Baoyu Comic

Knowledge Comic Creator

Create original knowledge comics with flexible art style × tone combinations.

User Input Tools

When this skill prompts the user, follow this tool-selection rule (priority order):

1. Prefer built-in user-input tools exposed by the current agent runtime — e.g., AskUserQuestion, request_user_input, clarify, ask_user, or any equivalent. 2. Fallback: if no such tool exists, emit a numbered plain-text message and ask the user to reply with the chosen number/answer for each question. 3. Batching: if the tool supports multiple questions per call, combine all applicable questions into a single call; if only single-question, ask them one at a time in priority order.

Concrete AskUserQuestion references below are examples — substitute the local equivalent in other runtimes.

Image Generation Tools

When this skill needs to render an image, resolve the backend in this order:

1. Current-request override — if the user names a specific backend in the current message, use it. 2. Saved preference — if EXTEND.md sets preferred_image_backend to a backend available right now, use it. 3. Auto-select (when the preference is auto, unset, or the pinned backend isn't available):

• Codex (`imagegen`) — first, inspect your available-skills / tool inventory. If a skill named imagegen is listed, you are running inside Codex and MUST use it: invoke via the Skill tool with skill: "imagegen", passing the saved prompt file's content (plus output path and aspect ratio per Codex imagegen's own args). Codex imagegen is the official raster backend in that runtime and outranks any non-native skill (e.g., baoyu-image-gen) unless the user has explicitly pinned a different preferred_image_backend.
• Codex via `codex exec` (`codex-imagegen`) — if the current runtime exposes no native imagegen skill but the codex CLI is on PATH with an active codex login, route through baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli (preferred), or — if baoyu-image-gen is unavailable — invoke the bundled wrapper directly. Details, parameters, and the runtime-discovery procedure live in references/codex-imagegen.md — load that file only when this branch is selected.
• Cursor (`GenerateImage`) — if the runtime exposes a native GenerateImage tool, you are running inside Cursor and it outranks any non-native skill the same way Codex imagegen does. Two hard caveats: (a) it has no aspect-ratio parameter — state the target aspect ratio / dimensions explicitly in the prompt text passed as description; (b) it does not accept an output directory — it saves to a tool-managed location, so after generation copy/move the file to the skill's expected output path (e.g., outputs/.../NN-xxx.png). Reference images go in reference_image_paths.
• Other runtime-native tools — if the runtime exposes a different native image tool (e.g., Hermes image_generate), use it the same way.
• Otherwise, if exactly one non-native backend is installed (e.g., baoyu-image-gen), use it.
• Otherwise (multiple non-native backends with no runtime-native tool), ask the user once — batch with any other initial questions.

4. If none are available, tell the user and ask how to proceed.

⛔ Never substitute SVG, HTML, canvas, or other code-based rendering for raster image generation. Codex imagegen's own description says it should be used "when the output should be a bitmap asset rather than repo-native code or vector." If you cannot resolve a raster backend via step 3, fall through to step 4 and ask the user — do not silently emit SVG, write inline <svg> markup, or produce HTML/CSS art as a substitute. This applies even if the article/section seems "diagram-like": the consumer skill calling this rule has already decided that a raster image is what it needs.

⛔ Never repair rendered text by painting over a generated bitmap. Do not use ImageMagick, Pillow, Canvas, SVG, HTML/CSS, OCR scripts, or any other programmatic overlay to cover, rewrite, erase, stroke, or replace dialogue, sound effects, panel labels, or any other text inside an already generated comic page. If text is wrong or unclear, regenerate from a corrected prompt, redraw the page with less or no on-image text, or ask the user which imperfect candidate to keep.

Setting preferred_image_backend: ask forces the step-3 prompt every run regardless of available backends. Users change the pinned backend via the ## Changing Preferences section below.

Prompt file requirement (hard): write each image's full, final prompt to a standalone file under prompts/ (naming: NN-{type}-[slug].md) BEFORE invoking any backend. The backend receives the prompt file (or its content); the file is the reproducibility record and lets you switch backends without regenerating prompts.

Concrete tool names (imagegen, GenerateImage, image_generate, baoyu-image-gen) above are examples — substitute the local equivalents under the same rule.

Batch Generation Policy

After every prompt file for the current generation group has been saved and verified, generate images in batches by default.

Priority order:

1. Use the chosen backend's native batch / multi-task interface if it exists. Each task must keep its own prompt file, output path, aspect ratio, session ID, and direct reference images. 2. If no native batch interface exists but the runtime can issue parallel tool calls, dispatch up to generation_batch_size images at a time. Default: 4. An explicit user request in the current message, such as --batch-size 4 or "并行4张一起生成", overrides EXTEND.md. 3. If neither native batch nor parallel tool calls are available, generate sequentially.

Rules:

• Honor workflow dependencies first: generate characters/characters.png before pages that use it as a reference.
• Never start the first page batch until all selected page prompt files exist on disk.
• Retry failed items once without regenerating successful items.
• Do not use subagents merely to parallelize image rendering. Use subagents only for separate prompt iteration or creative exploration.

Reference Images

Users may supply reference images to guide art style, palette, scene composition, or subject. This is separate from the auto-generated character sheet (Step 7.1) — both can coexist: user refs guide the look, the character sheet anchors recurring character identity.

Intake: Accept via --ref <files...> or when the user provides file paths / pastes images in conversation.

• File path(s) → copy to refs/NN-ref-{slug}.{ext} alongside the comic output
• Pasted image with no path → ask the user for the path (per the User Input Tools rule above), or extract style traits verbally as a text fallback
• No reference → skip this section

Usage modes (per reference):

Record in each page's prompt frontmatter when refs exist:

references:
  - ref_id: 01
    filename: 01-ref-scene.png
    usage: direct

At generation time:

• Verify each referenced file exists on disk
• If usage: direct AND the chosen backend accepts multiple reference images → pass both the character sheet (Step 7.2) and the user refs via the backend's ref parameter; compress images first per Step 7.1's guidance to avoid payload failures
• If the backend accepts only one ref → prefer the character sheet for pages with recurring characters; embed user-ref traits in the prompt body instead
• For style/palette usage → embed extracted traits in every page's prompt text (applies regardless of backend capability)

Options

Visual Dimensions

Partial Workflow Options

Details: references/partial-workflows.md

Art, Tone & Preset Catalogue

• Art styles (6): ligne-claire, manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk, minimalist. Full definitions at references/art-styles/<style>.md.
• Tones (7): neutral, warm, dramatic, romantic, energetic, vintage, action. Full definitions at references/tones/<tone>.md.
• Presets (5) with special rules beyond plain art+tone:

Full rules at references/presets/<preset>.md — load the file when a preset is picked.

• Compatibility matrix and content-signal → preset table live in references/auto-selection.md. Read it before recommending combinations in Step 2.

Script Directory

Important: All scripts are located in the scripts/ subdirectory of this skill.

Agent Execution Instructions: 1. Determine this SKILL.md file's directory path as {baseDir} 2. Script path = {baseDir}/scripts/<script-name>.ts 3. Replace all {baseDir} in this document with the actual path 4. Resolve ${BUN_X} runtime: if bun installed → bun; if npx available → npx -y bun; else suggest installing bun

Script Reference:

File Structure

Output directory: comic/{topic-slug}/

• Slug: 2-4 words kebab-case from topic (e.g., alan-turing-bio)
• Conflict: append timestamp (e.g., turing-story-20260118-143052)

Contents:

Language Handling

Detection Priority: 1. --lang flag (explicit) 2. EXTEND.md language setting 3. User's conversation language 4. Source content language

Rule: Use user's input language or saved language preference for ALL interactions:

• Storyboard outlines and scene descriptions
• Image generation prompts
• User selection options and confirmations
• Progress updates, questions, errors, summaries

Technical terms remain in English.

Workflow

Progress Checklist

Comic Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Setup & Analyze
  - [ ] 1.1 Preferences (EXTEND.md) ⛔ BLOCKING
    - [ ] Found → load preferences → continue
    - [ ] Not found → run first-time setup → MUST complete before other steps
  - [ ] 1.2 Analyze, 1.3 Check existing
- [ ] Step 2: Confirmation - Style & options ⚠️ REQUIRED
- [ ] Step 3: Generate storyboard + characters
- [ ] Step 4: Review outline (conditional)
- [ ] Step 5: Generate prompts
- [ ] Step 6: Review prompts (conditional)
- [ ] Step 7: Generate images
  - [ ] 7.1 Generate character sheet (if needed) → characters/characters.png
  - [ ] 7.2 Generate pages (with --ref if character sheet exists)
- [ ] Step 8: Merge to PDF
- [ ] Step 9: Completion report

Flow

Input → [Preferences] ─┬─ Found → Continue
                       │
                       └─ Not found → First-Time Setup ⛔ BLOCKING
                                      │
                                      └─ Complete setup → Save EXTEND.md → Continue
                                                                              │
        ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
        ↓
Analyze → [Check Existing?] → [Confirm: Style + Reviews] → Storyboard → [Review?] → Prompts → [Review?] → Images → PDF → Complete

Step Summary

Step 7: Image Generation

Pick a backend once per session using the ## Image Generation Tools rule at the top. If the backend is a repo skill (e.g., baoyu-image-gen), read its SKILL.md and use its documented interface rather than its scripts.

`codex-imagegen` invocation: when the rule resolves to codex-imagegen, see references/codex-imagegen.md for the invocation contract (preferred baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli path, runtime wrapper discovery, parameter notes, stdout schema, batch semantics — n=1 per call so page batches must dispatch one wrapper call per page).

7.1 Character sheet — generate it (to characters/characters.png, aspect 4:3) when the comic is multi-page with recurring characters. Skip for simple presets (e.g., four-panel minimalist) or single-page comics. Compress to JPEG before use-as---ref (sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 80 … on macOS, pngquant --quality=65-80 … elsewhere) to avoid payload failures. The prompt file at characters/characters.md must exist before invoking the backend.

7.2 Pages — each page's prompt MUST already be at prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug].md before invoking the backend; the file is the reproducibility record. Strategy depends on the character sheet:

Execution strategy: Generate the character sheet first when needed. Then build the selected page task list from saved prompt files and dispatch pages in batches per the ## Batch Generation Policy: backend native batch first, runtime parallel tool calls second, sequential only as fallback. --regenerate N and --images-only apply the same batching rules to the selected existing prompts.

Backup rule: existing prompts/…md and …png files → rename with -backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS suffix before regenerating. Aspect ratio from storyboard (default 3:4; preset may override).

`--ref` failure recovery: compress sheet → retry → still fails → drop --ref and embed character descriptions in the prompt text.

Full step-by-step workflow (analysis, storyboard, review gates, regeneration variants): references/workflow.md.

EXTEND.md Paths ⛔ BLOCKING

If EXTEND.md is not found, first-time setup is blocking — complete it before any content analysis or style/tone questions.

EXTEND.md supports: watermark, preferred art/tone/layout, custom style definitions, character presets, language preference, preferred image backend, generation batch size. Schema: references/config/preferences-schema.md.

References

Core Templates:

• analysis-framework.md - Deep content analysis
• character-template.md - Character definition format
• storyboard-template.md - Storyboard structure
• ohmsha-guide.md - Ohmsha manga specifics

Style Definitions:

• references/art-styles/ - Art styles (ligne-claire, manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk, minimalist)
• references/tones/ - Tones (neutral, warm, dramatic, romantic, energetic, vintage, action)
• references/presets/ - Presets with special rules (ohmsha, wuxia, shoujo, concept-story, four-panel)
• references/layouts/ - Layouts (standard, cinematic, dense, splash, mixed, webtoon, four-panel)

Workflow:

• workflow.md - Full workflow details
• auto-selection.md - Content signal analysis
• partial-workflows.md - Partial workflow options

Config:

• config/preferences-schema.md - EXTEND.md schema
• config/first-time-setup.md - First-time setup
• config/watermark-guide.md - Watermark configuration

Page Modification

IMPORTANT: When updating pages, ALWAYS update the prompt file (prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug].md) FIRST before regenerating. This ensures changes are documented and reproducible.

Text correction policy:

• If dialogue, sound effects, panel labels, or any other rendered text is misspelled, garbled, hard to read, or visually weak, do not patch the bitmap with code.
• For text-correction regenerations, write a new prompt file and a new output path so the flawed candidate is preserved for comparison.
• Post-processing is limited to crop, resize, compression, or format conversion that does not alter text or the main composition.

Notes

• Image generation: 10-30 seconds per page
• Auto-retry once on generation failure
• Use stylized alternatives for sensitive public figures
• Maintain style consistency via session ID
• Step 2 confirmation required - do not skip
• Steps 4/6 conditional - only if user requested in Step 2
• Step 7.1 character sheet - recommended for multi-page comics, optional for simple presets
• Step 7.2 character reference - use --ref if sheet exists; compress/convert on failure; fall back to prompt-only
• Watermark/language configured once in EXTEND.md

Changing Preferences

EXTEND.md lives at .baoyu-skills/baoyu-comic/EXTEND.md (project) or ~/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-comic/EXTEND.md (user). Three ways to change it:

• Edit directly — open EXTEND.md and change fields. Full schema: references/config/preferences-schema.md.
• Reconfigure interactively — delete EXTEND.md (or ask "reconfigure baoyu-comic preferences" / "重新配置"). The next run re-triggers first-time setup.
• Common one-line edits:
• preferred_image_backend: auto — default; runtime-native tool wins, falls back to the only installed backend, asks only if multiple non-native are present.
• preferred_image_backend: codex-imagegen — pin to Codex's built-in.
• preferred_image_backend: baoyu-image-gen — pin to the baoyu-image-gen skill.
• preferred_image_backend: ask — confirm backend every run.
• generation_batch_size: 4 — default number of page images to render concurrently when the backend/runtime supports batch or parallel generation.
• watermark.enabled: true, preferred_art, preferred_tone, preferred_layout, language — shift the auto-selection defaults and cosmetic choices.

Comic Content Analysis Framework

Deep analysis framework for transforming source content into effective visual storytelling.

Purpose

Before creating a comic, thoroughly analyze the source material to:

• Identify the target audience and their needs
• Determine what value the comic will deliver
• Extract narrative potential for visual storytelling
• Plan character arcs and key moments

Analysis Dimensions

1. Core Content (Understanding "What")

Central Message

• What is the single most important idea readers should take away?
• Can you express it in one sentence?

Key Concepts

• What are the essential concepts readers must understand?
• How should these concepts be visualized?
• Which concepts need simplified explanations?

Content Structure

• How is the source material organized?
• What is the natural narrative arc?
• Where are the climax and turning points?

Evidence & Examples

• What concrete examples, data, or stories support the main ideas?
• Which examples translate well to visual panels?
• What can be shown rather than told?

2. Context & Background (Understanding "Why")

Source Origin

• Who created this content? What is their perspective?
• What was the original purpose?
• Is there bias to be aware of?

Historical/Cultural Context

• When and where does the story take place?
• What background knowledge do readers need?
• What period-specific visual elements are required?

Underlying Assumptions

• What does the source assume readers already know?
• What implicit beliefs or values are present?
• Should the comic challenge or reinforce these?

3. Audience Analysis

Primary Audience

• Who will read this comic?
• What is their existing knowledge level?
• What are their interests and motivations?

Secondary Audiences

• Who else might benefit from this comic?
• How might their needs differ?

Reader Questions

• What questions will readers have?
• What misconceptions might they bring?
• What "aha moments" can we create?

4. Value Proposition

Knowledge Value

• What will readers learn?
• What new perspectives will they gain?
• How will this change their understanding?

Emotional Value

• What emotions should readers feel?
• What connections will they make with characters?
• What will make this memorable?

Practical Value

• Can readers apply what they learn?
• What actions might this inspire?
• What conversations might it spark?

5. Narrative Potential

Story Arc Candidates

• What natural narratives exist in the content?
• Where is the conflict or tension?
• What transformations occur?

Character Potential

• Who are the key figures?
• What are their motivations and obstacles?
• How do they change throughout?

Visual Opportunities

• What scenes have strong visual potential?
• Where can abstract concepts become concrete images?
• What metaphors can be visualized?

Dramatic Moments

• What are the breakthrough/revelation moments?
• Where are the emotional peaks?
• What creates tension and release?

6. Adaptation Considerations

What to Keep

• Essential facts and ideas
• Key quotes or moments
• Core emotional beats

What to Simplify

• Complex explanations
• Dense technical details
• Lengthy descriptions

What to Expand

• Brief mentions that deserve more attention
• Implied emotions or relationships
• Visual details not in source

What to Omit

• Tangential information
• Redundant examples
• Content that doesn't serve the narrative

Output Format

Analysis results should be saved to analysis.md with:

1. YAML Front Matter: Metadata (title, topic, time_span, source_language, user_language, aspect_ratio, recommended_page_count, recommended_art, recommended_tone, recommended_layout) 2. Target Audience: Primary, secondary, tertiary audiences with their needs 3. Value Proposition: What readers will gain (knowledge, emotional, practical) 4. Core Themes: Table with theme, narrative potential, visual opportunity 5. Key Figures & Story Arcs: Character profiles with arcs, visual identity, key moments 6. Content Signals: Style and layout recommendations based on content type 7. Recommended Approaches: Narrative approaches ranked by suitability

YAML Front Matter Example

---
title: "Alan Turing: The Father of Computing"
topic: alan-turing-biography
time_span: 1912-1954
source_language: en
user_language: zh  # From EXTEND.md or detected
aspect_ratio: "3:4"
recommended_page_count: 16
recommended_art: ligne-claire  # ligne-claire|manga|realistic|ink-brush|chalk
recommended_tone: neutral      # neutral|warm|dramatic|romantic|energetic|vintage|action
recommended_layout: mixed      # standard|cinematic|dense|splash|mixed|webtoon
---

Language Fields

Analysis Checklist

Before proceeding to storyboard:

• [ ] Can I state the core message in one sentence?
• [ ] Do I know exactly who will read this comic?
• [ ] Have I identified at least 3 ways this comic provides value?
• [ ] Are there clear protagonists with compelling arcs?
• [ ] Have I found at least 5 visually powerful moments?
• [ ] Do I understand what to keep, simplify, expand, and omit?
• [ ] Have I identified the emotional peaks and valleys?

chalk

粉笔画风 - Chalkboard aesthetic with hand-drawn warmth

Overview

Classic classroom chalkboard aesthetic with hand-drawn chalk illustrations. Nostalgic educational feel with imperfect, sketchy lines that capture the warmth of traditional teaching.

Line Work

• Sketchy, imperfect hand-drawn lines
• Chalk texture on all strokes
• Varying line weight from chalk pressure
• Soft edges, no sharp digital lines
• Visible chalk dust effects

Character Design

• Simplified, friendly character designs
• Stick figures to semi-detailed range
• Expressive through simple gestures
• Approachable, non-intimidating
• Educational presenter style

Background

• Chalkboard Black (#1A1A1A) or Dark Green-Black (#1C2B1C)
• Realistic chalkboard texture
• Subtle scratches and dust particles
• Faint eraser marks for authenticity
• Wooden frame border optional

Typography

• Hand-drawn chalk lettering style
• Visible chalk texture on text
• Imperfect baseline adds authenticity
• White or bright colored chalk for emphasis

Visual Elements

• Hand-drawn chalk illustrations
• Chalk dust effects around elements
• Doodles: stars, arrows, underlines, circles
• Mathematical formulas and diagrams
• Eraser smudges and chalk residue
• Stick figures and simple icons
• Connection lines with hand-drawn feel

Default Color Palette

Style Rules

Do

• Maintain authentic chalk texture on all elements
• Use imperfect, hand-drawn quality throughout
• Add subtle chalk dust and smudge effects
• Create visual hierarchy with color variety
• Include playful doodles and annotations

Don't

• Use perfect geometric shapes
• Create clean digital-looking lines
• Add photorealistic elements
• Use gradients or glossy effects

Quality Markers

• ✓ Authentic chalk texture throughout
• ✓ Imperfect, hand-drawn quality
• ✓ Readable despite sketchy style
• ✓ Nostalgic classroom feel
• ✓ Effective color hierarchy
• ✓ Playful educational aesthetic

Compatibility

Best For

Educational content, tutorials, classroom themes, teaching materials, workshops, informal learning, knowledge sharing

ink-brush

水墨画风 - Chinese ink brush aesthetics with dynamic strokes

Overview

Traditional Chinese ink brush painting style adapted for comics. Combines calligraphic brush strokes with ink wash effects. Creates atmospheric, artistic visuals rooted in East Asian aesthetics.

Line Work

• 2-3px dynamic brush strokes with varying weight
• Ink wash effects, traditional Chinese brush feel
• Bold, confident strokes with sharp edges
• Flowing lines for fabric and hair
• Pressure-sensitive stroke variation

Character Design

• Realistic human proportions (7.5-8 head heights)
• Defined features with ink brush definition
• Dynamic poses capturing movement
• Flowing hair and clothing in motion
• Traditional attire options (robes, hanfu)
• Intense, expressive faces

Brush Techniques

Background Treatment

• Dramatic landscapes: mountains, waterfalls, temples
• Ink wash atmospheric effects
• Misty, layered depth
• Traditional architecture elements
• High contrast silhouettes
• Negative space as design element

Color Approach

• Ink gradients as primary
• Limited accent colors
• Traditional Chinese palette
• Atmospheric color washes
• High contrast compositions

Default Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Calligraphic text integration
• Seal stamps (optional)
• Ink splatter effects
• Flowing fabric trails
• Atmospheric mist
• Mountain silhouettes

Quality Markers

• ✓ Dynamic brush stroke quality
• ✓ Authentic ink wash atmosphere
• ✓ High contrast compositions
• ✓ Flowing movement in fabric/hair
• ✓ Traditional aesthetic elements
• ✓ Atmospheric depth

Compatibility

Best For

Chinese historical stories, martial arts, traditional tales, contemplative narratives, artistic adaptations

ligne-claire

清线画风 - Uniform lines, flat colors, European comic tradition

Overview

Classic European comic style originating from Hergé's Tintin. Characterized by clean, uniform outlines and flat color fills without gradients. Creates a timeless, accessible aesthetic suitable for educational and narrative content.

Line Work

• Uniform, clean outlines with consistent weight (2px)
• No hatching or cross-hatching for shading
• Sharp, precise edges on all elements
• Black ink outlines on all figures and objects
• Shadows indicated through flat color areas, not line techniques

Character Design

• Slightly stylized/cartoonish characters with realistic proportions
• Distinctive, recognizable facial features
• Expressive faces with clear emotions
• Period-appropriate clothing with attention to detail
• Consistent character appearance across panels
• 6-7 head height proportions

Background Treatment

• Detailed, realistic backgrounds with architectural accuracy
• Period-specific props and technology
• Clear spatial depth and perspective
• Environmental storytelling through details
• Contrast between simplified characters and detailed backgrounds

Color Approach

• Flat colors without gradients (true to Ligne Claire tradition)
• Limited palette per page for cohesion
• Colors support narrative mood
• Consistent lighting logic within scenes

Default Color Palette

Quality Markers

• ✓ Clean, uniform line weight throughout
• ✓ Flat colors without gradients
• ✓ Detailed backgrounds, stylized characters
• ✓ Clear panel borders and reading flow
• ✓ Hand-drawn text style
• ✓ Proper perspective in environments

Compatibility

Best For

Educational content, balanced narratives, biography comics, historical stories

manga

日漫画风 - Anime/manga aesthetics with expressive characters

Overview

Japanese manga art style characterized by large expressive eyes, dynamic poses, and visual emotion indicators. Versatile style that works across genres from educational to romantic to action.

Line Work

• Clean, smooth lines (1.5-2px)
• Expressive weight variation for emphasis
• Smooth curves, dynamic strokes
• Speed lines and motion effects available
• Screen tone effects for atmosphere

Character Design

• Anime/manga proportions: larger eyes, expressive faces
• 5-7 head height proportions (varies by sub-style)
• Clear emotional indicators (！, ？, sweat drops, sparkles)
• Dynamic poses and gestures
• Detailed hair with individual strands
• Fashionable clothing with natural folds

Eye Styles

Background Treatment

• Simplified during dialogue/explanation
• Detailed for establishing shots
• Screen tone gradients for mood
• Abstract backgrounds for emotional moments
• Technical diagrams styled as displays

Color Approach

• Clean, bright anime colors
• Soft gradients on skin
• Vibrant palette options
• Light and shadow with soft transitions
• Color coding for character identification

Default Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Speech bubbles: rounded (normal), spiky (excitement)
• Sound effects integrated visually
• Emotion symbols (sweat drops, anger marks, hearts)
• Speed lines and motion blur
• Sparkle and glow effects

Quality Markers

• ✓ Expressive character faces
• ✓ Clean, consistent line work
• ✓ Dynamic poses and compositions
• ✓ Appropriate use of manga conventions
• ✓ Readable panel flow
• ✓ Consistent character designs

Compatibility

Best For

Educational tutorials, romance, action, coming-of-age, technical explanations, youth-oriented content

minimalist

极简画风 - Clean black line art, limited spot color, simplified stick-figure characters

Overview

Minimalist cartoon illustration characterized by clean black line art on white background with very limited spot color for emphasis. Characters are simplified to near-stick-figure abstraction, focusing on gesture and concept rather than anatomical detail. Designed for business allegory, quick-read educational content, and concept illustration.

Line Work

• Clean, uniform black lines (1.5-2px)
• No hatching, cross-hatching, or shading techniques
• Minimal detail — every line serves a purpose
• Bold outlines for characters, thinner lines for props/labels
• No decorative flourishes or ornamental lines

Character Design

• Highly simplified, stick-figure-like business characters
• Circle or oval heads with minimal facial features (dot eyes, simple line mouth)
• Body as simple geometric shapes or line constructions
• Distinguishing features through props only (tie, hat, briefcase, glasses)
• No anatomical detail — expressive through posture and gesture
• 4-5 head height proportions (squat, iconic)

Background Treatment

• Mostly blank/white — negative space is a design element
• Minimal environmental cues (a line for ground, simple desk outline)
• Concept labels and text annotations replace detailed environments
• Icons and symbols over realistic rendering
• No perspective or spatial depth

Color Approach

• Primarily black and white (90%+ of the image)
• 1-2 spot accent colors for emphasis on key concepts
• Accent color used sparingly: highlighting key objects, text labels, concept indicators
• No gradients, no shading, no color fills on backgrounds
• Color draws the eye to the most important element in each panel

Default Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Text labels with accent-color backgrounds or underlines for key terms
• Simple icons: arrows, circles, checkmarks, crosses
• Concept highlight boxes with spot color
• Minimal speech bubbles (simple oval or rectangle, thin black outline)
• No sound effects, no motion lines, no screen tones

Quality Markers

• ✓ Clean, purposeful line work with no unnecessary detail
• ✓ 90%+ black-and-white with strategic spot color
• ✓ Simplified characters readable at small sizes
• ✓ Text labels integrated naturally into panels
• ✓ Strong negative space usage
• ✓ Every element serves the narrative point

Compatibility

Best For

Business allegory, management fables, short concept illustration, four-panel comic strips, quick-insight education, social media content

realistic

写实画风 - Digital painting with realistic proportions and lighting

Overview

Full-color realistic manga style using digital painting techniques. Features anatomically accurate characters, rich gradients, and detailed environmental rendering. Sophisticated aesthetic for mature audiences.

Line Work

• Clean, precise outlines with clear contours
• Uniform line weight for character definition
• No excessive hatching - rely on color for depth
• Smooth curves and realistic anatomical lines
• Ligne Claire influence: clean but not simplified

Character Design

• Realistic human proportions (7-8 head heights)
• Anatomically accurate features and expressions
• Detailed facial structure without exaggeration
• Natural poses and body language
• Consistent appearance across panels
• Subtle expressions rather than manga-style

Rendering Style

• Full-color digital painting with rich gradients
• Soft shadow transitions on skin and fabric
• Realistic material textures (glass, liquid, fabric, wood)
• Detailed hair with natural shine and volume
• Environmental lighting affects all elements
• NOT flat cel-shading - smooth color blending

Background Treatment

• Highly detailed, realistic environments
• Accurate perspective and spatial depth
• Atmospheric lighting (warm indoor, cool outdoor)
• Professional settings rendered with precision
• Props and objects with realistic textures

Color Approach

• Rich gradients for depth and volume
• Realistic lighting with warm/cool contrast
• Material-specific rendering
• Subtle color temperature shifts
• Professional, sophisticated palette

Default Color Palette

Quality Markers

• ✓ Anatomically accurate proportions
• ✓ Smooth color gradients (not flat fills)
• ✓ Realistic material textures
• ✓ Detailed, atmospheric backgrounds
• ✓ Natural lighting with soft shadows
• ✓ Expressive but subtle expressions
• ✓ Professional aesthetic
• ✓ Clean speech bubbles

Compatibility

Best For

Professional topics (wine, food, business), lifestyle content, adult narratives, documentary-style, mature educational guides

Auto Selection

Content signals determine default art + tone + layout (or preset).

Content Signal Matrix

Preset Recommendation Rules

When preset is recommended: Load presets/{preset}.md and apply all special rules.

ohmsha

• Triggers: Tutorial, technical, educational, computing, programming, how-to, beginner
• Special rules: Visual metaphors, NO talking heads, gadget reveals, Doraemon-style characters
• Base: manga + neutral + webtoon/dense

wuxia

• Triggers: Martial arts, wuxia, xianxia, cultivation, swordplay
• Special rules: Qi effects, combat visuals, atmospheric elements
• Base: ink-brush + action + splash

shoujo

• Triggers: Romance, love story, school life, emotional drama
• Special rules: Decorative elements, eye details, romantic beats
• Base: manga + romantic + standard

concept-story

• Triggers: Psychology, motivation, self-help, business narrative, management, leadership, personal growth, coaching, soft skills, abstract concept through story
• Special rules: Visual symbol system, growth arc, dialogue+action balance, original characters
• Base: manga + warm + standard

four-panel

• Triggers: Business allegory, fable, parable, short insight, four-panel, 四格, 四格漫画, single-page comic, minimalist comic strip
• Special rules: Strict 起承转合 4-panel structure, B&W + spot color, simplified stick-figure characters, single-page story
• Base: minimalist + neutral + four-panel

Compatibility Matrix

Art Style × Tone combinations work best when matched appropriately:

Note: Art Style × Tone × Layout can be freely combined. Incompatible combinations work but may produce unexpected results.

Priority Order

1. User-specified options (--art, --tone, --style) 2. EXTEND.md defaults 3. Content signal analysis → auto-selection 4. Fallback: ligne-claire + neutral + standard

Create a knowledge biography comic page following these guidelines:

Image Specifications

• Type: Comic book page with multiple panels
• Orientation: Portrait (vertical)
• Aspect Ratio: 2:3
• Style: See style-specific reference for visual guidelines

Panel Structure

Panel Borders

• Clean black lines (1-2px) around each panel
• White gutters between panels (8-12px)
• Panels arranged for clear reading flow
• Variety in panel sizes for visual rhythm

Panel Composition

• Clear focal points in each panel
• Proper use of foreground, midground, background
• Camera angles vary: eye level, bird's eye, low angle, close-up, wide shot
• Action flows logically between panels
• Negative space used intentionally

Text Elements

Speech Bubbles

• Dialogue: Oval/elliptical bubbles with pointed tails
• White fill with thin black outline
• Tail points clearly to speaker
• Hand-lettered style font (not computer-generated)

Narrator Boxes

• Fourth Wall/Narrator: Rectangular boxes
• Often positioned at panel edges (top or bottom)
• Slightly different fill color (cream or light yellow)
• Used for commentary, time jumps, explanations

Thought Bubbles

• Cloud-shaped with bubble trail leading to thinker
• Softer outline than speech bubbles
• For internal monologue

Caption Bars

• Rectangular bars at panel edges
• Time and place information
• "Meanwhile...", "Three years later..." type transitions
• Darker fill with white text, or vice versa

Typography

• Hand-drawn lettering style throughout
• Bold for emphasis and key terms
• Consistent letter sizing
• Chinese text: use full-width punctuation ""，。！
• Clear hierarchy: titles > dialogue > captions

Scientific/Concept Visualization

When depicting abstract concepts:

• Integrate diagrams naturally into narrative panels
• Use inset panels or thought-bubble style for explanations
• Simplified iconography over realistic depiction

Fourth Wall / Narrator Character

When depicting narrator characters addressing the reader:

• Character may look directly out of panel
• Can appear in "present day" framing scenes
• Distinct visual treatment from main timeline
• Often at page edges or in dedicated panels
• May comment on or question the events shown

Historical Accuracy

• Research period-specific details: costumes, technology, architecture
• Show aging naturally for characters across time periods
• Iconic items and locations rendered recognizably
• Balance accuracy with stylization

Language

• All text in Chinese (中文) unless source material is in another language
• Use Chinese full-width punctuation: ""，。！

---

Please generate the comic page based on the content provided below:

Character Definition Template

Character Document Format

Create characters/characters.md with the following structure:

# Character Definitions - [Comic Title]

**Style**: [selected style]
**Art Direction**: [Ligne Claire / Manga / etc.]

---

## Character 1: [Name]

**Role**: [Protagonist / Mentor / Antagonist / Narrator]
**Age**: [approximate age or age range in story]

**Appearance**:
- Face shape: [oval/square/round]
- Hair: [color, style, length]
- Eyes: [color, shape, distinctive features]
- Build: [height, body type]
- Distinguishing features: [glasses, beard, scar, etc.]

**Costume**:
- Default outfit: [detailed description]
- Color palette: [primary colors for this character]
- Accessories: [hat, bag, tools, etc.]

**Expression Range**:
- Neutral: [description]
- Happy/Excited: [description]
- Thinking/Confused: [description]
- Determined: [description]

**Visual Reference Notes**:
[Any specific artistic direction]

---

## Character 2: [Name]
...

Reference Sheet Image Prompt

After character definitions, include a prompt for generating the reference sheet:

## Reference Sheet Prompt

Character reference sheet in [style] style, clean lines, flat colors:

[ROW 1 - Character Name]:
- Front view: [detailed description]
- 3/4 view: [description]
- Expression sheet: Neutral | Happy | Focused | Worried

[ROW 2 - Character Name]:
...

COLOR PALETTE:
- [Character 1]: [colors]
- [Character 2]: [colors]

White background, clear labels under each character.

Example: Turing Biography

# Character Definitions - The Imitation Game

**Style**: classic (Ligne Claire)
**Art Direction**: Clean lines, muted colors, period-accurate details

---

## Character 1: Alan Turing

**Role**: Protagonist
**Age**: 25-40 (varies across story)

**Appearance**:
- Face shape: Oval, slightly angular
- Hair: Dark brown, wavy, slightly disheveled
- Eyes: Deep-set, intense gaze
- Build: Tall, lean, slightly awkward posture
- Distinguishing features: Prominent brow, thoughtful expression

**Costume**:
- Default outfit: Tweed jacket with elbow patches, white shirt, no tie
- Color palette: Muted browns, navy blue, cream
- Accessories: Occasionally a pipe, papers/notebooks

**Expression Range**:
- Neutral: Thoughtful, slightly distant
- Happy/Excited: Eureka moment, eyes bright, subtle smile
- Thinking/Confused: Furrowed brow, looking at abstract space
- Determined: Jaw set, focused eyes

---

## Character 2: The Bombe Machine

**Role**: Supporting (anthropomorphized)
**Appearance**:
- Large brass and wood cabinet
- Dial "eyes" that can express states
- Paper tape "mouth"
- Indicator lights for emotions

**Expression Range**:
- Processing: Spinning dials, humming
- Success: Lights up warmly
- Stuck: Smoke wisps, stuttering

---

## Reference Sheet Prompt

Character reference sheet in Ligne Claire style, clean lines, flat colors:

TOP ROW - Alan Turing:
- Front view: Young man, 30s, short dark wavy hair, thoughtful expression, wearing tweed jacket with elbow patches, white shirt
- 3/4 view: Same character, slight smile, showing profile of nose
- Expression sheet: Neutral | Excited (eureka moment) | Focused (working) | Worried

BOTTOM ROW - The Bombe Machine (anthropomorphized):
- Bombe machine as character: Large, brass and wood, dial "eyes", paper tape "mouth"
- Expressions: Processing (spinning dials) | Success (lights up) | Stuck (smoke wisps)

COLOR PALETTE:
- Turing: Muted browns (#8B7355), navy blue (#2C3E50), cream (#F5F5DC)
- Machine: Brass (#B5A642), mahogany (#4E2728), emerald indicators (#2ECC71)

White background, clear labels under each character.

Handling Age Variants

For biographies spanning many years, define age variants:

## Alan Turing - Age Variants

### Young (1920s, age 10-18)
- Boyish features, round face
- School uniform (Sherborne)
- Curious, eager expression

### Adult (1930s-40s, age 25-35)
- Angular face, defined jaw
- Tweed jacket, rumpled appearance
- Intense, focused expression

### Later (1950s, age 40+)
- Slightly weathered
- More casual dress
- Thoughtful, sometimes melancholic

Best Practices

Why Character Reference Matters

Without unified character definition, AI generates inconsistent appearances. The reference sheet provides: 1. Visual anchors for consistent features 2. Color palettes for consistent coloring 3. Expression documentation for emotional portrayals

codex-imagegen Wrapper Invocation

Load this reference only when the Image Generation Tools rule has resolved to codex-imagegen — i.e., the current runtime exposes no native imagegen skill but codex CLI is on PATH with an active codex login.

Preferred path: route through baoyu-image-gen

If the baoyu-image-gen skill is available in this runtime, always invoke through it rather than calling the wrapper directly. It handles retry/cache/batch/EXTEND.md preferences uniformly with every other provider.

${BUN_X} <baoyu-image-gen-base>/scripts/main.ts \
  --provider codex-cli \
  --image <ABSOLUTE_output> \
  --promptfiles <ABSOLUTE_prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug].md> \
  --ar <ratio> \
  [--ref <ABSOLUTE_file>]...

Resolve <baoyu-image-gen-base> the same way you resolve any sibling skill — through your runtime's skill registry (Skill tool, plugin marketplace, or $HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-image-gen/).

Fallback: spawn the wrapper directly

Only when baoyu-image-gen is NOT installed in the current runtime. Discover the wrapper's location at runtime — do NOT hard-code ../../packages/... from this skill:

1. Honor explicit override: if $BAOYU_CODEX_IMAGEGEN_BIN is set and points to a real file, use that path. It may be .ts (spawn bun <path>) or .sh/binary (spawn directly). 2. Search the plugin root: walk up from this skill's directory looking for packages/baoyu-codex-imagegen/src/main.ts. If found, that is the wrapper. Spawn it with bun. 3. Last resort: tell the user that codex-imagegen is not available in this runtime and ask whether to install the baoyu-skills plugin (or set BAOYU_CODEX_IMAGEGEN_BIN) or pick another backend.

Once located, the invocation shape is:

bun <WRAPPER>/main.ts \
  --image <ABSOLUTE_output> \
  --prompt-file <ABSOLUTE_prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug].md> \
  --aspect <ratio> \
  [--ref <ABSOLUTE_file>]... \
  [--timeout <ms>] \
  [--cache-dir ~/.cache/baoyu-codex-imagegen] \
  [--log-file <ABSOLUTE_jsonl_log_path>]

If bun is missing, npx -y bun <WRAPPER>/main.ts ... works as a fallback.

Parameter notes

• All filesystem inputs are auto-resolved against process.cwd() when relative, but agents should pass absolute paths to be robust against cwd drift.
• `--timeout` defaults to 300000 (5 min) per codex exec attempt. Raise (e.g. --timeout 600000 for 10 min) on slow networks or large prompts.
• `--cache-dir` is off by default. Enable for repeatable runs to skip redundant generations of the same prompt+aspect+refs.
• Authentication: the wrapper uses the user's Codex subscription — no OPENAI_API_KEY is read or sent.

Stdout contract

Single JSON line:

• Success: {"status":"ok","path":"...","bytes":N,"elapsed_seconds":N,"thread_id":"...","attempts":N,"cached":bool,...}
• Failure: {"status":"error","path":"...","bytes":0,"error":"...","error_kind":"..."}

error_kind values: codex_not_installed, invalid_args, prompt_file_missing, spawn_failed, timeout, no_image_gen_tool_use, output_missing, invalid_png, agent_refused, lock_busy.

On retryable errors (timeout, spawn_failed, no_image_gen_tool_use, output_missing, invalid_png, agent_refused), ask the user whether to retry or fall back to another backend.

Batch semantics

• Codex image_gen returns one image per call (n=1 only). Multi-image jobs must dispatch one wrapper call per image.
• The wrapper does NOT accept a --sessionId flag. Chain/scene consistency must come from --ref reference images.
• --size and --quality are silently ignored — Codex picks pixel dimensions from --aspect.

First-Time Setup

Overview

When no EXTEND.md is found, guide user through preference setup.

⛔ BLOCKING OPERATION: This setup MUST complete before ANY other workflow steps. Do NOT:

• Ask about content/source material
• Ask about art style or tone
• Ask about layout preferences
• Proceed to content analysis

ONLY ask the questions in this setup flow, save EXTEND.md, then continue.

Setup Flow

No EXTEND.md found
        │
        ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│ AskUserQuestion     │
│ (all questions)     │
└─────────────────────┘
        │
        ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│ Create EXTEND.md    │
└─────────────────────┘
        │
        ▼
    Continue to Step 1

Questions

Language: Use user's input language or preferred language for all questions. Do not always use English.

Use single AskUserQuestion with multiple questions (AskUserQuestion auto-adds "Other" option):

Question 1: Watermark

header: "Watermark"
question: "Watermark text for generated comic pages? Type your watermark content (e.g., name, @handle)"
options:
  - label: "No watermark (Recommended)"
    description: "No watermark, can enable later in EXTEND.md"

Position defaults to bottom-right.

Question 2: Preferred Art Style

header: "Art"
question: "Default art style preference? Or type another style name"
options:
  - label: "Auto-select (Recommended)"
    description: "Auto-select based on content analysis"
  - label: "ligne-claire"
    description: "Uniform lines, flat colors, European comic (Tintin style)"
  - label: "manga"
    description: "Japanese manga style, expressive eyes and emotions"
  - label: "realistic"
    description: "Digital painting, sophisticated and professional"

Question 3: Preferred Tone

header: "Tone"
question: "Default tone/mood preference?"
options:
  - label: "Auto-select (Recommended)"
    description: "Auto-select based on content signals"
  - label: "neutral"
    description: "Balanced, rational, educational"
  - label: "warm"
    description: "Nostalgic, personal, comforting"
  - label: "dramatic"
    description: "High contrast, intense, powerful"

Question 4: Language

header: "Language"
question: "Output language for comic text?"
options:
  - label: "Auto-detect (Recommended)"
    description: "Match source content language"
  - label: "zh"
    description: "Chinese (中文)"
  - label: "en"
    description: "English"

Question 5: Save Location

header: "Save"
question: "Where to save preferences?"
options:
  - label: "Project"
    description: ".baoyu-skills/ (this project only)"
  - label: "User"
    description: "~/.baoyu-skills/ (all projects)"

Save Locations

After Setup

1. Create directory if needed 2. Write EXTEND.md with frontmatter 3. Confirm: "Preferences saved to [path]" 4. Continue to Step 1

EXTEND.md Template

---
version: 2
watermark:
  enabled: [true/false]
  content: "[user input or empty]"
  position: bottom-right
  opacity: 0.5
preferred_art: [selected art style or null]
preferred_tone: [selected tone or null]
preferred_layout: null
preferred_aspect: null
language: [selected or null]
preferred_image_backend: auto
generation_batch_size: 4
character_presets: []
---

preferred_image_backend: auto is the baked-in default — first-time setup does not ask about it. The ## Image Generation Tools rule in SKILL.md then picks the runtime-native tool (Codex imagegen, Hermes image_generate, etc.) when available, and falls back to installed backends.

generation_batch_size: 4 is the baked-in default for page batch rendering. The current user request may override it for one run.

Modifying Preferences Later

See the ## Changing Preferences section in SKILL.md for the canonical list of common edits (pin backend, change defaults, retrigger setup). Full schema: config/preferences-schema.md.

Preferences Schema

Full Schema

---
version: 2

watermark:
  enabled: false
  content: ""
  position: bottom-right  # bottom-right|bottom-left|bottom-center|top-right

preferred_art: null       # ligne-claire|manga|realistic|ink-brush|chalk|minimalist
preferred_tone: null      # neutral|warm|dramatic|romantic|energetic|vintage|action
preferred_layout: null    # standard|cinematic|dense|splash|mixed|webtoon|four-panel
preferred_aspect: null    # 3:4|4:3|16:9

language: null            # zh|en|ja|ko|auto

preferred_image_backend: auto  # auto|ask|<backend-id>

generation_batch_size: 4       # 1-8, used when backend/runtime supports batch or parallel page generation

character_presets:
  - name: my-characters
    roles:
      learner: "Name"
      mentor: "Name"
      challenge: "Name"
      support: "Name"
---

Field Reference

Art Style Options

Tone Options

Position Options

Character Preset Fields

Example: Minimal Preferences

---
version: 2
watermark:
  enabled: true
  content: "@myusername"
preferred_art: ligne-claire
preferred_tone: neutral
---

Example: Full Preferences

---
version: 2
watermark:
  enabled: true
  content: "@comicstudio"
  position: bottom-right

preferred_art: manga
preferred_tone: neutral

preferred_layout: webtoon

preferred_aspect: "3:4"

language: zh

preferred_image_backend: codex-imagegen

generation_batch_size: 4

character_presets:
  - name: tech-tutorial
    roles:
      learner: "小明"
      mentor: "教授"
      challenge: "难题怪"
      support: "小助手"
  - name: doraemon
    roles:
      learner: "大雄"
      mentor: "哆啦A梦"
      challenge: "胖虎"
      support: "静香"
---

Migration from v1

If you have a v1 preferences file with preferred_style, migrate as follows:

Watermark Guide

Position Diagram

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│                  [top-right]│ ← Avoid (conflicts with page numbers)
│                             │
│                             │
│       COMIC PAGE CONTENT    │
│                             │
│                             │
│[bottom-left][bottom-center][bottom-right]│
└─────────────────────────────┘

Position Recommendations

Content Format

Best Practices for Comics

1. Panel-aware placement: Avoid placing over speech bubbles or key action 2. Consistency: Use same watermark across all pages in comic 3. Size: Keep subtle - should not distract from storytelling 4. Style matching: Watermark style should complement comic's visual style 5. Webtoon special: Use bottom-center for vertical scroll format

Prompt Integration

When watermark is enabled, add to image generation prompt:

Include a subtle watermark "[content]" positioned at [position].
The watermark should be legible but not distracting from the comic panels
and storytelling. Ensure watermark does not overlap speech bubbles or key action.

Common Issues

cinematic

Wide panels, filmic feel

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 2-4
• Structure: Horizontal emphasis, wide aspect panels
• Gutters: Generous spacing (12-15px)

Grid Configuration

• 1-2 columns, horizontal emphasis
• Panel sizes: Wide aspect ratios (3:1, 4:1)
• Reading flow: Horizontal sweep, filmic rhythm

Best For

Establishing shots, dramatic moments, landscapes

Best Style Pairings

dramatic, classic, sepia

dense

Information-rich, educational focus

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 6-9
• Structure: Compact grid, smaller panels
• Gutters: Tight spacing (4-6px)

Grid Configuration

• 3 columns × 3 rows
• Panel sizes: Compact, uniform
• Reading flow: Rapid progression, information-rich

Best For

Technical explanations, complex narratives, timelines

Best Style Pairings

ohmsha, vibrant

four-panel

四格漫画 - Strict 2×2 grid, single-page story

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 4 (exactly, no variation)
• Structure: Strict 2×2 equal grid
• Gutters: Consistent white space (8-10px), uniform on all sides

Grid Configuration

• 2 columns × 2 rows, all panels identical size
• Panel sizes: Exactly equal (each panel = 25% of content area)
• Reading flow: Z-pattern — Panel 1 (top-left) → Panel 2 (top-right) → Panel 3 (bottom-left) → Panel 4 (bottom-right)

Narrative Structure

Each panel serves a specific narrative role (起承转合 / kishōtenketsu):

Aspect Ratio

• Recommended page aspect: 4:3 (landscape)
• Landscape gives each panel a comfortable wide rectangle
• Portrait (3:4) makes panels tall and narrow — avoid for this layout

Best For

Business allegory, quick-insight education, social media comics, fables, parables, single-concept explanation

Best Style Pairings

minimalist, ligne-claire, chalk

mixed

Dynamic, varied rhythm

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 3-7 (varies)
• Structure: Intentionally varied for pacing
• Gutters: Dynamic spacing

Grid Configuration

• Intentionally irregular
• Panel sizes: Varied for pacing and emphasis
• Reading flow: Guides eye through varied rhythm

Best For

Action sequences, emotional arcs, complex stories

Best Style Pairings

dramatic, vibrant, ohmsha

splash

Impact-focused, key moments

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 1-2 large + 2-3 small
• Structure: Dominant splash with supporting panels
• Gutters: Varied for emphasis

Grid Configuration

• 1 dominant panel + 2-3 supporting
• Panel sizes: 50-70% splash, remainder small
• Reading flow: Splash dominates, supporting panels accent

Best For

Revelations, breakthroughs, chapter openings

Best Style Pairings

dramatic, classic, vibrant

standard

Classic comic grid, versatile

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 4-6
• Structure: Regular grid with occasional variation
• Gutters: Consistent white space (8-10px)

Grid Configuration

• 2-3 columns × 2-3 rows
• Panel sizes: Mostly equal, occasional variation
• Reading flow: Left→right, top→bottom (Z-pattern)

Best For

Narrative flow, dialogue scenes

Best Style Pairings

classic, warm, sepia

webtoon

Vertical scrolling comic (竖版条漫)

Panel Structure

• Panels per page: 3-5 vertically stacked
• Structure: Single column, vertical flow optimized for scrolling
• Gutters: Generous vertical spacing (20-40px), panels often bleed horizontally

Grid Configuration

• Single column, vertical stack
• Panel sizes: Full width, variable height (1:1 to 1:2 aspect)
• Reading flow: Top→bottom continuous scroll

Special Features

• Panels can extend beyond frame for dramatic effect
• Generous whitespace between beats
• Character close-ups alternate with wide explanation panels
• "Float" effect - elements can exist between panels

Best For

Ohmsha-style tutorials, mobile reading, step-by-step guides

Best Style Pairings

ohmsha, vibrant

Ohmsha Manga Guide Style

Guidelines for --style ohmsha educational manga comics.

Character Setup

Custom characters: --characters "Student:小明,Mentor:教授,Antagonist:Bug怪"

Character Reference Sheet Style

For Ohmsha style, use manga/anime style with:

• Exaggerated expressions for educational clarity
• Simple, distinctive silhouettes
• Bright, saturated color palettes
• Chibi/SD (super-deformed) variants for comedic reactions

Outline Spec Block

Every ohmsha outline must start with:

【漫画规格单】
- Language: [Same as input content]
- Style: Ohmsha (Manga Guide), Full Color
- Layout: Vertical Scrolling Comic (竖版条漫)
- Characters: [List character names and roles]
- Character Reference: characters/characters.png
- Page Limit: ≤20 pages

Visual Metaphor Rules (Critical)

NEVER create "talking heads" panels. Every technical concept must become:

1. A tangible gadget/prop - Something characters can hold, use, demonstrate 2. An action scene - Characters doing something that illustrates the concept 3. A visual environment - Stepping into a metaphorical space

Examples

Page Title Convention

Avoid AI-style "Title: Subtitle" format. Use narrative descriptions:

• ❌ "Page 3: Introduction to Neural Networks"
• ✓ "Page 3: 大雄被海量单词淹没，哆啦A梦拿出'词向量压缩机'"

Ending Requirements

• NO generic endings ("What will you choose?", "Thanks for reading")
• End with: Technical summary moment OR character achieving a small goal
• Final panel: Sense of accomplishment, not open-ended question

Good Endings

• Student successfully applies learned concept
• Visual callback to opening problem, now solved
• Mentor gives summary while student demonstrates understanding

Bad Endings

• "What do you think?" open questions
• "Thanks for reading this tutorial"
• Cliffhanger without resolution

Layout Preference

Ohmsha style typically uses:

• webtoon (vertical scrolling) - Primary choice
• dense - For information-heavy sections
• mixed - For varied pacing

Avoid cinematic and splash for educational content.

Partial Workflows

Options to run specific parts of the workflow.

Options Summary

---

Using --storyboard-only

Generate storyboard and characters without prompts or images:

/baoyu-comic content.md --storyboard-only

Workflow: Steps 1-3 only (stop after storyboard + characters)

Output:

• analysis.md
• storyboard.md
• characters/characters.md

Use case: Review and edit the storyboard before generating images. Useful for:

• Getting feedback on the narrative structure
• Making manual adjustments to panel layouts
• Defining custom characters

---

Using --prompts-only

Generate storyboard, characters, and prompts without images:

/baoyu-comic content.md --prompts-only

Workflow: Steps 1-5 (generate prompts, skip images)

Output:

• analysis.md
• storyboard.md
• characters/characters.md
• prompts/*.md

Use case: Review and edit prompts before image generation. Useful for:

• Fine-tuning image generation prompts
• Ensuring visual consistency before committing to generation
• Making style adjustments at the prompt level

---

Using --images-only

Generate images from existing prompts (starts at Step 7):

/baoyu-comic comic/topic-slug/ --images-only

Workflow: Skip to Step 7, then 8-9

Prerequisites (must exist in directory):

• prompts/ directory with page prompt files
• storyboard.md with style information
• characters/characters.md with character definitions

Output:

• characters/characters.png (if not exists)
• NN-{cover|page}-[slug].png images
• {topic-slug}.pdf

Use case: Re-generate images after editing prompts. Useful for:

• Recovering from failed image generation
• Trying different image generation settings
• Regenerating after manual prompt edits

---

Using --regenerate

Regenerate specific pages only:

# Single page
/baoyu-comic comic/topic-slug/ --regenerate 3

# Multiple pages
/baoyu-comic comic/topic-slug/ --regenerate 2,5,8

# Cover page
/baoyu-comic comic/topic-slug/ --regenerate 0

Workflow: 1. Read existing prompts for specified pages 2. Regenerate images only for those pages 3. Regenerate PDF

Prerequisites (must exist):

• prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug].md for specified pages
• characters/characters.png (for reference)

Output:

• Regenerated NN-{cover|page}-[slug].png for specified pages
• Updated {topic-slug}.pdf

Use case: Fix specific pages without regenerating entire comic. Useful for:

• Fixing a single problematic page
• Iterating on specific visuals
• Regenerating pages after prompt edits

Page numbering:

• 0 = Cover page
• 1-N = Content pages

concept-story

概念故事预设 - Narrative comics that visualize abstract concepts through character-driven stories

Base Configuration

Equivalent to: --art manga --tone warm

Unique Rules

This preset includes special rules beyond the art+tone combination. When --style concept-story is used, ALL rules below must be applied.

Concept Visualization System (CRITICAL)

Each major abstract concept SHOULD have a recurring visual symbol/metaphor:

Unlike ohmsha: Dialogue panels are allowed and expected. The goal is to COMBINE visual metaphors WITH dialogue, not replace dialogue entirely.

Pattern: "Dialogue introduces idea" → "Visual metaphor illustrates it" → "Character reacts/applies it"

Visual Symbol Continuity

Symbols must persist across the story:

Storyboard requirement: Include a Symbol Mapping Table defining concept → visual symbol before panel breakdown.

Character Archetypes (Flexible)

Create original characters based on content domain. No fixed defaults:

IMPORTANT: Characters are created fresh each time based on the source content's domain (business, psychology, education, etc.). No default character set.

Narrative Arc Structure

Enforce a five-stage growth arc:

Dialogue + Action Balance

• Dialogue is encouraged and expected (unlike ohmsha's NO talking heads rule)
• Every page should combine at least one dialogue panel with at least one visual/action panel
• Avoid pure "lecture" pages where a character explains for 4+ panels straight
• When a character explains a concept verbally, the NEXT panel should visualize it

Wrong approach: Four consecutive panels of mentor lecturing at protagonist Right approach: Mentor introduces concept → visual metaphor panel → protagonist reacts → applies understanding

Scene Atmosphere Rules

Ending Requirements

Final page MUST include:

1. Protagonist demonstrating transformed understanding (not just being told) 2. Visual callback showing contrast with opening state (e.g., wilted plant → thriving plant) 3. All concept symbols visible together in the composition 4. A forward-looking element suggesting ongoing growth (not a closed ending)

Page Title Convention

Every page MUST have a narrative title:

Wrong: "Chapter 3: Self-Determination Theory" Right: "The Day Xiao Ming Found His Own Engine"

Quality Markers

• ✓ Each major concept has a recurring visual symbol
• ✓ Dialogue and visual metaphors work together (not one replacing the other)
• ✓ Clear growth arc from problem to transformation
• ✓ Original characters suited to the content domain
• ✓ Warm, professional atmosphere throughout
• ✓ Visual symbols recur and accumulate through the story
• ✓ Final page integrates all concept symbols with transformation callback

Best For

Psychology concepts, business/management principles, motivation theory, personal development, self-help content, leadership frameworks, coaching narratives, soft skill education, abstract concept explanation through character-driven stories

four-panel

四格漫画预设 - Minimalist four-panel business allegory comics

Base Configuration

Equivalent to: --art minimalist --tone neutral --layout four-panel --aspect 4:3

Unique Rules

This preset includes special rules beyond the art+tone combination. When --style four-panel is used, ALL rules below must be applied.

起承转合 Narrative Structure (CRITICAL)

Every comic MUST follow the four-panel 起承转合 structure:

CRITICAL: Do NOT deviate from exactly 4 panels. No 5th panel, no title panel, no footer panel within the image.

Single-Page Story Rule (CRITICAL)

• The entire story is told in ONE page with exactly 4 panels
• Page count: always 1 (plus optional cover)
• No multi-page four-panel stories — if content requires more, create multiple separate four-panel comics
• Storyboard structure: Cover (optional) + 1 page

Accent Color System

• The image is primarily black-and-white line art
• Use exactly 1-2 spot colors per strip (default: orange #FF6B35)
• Rules:
• Key concept label or object: filled with accent color or outlined in accent
• Panel 3 (转 Turn) should have the strongest color emphasis
• Characters remain B&W — color is for concepts/objects/labels only
• Consistent accent color across all 4 panels (do not switch colors between panels)

Character Design Rules

• Simplified stick-figure-like characters
• Distinguish characters through simple props: ties, glasses, hats, briefcases, aprons
• No detailed faces — dot eyes, line mouth at most
• Characters should be generic enough to represent archetypes (the manager, the employee, the customer)
• Maximum 2-3 characters per strip

Text in Panels

• Chinese text for dialogue and labels (or match source language)
• Keep text minimal — 1-2 short lines per panel maximum
• Key concept terms can be highlighted with accent color background
• No narrator boxes — dialogue and labels only
• Speech bubbles: simple rectangles or ovals, thin black outline

Optional Title & Caption

• A brief descriptive title above the 4 panels
• An optional one-line caption/moral below the panels
• These are part of the page composition, not separate panels

Character Archetypes (Flexible)

Create simple stick-figure characters based on content. No fixed defaults:

Prompt Template

When generating image prompts for four-panel comics, include these keywords:

A minimalist, clean line art digital comic strip in a four-panel grid layout (2×2). The style is simplified cartoon illustration with clear black outlines and a minimal color palette of black, white, and specific spot [accent color] for key concepts.

Each panel description should specify:

• Panel position (Top Left / Top Right / Bottom Left / Bottom Right)
• Character poses and gestures (simple, stick-figure style)
• Dialogue text in Chinese (hand-drawn style)
• Any accent-colored elements (concept labels, key objects)

Quality Markers

• ✓ Exactly 4 panels in strict 2×2 grid
• ✓ 起承转合 narrative arc clearly present
• ✓ 90%+ black-and-white with strategic spot color
• ✓ Simplified stick-figure characters
• ✓ Key concept visually highlighted with accent color
• ✓ Text is minimal and in Chinese (or source language)
• ✓ Single complete story in one page
• ✓ Panel 3 delivers a clear "turn" or insight

Best For

Business allegory, management fables, short insights, workplace parables, concept contrasts, social media educational content, quick-read comics

ohmsha

Ohmsha预设 - Educational manga with visual metaphors

Base Configuration

Equivalent to: --art manga --tone neutral

Unique Rules

This preset includes special rules beyond the art+tone combination. When --style ohmsha is used, ALL rules below must be applied.

Visual Metaphor Requirements (CRITICAL)

Every technical concept MUST be visualized as a metaphor:

Wrong approach: Character points at blackboard explaining Right approach: Character uses "Concept Visualizer" gadget, steps into metaphorical space

Visual Metaphor Examples

Character Roles (Required)

DEFAULT: Use Doraemon characters unless user explicitly specifies --characters or has character presets in EXTEND.md.

IMPORTANT: These Doraemon characters ARE the default for ohmsha preset. Generate character definitions using these exact characters unless user requests otherwise.

To use custom characters: --characters "Student:小明,Mentor:教授" or define in EXTEND.md.

Page Title Convention

Every page MUST have a narrative title (not section header):

Wrong: "Chapter 1: Introduction to Transformers" Right: "The Day Nobita Couldn't Understand Anyone"

Gadget Reveal Pattern

When introducing a concept:

1. Student expresses confusion with visual indicator (？, spiral eyes) 2. Mentor dramatically produces gadget with sparkle effects 3. Gadget name announced in bold with explanation 4. Demonstration begins - student enters metaphorical space

Ending Requirements

Final page MUST include:

1. Student demonstrating understanding (applying the concept) 2. Callback to opening problem (now resolved) 3. Mentor's satisfied expression 4. Optional: hint at next topic

NO Talking Heads Rule

Critical: Characters must DO things, not just explain.

Every panel should show:

• Action being performed
• Metaphor being demonstrated
• Character interaction with concept-space
• NOT: two characters facing each other talking

Special Visual Elements

Quality Markers

• ✓ Every concept is a visual metaphor
• ✓ Characters are DOING things, not just talking
• ✓ Clear student/mentor dynamic
• ✓ Gadgets and props drive the explanation
• ✓ Expressive manga-style emotions
• ✓ Information density through visual design, not text walls
• ✓ Narrative page titles

Reference

For complete guidelines, see references/ohmsha-guide.md

shoujo

少女预设 - Classic shoujo manga with romantic aesthetics

Base Configuration

Equivalent to: --art manga --tone romantic

Unique Rules

This preset includes special rules beyond the art+tone combination. When --style shoujo is used, ALL rules below must be applied.

Decorative Elements (Required)

Every emotional moment must include decorative elements:

Eye Detail Requirements

Eyes are critical in shoujo style:

Character Beauty Standards

Background Effects

Abstract backgrounds for emotional moments:

Panel Flow

• Overlap panels for intimate moments
• Break panel borders for emotional impact
• Float decorative elements between panels
• Use screen tone gradients for mood
• Irregular panel shapes for drama

Emotional Beat Timing

Slow down pacing for emotional impact:

Color Palette Application

Screen Tone Usage

Quality Markers

• ✓ Large, sparkling detailed eyes
• ✓ Decorative elements in emotional moments
• ✓ Flowing, beautiful character designs
• ✓ Soft, pastel color palette
• ✓ Elegant panel compositions
• ✓ Screen tone mood effects
• ✓ Romantic atmosphere throughout
• ✓ Beautiful, expressive poses

Best For

Romance stories, coming-of-age, friendship narratives, school life, emotional drama, love stories

wuxia

武侠预设 - Hong Kong martial arts comic style

Base Configuration

Equivalent to: --art ink-brush --tone action

Unique Rules

This preset includes special rules beyond the art+tone combination. When --style wuxia is used, ALL rules below must be applied.

Qi/Energy Effects (Required)

Martial arts power must be visible through qi effects:

Energy Colors

Combat Visual Language

Impact moments must include:

1. Speed lines radiating from impact point 2. Flying debris (stone, wood, cloth) 3. Shockwave rings 4. Dust/energy clouds 5. Hair and clothing blown back

Movement Depiction

Environmental Integration

Backgrounds must support action:

Character Pose Guidelines

• Dynamic warrior stances with weight distribution
• Flowing robes and hair showing movement
• Muscle tension visible in action
• Feet planted or in dynamic motion
• Traditional martial arts postures

Weapon Effects

Atmospheric Elements

Always include:

• Floating particles (leaves, petals, dust)
• Ink wash mist for depth
• Wind direction indicators
• Dramatic sky/weather when appropriate

Quality Markers

• ✓ Dynamic action poses with sense of motion
• ✓ Ink brush aesthetic in line work
• ✓ Visible qi/energy effects
• ✓ High contrast dramatic lighting
• ✓ Atmospheric backgrounds with Chinese elements
• ✓ Flowing fabric and hair movement
• ✓ Impactful combat moments
• ✓ Speed lines and impact effects

Best For

Martial arts stories, Chinese historical fiction, wuxia/xianxia adaptations, action-heavy narratives

Storyboard Template

Storyboard Document Format

---
title: "[Comic Title]"
topic: "[topic description]"
time_span: "[e.g., 1912-1954]"
narrative_approach: "[chronological/thematic/character-focused]"
recommended_style: "[style name]"
recommended_layout: "[layout name or varies]"
aspect_ratio: "3:4"    # 3:4 (portrait), 4:3 (landscape), 16:9 (widescreen)
language: "[zh/en/ja/etc.]"
page_count: [N]
generated: "YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm"
---

# [Comic Title] - Knowledge Comic Storyboard

**Character Reference**: characters/characters.png

---

## Cover

**Filename**: 00-cover-[slug].png
**Core Message**: [one-liner]

**Visual Design**:
- Title typography style
- Main visual composition
- Color scheme
- Subtitle / time span notation

**Visual Prompt**:
[Detailed image generation prompt]

---

## Page 1 / N

**Filename**: 01-page-[slug].png
**Layout**: [standard/cinematic/dense/splash/mixed]
**Narrative Layer**: [Main narrative / Narrator layer / Mixed]
**Core Message**: [What this page conveys]

### Panel Layout

**Panel Count**: X
**Layout Type**: [grid/irregular/splash]

#### Panel 1 (Size: 1/3 page, Position: Top)

**Scene**: [Time, location]
**Image Description**:
- Camera angle: [bird's eye / low angle / eye level / close-up / wide shot]
- Characters: [pose, expression, action]
- Environment: [scene details, period markers]
- Lighting: [atmosphere description]
- Color tone: [palette reference]

**Text Elements**:
- Dialogue bubble (oval): "Character line"
- Narrator box (rectangular): 「Narrator commentary」
- Caption bar: [Background info text]

#### Panel 2...

**Page Hook**: [Cliffhanger or transition at page end]

**Visual Prompt**:
[Full page image generation prompt]

---

## Page 2 / N
...

Cover Design Principles

• Academic gravitas with visual appeal
• Title typography reflecting knowledge/science theme
• Composition hinting at core theme (character silhouette, iconic symbol, concept diagram)
• Subtitle or time span for epic scope

Panel Composition Guidelines

Panel Size Reference

• Full page (Splash): Major moments, key breakthroughs
• Half page: Important scenes, turning points
• 1/3 page: Standard narrative panels
• 1/4 or smaller: Quick progression, sequential action

Concept Visualization Techniques

Transform abstract concepts into concrete visuals:

Text Element Design

Prompt Structure for Consistency

Each page prompt should include character reference:

[CHARACTER REFERENCE]
(Key details from characters.md for characters in this page)

[PAGE CONTENT]
(Specific scene, panel layout, and visual elements)

[CONSISTENCY REMINDER]
Maintain exact character appearances as defined in character reference.
- [Character A]: [key identifying features]
- [Character B]: [key identifying features]

action

动作基调 - Speed, impact, power

Overview

High-impact action atmosphere with dynamic movement, combat effects, and powerful visual energy. Creates visceral, exciting sequences.

Mood Characteristics

• Speed and motion
• Power and impact
• Combat intensity
• Physical energy
• Visceral excitement

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Action Effects

Combat/motion effects (apply liberally):

Special Effects

Effect Colors

Lighting

• Dynamic, shifting
• Impact flashes
• Energy glow sources
• Rim lighting on figures
• Dramatic contrast

Emotional Range

Composition

• Dynamic angles
• Extreme perspectives
• Panel-breaking layouts
• Asymmetric designs
• Impact-focused framing

Pose Guidelines

• Dynamic warrior poses
• Weight and momentum visible
• Muscle tension shown
• Flow of movement captured
• Impact points emphasized

Best For

• Martial arts combat
• Action sequences
• Sports moments
• Physical challenges
• Battle scenes
• Climactic confrontations

Combination Notes

Works especially well with:

• ink-brush: wuxia combat
• manga: shonen battles

Avoid with:

• chalk: style mismatch
• ligne-claire: style mismatch (too static)

dramatic

戏剧基调 - High contrast, intense, powerful moments

Overview

High-impact dramatic tone for pivotal moments, conflicts, and breakthroughs. Uses strong contrast and intense compositions to create emotional power.

Mood Characteristics

• Tension and intensity
• Pivotal moments
• Conflict and resolution
• Breakthrough discoveries
• Emotional climaxes

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Contrast Approach

• Sharp light/dark divisions
• Minimal mid-tones
• Stark compositions
• Silhouette potential
• Rim lighting effects

Accent Colors

• Deep navy (#1A365D)
• Crimson (#9B2C2C)
• Stark white
• Heavy blacks
• Limited palette per scene

Lighting

• Dramatic single-source
• High contrast shadows
• Rim lighting on characters
• Spotlight effects
• Chiaroscuro influence

Emotional Range

Composition

• Angular, dynamic layouts
• Dramatic camera angles
• Low/high viewpoints
• Diagonal compositions
• Negative space for impact

Visual Elements

• Speed lines for tension
• Impact effects
• Dramatic backgrounds (storms, fire)
• Silhouettes
• Light burst effects
• Environmental drama

Best For

• Pivotal discoveries
• Conflict scenes
• Climactic moments
• Breakthrough realizations
• Emotional confrontations
• Historical turning points

Combination Notes

Works especially well with:

• realistic: powerful drama
• ink-brush: martial arts climax
• ligne-claire: historical pivots
• manga: shonen battles

Avoid with: chalk (style mismatch)

energetic

活力基调 - Bright, dynamic, exciting

Overview

High-energy atmosphere for exciting, discovery-filled content. Bright colors, dynamic compositions, and movement create engaging visuals for younger audiences.

Mood Characteristics

• Excitement and wonder
• Discovery and learning
• Energy and enthusiasm
• Movement and action
• Youthful spirit

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Color Palette

Shift toward vibrant tones:

Lighting

• Bright, clear lighting
• Clean shadows
• High energy
• Spotlight effects for emphasis
• Dynamic light sources

Dynamic Elements

Energy effects (add to compositions):

Emotional Range

Composition

• Dynamic angles
• Action-oriented layouts
• Movement emphasis
• Clean, punchy designs
• Energy flows

Visual Style

• Expressive, animated characters
• Wide eyes, big reactions
• Dynamic poses
• Motion and action focus
• Simplified backgrounds for energy

Best For

• Science explanations
• "Aha" moments
• Young audience content
• Discovery narratives
• Learning adventures
• Action tutorials

Combination Notes

Works especially well with:

• manga: shonen energy
• chalk: fun education

Avoid with:

• realistic: style mismatch
• ink-brush: style mismatch

neutral

中性基调 - Balanced, rational, educational

Overview

Default balanced tone suitable for educational and informative content. Neither overly emotional nor cold - creates accessible, professional atmosphere.

Mood Characteristics

• Balanced emotional register
• Clear, rational presentation
• Educational focus
• Professional but approachable
• Objective storytelling

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Lighting

• Even, clear lighting
• Minimal dramatic shadows
• Consistent across panels
• Natural light sources
• No extreme contrast

Emotional Range

Composition

• Balanced panel layouts
• Clear focal points
• Readable hierarchies
• Standard framing
• Functional compositions

Best For

• Educational content
• Technical tutorials
• Informative biographies
• Documentary style
• Professional topics

Usage Notes

Neutral is the default tone. Combine with any art style for baseline professional output. Most versatile tone option.

romantic

浪漫基调 - Soft, beautiful, emotionally delicate

Overview

Soft, dreamy atmosphere for romantic and emotionally delicate content. Features decorative elements, sparkles, and beautiful compositions that emphasize feeling and beauty.

Mood Characteristics

• Romance and love
• Beauty and elegance
• Emotional delicacy
• Dreams and hopes
• Youth and idealism

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Color Palette

Shift toward romantic tones:

Lighting

• Soft, diffused light
• Glowing effects
• Backlighting halos
• Sparkle highlights
• Dreamy atmospheres

Decorative Elements

Essential decorations (add to compositions):

Emotional Range

Composition

• Elegant, flowing layouts
• Soft focus backgrounds
• Characters framed by decorations
• Beautiful angles (3/4 profiles)
• Screen tone gradients

Best For

• Romance stories
• Coming-of-age
• Friendship narratives
• Emotional drama
• School life
• Beautiful moments

Combination Notes

Works especially well with:

• manga: classic shoujo style

Avoid with:

• realistic: style mismatch
• ink-brush: style mismatch
• ligne-claire: style mismatch
• chalk: style mismatch

vintage

复古基调 - Historical, aged, period authenticity

Overview

Historical atmosphere with aged paper effects and period-appropriate aesthetics. Creates sense of time, authenticity, and historical distance.

Mood Characteristics

• Historical authenticity
• Period distance
• Archival quality
• Time and memory
• Classical elegance

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Color Palette

Shift toward aged tones:

Visual Effects

Aging effects (apply subtly):

Period Elements

• Historical typography
• Period-accurate details
• Archival presentation
• Classical compositions
• Formal framing

Lighting

• Natural, period-appropriate
• Oil lamp/candle warmth
• Soft, diffused light
• Indoor historical lighting
• Photographic quality

Emotional Range

Composition

• Classical framing
• Formal compositions
• Period-appropriate staging
• Documentary style
• Historical accuracy priority

Best For

• Pre-1950s stories
• Classical science history
• Historical biographies
• Period pieces
• Documentary comics
• Archival narratives

Combination Notes

Works especially well with:

• realistic: period drama
• ligne-claire: historical adventure
• ink-brush: classical Asian stories

Avoid with:

• manga: style mismatch (too modern)
• chalk: style mismatch (modern educational)

warm

温馨基调 - Nostalgic, personal, comforting

Overview

Warm, inviting atmosphere for personal stories and nostalgic content. Creates emotional connection through cozy aesthetics and comforting visuals.

Mood Characteristics

• Nostalgic feeling
• Personal, intimate atmosphere
• Comforting and healing
• Memory and reflection
• Gentle emotional warmth

Color Modifiers

When applied to any art style:

Color Temperature

Shift palette toward warm tones:

Accent Colors

• Golden yellow (#D69E2E)
• Soft orange (#DD6B20)
• Warm brown (#8B6F47)
• Sunset tones

Lighting

• Golden hour lighting
• Soft, diffused light
• Warm indoor glow
• Candle/lamp warmth
• Gentle shadows

Emotional Range

Composition

• Intimate framing
• Cozy environments
• Soft focus backgrounds
• Welcoming spaces
• Personal moments highlighted

Visual Elements

• Warm light rays
• Soft edges
• Nostalgic props (old photos, keepsakes)
• Comfort objects (blankets, tea cups)
• Nature elements (autumn leaves, sunset)

Best For

• Personal stories
• Childhood memories
• Mentorship narratives
• Family histories
• Gentle biographies
• Healing journeys

Combination Notes

Works especially well with:

• ligne-claire: nostalgic European comics
• realistic: touching human stories
• manga: slice-of-life warmth
• chalk: nostalgic education