Scientific Schematics
Install this when you need journal-ready scientific figures—vector formats, DPI rules, and accessibility—not informal slides or JPEG exports.
Overview
Scientific-schematics is an agent skill most often used in Build (also Launch, Grow) that applies publication standards and accessibility rules for creating journal-quality scientific diagrams and export formats.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/k-dense-ai/scientific-agent-skills --skill scientific-schematicsWhat is this skill?
- Publication file-format matrix: preferred PDF, EPS, SVG vectors; TIFF and PNG raster when needed
- Explicit never-use list for JPEG, GIF, and BMP in scientific diagrams
- Minimum 300 DPI at final print size for accepted raster figures
- Accessibility and journal-compliance framing for line drawings, flowcharts, and block diagrams
- LaTeX-oriented guidance for PDF vector workflows
- Minimum 300 DPI at final print size for raster figures
- Never-use guidance explicitly lists JPEG, GIF, and BMP for scientific diagrams
- Vector preference covers PDF, EPS, and SVG with distinct use-case notes
Adoption & trust: 643 installs on skills.sh; 27.6k GitHub stars; 2/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You are exporting scientific figures but journals reject JPEG artifacts, wrong DPI, or non-vector line art—and you lack a checklist for acceptable formats.
Who is it for?
Solo scientists, ML researchers, and indie devs publishing papers or technical reports with flowcharts, block diagrams, or mixed raster-vector figures.
Skip if: Pure UI mockups for consumer apps, social media graphics, or teams that only need informal whiteboard snapshots without publication constraints.
When should I use this skill?
When creating or exporting scientific diagrams, flowcharts, block diagrams, or mixed raster-vector figures for publication or rigorous documentation.
What do I get? / Deliverables
Your agent applies a clear format and quality standard so diagrams use vector PDF/EPS/SVG when appropriate, raster TIFF/PNG at 300 DPI when necessary, and avoid disallowed formats.
- Format-selected figure exports meeting vector or 300 DPI raster rules
- Accessibility-aware diagram composition guidance
- Checklist-aligned assets ready for manuscript or supplementary upload
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Figure preparation usually happens while writing papers, repos, or product science content during Build, but the same standards apply when polishing for Launch-style publication or Grow-style explainers. Docs captures procedural publication guidance for diagrams that accompany manuscripts, repos, and supplementary materials rather than live app monitoring or SEO pages.
Where it fits
Choose PDF vector exports for a methods flowchart embedded in your paper’s LaTeX build.
Plan SVG or PNG supplementary figures for an open-source ML repo README without using JPEG line art.
Finalize conference poster assets with TIFF at print DPI instead of compressed social images.
Refresh long-form technical blog diagrams to vector-first formats for crisp scaling.
How it compares
Use as a publication-compliance checklist for figures—not as a generative art skill or a slide-deck beautifier.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is scientific-schematics for?
Researchers and technical solo builders preparing figures for journals, conferences, grants, or rigorous open-source documentation who need format and accessibility guardrails.
When should I use scientific-schematics?
Use it in Build while writing repo or manuscript figures; at Launch when finalizing submission assets; and in Grow when upgrading explainers or blog diagrams to publication-quality exports.
Is scientific-schematics safe to install?
It is primarily editorial guidance—review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page like any installed skill, but it does not inherently require shell or secret access to deliver value.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Scientific Schematics
# Best Practices for Scientific Diagrams ## Overview This guide provides publication standards, accessibility guidelines, and best practices for creating high-quality scientific diagrams that meet journal requirements and communicate effectively to all readers. ## Publication Standards ### 1. File Format Requirements **Vector Formats (Preferred)** - **PDF**: Universal acceptance, preserves quality, works with LaTeX - Use for: Line drawings, flowcharts, block diagrams, circuit diagrams - Advantages: Scalable, small file size, embeds fonts - Standard for LaTeX workflows - **EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)**: Legacy format, still accepted - Use for: Older publishing systems - Compatible with most journals - Can be converted from PDF - **SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)**: Web-friendly, increasingly accepted - Use for: Online publications, interactive figures - Can be edited in vector graphics software - Not all journals accept SVG **Raster Formats (When Necessary)** - **TIFF**: Professional standard for raster graphics - Use for: Microscopy images, photographs combined with diagrams - Minimum 300 DPI at final print size - Lossless compression (LZW) - **PNG**: Web-friendly, lossless compression - Use for: Online supplementary materials, presentations - Minimum 300 DPI for print - Supports transparency **Never Use** - **JPEG**: Lossy compression creates artifacts in diagrams - **GIF**: Limited colors, inappropriate for scientific figures - **BMP**: Uncompressed, unnecessarily large files ### 2. Resolution Requirements **Vector Graphics** - Infinite resolution (scalable) - **Recommended**: Always use vector when possible **Raster Graphics (when vector not possible)** - **Publication quality**: 300-600 DPI - **Line art**: 600-1200 DPI - **Web/screen**: 150 DPI acceptable - **Never**: Below 300 DPI for print **Calculating DPI** ``` DPI = pixels / (inches at final size) Example: Image size: 2400 × 1800 pixels Final print size: 8 × 6 inches DPI = 2400 / 8 = 300 ✓ (acceptable) ``` ### 3. Size and Dimensions **Journal-Specific Column Widths** - **Nature**: Single column 89 mm (3.5 in), Double 183 mm (7.2 in) - **Science**: Single column 55 mm (2.17 in), Double 120 mm (4.72 in) - **Cell**: Single column 85 mm (3.35 in), Double 178 mm (7 in) - **PLOS**: Single column 83 mm (3.27 in), Double 173 mm (6.83 in) - **IEEE**: Single column 3.5 in, Double 7.16 in **Best Practices** - Design at final print size (avoid scaling) - Use journal templates when available - Allow margins for cropping - Test appearance at final size before submission ### 4. Typography Standards **Font Selection** - **Recommended**: Arial, Helvetica, Calibri (sans-serif) - **Acceptable**: Times New Roman (serif) for mathematics-heavy - **Avoid**: Decorative fonts, script fonts, system fonts that may not embed **Font Sizes (at final print size)** - **Minimum**: 6-7 pt (journal dependent) - **Axis labels**: 8-9 pt - **Figure labels**: 10-12 pt - **Panel labels (A, B, C)**: 10-14 pt, bold - **Main text**: Should match manuscript body text **Text Clarity** - Use sentence case: "Time (seconds)" not "TIME (SECONDS)" - Include units in parentheses: "Temperature (°C)" - Spell out abbreviations in figure caption - Avoid rotated text when possible (exception: y-axis labels) - **No figure numbers in diagram** - do not include "Figure 1:", "Fig. 1", etc. (these are added by LaTeX/document) ### 5. Line Weights and Strokes **Recommended Line Widths** - **Diagram outlines**: 0.5-1.0 pt - **Connection lines/arrows**: 1.0-2.0 pt - **Emphasis elements**: 2.0-3.0 pt - **Minimum visible**: 0.25 pt at final size **Consistency** - Use same line weight for similar elements - Vary line weight to show hierarchy - Avoid hairline rules (too thin to print reliably) ## Accessibility and Colorblindness ### 1. Colorblind-Safe Palettes **Okabe-Ito Palette (Recommended)** Most distinguishable by all types of colorblindness: ```latex % RGB values Orange: