuli as threats, resulting in paranoia and hypervigilance

Long Description (For Screen Readers):

This hand-drawn brain diagram shows a side view (sagittal section) of the brain
with the salience network structures highlighted. The salience network consists
of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the insula, both shown with cyan
highlighting to indicate hyperactivity.

The diagram includes margin notes explaining that the salience network normally
acts as the brain's pattern detector, deciding what's important and filtering
friend from threat. During methamphetamine use, this system becomes overactive,
causing everything to be interpreted as a potential threat. This results in
hypervigilance and paranoia.

The visual style resembles Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical studies, with
continuous ink lines on parchment paper and handwritten annotations in the
margins. A scale bar at the bottom shows 5 centimeters for reference.

Visual Hierarchy (Without Color): 1. Title (largest, top) 2. Brain structure (boldest lines, center) 3. Labels (medium weight, connecting lines) 4. Margin notes (smallest, right column) 5. Scale bar (bottom, reference only)

---

Educational Context

Why This Diagram Works:

• Destigmatizes: Shows paranoia as brain mechanism, not character flaw
• Specific: Names exact structures (ACC, insula) for credibility
• Accessible: Hand-drawn style feels less intimidating than textbook
• Actionable: Understanding mechanism helps people recognize it as temporary
• Empathy-building: Partners/family understand "this is the drug, not them"

Integration with Article:

• Appears after text explanation of paranoia symptoms
• Before section on "What helps during paranoid episodes"
• References specific structures in surrounding text
• Alt text ensures non-visual users get full context

---

Example 2: Timeline Graph

User Request: "Show how long PAWS symptoms last"

Skill Output

Concept Analysis

What: Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) symptom progression over first year Why: Prepare people for "The Wall" (weeks 4-8) while showing improvement trajectory Audience: Newly recovering people + clinical staff + family

Educational Goal: Set realistic expectations for recovery timeline, especially the difficult early months, while providing hope through visible turning points.

---

Firecrawl Reference Search

Query 1: "hand-drawn graph sketch notebook paper"

• Purpose: Find hand-plotted graph examples
• Filters: Include ["sketch", "graph", "notebook"], Exclude ["digital", "Excel"]

Query 2: "engineer's notebook timeline diagram annotations"

• Purpose: Capture margin note style
• Filters: Include ["engineering", "notebook", "annotations"], Exclude ["printed"]

Query 3: "whiteboard explanation sketch data visualization"

• Purpose: Learn progressive disclosure style
• Filters: Include ["whiteboard", "sketch", "educational"], Exclude ["photo"]

---

AI Generation Prompt

Positive Prompt:

Hand-drawn graph on cream parchment paper (#faf8f3), horizontal time axis
labeled "Months in Recovery" with hand-drawn tick marks at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,
vertical axis labeled "Symptom Intensity" (Low to High), three hand-sketched
curves: anxiety curve in coral red (#e63946 peaks at month 2 then gradual decline),
mood stability curve in gold (#f4a261 inverse U shape improves after month 6),
sleep quality curve in teal (#4a9d9e choppy start smooths around month 4),
annotations at key points "Week 4-8: The Wall" and "Month 6: Turning Point",
margin notes on right explaining each symptom, charcoal ink (#1a2332) for axes
and labels, engineer's notebook aesthetic, hand-plotted data points, educational
illustration, whiteboard sketch style, organic line variation

Negative Prompt:

photorealistic, Excel chart, digital graph software, corporate presentation,
sterile design, smooth gradients, printed graph paper, computer-generated plot,
PowerPoint graphic, stock chart imagery

Technical Settings:

• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 1280x720px
• CFG scale: 7
• Steps: 35
• Sampler: Euler a

---

Layout Specifications

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PAWS RECOVERY TIMELINE: THE FIRST YEAR                           │
│ What to Expect & When It Gets Better                             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────┤
│                                         │ MARGIN NOTES:          │
│  Symptom                                │                        │
│  Intensity                              │ Anxiety:               │
│    ↑                                    │ Pattern detector       │
│    │     ╱╲                             │ still calibrating      │
│ Hi │    ╱ ◆╲    ◆─────◆───◆            │                        │
│    │   ╱   ╲  ╱           ╲◆           │ Mood:                  │
│    │  ╱     ╲╱              ╲          │ Dopamine receptors     │
│ Me │◆        ◆              ◆─◆        │ upregulating           │
│    │          ╲              ╱          │                        │
│    │           ╲  ●         ╱           │ Sleep:                 │
│ Lo │            ◆───●───●──●            │ First system to        │
│    └──┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───         │ normalize              │
│       0   2   4   6   8   10  12       │                        │
│          Months in Recovery             │ NOTE: Timeline varies  │
│                                         │ by drug, duration,     │
│  ◆ Anxiety (coral)    ● Sleep (teal)   │ individual factors     │
│  ◆ Mood (gold)                          │                        │
│                                         │ These symptoms are     │
│  ↓ "Week 4-8: The Wall"                 │ HEALING, not failure   │
│    (Most people quit here—don't!)       │                        │
│                                         │                        │
│  ↓ "Month 6: Turning Point"             │                        │
│    (Brain rewiring becomes visible)     │                        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┤
│ KEY TAKEAWAY: The worst of PAWS is weeks 4-8. If you make it    │
│ past "The Wall," recovery accelerates.                           │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Element Positions:

• Title (top): "PAWS Recovery Timeline: The First Year" (24px, charcoal)
• X-axis: Hand-drawn with tick marks (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 months)
• Y-axis: "Symptom Intensity" (Low → High, relative scale only)
• Legend (bottom left): Symbols + colors for each curve
• Annotations: Arrows pointing to key moments on timeline
• Margin notes (right 20%): Explanations of each symptom trajectory

Curve Specifications: 1. Anxiety/Irritability (Coral #e63946):

• Month 0: Moderate (50% height)
• Month 2: Sharp peak (90% height) ← "The Wall"
• Month 4-12: Gradual decline (ending ~30% height)

2. Mood Stability (Gold #f4a261):

• Month 0-3: Low/unstable (20-30% height)
• Month 4-6: Begins improving
• Month 6: Inflection point ← "Turning Point"
• Month 8-12: Steady improvement (ending ~70% height)

3. Sleep Quality (Teal #4a9d9e):

• Month 0-2: Very choppy/erratic (30-60% variation)
• Month 3: Begins smoothing
• Month 4-8: Steady improvement
• Month 9-12: Near baseline (70-80% height, smooth)

---

Color Coding

Color Strategy:

• Three curves, three colors: Each color has semantic meaning
• Coral for anxiety: Conveys the difficulty (not alarming red, but warm coral)
• Gold for mood: Represents healing and progress (positive but not naive)
• Teal for sleep: Cool, calm color for restfulness

---

Accessibility

Alt Text (Short):

Hand-drawn timeline graph showing three symptom trajectories during first year
of recovery: anxiety in coral (peaks at 2 months called 'The Wall,' then declines),
mood stability in gold (improves significantly after 6-month 'Turning Point'),
and sleep quality in teal (choppy at first, normalizes around month 4), with
annotations explaining that weeks 4-8 are hardest and most who survive this
period see accelerating improvement

Long Description (For Screen Readers):

This hand-drawn graph shows Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) symptom
progression over the first 12 months of recovery. The horizontal axis shows
months (0 through 12), and the vertical axis shows relative symptom intensity
from Low to High.

Three curves track different symptoms:

1. Anxiety/Irritability (coral red curve): Starts moderate at month 0, peaks
sharply at month 2 (labeled "Week 4-8: The Wall" with note "Most people quit
here—don't!"), then gradually declines through month 12, though remains slightly
elevated.

2. Mood Stability (gold curve): Inverse of anxiety curve. Lowest at months 1-3,
begins improving at month 4, shows significant gains after month 6 (labeled
"Month 6: Turning Point" with note "Brain rewiring becomes visible"), nearly
normalized by month 12.

3. Sleep Quality (teal curve): Very choppy and erratic months 0-2, begins
smoothing at month 3, shows steady improvement months 4-8, near baseline by
month 9 with smooth line.

Margin notes explain: "Anxiety: Pattern detector still calibrating," "Mood:
Dopamine receptors upregulating," "Sleep: First system to normalize," and
"These symptoms are HEALING, not failure."

Key takeaway states: "The worst of PAWS is weeks 4-8. If you make it past
'The Wall,' recovery accelerates."

---

Educational Context

Why This Diagram Works:

• Prepares for "The Wall": Shows the 4-8 week difficulty spike so people don't quit
• Provides hope: Visible improvement after month 6 "Turning Point"
• Shows variability: Sleep normalizes first, mood takes longer (sets expectations)
• Validates experience: "These symptoms are HEALING" reframes discomfort
• Color reinforces meaning: Coral = struggle, gold = healing, teal = improvement

Integration with Article:

• Follows explanation of what PAWS is
• Before section on "How to survive The Wall"
• Referenced in text: "Notice how anxiety peaks around week 6 (see graph)"
• Margin notes link to deeper explanations in article

---

Example 3: Social Situation Comparison

User Request: "Show the difference between judgment and empathy when someone admits drug use"

Skill Output

Concept Analysis

What: Two-panel comparison of partner/loved one responses to vulnerable disclosure Why: Teach people what empathetic responses look like vs judgmental ones Audience: Partners, family, friends, clinical staff

Educational Goal: Help loved ones understand how their response (judgment vs empathy) profoundly impacts the recovering person's willingness to be honest and seek help.

---

Firecrawl Reference Search

Query 1: "storyboard gesture drawing simple figures body language"

• Purpose: Find expressive but simple figure drawing
• Filters: Include ["storyboard", "gesture", "body language"], Exclude ["anime", "cartoon"]

Query 2: "visual communication diagram thought bubbles"

• Purpose: Learn thought bubble conventions
• Filters: Include ["communication", "thought bubble", "diagram"], Exclude ["comic book"]

Query 3: "whiteboard explanation sketch interpersonal communication"

• Purpose: Capture comparison layout style
• Filters: Include ["whiteboard", "comparison", "educational"], Exclude ["photo"]

---

AI Generation Prompt

Positive Prompt:

Two-panel storyboard comparison divided by vertical center line, left panel
shows conflict escalation with coral red accents (#e63946), right panel shows
de-escalation with teal accents (#4a9d9e), simple hand-drawn stick figures with
expressive body language gestures (no detailed faces), thought bubbles showing
internal dialogue in ocean blue (#2d5a7b), arrows indicating emotional flow,
parchment paper background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink lines (#1a2332), annotations
explaining each response pattern, educational illustration, whiteboard sketch
style, human connection focus

Negative Prompt:

photorealistic, detailed facial features, anime style, cartoon characters,
comic book art, commercial illustration, realistic people, stock imagery,
professional illustration

Technical Settings:

• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 1280x720px
• CFG scale: 8
• Steps: 35
• Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras

---

Layout Specifications

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PARTNER RESPONSE: JUDGMENT vs EMPATHY                          │
│ How Your Reaction Shapes What Happens Next                     │
├──────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHEN MET WITH JUDGMENT       │ WHEN MET WITH EMPATHY           │
│                              │                                 │
│    ╭───────────────╮         │    ╭───────────────╮           │
│    │ "I'm broken"  │         │    │ "I can share  │           │
│    │ "I'll hide it"│         │    │  this"        │           │
│    ╰───────┬───────╯         │    ╰───────┬───────╯           │
│            │                 │            │                   │
│         ( •_• )              │         ( ·v· )                │
│         ╱  │  ╲              │         ╱  │  ╲                │
│        │   │   │ Slumped     │        │   │   │ Open         │
│         ╲     ╱  posture     │         ╲     ╱  posture      │
│                              │                                 │
│     ╭──────────╮             │     ╭──────────╮               │
│     │ "Why can't│            │     │ "This    │               │
│     │  you just │            │     │  sounds  │               │
│     │  STOP?"   │            │     │  really  │               │
│     ╰─────┬────╯             │     │  hard"   │               │
│           │                  │     ╰─────┬────╯               │
│        ( >_< )               │        ( ·o· )                 │
│        ╱ ─┼─ ╲ Arms          │        ╱  │  ╲ Leaning        │
│       │   │   │ crossed      │       ╱   │   ╲ forward       │
│        ╲     ╱               │      │    │    │               │
│                              │                                 │
│   ↓ Coral arrows             │   → Teal arrows                │
│   (emotional spiral down)    │   (emotional connection)        │
│                              │                                 │
│ ⚠ SHAME SPIRAL ACTIVATED     │ ✓ SAFETY ENABLES HONESTY       │
│                              │                                 │
│ • Withdrawal                 │ • Continued dialogue            │
│ • Hiding use                 │ • Truth-telling                 │
│ • Isolation                  │ • Problem-solving               │
│ • Escalation                 │ • Connection                    │
├──────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────┤
│ KEY TAKEAWAY: Judgment activates shame spiral. Empathy         │
│ creates safety for honesty.                                    │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Element Positions:

Left Panel (Judgment):

• Person A (recovering): Slumped posture, thought bubble "I'm broken, I'll hide it"
• Person B (partner): Arms crossed, thought bubble "Why can't you just STOP?"
• Coral downward arrows showing emotional spiral
• Label: "⚠ SHAME SPIRAL ACTIVATED"
• Bullet list: Consequences (withdrawal, hiding, isolation, escalation)

Right Panel (Empathy):

• Person A: Open posture, thought bubble "I can share this"
• Person B: Leaning forward, thought bubble "This sounds really hard"
• Teal arrows showing bidirectional connection
• Label: "✓ SAFETY ENABLES HONESTY"
• Bullet list: Outcomes (dialogue, truth-telling, problem-solving, connection)

---

Color Coding

Color Strategy:

• Coral left, teal right: Clear visual distinction between approaches
• Arrows match meaning: Coral downward spiral vs teal connecting lines
• Thought bubbles neutral: Focus on content, not the person's worth

---

Accessibility

Alt Text (Short):

Two-panel hand-drawn comparison showing partner responses to vulnerable drug
use disclosure: left panel shows judgmental response (crossed arms, "Why can't
you just stop?") activating shame spiral with person withdrawing; right panel
shows empathetic response (leaning forward, "This sounds really hard") creating
safety with person remaining open, thought bubbles and arrows illustrating
emotional dynamics

Long Description (For Screen Readers):

This two-panel storyboard comparison illustrates how different partner responses
to vulnerable disclosure about drug use shape outcomes.

Left Panel - "When Met With Judgment":
Person A (recovering) is shown in slumped posture with thought bubble reading
"I'm broken, I'll hide it." Person B (partner) has arms crossed with thought
bubble "Why can't you just STOP?" Coral red downward arrows indicate emotional
spiral. Label reads "SHAME SPIRAL ACTIVATED" with consequences listed:
withdrawal, hiding use, isolation, and escalation.

Right Panel - "When Met With Empathy":
Person A is shown in open posture with thought bubble "I can share this."
Person B is leaning forward with thought bubble "This sounds really hard."
Teal arrows show bidirectional emotional connection. Label reads "SAFETY
ENABLES HONESTY" with outcomes listed: continued dialogue, truth-telling,
problem-solving, and connection.

The figures are simple gesture drawings focusing on body language rather than
detailed faces. The visual style is whiteboard sketch aesthetic on parchment
paper.

Key takeaway: "Judgment activates shame spiral. Empathy creates safety for
honesty."

---

Educational Context

Why This Diagram Works:

• Shows consequences: Not just "be nice" but concrete outcomes (hiding vs honesty)
• Body language: Visual shows _how_ to respond (leaning forward, not crossed arms)
• Thought bubbles: Reveals internal experience invisible to partner
• Color reinforcement: Coral shame vs teal safety is visceral
• Actionable: Partners can practice the right-panel response

Integration with Article:

• Appears in section "How Loved Ones Can Help"
• Before list of empathetic response scripts
• Referenced: "Remember the two-panel diagram—your response creates the environment"
• Paired with reflection questions: "Which panel sounds like your past responses?"

---

Example 4: Process Flow Diagram

User Request: "Explain how the dopamine cycle drives compulsive use"

Skill Output

Concept Analysis

What: Dopamine cascade from cue → anticipation → use → crash → seeking loop Why: Show addiction as neurological feedback loop, not moral failure Audience: Recovering people, families, educators, clinical staff

Educational Goal: Help people understand compulsive use as driven by dopamine depletion crash (seeking relief from the crash, not seeking the high).

---

Firecrawl Reference Search

Query 1: "hand-drawn flowchart process diagram notebook"

• Purpose: Find organic flow chart style
• Filters: Include ["sketch", "flowchart", "process"], Exclude ["digital", "corporate"]

Query 2: "whiteboard cascade diagram arrows sequence"

• Purpose: Learn cascade visualization patterns
• Filters: Include ["whiteboard", "cascade", "sequence"], Exclude ["PowerPoint"]

Query 3: "engineer's notebook causal diagram annotations"

• Purpose: Capture causation visualization style
• Filters: Include ["engineering", "causation", "annotations"], Exclude ["textbook"]

---

AI Generation Prompt

Positive Prompt:

Vertical cascade flow diagram, hand-drawn flowchart style, top-to-bottom
sequence showing dopamine response cycle, parchment paper background (#faf8f3),
charcoal ink boxes and arrows (#1a2332), color progression from teal highlight
(#4a9d9e) at anticipation peak to coral highlight (#e63946) at crash, dashed
feedback loop arrow curving back to top, margin notes on right explaining
neurochemistry in ocean blue (#2d5a7b), engineer's notebook aesthetic with
annotations, educational illustration, whiteboard sketch style, hand-drawn boxes
with slight imperfection

Negative Prompt:

photorealistic, corporate flowchart, Microsoft Visio, clean digital diagram,
perfect vectors, smooth gradients, printed look, commercial design, sterile
business graphic

Technical Settings:

• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 1280x720px
• CFG scale: 7
• Steps: 35
• Sampler: Euler a

---

Layout Specifications

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DOPAMINE CASCADE: From Cue to Crash                          │
│ The Neurological Feedback Loop of Compulsive Use             │
├───────────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────┤
│                                       │ MARGIN NOTES:        │
│       ┌─────────────────┐             │                      │
│       │  1. CUE          │             │ Cue:                 │
│       │ "See parapherna- │             │ Memory trigger       │
│       │  lia"            │             │ activates learned    │
│       └────────┬─────────┘             │ associations         │
│                │                       │                      │
│                ↓                       │                      │
│       ┌─────────────────┐              │ Anticipation:        │
│       │  2. ANTICIPATION│ ◄──[teal    │ Dopamine SPIKES      │
│       │ "Dopamine SPIKES"│    glow]   │ HIGHER than actual   │
│       │ (peak feeling)   │             │ use                  │
│       └────────┬─────────┘             │                      │
│                │                       │ "Wanting ≠ Liking"   │
│                ↓                       │                      │
│       ┌─────────────────┐              │                      │
│       │  3. USE          │             │ Use:                 │
│       │ "Actual          │             │ Brief satisfaction   │
│       │  consumption"    │             │ but LESS than        │
│       └────────┬─────────┘             │ anticipated          │
│                │                       │                      │
│                ↓                       │ Tolerance:           │
│       ┌─────────────────┐              │ Receptors down-      │
│       │  4. DEPLETION    │ ◄──[coral  │ regulate over time   │
│       │ "Crash BELOW     │    glow]   │                      │
│       │  baseline"       │             │ Crash:               │
│       └────────┬─────────┘             │ Dopamine drops       │
│                │                       │ BELOW normal         │
│                ↓                       │                      │
│       ┌─────────────────┐              │ Result:              │
│       │  5. SEEKING      │             │ Compulsive seeking   │
│       │ "Must escape     │             │ to escape crash,     │
│       │  crash feeling"  │             │ NOT for the high     │
│       └────────┬─────────┘             │                      │
│                │                       │                      │
│         ╭──────╯ [dashed feedback      │ Breaking the cycle:  │
│         │         loop back to top]    │ Time + support       │
│         ╰───────────────────►          │ = receptor healing   │
├───────────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────┤
│ KEY TAKEAWAY: Compulsion is driven by crash (seeking relief),│
│ not by the high (seeking pleasure).                          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Element Positions:

• Flow (top to bottom):

1. CUE (neutral box) 2. ↓ Arrow with label "Memory trigger" 3. ANTICIPATION (teal glow box) - Peak dopamine 4. ↓ Arrow with label "Craving intensifies" 5. USE (neutral box) - Actual consumption 6. ↓ Arrow with label "Dopamine crashes" 7. DEPLETION (coral box) - Below baseline 8. ↓ Arrow with label "Seek relief" 9. SEEKING (neutral box) 10. ↙ Dashed feedback arrow curves back to CUE

Margin notes:

• Explain each stage's neurochemistry
• "Anticipation > actual use" (key insight)
• "Tolerance = receptor downregulation"
• "Compulsion = escaping crash, not seeking high"

---

Color Coding

Color Strategy:

• Teal at peak: Shows anticipation is the "high point" (not the use itself)
• Coral at crash: Visual visceral feeling of depletion
• Neutral at use: Suggests use is anticlimactic vs anticipation
• Dashed feedback loop: Shows inevitability of seeking relief

---

Accessibility

Alt Text (Short):

Hand-drawn vertical flow diagram showing dopamine cascade from cue to crash:
cue triggers anticipation (dopamine spike shown with teal highlight), leading
to use, then depletion (dopamine crash shown with coral highlight), followed
by seeking behavior, with dashed feedback loop arrow showing how crash drives
seeking more, margin notes explaining tolerance and receptor downregulation

Long Description (For Screen Readers):

This vertical cascade flow diagram illustrates the dopamine cycle that drives
compulsive substance use. Boxes are connected by downward arrows showing the
sequence:

1. CUE: "See paraphernalia" - Memory trigger activates learned associations
2. ANTICIPATION (teal highlight): "Dopamine SPIKES" - Peak feeling occurs HERE,
   not during use. Margin note: "Anticipation > actual use" and "Wanting ≠ Liking"
3. USE: "Actual consumption" - Brief satisfaction but LESS than anticipated
4. DEPLETION (coral highlight): "Crash BELOW baseline" - Dopamine drops below
   normal levels. Margin note: "Receptors downregulate over time" (tolerance)
5. SEEKING: "Must escape crash feeling" - Compulsive seeking to escape the
   crash, NOT for the high

A dashed feedback loop arrow curves from "Seeking" back up to "Cue," showing
the perpetual cycle.

Margin notes explain:
- "Anticipation: Dopamine SPIKES HIGHER than actual use"
- "Use: Brief satisfaction but LESS than anticipated"
- "Crash: Dopamine drops BELOW normal"
- "Result: Compulsive seeking to escape crash, NOT for the high"
- "Breaking the cycle: Time + support = receptor healing"

Key takeaway: "Compulsion is driven by crash (seeking relief), not by the
high (seeking pleasure)."

---

Educational Context

Why This Diagram Works:

• Reframes compulsion: Not seeking pleasure, but escaping crash (reduces shame)
• Shows mechanism: Dopamine spike at anticipation (not use) explains cravings
• Visual feedback loop: Dashed arrow makes cycle feel inevitable but breakable
• Color enhances meaning: Teal peak vs coral crash is emotionally resonant
• Actionable insight: Understanding crash mechanism helps people wait it out

Integration with Article:

• Appears after explaining dopamine's role in addiction
• Before section on "How to break the cycle"
• Referenced: "Remember the cascade diagram—you're escaping the crash, not chasing the high"
• Paired with exercises: "Next time you feel compulsion, identify which stage you're in"

---

Workflow Demonstrated

Each example above shows the complete workflow:

1. ✅ Concept Analysis - What, why, audience, goal 2. ✅ Firecrawl Reference Search - 3 targeted queries with filters 3. ✅ AI Generation Prompt - Positive + negative + technical settings 4. ✅ Layout Specifications - ASCII mockup + detailed positioning 5. ✅ Color Coding - Table with hex codes, meanings, rationale 6. ✅ Accessibility - Short alt text + long description + visual hierarchy 7. ✅ Educational Context - Why it works + article integration

---

Total Examples: 4 (one per diagram type) Pages: ~15 pages of comprehensive specifications Ready for: AI generation, designer implementation, accessibility compliance

These examples can be adapted for any recovery education content by:

• Changing the subject matter (different brain regions, symptoms, situations)
• Adjusting color semantics (same palette, different meanings)
• Modifying layout proportions (more/less margin notes based on complexity)
• Scaling complexity (simple version for general audience, detailed for clinical)

Hand-Drawn Infographic Creator

Domain: Educational visual design for recovery content Style: Anatomist's notebook aesthetic (scholarly but intimate) Output: AI generation prompts, layout specifications, accessibility documentation

Quick Start

This skill generates detailed specifications for hand-drawn style diagrams that explain complex recovery concepts (neuroscience, timelines, social dynamics, processes).

When to Use This Skill

Invoke this skill when:

• Writing recovery education articles that need visual explanation
• Explaining neuroscience concepts (brain anatomy, neural pathways)
• Showing timelines or data (PAWS progression, dopamine recovery)
• Illustrating social dynamics (judgment vs empathy, conflict patterns)
• Visualizing abstract processes (dopamine cascade, shame spiral)

What You Get

This skill produces: 1. AI Generation Prompts (Stable Diffusion, Flux, DALL-E ready) 2. Firecrawl Search Queries (reference imagery) 3. Layout Specifications (grid system, element placement) 4. Color Coding Definitions (semantic color meanings) 5. Accessibility Documentation (alt text, long descriptions)

Visual Style

Hand-Drawn Characteristics:

• Continuous line art (organic, slight imperfections)
• Ink on parchment aesthetic (cream background, charcoal lines)
• Margin annotations (engineer's notebook style)
• Selective color highlights (cyan for activity, coral for damage, gold for healing)

Inspiration Sources:

• Leonardo da Vinci anatomical drawings
• Engineer's notebook sketches
• TED-Ed educational illustrations
• Whiteboard explanations

Diagram Types

Color Palette (Brand-Aligned)

Base Colors

• Charcoal #1a2332 - Primary lines (main content)
• Parchment #faf8f3 - Background (cream paper)
• Ocean Blue #2d5a7b - Annotations (labels, notes)

Semantic Highlights (Use Sparingly)

• Teal #4a9d9e - Neural activity, positive states, improvement
• Coral #e63946 - Damage, risk, problems, conflict
• Gold #f4a261 - Healing, progress, recovery, insight

Color Rule: Maximum 1-2 highlight colors per diagram. Use color for meaning, not decoration.

Example Usage

Request: "Explain meth-induced paranoia"

Skill Output:

Type: Brain anatomy diagram (sagittal section)
Primary Content: Brain structure with ACC and insula highlighted in cyan
Margin Notes: "Pattern detector gone haywire," "Everything = potential threat"
Color Coding: Cyan glow (#4a9d9e) on salience network regions
Layout: 60% brain structure, 20% margin notes, 15% title, 5% scale
AI Prompt: "Sagittal brain section, continuous line art, anatomical drawing..."
Alt Text: "Hand-drawn anatomical diagram showing salience network hyperactivity..."

Request: "Show PAWS symptom timeline"

Skill Output:

Type: Timeline graph with multiple curves
Primary Content: Three hand-drawn curves (anxiety, mood, sleep) over 12 months
Annotations: "Week 4-8: The Wall," "Month 6: Turning Point"
Color Coding: Coral (anxiety struggle), Gold (mood healing), Teal (sleep improvement)
Layout: 60% graph, 20% margin notes, 15% title, 5% takeaway
AI Prompt: "Hand-drawn graph on parchment, three curves color-coded..."
Alt Text: "Timeline showing anxiety peaks at 2 months, mood improves after 6..."

Workflow

1. Analyze Request: What concept needs visualization? Who's the audience? 2. Select Type: Brain anatomy, timeline, social comparison, or process flow? 3. Search References: Generate Firecrawl queries for composition inspiration 4. Build Prompt: Combine template + brand colors + specific content 5. Specify Layout: Use 60/20/15/5 grid system 6. Color Semantics: Assign meaning (cyan=active, coral=damage, gold=healing) 7. Write Alt Text: Comprehensive accessibility description

Technical Specifications

AI Image Generation

• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (landscape for article embeds)
• Resolution: 1280x720px minimum
• Style Keywords: "continuous line art, anatomical drawing, ink on parchment"
• Negative Prompts: "photorealistic, 3D render, stock photo, smooth gradients"
• CFG Scale: 7-9 (moderate prompt adherence)
• Steps: 30-40 (quality balance)

Layout Grid

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Title & Context (15%)                           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                              │                  │
│  Primary Content (60%)       │  Margin Notes    │
│                              │  (20%)           │
├──────────────────────────────┴──────────────────┤
│ Key Takeaway / Scale (5%)                       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Typography

• Font: Indie Flower or Patrick Hand (handwriting style)
• Title: 24-28px
• Labels: 16-18px
• Annotations: 12-14px
• Emphasis: ALL CAPS (use sparingly)

Quality Standards

Every diagram specification must include:

• [ ] Charcoal primary lines (#1a2332)
• [ ] Parchment background (#faf8f3)
• [ ] 1-2 semantic highlight colors maximum
• [ ] Ocean blue annotations (#2d5a7b)
• [ ] 60/20/15/5 layout grid
• [ ] Negative space preserved
• [ ] Alt text (2-3 sentences minimum)
• [ ] Color meanings explained

Files in This Skill

• SKILL.md - Complete skill specification with templates
• README.md - This quick reference guide
• EXAMPLE_OUTPUT.md - Full example outputs for each diagram type
• references/ - Reference materials:
• line-drawing-techniques.md - Technical drawing methods
• anatomical-conventions.md - Medical illustration standards
• color-theory-education.md - Color psychology for learning
• composition-guidelines.md - Visual hierarchy and layout
• ai-prompt-engineering.md - Stable Diffusion best practices
• accessibility-standards.md - WCAG compliance for diagrams

Integration with Recovery Education Writer

This skill works alongside the recovery-education-writer skill: 1. Writer skill creates article content and identifies visualization needs 2. Infographic skill generates diagram specifications 3. Diagrams are embedded in articles with proper alt text 4. Combined output: comprehensive, accessible recovery education content

Future Enhancements

Planned additions:

• Animation sequences for video content (draw-on effects, timing)
• Interactive diagram specifications (SVG with hover states)
• Multi-language alt text generation
• Data visualization from Supabase queries (auto-generate graphs)

License & Attribution

This skill was created for the sobriety.tools recovery platform. Diagrams generated using this skill should maintain the hand-drawn aesthetic to preserve the brand's approachable authority.

Visual Style Credits:

• Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical studies (public domain)
• TED-Ed educational illustration style
• Engineer's notebook documentation tradition

---

Last Updated: 2026-01-11 Version: 1.0.0 Maintainer: sobriety.tools team

Accessibility Standards for Hand-Drawn Infographics

Purpose: Ensure all hand-drawn educational diagrams are accessible to people with disabilities, meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards and recovery-specific accessibility needs.

---

Core Principles

1. Multi-Modal Information

Principle: Every piece of information conveyed visually must also be available non-visually.

Why This Matters in Recovery:

• People in early recovery may have cognitive impairments (attention, processing speed)
• Screen reader users need full context, not just "brain diagram"
• People with low vision need high contrast and scalable images
• Deaf/HoH users benefit from text alternatives when diagrams accompany video

Implementation:

• Comprehensive alt text (2-3 sentences minimum)
• Long descriptions for complex diagrams (via aria-describedby or adjacent text)
• Captions in surrounding article text that reference diagram elements

---

2. Color is Never the Only Indicator

Principle: Information conveyed by color must also be conveyed by shape, position, pattern, or text labels.

Why This Matters:

• 8% of men and 0.5% of women have color vision deficiency
• High-contrast modes remove color
• Print versions may be grayscale

Implementation:

• Cyan highlighted regions: Also labeled with text "ACTIVE"
• Coral highlighted regions: Also labeled "DAMAGED" or "CRASH"
• Graph curves: Different line styles (solid, dashed, dotted) in addition to color
• Comparisons: Use position (left vs right) + color

Example:

BAD:  Red curve = anxiety, Blue curve = mood (color only)
GOOD: Red solid line = anxiety, Blue dashed line = mood (color + pattern)
ALSO: Legend with symbols: ● Anxiety (red solid), ◆ Mood (blue dashed)

---

3. Text Must Meet Contrast Requirements

Principle: All text must have sufficient contrast against background.

WCAG 2.1 AA Requirements:

• Normal text (< 18px): 4.5:1 contrast ratio
• Large text (≥ 18px or ≥ 14px bold): 3:1 contrast ratio
• Graphical objects (lines, borders): 3:1 contrast ratio

Our Palette Compliance:

Implementation:

• Use charcoal #1a2332 for all body text and labels (13.1:1 ratio)
• Use ocean blue #2d5a7b for annotations (7.2:1 ratio)
• Highlighted regions (teal/coral/gold) should be GLOW/FILL only, not text color
• If text must appear on highlighted regions, use white or charcoal with sufficient contrast

Testing Contrast:

• Use WebAIM Contrast Checker: https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
• Use browser DevTools: Chrome → Inspect → Accessibility pane

---

4. Structure Must Be Perceivable Without Visuals

Principle: Visual hierarchy should translate to logical reading order and semantic structure.

Why This Matters:

• Screen readers announce elements in DOM order
• Keyboard navigation follows logical tab order
• People using screen magnification need clear structure

Implementation:

Visual Hierarchy → Semantic Structure: 1. Title (H2 or H3 in article) 2. Diagram image with alt text 3. Caption or figure caption 4. Long description (if needed) 5. Surrounding article text that references diagram

Example HTML Structure:

<figure role="figure" aria-labelledby="fig-caption-1">
  <img
    src="/diagrams/salience-network.png"
    alt="Hand-drawn brain diagram showing salience network..."
    aria-describedby="diagram-long-desc-1"
  />
  <figcaption id="fig-caption-1">
    Figure 1: Salience Network Overactivation in Meth-Induced Paranoia
  </figcaption>
  <div id="diagram-long-desc-1" class="sr-only">
    <!-- Long description here -->
  </div>
</figure>

---

Alt Text Guidelines

Short Alt Text (Required)

Purpose: Convey essential information for screen reader users in 2-3 sentences.

What to Include:

• Diagram type (brain anatomy, timeline graph, comparison, flow chart)
• Key structures or data points
• Main insight or takeaway
• Color coding if critical to understanding

What to Exclude:

• "Image of" or "Diagram showing" (screen reader already announces "image")
• Purely decorative details
• Information available in surrounding text

Length: 125-150 words (screen readers handle this well)

Example (Brain Anatomy):

Hand-drawn anatomical diagram of brain sagittal section showing the salience
network (anterior cingulate cortex and insula) highlighted in cyan glow, with
margin annotations explaining that this pattern-detection network becomes
hyperactive during methamphetamine use, causing the brain to interpret neutral
stimuli as threats, resulting in paranoia and hypervigilance

Example (Timeline Graph):

Hand-drawn timeline graph showing three symptom trajectories during first year
of recovery: anxiety in coral (peaks at 2 months called "The Wall," then declines),
mood stability in gold (improves significantly after 6-month "Turning Point"),
and sleep quality in teal (choppy at first, normalizes around month 4), with
annotations explaining that weeks 4-8 are hardest and most who survive this
period see accelerating improvement

---

Long Description (For Complex Diagrams)

Purpose: Provide exhaustive detail for screen reader users who want full context.

When Needed:

• Diagrams with multiple labeled structures (brain anatomy)
• Multi-panel comparisons (judgment vs empathy)
• Graphs with 3+ curves and annotations
• Process flows with feedback loops

What to Include:

• Complete description of visual structure
• All labels and their positions
• All data points or key moments on timelines
• Color coding and what it represents
• Margin notes verbatim
• Key takeaway

Format: Use semantic HTML structure with headings:

<div id="diagram-long-desc-1" class="sr-only">
  <h4>Detailed Description: Salience Network Overactivation</h4>

  <p>This hand-drawn brain diagram shows a side view (sagittal section) of
  the brain with the salience network structures highlighted. The salience
  network consists of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the insula,
  both shown with cyan highlighting to indicate hyperactivity.</p>

  <h5>Labeled Structures</h5>
  <ul>
    <li>Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC): Located in the medial frontal region</li>
    <li>Insula: Located within the lateral sulcus (fold)</li>
    <li>Amygdala: Located in the temporal lobe, below the ACC</li>
  </ul>

  <h5>Margin Notes</h5>
  <ul>
    <li>Salience network: The brain's pattern detector</li>
    <li>Normally filters relevant threats from irrelevant stimuli</li>
    <li>In meth paranoia: Everything is interpreted as a potential threat</li>
  </ul>

  <h5>Key Takeaway</h5>
  <p>Paranoia during methamphetamine use is caused by overactivation of the
  salience network, the brain system that detects patterns and threats.</p>
</div>

Placement:

• Use aria-describedby to link image to long description
• Use .sr-only class to hide visually but keep for screen readers
• Or place as visible content below diagram (benefits all users)

---

Progressive Disclosure (Optional)

For Very Complex Diagrams: Offer layered descriptions

Level 1 (Alt Text): Essential overview (2-3 sentences)

Level 2 (Short Description): Key elements (5-7 sentences, visible caption)

Level 3 (Long Description): Exhaustive detail (collapsible or linked)

Example Implementation:

<figure>
  <img src="..." alt="[Level 1: Essential overview]" aria-describedby="desc-2 desc-3" />
  <figcaption id="desc-2">
    [Level 2: Key elements - visible to all]
  </figcaption>
  <details>
    <summary>Full description for screen readers</summary>
    <div id="desc-3">
      [Level 3: Exhaustive detail]
    </div>
  </details>
</figure>

---

Color & Contrast Standards

Visual Contrast Requirements

WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance:

Non-Text Contrast:

• Brain structure outlines (charcoal): 13.1:1 ✅
• Cyan highlights (active regions): 3.9:1 ✅
• Coral highlights (damage/crash): 4.1:1 ✅
• Graph axes and curves: 13.1:1 ✅

Color Blindness Simulation

Test All Diagrams Against:

• Deuteranopia (red-green, most common, 5% of men)
• Protanopia (red-green, 1% of men)
• Tritanopia (blue-yellow, 0.01% of population)
• Achromatopsia (total colorblindness, 0.003%)

Testing Tools:

• Coblis Color Blindness Simulator: https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/
• Chrome DevTools → Rendering → Emulate vision deficiencies

Our Palette Performance:

Mitigation Strategies:

• Always use text labels in addition to color
• Use different line styles for graph curves (solid, dashed, dotted)
• Use symbols in legends (●, ◆, ■) not just color swatches
• Ensure brightness/value differences between colors

High Contrast Mode Compatibility

Windows High Contrast Mode removes colors and replaces with system palette.

What Changes:

• Background → Black or white (user setting)
• Text → White or black (inverted)
• Highlights → Lost entirely

Mitigation:

• Text labels must convey information (not just color highlights)
• Borders and lines must be present (not just filled regions)
• Use CSS for high contrast support:

@media (prefers-contrast: high) {
  .diagram-highlight {
    /* Remove subtle highlights */
    background-color: transparent;
    /* Add bold borders instead */
    border: 3px solid currentColor;
  }
}

---

Keyboard & Focus Management

Diagrams in Interactive Contexts

If diagrams are clickable or interactive:

Requirements:

• Focusable via keyboard (Tab key)
• Visible focus indicator (outline, glow)
• Activate with Enter/Space
• Announce state changes to screen readers

Example:

<button
  class="diagram-button"
  aria-label="View detailed brain anatomy diagram"
  aria-describedby="diagram-preview"
>
  <img src="..." alt="..." />
</button>

<style>
.diagram-button:focus {
  outline: 3px solid #2d5a7b; /* Ocean blue */
  outline-offset: 4px;
}
</style>

Image Maps (If Used)

For diagrams with clickable regions:

<img src="brain.png" alt="Brain anatomy" usemap="#brain-map" />
<map name="brain-map">
  <area
    shape="rect"
    coords="100,50,200,150"
    href="#acc"
    alt="Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)"
  />
  <area
    shape="rect"
    coords="220,80,320,180"
    href="#insula"
    alt="Insula"
  />
</map>

Accessibility Notes:

• Each <area> must have descriptive alt text
• Keyboard users can Tab through areas
• Ensure focus indicators are visible

---

Screen Reader Considerations

Announcement Patterns

What Screen Readers Say:

For standard image:

"Image: Hand-drawn anatomical diagram of brain sagittal section showing..."

For figure with caption:

"Figure: Salience Network Overactivation. Image: Hand-drawn anatomical
diagram showing..."

For linked diagram:

"Link: View detailed brain anatomy diagram. Image: Hand-drawn anatomical..."

Best Practices

1. Use Semantic HTML:

<figure>  <!-- Announces "Figure" -->
  <img src="..." alt="..." />
  <figcaption>Figure 1: ...</figcaption>
</figure>

2. Use ARIA Labels for Context:

<img
  src="..."
  alt="..."
  aria-label="Diagram illustrating salience network overactivation"
  aria-describedby="long-desc"
/>

3. Provide Skip Links:

<a href="#after-diagram" class="sr-only skip-link">
  Skip complex diagram
</a>
<figure>...</figure>
<div id="after-diagram">
  <!-- Content continues -->
</div>

4. Test with Real Screen Readers:

• NVDA (Windows, free): https://www.nvaccess.org/
• JAWS (Windows, paid): https://www.freedomscientific.com/
• VoiceOver (Mac, built-in): Cmd + F5
• TalkBack (Android, built-in): Settings → Accessibility
• Orca (Linux, free): Pre-installed on many distros

---

Cognitive Accessibility

Recovery-Specific Considerations

People in early recovery may experience:

• Attention deficits (hard to focus on complex visuals)
• Processing speed delays (need more time to understand)
• Working memory impairment (can't hold multiple pieces of info)
• Executive function challenges (organization, planning)

Design Adaptations

1. Progressive Complexity:

• Start with simple overview
• Add detail gradually
• Don't overwhelm with information

Example:

Step 1: Show basic brain outline (30 seconds to absorb)
Step 2: Add one highlighted region with label (30 seconds)
Step 3: Add margin notes (60 seconds)
Step 4: Show full diagram with all details

2. Clear Visual Hierarchy:

• Largest = most important (title, main structure)
• Medium = supporting info (labels)
• Smallest = extra detail (margin notes)

3. White Space / Negative Space:

• Don't crowd diagram with information
• Margin notes in dedicated column (20% of frame)
• Clear separation between elements

4. Chunking:

• Group related annotations together
• Use bullet lists (not paragraph text)
• Maximum 3-5 items per group

Example (Margin Notes):

✅ GOOD:
Salience Network:
• Pattern detector
• Filters threats
• Overactive on meth

❌ BAD:
The salience network, which consists of the anterior cingulate cortex and
insula, acts as the brain's pattern detector, normally filtering relevant
threats from irrelevant stimuli, but becomes overactive during methamphetamine
use, causing hypervigilance and paranoia. [Too dense, hard to parse]

5. Dual Coding (Visual + Text):

• Every visual element has a text label
• Every text annotation references a visual element
• Reinforces learning through multiple channels

---

Mobile Accessibility

Touch Target Sizes

WCAG 2.1 AA: 44×44px minimum touch target size

Implementation:

• If diagrams are clickable/tappable, ensure hit area ≥ 44px
• Use CSS padding to increase touch area without changing visual size

.diagram-link {
  display: inline-block;
  min-width: 44px;
  min-height: 44px;
  padding: 8px;
}

Pinch-to-Zoom

Requirements:

• Never disable zoom with user-scalable=no
• Ensure diagrams scale without pixelation (use SVG if possible, or high-res PNG)
• Test at 200% zoom (WCAG 2.1 AA requirement)

Implementation:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<!-- No maximum-scale or user-scalable=no -->

Responsive Text

Ensure annotations remain readable at all screen sizes:

.diagram-annotation {
  font-size: clamp(12px, 2vw, 16px); /* Scales between 12-16px */
}

---

Testing Checklist

Visual Accessibility

• [ ] Text contrast ≥ 4.5:1 (normal) or ≥ 3:1 (large)
• [ ] Graphical object contrast ≥ 3:1
• [ ] Information not conveyed by color alone
• [ ] Different line styles for graph curves (not just color)
• [ ] Labels present for all highlighted regions

Color Blindness

• [ ] Test with Coblis simulator (deuteranopia, protanopia)
• [ ] Ensure distinction without color (use labels, patterns)
• [ ] Legend uses symbols + color, not color alone

Screen Readers

• [ ] Alt text present (2-3 sentences, 125-150 words)
• [ ] Long description for complex diagrams
• [ ] Semantic HTML (<figure>, <figcaption>)
• [ ] ARIA labels where appropriate
• [ ] Test with NVDA, VoiceOver, or JAWS

Keyboard Navigation

• [ ] Focusable elements have visible focus indicator
• [ ] Tab order is logical (matches visual layout)
• [ ] Interactive diagrams activate with Enter/Space
• [ ] Skip links provided for complex diagrams

Cognitive Accessibility

• [ ] Visual hierarchy clear (size indicates importance)
• [ ] White space preserved (not overcrowded)
• [ ] Annotations chunked (3-5 items per group)
• [ ] Information presented progressively (not all at once)

Mobile Accessibility

• [ ] Touch targets ≥ 44×44px
• [ ] Pinch-to-zoom enabled
• [ ] Readable at 200% zoom
• [ ] Responsive text sizing

High Contrast Mode

• [ ] Test in Windows High Contrast Mode
• [ ] Information conveyed without color (borders, labels)
• [ ] Focus indicators visible

---

Compliance Documentation

WCAG 2.1 Level AA Coverage

Partial Pass Explanation:

• *Annotations are burned into diagram images (unavoidable for AI-generated visuals)
• Mitigation: All annotations duplicated in long description text
• Acceptable per WCAG if essential to presentation + text alternative provided

---

Recovery-Specific Accessibility Considerations

Crisis State Accessibility

People in crisis may have:

• Tunnel vision (can only see center of screen)
• Heightened stress (makes complex visuals overwhelming)
• Urgency (need information NOW, not after loading/decoding diagram)

Adaptations:

• Provide text summary BEFORE diagram (don't make them wait)
• Use high contrast, simple visuals (reduce cognitive load)
• Offer audio alternatives for key insights (text-to-speech friendly)

Example:

<!-- Crisis-friendly structure -->
<div class="content-summary">
  <strong>Key Takeaway:</strong> Paranoia during meth use is caused by
  overactivation of the brain's pattern-detection system. It's a neurological
  symptom, not a character flaw, and typically resolves within 2-4 weeks of
  stopping use.
</div>

<figure>
  <!-- Diagram loads below, for those who want visual detail -->
  <img src="..." alt="..." />
</figure>

Trauma-Informed Design

Avoid:

• Flashing or rapid animations (can trigger trauma responses)
• Auto-playing videos
• Sudden color changes
• Loud audio (if audio alternatives used)

Prefer:

• Static images (no animation)
• User-controlled playback (if animated)
• Gentle color palette (warm, muted tones)
• Optional audio (never required, never auto-play)

Literacy Considerations

Not everyone has high health literacy:

Plain Language:

• Define jargon on first use: "Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) - a brain region that detects patterns"
• Use common terms: "pattern detector" before "salience network"
• Keep sentences short (15-20 words max)

Reading Level:

• Aim for 8th grade reading level in alt text
• Use Hemingway App to check: https://hemingwayapp.com/

Example:

❌ COMPLEX (12th grade):
"The salience network, comprising the ACC and insula, undergoes hyperactivation
during methamphetamine intoxication, resulting in aberrant threat perception."

✅ SIMPLE (8th grade):
"Meth overstimulates the brain's pattern detector (a system that normally spots
threats), causing everything to feel dangerous. This is why people experience
paranoia."

---

Legal & Ethical Obligations

ADA Compliance (U.S.)

Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III:

• Public accommodations (websites) must be accessible
• Failure to provide accessible diagrams = potential ADA violation
• Especially critical for healthcare/educational content

Mitigation:

• Follow WCAG 2.1 AA standards (industry standard for ADA compliance)
• Provide text alternatives
• Test with assistive technologies

Section 508 (U.S. Federal)

If sobriety.tools receives federal funding or serves federal employees:

• Must comply with Section 508 (similar to WCAG 2.0 AA)
• Requires alt text, keyboard access, color contrast

AODA (Ontario, Canada)

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act:

• WCAG 2.0 AA required for public websites
• Progressive compliance deadlines

EU Web Accessibility Directive

If serving EU users:

• WCAG 2.1 AA required for public sector bodies
• Private sector "encouraged" to adopt

Ethical Obligation

Beyond legal requirements:

• Addiction disproportionately affects people with disabilities
• Excluding disabled people from recovery education is harmful
• Accessibility is a matter of equity and dignity

---

Resources & Tools

Contrast Checkers

• WebAIM Contrast Checker: https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
• Contrast Ratio by Lea Verou: https://contrast-ratio.com/
• Chrome DevTools Accessibility Pane

Color Blindness Simulators

• Coblis: https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/
• Chrome DevTools: Rendering → Emulate vision deficiencies
• Color Oracle (desktop app): https://colororacle.org/

Screen Readers

• NVDA (Windows, free): https://www.nvaccess.org/
• JAWS (Windows): https://www.freedomscientific.com/
• VoiceOver (Mac): Built-in, Cmd + F5
• TalkBack (Android): Settings → Accessibility

Automated Testing

• WAVE (browser extension): https://wave.webaim.org/
• axe DevTools (browser extension): https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/
• Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools): Accessibility audit

Manual Testing Guides

• WebAIM's WCAG 2 Checklist: https://webaim.org/standards/wcag/checklist
• A11y Project Checklist: https://www.a11yproject.com/checklist/

Standards Documentation

• WCAG 2.1: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref/
• ARIA Authoring Practices: https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/

---

Accessibility Statement Template

For sobriety.tools website footer:

## Accessibility Commitment

We are committed to ensuring our recovery education content, including diagrams
and infographics, is accessible to all people regardless of ability.

**Our Standards:**
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance
- Alt text for all educational diagrams
- Color contrast ratios exceeding 4.5:1
- Keyboard-navigable interfaces
- Screen reader compatibility

**Feedback:**
If you encounter accessibility barriers, please contact us at
[accessibility@sobriety.tools]. We will work to address issues promptly.

**Assistive Technologies We Test With:**
- NVDA (Windows screen reader)
- VoiceOver (Mac/iOS screen reader)
- JAWS (Windows screen reader)
- High contrast mode
- Keyboard-only navigation
- 200% browser zoom

**Last Reviewed:** [Date]

---

Last Updated: 2026-01-11 Version: 1.0.0 Skill: hand-drawn-infographic-creator

AI Prompt Engineering for Hand-Drawn Infographics

Purpose: Best practices for generating hand-drawn style educational diagrams using Stable Diffusion, Flux, DALL-E, and similar AI image generators.

---

Core Principles

1. Style Consistency is Everything

Your prompt must consistently reinforce the hand-drawn aesthetic throughout. AI models have strong biases toward photorealism and digital art—you must actively fight against these.

Key Style Keywords (Always Include):

• continuous line art
• anatomical drawing style
• ink on parchment
• hand-drawn
• organic line variation
• slight imperfections in lines
• engineer's notebook aesthetic
• educational illustration

Style Reinforcers (Pick 2-3):

• Leonardo da Vinci anatomical study
• whiteboard sketch explanation
• medical illustration line art
• vintage scientific diagram
• Renaissance anatomical drawing

2. Negative Prompts are Non-Negotiable

The negative prompt is as important as the positive prompt. Without it, you'll get photorealistic or overly-polished results.

Critical Negative Keywords (Always Include):

photorealistic, 3D render, CGI, stock photo, modern clinical aesthetic,
photograph, realistic lighting, gradient shading, airbrush, smooth digital art,
commercial healthcare aesthetic, corporate design, sterile hospital imagery,
printed textbook, computer-generated, perfect vectors

Why These Work:

• photorealistic - Prevents camera-like rendering
• 3D render - Avoids depth-map shading
• gradient shading - Prevents smooth color transitions (we want flat colors + line)
• sterile hospital imagery - Avoids cold, clinical look
• perfect vectors - Allows organic line imperfection

3. Color Specification Must Be Explicit

AI models will invent colors if you don't specify hex codes. Our brand palette must be in the prompt.

Format:

parchment paper background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink lines (#1a2332),
cyan glow highlight (#4a9d9e at 40% opacity), ocean blue annotations (#2d5a7b)

Why Hex Codes Matter:

• Ensures brand consistency across all diagrams
• Prevents AI from choosing saturated/primary colors
• Maintains warm, scholarly palette

4. Layout Description Prevents Chaos

Without spatial instructions, AI will scatter elements randomly.

Specify:

• Composition: "sagittal brain section occupies center-left 60% of frame"
• Annotations: "margin notes on right side, 20% of frame width"
• Scale: "scale bar at bottom right showing 5cm"
• Title placement: "title at top in handwriting font"

Example:

Brain structure occupies center-left 60% of frame, margin annotations aligned
vertically on right side occupying 20% of frame, title at top center, scale
reference at bottom right corner

---

Model-Specific Guidance

Stable Diffusion (SDXL, SD 1.5)

Best For: Detailed anatomical diagrams, complex compositions

Optimal Settings:

resolution: 1024x576 (16:9) or 1280x720
cfg_scale: 7-9 (moderate adherence)
steps: 30-40 (quality balance)
sampler: "DPM++ 2M Karras" (best for line art)
         or "Euler a" (faster, good for sketches)
clip_skip: 2 (allows more artistic interpretation)

Prompt Tips:

• Use ControlNet with Canny edge detection for precise anatomy
• Add detailed linework, high contrast for brain diagrams
• Use lower CFG (6-7) for more organic imperfection

Example Prompt:

Sagittal section of human brain, continuous line art, anatomical drawing style,
ink on cream parchment (#faf8f3), charcoal lines (#1a2332), anterior cingulate
cortex highlighted in cyan glow (#4a9d9e), margin notes in ocean blue (#2d5a7b),
Leonardo da Vinci study aesthetic, hand-drawn with organic variation, educational
medical illustration, scale bar 5cm bottom right

Negative: photorealistic, 3D render, stock photo, smooth shading, digital art

Flux (Flux.1 Dev, Pro)

Best For: Timeline graphs, social situation diagrams (simpler compositions)

Optimal Settings:

resolution: 1280x720 (16:9)
guidance_scale: 3.5-5 (Flux uses lower values)
steps: 20-30 (Flux is efficient)

Prompt Tips:

• Flux follows instructions well—be specific about layout
• Use natural language: "divide frame vertically into two equal panels"
• Emphasize hand-drawn imperfection (Flux can be too clean)

Example Prompt:

Two-panel comparison divided by vertical center line, left panel shows conflict
(coral accents #e63946), right panel shows connection (teal accents #4a9d9e),
simple stick figures with gesture drawing style, thought bubbles in ocean blue
(#2d5a7b), parchment background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink (#1a2332), whiteboard
sketch aesthetic, educational illustration, hand-drawn with slight imperfections

Negative: photorealistic, detailed faces, anime, cartoon, stock imagery

DALL-E 3 (via API or ChatGPT)

Best For: Quick prototypes, process flow diagrams

Limitations:

• Cannot specify hex codes directly (describe colors instead)
• Tends toward clean/polished—must strongly emphasize "sketchy, imperfect"
• 1024x1024 or 1792x1024 only (less flexible aspect ratios)

Prompt Tips:

• Use descriptive color names: "warm cream background, dark charcoal lines"
• Emphasize: hand-drawn sketch, visible imperfections, notebook aesthetic
• Avoid technical jargon—DALL-E prefers natural language

Example Prompt:

A hand-drawn vertical flowchart on cream parchment paper showing a dopamine cycle
cascade, with five boxes connected by downward arrows, charcoal ink lines with
visible imperfections, second box highlighted in teal glow (neural activity peak),
fourth box highlighted in coral (crash state), margin notes on right side in blue
ink, engineer's notebook style with annotations, whiteboard sketch aesthetic,
educational illustration, organic line variation

Negative: photorealistic, 3D, digital art, smooth gradients, corporate design

Midjourney (v6, Niji)

Best For: Expressive social situation diagrams, metaphorical concepts

Optimal Settings:

--ar 16:9 (aspect ratio)
--s 50-150 (stylization, lower = more literal)
--c 20-40 (chaos/variation, lower = more consistent)
--style raw (reduces Midjourney's default polish)

Prompt Tips:

• Use --style raw to reduce over-rendering
• Midjourney loves detail—must emphasize simple, minimal, sketch
• Use image references (/blend or image URLs) for consistent style

Example Prompt:

hand-drawn brain anatomy diagram, sagittal section, continuous ink lines on
parchment paper, charcoal and cyan highlights, Leonardo da Vinci anatomical
study, margin annotations in blue ink, educational illustration, engineer's
notebook aesthetic, simple line art, organic imperfections --ar 16:9 --s 100
--style raw

Negative: photorealistic, 3D render, hyper-detailed, digital art, smooth

---

Advanced Techniques

ControlNet for Anatomical Accuracy

When generating brain diagrams, use ControlNet with reference anatomy to maintain scientific accuracy while preserving hand-drawn style.

Workflow: 1. Find anatomical reference image (e.g., gray's anatomy illustration) 2. Run Canny edge detection or line art extraction 3. Use as ControlNet input with weight 0.6-0.8 4. Add hand-drawn style prompt as usual

ControlNet Settings:

preprocessor: "canny" or "lineart"
control_weight: 0.6-0.8 (moderate influence)
starting_control_step: 0 (full control from start)
ending_control_step: 0.8 (release before final details)

Why This Works:

• Ensures ACC, insula, amygdala are in correct positions
• Preserves structural accuracy while allowing stylistic interpretation
• Prevents AI from inventing incorrect brain structures

Multi-Model Pipeline

For highest quality, use a pipeline approach:

Step 1: Structure Generation (Stable Diffusion + ControlNet)

• Generate accurate anatomical structure with ControlNet
• Focus on getting positions and proportions correct
• Don't worry about perfect style yet

Step 2: Style Refinement (Img2Img with Low Denoising)

• Take Step 1 output as input
• Img2Img with denoising 0.3-0.5
• Strong hand-drawn style prompt
• Adds organic line variation and parchment texture

Step 3: Annotation Addition (Post-processing or Img2Img)

• Add text annotations via image editing or
• Use img2img inpainting to add margin notes region
• Ensures text is readable and properly positioned

Prompt Weights for Fine Control

Some models (SD, ComfyUI) support prompt weights:

Syntax: (keyword:weight) where weight is 0.5-1.5

Example:

(continuous line art:1.3), (anatomical drawing:1.2), brain sagittal section,
(ink on parchment:1.1), charcoal lines, cyan highlights, margin notes,
(Leonardo da Vinci style:1.2), (hand-drawn imperfections:1.4), educational

Negative: (photorealistic:1.4), (3D render:1.3), (smooth gradients:1.2)

Strategic Weighting:

• Boost hand-drawn imperfections:1.4 to fight AI's polish bias
• Boost Leonardo da Vinci style:1.2 for authentic historical look
• Boost negative photorealistic:1.4 to strongly avoid realism

---

Common Failure Modes & Fixes

Problem 1: Output Looks Too Digital/Clean

Symptoms: Perfect lines, no variation, looks like vector art

Fixes:

• Add to prompt: visible pen strokes, organic line variation, slight wobble in lines
• Increase negative weight: (smooth digital art:1.4), (perfect vectors:1.3)
• Lower CFG scale to 6-7 (allows more variation)
• Use --style raw in Midjourney

Problem 2: Colors Are Too Saturated/Wrong

Symptoms: Bright primaries instead of muted earth tones

Fixes:

• Include hex codes explicitly: (#faf8f3:1.2), (#1a2332:1.2)
• Add to negative: bright colors, saturated, primary colors, neon
• Add to positive: muted earth tones, desaturated, vintage ink colors

Problem 3: Composition is Chaotic

Symptoms: Brain structure too small, annotations everywhere, no layout

Fixes:

• Specify percentages: brain occupies 60% of frame, centered left
• Use spatial language: margin notes aligned vertically on right side
• Add to prompt: organized composition, clear layout, structured design
• Consider using ControlNet with layout sketch

Problem 4: Text/Annotations Are Garbled

Symptoms: Illegible text, nonsense letters, distorted annotations

Fixes:

• Don't generate text directly—add in post-processing instead
• Use inpainting to add text regions after main generation
• Or embrace illegible "notebook scribbles" as aesthetic (if not critical)
• For AI-generated text, use legible handwriting, clear labels

Problem 5: Looks Like Stock Medical Illustration

Symptoms: Too polished, sterile, textbook-like, cold color palette

Fixes:

• Strengthen negative: (textbook illustration:1.4), (medical stock photo:1.3)
• Add warmth: warm parchment tones, intimate scholarly aesthetic
• Emphasize imperfection: (engineer's personal notebook:1.3), work-in-progress feel
• Reference artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Vesalius, historical anatomical studies

---

Prompt Templates by Diagram Type

Template A: Brain Anatomy Diagram

[Anatomical structure] in [view type] section, continuous line art, anatomical
drawing style, ink on cream parchment paper (#faf8f3), charcoal ink lines
(#1a2332), [specific structures] highlighted with [color] glow (#HEX at 40%
opacity), margin annotations on right side in ocean blue (#2d5a7b), scale bar
showing [measurement] at bottom right, Leonardo da Vinci anatomical study
aesthetic, engineer's notebook with handwritten notes, educational medical
illustration, hand-drawn, organic line variation, slight imperfections

Negative: photorealistic, 3D render, CGI, stock medical photo, modern clinical,
smooth gradients, digital art, commercial aesthetic, sterile hospital imagery,
textbook, computer-generated, perfect vectors

Settings: 1280x720, CFG 7-8, Steps 35, Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras

Fill in:

• [Anatomical structure] = "Sagittal brain section" / "Coronal view of limbic system"
• [view type] = "sagittal" / "coronal" / "horizontal"
• [specific structures] = "anterior cingulate cortex and insula" / "hippocampus and amygdala"
• [color] = "cyan" (activity), "coral" (damage), "gold" (healing)
• [measurement] = "5cm" / "2cm"

---

Template B: Timeline/Graph Diagram

Hand-drawn graph on cream parchment paper (#faf8f3), horizontal time axis
labeled "[X-axis label]" with hand-drawn tick marks, vertical axis labeled
"[Y-axis label]", [number] hand-sketched curves: [curve 1 description in color 1],
[curve 2 description in color 2], annotations at key points "[annotation 1]"
and "[annotation 2]", margin notes on right explaining [topic], charcoal ink
(#1a2332) for axes and labels, engineer's notebook aesthetic, hand-plotted data
points, educational illustration, whiteboard sketch style, organic line variation

Negative: photorealistic, Excel chart, digital graph software, corporate
presentation, sterile design, smooth gradients, printed graph paper,
computer-generated plot, stock chart imagery

Settings: 1280x720, CFG 7, Steps 35, Sampler: Euler a

Fill in:

• [X-axis label] = "Months in Recovery" / "Weeks" / "Days"
• [Y-axis label] = "Symptom Intensity" / "Dopamine Level" / "Craving Frequency"
• [number] = "three" / "four"
• [curve 1 description] = "anxiety curve in coral red (#e63946 peaks at month 2)"
• [annotation 1] = "Week 4-8: The Wall"
• [topic] = "symptom clusters" / "recovery markers"

---

Template C: Social Situation Comparison

Two-panel storyboard comparison divided by vertical center line, left panel
shows [negative scenario] with [accent color 1] accents (#HEX), right panel
shows [positive scenario] with [accent color 2] accents (#HEX), simple hand-drawn
stick figures with expressive body language gestures (no detailed faces), thought
bubbles showing internal dialogue in ocean blue (#2d5a7b), arrows indicating
emotional flow, parchment paper background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink lines
(#1a2332), annotations explaining each response pattern, educational illustration,
whiteboard sketch style, human connection focus

Negative: photorealistic, detailed facial features, anime style, cartoon
characters, comic book art, commercial illustration, realistic people,
stock imagery

Settings: 1280x720, CFG 8, Steps 35, Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras

Fill in:

• [negative scenario] = "conflict escalation" / "judgment response" / "shame spiral"
• [positive scenario] = "de-escalation" / "empathy response" / "healing spiral"
• [accent color 1] = "coral red" / "coral"
• [accent color 2] = "teal" / "gold"

---

Template D: Process Flow Diagram

Vertical cascade flow diagram, hand-drawn flowchart style, top-to-bottom sequence
showing [process name], parchment paper background (#faf8f3), charcoal ink boxes
and arrows (#1a2332), color progression from [highlight color 1] (#HEX) at
[stage 1] to [highlight color 2] (#HEX) at [stage 2], [feedback element]
curving back, margin notes on right explaining [mechanism] in ocean blue (#2d5a7b),
engineer's notebook aesthetic with annotations, educational illustration,
whiteboard sketch style, hand-drawn boxes with slight imperfection

Negative: photorealistic, corporate flowchart, Microsoft Visio, clean digital
diagram, perfect vectors, smooth gradients, printed look, commercial design,
sterile business graphic

Settings: 1280x720, CFG 7, Steps 35, Sampler: Euler a

Fill in:

• [process name] = "dopamine response cycle" / "shame spiral" / "tolerance mechanism"
• [highlight color 1] = "teal highlight" / "gold highlight"
• [stage 1] = "anticipation peak" / "healthy baseline"
• [highlight color 2] = "coral highlight" / "red highlight"
• [stage 2] = "crash state" / "crisis point"
• [feedback element] = "dashed feedback loop arrow" / "curved escalation arrow"
• [mechanism] = "neurochemistry" / "psychological dynamics"

---

Quality Checklist

Before generating, verify your prompt includes:

Style Layer

• [ ] continuous line art or hand-drawn line work
• [ ] anatomical drawing style or whiteboard sketch
• [ ] ink on parchment or equivalent texture reference
• [ ] organic line variation or slight imperfections
• [ ] Historical reference: Leonardo da Vinci or Renaissance anatomical

Color Layer

• [ ] Background: #faf8f3 (parchment)
• [ ] Primary lines: #1a2332 (charcoal)
• [ ] Annotations: #2d5a7b (ocean blue)
• [ ] 1-2 semantic highlights with hex codes and opacity

Composition Layer

• [ ] Spatial percentages: "occupies 60% of frame"
• [ ] Element placement: "center-left" / "right margin"
• [ ] Title position: "top center" / "upper left"
• [ ] Scale reference: "bottom right"

Negative Prompt Layer

• [ ] photorealistic, 3D render (prevents realism)
• [ ] smooth gradients, airbrush (prevents digital polish)
• [ ] stock photo, commercial (prevents generic look)
• [ ] sterile, modern clinical (prevents cold aesthetic)

Technical Settings

• [ ] Aspect ratio: 16:9 (1280x720 or 1024x576)
• [ ] CFG scale: 7-9 for SD, 3.5-5 for Flux
• [ ] Steps: 30-40 for SD, 20-30 for Flux
• [ ] Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras or Euler a

---

Testing & Iteration Strategy

First Generation: Structure Test

Goal: Get composition and anatomy right

Settings: Standard CFG (7-8), standard steps (35)

Evaluate:

• Is the brain structure in the correct position?
• Are elements placed according to layout grid?
• Is scale appropriate (not too small/large)?

If fails: Adjust spatial descriptions, consider ControlNet

---

Second Generation: Style Test

Goal: Achieve hand-drawn aesthetic

Settings: Lower CFG (6-7) for more organic variation

Evaluate:

• Do lines have organic imperfection?
• Does it look like ink on paper (not digital)?
• Is parchment texture visible?

If fails: Strengthen style keywords, boost negative prompts

---

Third Generation: Color Test

Goal: Brand palette accuracy

Settings: Standard CFG (7-8)

Evaluate:

• Are colors muted earth tones (not saturated)?
• Do highlights match hex codes?
• Is background warm cream (not white)?

If fails: Add hex codes to prompt, negative saturated colors

---

Fourth Generation: Polish

Goal: Final refinement

Settings: Optimal settings from previous tests

Evaluate:

• Are annotations legible?
• Is composition balanced?
• Does it serve educational purpose?

Post-processing:

• Add text annotations if AI-generated text is garbled
• Adjust contrast if needed
• Crop to exact 16:9 if output varies

---

Troubleshooting Decision Tree

Is output too photorealistic/polished?
├─ YES → Strengthen negative prompts + lower CFG + add "imperfections"
└─ NO → Continue

Are colors wrong/saturated?
├─ YES → Add hex codes + negative "bright colors" + add "muted tones"
└─ NO → Continue

Is composition chaotic?
├─ YES → Add spatial percentages + "organized layout" + consider ControlNet
└─ NO → Continue

Is text garbled?
├─ YES → Use post-processing for text OR embrace illegible notebook aesthetic
└─ NO → Continue

Looks like sterile textbook?
├─ YES → Add "engineer's personal notebook" + negative "textbook/stock"
└─ NO → Continue

Anatomy incorrect?
├─ YES → Use ControlNet with anatomical reference OR img2img refinement
└─ NO → Ship it! ✅

---

Resources & References

Example Prompts Library

• Brain anatomy: See Template A above
• Timeline graphs: See Template B above
• Social comparisons: See Template C above
• Process flows: See Template D above

Style References

• Leonardo da Vinci anatomical studies (public domain)
• Andreas Vesalius "De humani corporis fabrica" (1543)
• Henry Vandyke Carter / Gray's Anatomy (1858)
• TED-Ed educational illustrations (modern reference)

Technical Guides

• Stable Diffusion parameter guide: https://github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui/wiki
• ControlNet guide: https://github.com/lllyasviel/ControlNet
• Flux documentation: https://fal.ai/models/flux-pro
• Midjourney parameter reference: https://docs.midjourney.com/

Color Psychology

• See color-theory-education.md in this skill's references

Anatomical Accuracy

• See anatomical-conventions.md in this skill's references

---

Last Updated: 2026-01-11 Version: 1.0.0 Skill: hand-drawn-infographic-creator