Baoyu Article Illustrator

Article Illustrator

Adapted from baoyu-article-illustrator for Hermes Agent's tool ecosystem.

Analyze articles, identify illustration positions, generate images with Type × Style × Palette consistency.

When to Use

Trigger this skill when the user asks to illustrate an article, add images to an article, generate illustrations for content, or uses phrases like "为文章配图", "illustrate article", or "add images". The user provides an article (file path or pasted content) and optionally specifies type, style, palette, or density.

Three Dimensions

Combine freely: type=infographic, style=vector-illustration, palette=macaron.

Or use presets: edu-visual → type + style + palette in one shot. See style-presets.md.

Types

Styles

See references/styles.md for Core Styles, the full gallery, and Type × Style compatibility.

Output Structure

{output-dir}/
├── source-{slug}.{ext}    # Only for pasted content
├── outline.md
├── prompts/
│   └── NN-{type}-{slug}.md
└── NN-{type}-{slug}.png

Default output directory:

If the user asks for a different layout (e.g., images alongside the article, or a illustrations/ subdirectory), honor that.

Slug: 2-4 words, kebab-case. Conflict: append -YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.

Core Principles

• Visualize concepts, not metaphors — if the article uses a metaphor (e.g., "电锯切西瓜"), illustrate the underlying concept, not the literal image.
• Labels use article data — actual numbers, terms, and quotes from the article, not generic placeholders.
• Prompt files are reproducibility records — every illustration must have a saved prompt file under prompts/ before any image is generated.
• Strip secrets — scan source content for API keys, tokens, or credentials before writing anything to disk.

Workflow

- [ ] Step 1: Detect reference images (if provided)
- [ ] Step 2: Analyze content
- [ ] Step 3: Confirm settings (clarify tool, one question at a time)
- [ ] Step 4: Generate outline
- [ ] Step 5: Generate prompts
- [ ] Step 6: Generate images (image_generate)
- [ ] Step 7: Finalize

Step 1: Detect Reference Images

If the user supplies reference images (paths pasted inline, attachments, or a URL):

1. For each reference, call vision_analyze with the path/URL and a question asking for style, palette, composition, and subject. Record the returned description in {output-dir}/references/NN-ref-{slug}.md via write_file. 2. Do not try to copy the binary via write_file / read_file — those are text-only. If you want a local copy for the record, use terminal (cp "$src" "{output-dir}/references/NN-ref-{slug}.{ext}"). The skill itself never needs to read the binary; it works off the vision description. 3. Since image_generate doesn't take image inputs, the vision description is what gets embedded in prompts during Step 5.

Full procedures: references/workflow.md.

Step 2: Analyze

Read source (file path → read_file, or pasted text) and write the analysis to {output-dir}/analysis.md using write_file.

Full procedures: references/workflow.md.

Step 3: Confirm Settings

Use the clarify tool. Since clarify handles one question at a time, ask the most important question first. Skip any question whose answer is already present in the user's request.

Don't ask more than 2-3 clarify questions in a row. If the user already specified these in their request, skip entirely.

Full procedures: references/workflow.md.

Step 4: Generate Outline → outline.md

Save {output-dir}/outline.md using write_file with frontmatter (type, density, style, palette, image_count) and one entry per illustration:

## Illustration 1
**Position**: [section/paragraph]
**Purpose**: [why]
**Visual Content**: [what to show]
**Filename**: 01-infographic-concept-name.png

Full template: references/workflow.md.

Step 5: Generate Prompts

BLOCKING: Every illustration must have a saved prompt file before any image is generated — the prompt file is the reproducibility record.

For each illustration:

1. Create a prompt file per references/prompt-construction.md. 2. Save to {output-dir}/prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md using write_file with YAML frontmatter. 3. Prompts MUST use type-specific templates with structured sections (ZONES / LABELS / COLORS / STYLE / ASPECT). 4. LABELS MUST include article-specific data: actual numbers, terms, metrics, quotes. 5. Process references (direct/style/palette) per prompt frontmatter — for direct usage, embed a textual description of the reference in the prompt (since image_generate doesn't take reference-image inputs).

Step 6: Generate Images

For each prompt file:

1. Call image_generate(prompt=..., aspect_ratio=...). image_generate returns a JSON result containing an image URL; it does NOT write to disk and does NOT accept an output path. 2. Map the prompt's ASPECT to image_generate's enum: 16:9 → landscape, 9:16 → portrait, 1:1 → square. Custom ratios → nearest named aspect. 3. Download the returned URL to {output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png via terminal (e.g. curl -sSL -o "{output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png" "{url}"). 4. On generation failure, auto-retry once.

Note: the underlying image-generation backend is user-configured (default: FAL FLUX 2 Klein 9B) and is NOT agent-selectable via image_generate. Do not write model names into prompts expecting them to route.

Step 7: Finalize

Insert ![description]({relative-path}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png) after the corresponding paragraph. Alt text: concise description in the article's language.

Report:

Article Illustration Complete!
Article: [path] | Type: [type] | Density: [level] | Style: [style] | Palette: [palette or default]
Images: X/N generated

Modification

References

Pitfalls

1. Data integrity is paramount — never summarize, paraphrase, or alter source statistics. "73% increase" stays "73% increase". 2. Strip secrets — scan source content for API keys, tokens, or credentials before including in any output file. 3. Don't illustrate metaphors literally — visualize the underlying concept. 4. Prompt files are mandatory — no image generation without a saved prompt file. The file is what lets you regenerate or switch backends later. 5. `image_generate` aspect ratios — the tool supports landscape, portrait, and square. Custom ratios map to the nearest option. 6. `image_generate` returns a URL, not a local file — always download via terminal (curl) before inserting local image paths into the article. 7. No backend selection from the agent — image_generate uses whatever model the user configured (default: FAL FLUX 2 Klein 9B). Don't write "use <model> to generate this" into prompts expecting it to route.

Port Notes — baoyu-article-illustrator

Ported from JimLiu/baoyu-skills v1.57.0.

Changes from upstream

SKILL.md, references/workflow.md, references/usage.md, references/style-presets.md, references/styles.md, references/prompt-construction.md, and prompts/system.md were adapted. The 23 style files and 4 palette files are verbatim copies. The references/config/ directory was removed entirely.

Adaptations

What was preserved

• Type × Style × Palette three-dimension framework
• All style definitions (23 files, verbatim)
• All palette definitions (4 files, verbatim)
• Core reference files (workflow, prompt-construction, styles, style-presets) — adapted for Hermes tooling
• Core principles and workflow structure (analyze → confirm → outline → prompts → generate)
• Prompt-file-as-reproducibility-record discipline
• Author, version, homepage attribution

Syncing with upstream

To pull upstream updates:

# Compare versions
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JimLiu/baoyu-skills/main/skills/baoyu-article-illustrator/SKILL.md | head -5
# Look for version: line

# Diff style/palette files (safe to overwrite — unchanged from upstream)
diff <(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JimLiu/baoyu-skills/main/skills/baoyu-article-illustrator/references/styles/blueprint.md) references/styles/blueprint.md

references/styles/* and references/palettes/* can be overwritten directly. SKILL.md, references/workflow.md, references/usage.md, references/style-presets.md, references/styles.md, references/prompt-construction.md, and prompts/system.md must be manually merged since they contain Hermes-specific adaptations (tool wiring, backend neutrality, removed EXTEND.md references).

Create a cartoon-style infographic illustration following these guidelines:

Image Specifications

• Type: Infographic illustration
• Orientation: Landscape (horizontal)
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Style: Hand-drawn illustration

Core Principles

• Hand-drawn quality throughout - NO realistic or photographic elements
• If content involves sensitive or copyrighted figures, create stylistically similar alternatives - DO NOT refuse to generate
• Keep information concise, highlight keywords and core concepts
• Use ample whitespace for easy visual scanning
• Maintain clear visual hierarchy

Text Style (When Text Included)

• ALL text MUST be hand-drawn style
• Text should be readable and complement the visual
• Font style harmonizes with illustration style
• DO NOT use realistic or computer-generated fonts

Language

• Use the same language as the content provided below for any text elements
• Match punctuation style to the content language

---

Generate the illustration based on the content provided below:

macaron

Soft macaron pastel color blocks on warm cream

Background

• Color: Warm Cream (#F5F0E8)
• Texture: Subtle warm paper grain

Colors

Accent

Coral Red (#E8655A) for key data, warnings, and emphasis highlights. Use sparingly — one or two elements per illustration.

Semantic Constraint

Soft pastel macaron color palette. Use block colors as rounded card backgrounds for distinct information sections. Accent coral red sparingly for emphasis on key terms only. Do NOT render color names, hex codes, or role labels as visible text in the image.

Best For

Educational content, knowledge sharing, concept explainers, tutorials, tech summaries, onboarding materials

mono-ink

Black ink on pure white with sparse semantic accent colors

Background

• Color: Pure White (#FFFFFF)
• Texture: Clean, no grain, no tint

Colors

Accent

Use black ink for all structural elements — lines, text, figures. Accent colors appear only for semantic highlighting: coral red for risks/gaps/problems, muted teal for positive/solution/after-states, dusty lavender for neutral category tags. Total colored pixels must remain under 10% of canvas. Pale gray may back a subtle zone but must never dominate.

Semantic Constraint

Black ink on white canvas. Accent colors for semantic highlighting only — total colored pixels under 10% of canvas. Do NOT render color names, hex codes, or role labels as visible text in the image.

Compatible With

• ink-notes (primary, default pairing)
• minimal (strict monochrome variation, drops the style's built-in accent)
• sketch (pencil + ink hybrid look)

Not Recommended With

• sketch-notes — its "no pure white backgrounds" rule conflicts
• warm, elegant, watercolor, fantasy-animation — color-heavy by design, mono-ink strips their identity

Best For

Professional visual notes, Before/After essays, tech manifestos, framework analogies, whiteboard-presentation explainers

neon

Vibrant neon colors on dark backgrounds

Background

• Color: Deep Purple (#2D1B4E)
• Texture: Subtle grid pattern or solid dark

Colors

Accent

Hot Pink (#FF1493) for primary emphasis. High contrast neon-on-dark creates immediate visual impact.

Semantic Constraint

Vibrant neon-on-dark palette. High contrast, immediate visual impact. Do NOT render color names, hex codes, or role labels as visible text in the image.

Best For

Gaming, retro tech, 80s/90s nostalgic content, bold editorial, trend and pop culture

warm

Warm earth tones on soft peach, no cool colors

Background

• Color: Soft Peach (#FFECD2)
• Texture: Warm paper texture

Colors

Accent

Warm Orange (#ED8936) for primary emphasis. Warm-only palette — no cool colors (no green, blue, purple). Modern-retro feel.

Semantic Constraint

Warm earth tone palette. Warm-only — no cool colors (no green, blue, purple). Do NOT render color names, hex codes, or role labels as visible text in the image.

Best For

Product showcases, team introductions, feature grids, brand content, personal growth, lifestyle

Prompt Construction

Prompt File Format

Each prompt file uses YAML frontmatter + content:

---
illustration_id: 01
type: infographic
style: blueprint
references:                    # ⚠️ ONLY if files EXIST in references/ directory
  - ref_id: 01
    filename: 01-ref-diagram.png
    usage: direct              # direct | style | palette
---

[Type-specific template content below...]

⚠️ CRITICAL - When to include `references` field:

Reference Usage Types (only when file exists):

If no reference file but style/palette extracted verbally, append directly to prompt body:

COLORS (from reference):
- Primary: #E8756D coral
- Secondary: #7ECFC0 mint
...

STYLE (from reference):
- Clean lines, minimal shadows
- Gradient backgrounds
...

---

Default Composition Requirements

Apply to ALL prompts by default:

Add to ALL prompts:

Clean composition with generous white space. Simple or no background. Main elements centered or positioned by content needs.

---

Color Specification Rules

Colors in prompts use hex codes for rendering guidance only — they tell the model which colors to use, NOT what text to display.

⚠️ CRITICAL: Image generation models sometimes render color names and hex values as visible text labels in the image (e.g., painting "Macaron Blue #A8D8EA" as a label). This must be prevented.

Add to ALL prompts that contain a COLORS section:

Color values (#hex) and color names are rendering guidance only — do NOT display color names, hex codes, or palette labels as visible text in the image.

---

Character Rendering

When depicting people:

Add to ALL prompts with human figures:

Human figures: simplified stylized silhouettes or symbolic representations, not photorealistic.

---

Text in Illustrations

Add to prompts with text:

Text should be large and prominent with handwritten-style fonts. Keep minimal, focus on keywords.

---

Principles

Good prompts must include:

1. Layout Structure First: Describe composition, zones, flow direction 2. Specific Data/Labels: Use actual numbers, terms from article 3. Visual Relationships: How elements connect 4. Semantic Colors: Meaning-based color choices (red=warning, green=efficient) 5. Style Characteristics: Line treatment, texture, mood 6. Aspect Ratio: End with ratio and complexity level

Type-Specific Templates

Infographic

[Title] - Data Visualization

Layout: [grid/radial/hierarchical]

ZONES:
- Zone 1: [data point with specific values]
- Zone 2: [comparison with metrics]
- Zone 3: [summary/conclusion]

LABELS: [specific numbers, percentages, terms from article]
COLORS: [semantic color mapping]
STYLE: [style characteristics]
ASPECT: 16:9

Infographic + vector-illustration:

Flat vector illustration infographic. Clean black outlines on all elements.
COLORS: Cream background (#F5F0E6), Coral Red (#E07A5F), Mint Green (#81B29A), Mustard Yellow (#F2CC8F)
ELEMENTS: Geometric simplified icons, no gradients, playful decorative elements (dots, stars)

Infographic + vector-illustration + warm palette:

Flat vector illustration infographic. Clean black outlines on all elements.
PALETTE OVERRIDE (warm): Warm-only color palette, no cool colors.
COLORS: Soft Peach background (#FFECD2), Warm Orange (#ED8936),
        Terracotta (#C05621), Golden Yellow (#F6AD55), Deep Brown (#744210)
ELEMENTS: Geometric simplified icons, no gradients, rounded corners,
          modular card layout, consistent icon style

Scene

[Title] - Atmospheric Scene

FOCAL POINT: [main subject]
ATMOSPHERE: [lighting, mood, environment]
MOOD: [emotion to convey]
COLOR TEMPERATURE: [warm/cool/neutral]
STYLE: [style characteristics]
ASPECT: 16:9

Flowchart

[Title] - Process Flow

Layout: [left-right/top-down/circular]

STEPS:
1. [Step name] - [brief description]
2. [Step name] - [brief description]
...

CONNECTIONS: [arrow types, decision points]
STYLE: [style characteristics]
ASPECT: 16:9

Flowchart + vector-illustration:

Flat vector flowchart with bold arrows and geometric step containers.
COLORS: Cream background (#F5F0E6), steps in Coral/Mint/Mustard, black outlines
ELEMENTS: Rounded rectangles, thick arrows, simple icons per step

Flowchart + sketch-notes + macaron palette:

Hand-drawn educational flowchart on warm cream paper. Slight wobble on all lines.
PALETTE: macaron — soft pastel color blocks
COLORS: Warm Cream background (#F5F0E8), zone fills in Macaron Blue (#A8D8EA),
        Lavender (#D5C6E0), Mint (#B5E5CF), Coral Red (#E8655A) for emphasis
ELEMENTS: Rounded cards with dashed/solid borders, wavy hand-drawn arrows with labels,
          simple stick-figure characters, doodle decorations (stars, underlines)
STYLE: Color fills don't completely fill outlines, hand-drawn lettering, generous white space

Flowchart + ink-notes + mono-ink palette:

Professional hand-drawn visual-note flowchart on pure white. Black ink line work
with slight wobble, à la Mike Rohde sketchnoting.
PALETTE: mono-ink — black ink dominant, sparse semantic accents
COLORS: Pure White background (#FFFFFF), Near Black (#1A1A1A) for all lines,
        text, and figures; Coral Red (#E8655A) only for risk/emphasis,
        Muted Teal (#5FA8A8) only for positive/solution states
ELEMENTS: Left-to-right stage boxes with rounded-rect frames, wavy hand-drawn
          arrows between stages, simple stick-figure characters with role
          labels above (e.g., "ML Engineer", "Team Lead"), dashed-border box
          for future/empty stage, small doodle icons per stage
STYLE: Hand-lettered titles (bold, oversized), handwritten stage labels and
        annotations, generous white space, bottom tagline summarizing takeaway

Comparison

[Title] - Comparison View

LEFT SIDE - [Option A]:
- [Point 1]
- [Point 2]

RIGHT SIDE - [Option B]:
- [Point 1]
- [Point 2]

DIVIDER: [visual separator]
STYLE: [style characteristics]
ASPECT: 16:9

Comparison + vector-illustration:

Flat vector comparison with split layout. Clear visual separation.
COLORS: Left side Coral (#E07A5F), Right side Mint (#81B29A), cream background
ELEMENTS: Bold icons, black outlines, centered divider line

Comparison + vector-illustration + warm palette:

Flat vector comparison with split layout. Clear visual separation.
PALETTE OVERRIDE (warm): Warm-only color palette, no cool colors.
COLORS: Left side Warm Orange (#ED8936), Right side Terracotta (#C05621),
        Soft Peach background (#FFECD2), Deep Brown (#744210) accents
ELEMENTS: Bold icons, black outlines, centered divider line

Comparison + ink-notes + mono-ink palette (Before/After, Traditional vs New):

Professional hand-drawn sketchnote comparison on pure white. Black ink line work
with slight wobble, à la Mike Rohde sketchnoting.
PALETTE: mono-ink — black ink dominant, sparse semantic accents
COLORS: Pure White background (#FFFFFF), Near Black (#1A1A1A) for all outlines,
        text, figures, arrows; Coral Red (#E8655A) reserved for risks/gaps
        (left/Before side); Muted Teal (#5FA8A8) reserved for positives
        (right/After side). Color accents under 10% of canvas.
LAYOUT: Left | Right split with vertical hand-drawn divider. Hand-lettered
        "Before" label (top-left) and "After" label (top-right).
LEFT SIDE: Stick figure(s) with role label above, speech bubble showing the
           pain point, bulleted pain-point list in handwritten text.
RIGHT SIDE: Stick figure(s) showing the new state, bulleted improvement list,
            small positive-action icons.
BRIDGE: Curved hand-drawn "mindset shift" arrow bridging left → right with
        small inline label describing the shift.
BOTTOM: Single-line hand-lettered tagline summarizing the takeaway.
STYLE: Hand-lettered headings (bold, oversized), handwritten body annotations,
        generous white space, no computer fonts, no gradients, no shadows.

Framework

[Title] - Conceptual Framework

STRUCTURE: [hierarchical/network/matrix]

NODES:
- [Concept 1] - [role]
- [Concept 2] - [role]

RELATIONSHIPS: [how nodes connect]
STYLE: [style characteristics]
ASPECT: 16:9

Framework + vector-illustration:

Flat vector framework diagram with geometric nodes and bold connectors.
COLORS: Cream background (#F5F0E6), nodes in Coral/Mint/Mustard/Blue, black outlines
ELEMENTS: Rounded rectangles or circles for nodes, thick connecting lines

Framework + vector-illustration + warm palette:

Flat vector framework diagram with geometric nodes and bold connectors.
PALETTE OVERRIDE (warm): Warm-only color palette, no cool colors.
COLORS: Soft Peach background (#FFECD2), nodes in Warm Orange (#ED8936),
        Terracotta (#C05621), Golden Yellow (#F6AD55), black outlines
ELEMENTS: Rounded rectangles or circles for nodes, thick connecting lines

Framework + ink-notes + mono-ink palette (command center, OS analogy):

Professional hand-drawn sketchnote framework on pure white. Black ink line work
with slight wobble, à la Mike Rohde sketchnoting.
PALETTE: mono-ink — black ink dominant, sparse semantic accents
COLORS: Pure White background (#FFFFFF), Near Black (#1A1A1A) for all lines,
        text, figures; Dusty Lavender (#9B8AB5) for neutral category tags only;
        Coral Red (#E8655A) for emphasis sparingly. Color accents under 10%.
STRUCTURE: Central rounded-rectangle frame as "the system" with hand-lettered
           title inside. Inner layer of labeled sub-components (node labels
           above each). Outer layer of feeder arrows from stick-figure
           operators/users with role labels.
ELEMENTS: Stick figures at the edges with role tags ("Team Lead", "Operator"),
          wavy hand-drawn connector arrows with small inline labels, small
          doodle icons per component, dashed-border placeholder(s) for
          future/empty capabilities.
BOTTOM: Single-line hand-lettered tagline.
STYLE: Hand-lettered headings, handwritten annotations, generous white space,
        no computer fonts, no gradients.

Timeline

[Title] - Chronological View

DIRECTION: [horizontal/vertical]

EVENTS:
- [Date/Period 1]: [milestone]
- [Date/Period 2]: [milestone]

MARKERS: [visual indicators]
STYLE: [style characteristics]
ASPECT: 16:9

Screen-Print Style Override

When style: screen-print, replace standard style instructions with:

Screen print / silkscreen poster art. Flat color blocks, NO gradients.
COLORS: 2-5 colors maximum. [Choose from style palette or duotone pair]
TEXTURE: Halftone dot patterns, slight color layer misregistration, paper grain
COMPOSITION: Bold silhouettes, geometric framing, negative space as storytelling element
FIGURES: Silhouettes only, no detailed faces, stencil-cut edges
TYPOGRAPHY: Bold condensed sans-serif integrated into composition (not overlaid)

Scene + screen-print:

Conceptual poster scene. Single symbolic focal point, NOT literal illustration.
COLORS: Duotone pair (e.g., Burnt Orange #E8751A + Deep Teal #0A6E6E) on Off-Black #121212
COMPOSITION: Centered silhouette or geometric frame, 60%+ negative space
TEXTURE: Halftone dots, paper grain, slight print misregistration

Comparison + screen-print:

Split poster composition. Each side dominated by one color from duotone pair.
LEFT: [Color A] side with silhouette/icon for [Option A]
RIGHT: [Color B] side with silhouette/icon for [Option B]
DIVIDER: Geometric shape or negative space boundary
TEXTURE: Halftone transitions between sides

---

Palette Override

When a palette is specified (via --palette or preset), it overrides the style's default colors:

1. Read style file → get rendering rules (Visual Elements, Style Rules, line treatment) 2. Read palette file (palettes/<palette>.md) → get Colors + Background 3. Palette Colors replace style's default Color Palette in prompt 4. Palette Background replaces style's Background color (keep style's texture description) 5. Build prompt: style rendering instructions + palette colors

Prompt frontmatter includes palette when specified:

---
illustration_id: 01
type: infographic
style: vector-illustration
palette: macaron
---

Example: vector-illustration + macaron palette:

Flat vector illustration infographic. Clean black outlines on all elements.
PALETTE: macaron — soft pastel color blocks
COLORS: Warm Cream background (#F5F0E8), Macaron Blue (#A8D8EA), Mint (#B5E5CF),
        Lavender (#D5C6E0), Peach (#FFD5C2), Coral Red (#E8655A) for emphasis
ELEMENTS: Geometric simplified icons, no gradients, playful decorative elements

When no palette is specified, use the style's built-in Color Palette as before.

---

What to Avoid

• Vague descriptions ("a nice image")
• Literal metaphor illustrations
• Missing concrete labels/annotations
• Generic decorative elements

Watermark Integration (optional)

If the user asks for a watermark, append:

Include a subtle watermark "[content]" positioned at [position].

Style Presets

A preset expands to a type + style + optional palette combination. Users can override any dimension in their request.

By Category

Technical & Engineering

Knowledge & Education

Data & Analysis

Narrative & Creative

Editorial & Opinion

Content Type → Preset Recommendations

Use this table during Step 3 to recommend presets based on Step 2 content analysis:

Override Examples

• "use the tech-explainer preset but swap the style for notion" = infographic type with notion style
• "storytelling preset with timeline type" = timeline type with warm style

Explicit type/style/palette mentions in the user's request always override preset values.

Style Reference

Core Styles

Simplified style tier for quick selection:

Use Core Styles for most cases. See full Style Gallery below for granular control.

---

Style Gallery

Full specifications: references/styles/<style>.md

Type × Style Compatibility Matrix

✓✓ = highly recommended | ✓ = compatible | ✗ = not recommended

Auto Selection by Type

Auto Selection by Content Signals

Style Characteristics by Type

infographic + vector-illustration

• Clean flat vector shapes, bold geometric forms
• Vibrant but harmonious color palette
• Clear visual hierarchy with icons and labels
• Modern, professional, highly readable
• Perfect for knowledge articles and tutorials

flowchart + vector-illustration

• Bold arrows and connectors
• Distinct step containers with icons
• Clean progression flow
• High contrast for readability

comparison + vector-illustration

• Split layout with clear visual separation
• Bold iconography for each side
• Color-coded distinctions
• Easy at-a-glance comparison

framework + vector-illustration

• Geometric node representations
• Clear hierarchical structure
• Bold connecting lines
• Modern system diagram aesthetic

infographic + blueprint

• Technical precision, schematic lines
• Grid-based layout, clear zones
• Monospace labels, data-focused
• Blue/white color scheme

infographic + notion

• Hand-drawn feel, approachable
• Soft icons, rounded elements
• Neutral palette, clean backgrounds
• Perfect for SaaS/productivity

scene + warm

• Golden hour lighting, cozy atmosphere
• Soft gradients, natural textures
• Inviting, personal feeling
• Great for storytelling

scene + watercolor

• Artistic, painterly effect
• Soft edges, color bleeding
• Dreamy, creative mood
• Best for lifestyle/travel

flowchart + notion

• Clear step indicators
• Simple arrow connections
• Minimal decoration
• Focus on process clarity

flowchart + blueprint

• Technical precision
• Detailed connection points
• Engineering aesthetic
• For complex systems

comparison + elegant

• Refined dividers
• Balanced typography
• Professional appearance
• Business comparisons

framework + blueprint

• Precise node connections
• Hierarchical clarity
• System architecture feel
• Technical frameworks

timeline + elegant

• Sophisticated markers
• Refined typography
• Historical gravitas
• Professional presentations

timeline + warm

• Friendly progression
• Organic flow
• Personal journey feel
• Growth narratives

scene + screen-print

• Bold silhouettes, symbolic compositions
• 2-5 flat colors with halftone textures
• Figure-ground inversion (negative space tells secondary story)
• Vintage poster aesthetic, conceptual not literal
• Great for opinion pieces and cultural commentary

comparison + screen-print

• Split duotone composition (one color per side)
• Bold geometric dividers
• Symbolic icons over detailed rendering
• High contrast, immediate visual impact

framework + screen-print

• Geometric node representations with stencil-cut edges
• Limited color coding (one color per concept level)
• Clean silhouette-based iconography
• Poster-style hierarchy with bold typography

---

Palette Gallery

Palettes override a style's default colors. Combine any style with any palette (e.g. style=vector-illustration, palette=macaron).

Full specifications: references/palettes/<palette>.md

When no palette is specified, the style's built-in Color Palette is used.

Palette Override Rules

1. Read style file → rendering rules (Visual Elements, Style Rules) 2. Read palette file → Colors + Background 3. Palette colors replace style's default Color Palette 4. Palette Background replaces style's default Background color 5. Style's texture description is preserved

blueprint

Precise technical blueprint style with engineering precision

Design Aesthetic

Clean, structured visual metaphors using blueprints, diagrams, and schematics. Precise, analytical and aesthetically refined. Information presented in grid-based layouts with engineering precision. Technical drawing quality with professional polish.

Background

• Color: Blueprint Off-White (#FAF8F5)
• Texture: Subtle grid overlay, engineering paper feel

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Precise lines with consistent stroke weights
• Technical schematics and clean vector graphics
• Thin line work in technical drawing style
• Connection lines: straight or 90-degree angles only
• Data visualization with minimal charts
• Dimension lines and measurement indicators
• Cross-section style diagrams
• Isometric or orthographic projections

Style Rules

Do

• Maintain consistent line weights
• Use grid alignment for all elements
• Keep color palette restrained
• Create clear visual hierarchy through scale
• Use geometric precision for all shapes

Don't

• Use hand-drawn or organic shapes
• Add decorative flourishes
• Use curved connection lines
• Include photographic elements
• Add unnecessary embellishments

Best For

Technical architecture, system design, data analysis, engineering documentation, process flows, infrastructure articles

chalkboard

Black chalkboard background with colorful chalk drawing style

Design Aesthetic

Classic classroom chalkboard aesthetic with hand-drawn chalk illustrations. Nostalgic educational feel with imperfect, sketchy lines that capture the warmth of traditional teaching. Colorful chalk creates visual hierarchy while maintaining the authentic chalkboard experience.

Background

• Color: Chalkboard Black (#1A1A1A) or Dark Green-Black (#1C2B1C)
• Texture: Realistic chalkboard texture with subtle scratches, dust particles, and faint eraser marks

Typography

Hand-drawn chalk lettering style with visible chalk texture. Imperfect baseline adds authenticity. White or bright colored chalk for emphasis.

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Hand-drawn chalk illustrations with sketchy, imperfect lines
• Chalk dust effects around text and key elements
• Doodles: stars, arrows, underlines, circles, checkmarks
• Mathematical formulas and simple diagrams
• Eraser smudges and chalk residue textures
• Wooden frame border optional
• Stick figures and simple icons
• Connection lines with hand-drawn feel

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
• Make it look computerized

Best For

Educational articles, tutorials, teaching content, workshops, informal learning, knowledge sharing, how-to guides, classroom-style explanations

editorial

Magazine-style editorial infographic for professional content

Design Aesthetic

High-quality magazine explainer aesthetic. Clear visual storytelling with structured layouts and professional typography. Think Wired, The Verge, or quality science publications. Complex information made digestible.

Background

• Color: Pure White (#FFFFFF) or Light Gray (#F8F9FA)
• Texture: None or subtle paper grain

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Clean flat illustrations
• Structured multi-section layouts
• Callout boxes for insights
• Icon-based visualizations
• Visual metaphors for concepts
• Flow diagrams with hierarchy
• Pull quotes and highlights
• Clear section dividers

Style Rules

Do

• Create clear narrative flow
• Use structured layouts
• Include callout boxes
• Design visual metaphors
• Maintain magazine polish

Don't

• Use photographic imagery
• Create cluttered layouts
• Mix too many styles
• Add purposeless decoration
• Compromise clarity for style

Best For

Technology explainers, science communication, research articles, policy analysis, investigative pieces, thought leadership, long-form journalism

elegant

Refined, sophisticated illustration style for professional content

Design Aesthetic

Elegant and refined visual approach with sophisticated color palette. Professional polish with subtle artistic touches. Emphasizes clarity and thoughtful composition. Conveys authority and trustworthiness without being cold or clinical.

Background

• Color: Warm Cream (#F5F0E6) or Soft Beige (#FAF6F0)
• Texture: Subtle paper texture, very light grain

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Delicate line work with refined strokes
• Subtle icons with balanced weight
• Graceful curves and flowing compositions
• Soft gradients with smooth transitions
• Balanced whitespace and breathing room
• Thin borders and elegant dividers
• Subtle drop shadows for depth

Style Rules

Do

• Use refined color combinations
• Create balanced, harmonious compositions
• Keep elements light and airy
• Use subtle gradients sparingly
• Maintain generous margins

Don't

• Use harsh contrasts
• Overcrowd the composition
• Add playful or casual elements
• Use neon or overly bright colors
• Create busy or cluttered layouts

Best For

Professional articles, thought leadership pieces, business topics, executive communications, corporate blogs, strategy discussions, industry analysis

fantasy-animation

Whimsical hand-drawn animation style inspired by Ghibli/Disney

Design Aesthetic

Charming hand-drawn animation aesthetic reminiscent of classic Disney, Studio Ghibli, or European storybook illustration. Soft, painterly textures with warm, inviting colors. Friendly characters, magical elements, and storybook feel. Enchanting, nostalgic, and emotionally engaging.

Background

• Color: Soft Sky Blue (#E8F4FC) or Warm Cream (#FFF8E7)
• Texture: Subtle watercolor wash, soft brush strokes

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Central illustrated character (friendly, expressive)
• Small companion creatures (animals, magical beings)
• Storybook-style environment backgrounds
• Magical floating objects (books, orbs, sparkles)
• Decorative elements: stars, flowers, leaves
• Soft shadows and gentle highlights
• Layered depth with foreground/background

Style Rules

Do

• Create warm, inviting compositions
• Use soft edges and painterly textures
• Include charming character illustrations
• Add magical decorative touches
• Maintain storybook narrative feel

Don't

• Use harsh geometric shapes
• Create dark or intimidating imagery
• Add photorealistic elements
• Use cold color palettes
• Make it look digital/computerized

Best For

Educational content, children's articles, storytelling, creative topics, fantasy/gaming, inspirational pieces, family-friendly content

flat-doodle

Cute flat doodle illustration style with bold outlines

Design Aesthetic

Cheerful and approachable visual style combining flat design with doodle charm. Features bold black outlines around simple shapes. Bright pastel colors with no gradients or shading. Cute rounded proportions that feel friendly. Clean white backgrounds create focus and clarity.

Background

• Color: Clean White (#FFFFFF)
• Texture: None - pure white isolated background

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Bold black outlines around all shapes
• Simple flat color fills
• Cute rounded proportions
• Minimal geometric shapes
• Productivity icons (laptops, calendars, checkmarks)
• Isolated elements on white
• No shading or gradients
• Hand-drawn quality with clean edges

Style Rules

Do

• Use bold black outlines consistently
• Keep shapes simple and rounded
• Use bright pastel palette
• Isolate elements on white background
• Maintain cute proportions
• Keep minimal shading

Don't

• Add shadows or depth effects
• Use gradients or textures
• Create complex detailed illustrations
• Overlap too many elements
• Use dark or moody backgrounds
• Add realistic proportions

Best For

Productivity articles, SaaS and app content, workflow tutorials, beginner guides, casual business content, tool introductions, lifestyle productivity

flat

Modern flat vector illustration style for contemporary content

Design Aesthetic

Contemporary flat design aesthetic with bold shapes and limited depth. Clean geometric forms with no gradients or shadows. Modern, accessible, and highly readable. Optimized for digital consumption with scalable vector quality.

Background

• Color: White (#FFFFFF) or Soft Gray (#F5F5F5)
• Texture: None - clean solid backgrounds

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Bold geometric shapes
• Flat color fills with no gradients
• Simple character illustrations
• Clean icon designs
• Minimal line work
• Overlapping shape compositions
• Abstract concept visualizations
• Consistent stroke weights

Style Rules

Do

• Use flat solid colors
• Create clean geometric shapes
• Keep elements simple
• Maintain consistent styling
• Use bold color combinations

Don't

• Add shadows or depth
• Use gradients or textures
• Create realistic illustrations
• Add unnecessary details
• Use photographic elements

Best For

Modern articles, app and product content, startup stories, digital topics, contemporary business, tech company blogs, social media content

ink-notes

Professional black-ink visual notes on pure white, in the tradition of Mike Rohde's sketchnoting

Compared to sketch-notes

ink-notes and sketch-notes are distinct styles. Pick the right one:

When in doubt: warm & friendly → sketch-notes. Disciplined & professional → ink-notes.

Design Aesthetic

Disciplined hand-drawn visual note. Confident black ink line work with slight wobble, hand-lettered typography, and sparse color accents used only for semantic emphasis. Feels like a skilled visual notetaker's whiteboard presentation — clean, structured, intentionally hand-drawn rather than decorative.

Background

• Color: Pure White (#FFFFFF)
• Texture: Clean, no grain, no tint

Color Palette

Color accents must remain under 10% of canvas area and only carry semantic meaning. Black ink does the structural work.

Visual Elements

• Black ink line work with intentional slight wobble on all strokes
• Hand-lettered titles (bold, oversized) and handwritten body annotations
• Simple stick-figure characters with expressive poses (pointing, thinking, walking)
• Role labels above characters (e.g., "Tech Lead", "Compliance Officer")
• Thought bubbles and speech bubbles with hand-drawn outlines
• Rounded-rectangle frames for content groupings
• Dashed-border rectangles for placeholder, "coming next", or empty states
• Curvy hand-drawn arrows with small inline labels
• Vertical or horizontal dividers between comparison zones ("Before" | "After")
• "Mindset shift" curved arrow bridging two zones
• Bottom tagline: single-line hand-lettered conclusion that points the takeaway
• Stars, asterisks, underlines for emphasis — used sparingly

Style Rules

Do

• Keep background pure white with no texture or tint
• Let black ink dominate outlines, text, and figures
• Use accent colors only for semantic highlighting
• Keep all type hand-lettered — no computer-generated fonts
• Maintain confident line quality (wobble, not mess)
• Include a bottom tagline summarizing the main takeaway
• Structure content into clear zones with visible dividers
• Use dashed boxes for future, empty, or placeholder states

Don't

• Use warm off-white or paper-textured backgrounds (that is sketch-notes' territory)
• Fill large zones with color blocks
• Use more than 3 accent colors per image
• Use perfect geometric shapes — preserve hand-drawn wobble
• Clutter with decorative doodles; every element must carry meaning
• Use gradients, shadows, or computer-generated fonts

Type Compatibility

Best For

Product and engineering essays, tech manifestos, framework introductions, Before/After narratives, OS-level comparisons, workforce and organizational analogies, visual summaries of talks, thought-leadership articles

intuition-machine

Technical briefing infographic style with aged paper and bilingual labels

Design Aesthetic

Academic/technical briefing style with clean 2D or isometric technical illustrations. Information-dense but organized with clear visual hierarchy. Vintage blueprint aesthetic with modern clarity. Multiple explanatory elements with bilingual callouts.

Background

• Color: Aged Cream (#F5F0E6)
• Texture: Subtle paper texture with light creases, vintage technical print feel

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Isometric 3D or flat 2D technical diagrams
• Explanatory text boxes with labeled content
• Bilingual callout labels (English + Chinese)
• Faded thematic background patterns
• Clean black outlines on elements
• Split or triptych layouts
• Key insight boxes

Style Rules

Do

• Include multiple text boxes with content
• Use bilingual labels for key elements
• Add faded thematic background patterns
• Maintain aged paper texture
• Create clear visual hierarchy

Don't

• Create photorealistic 3D renders
• Leave illustrations without explanatory text
• Add stamps or watermarks in corners
• Use gradients or glossy effects
• Make it look too modern/digital

Best For

Technical explanations, concept breakdowns, academic content, research summaries, bilingual audiences, knowledge documentation

minimal

Ultra-clean, zen-like illustration style for focused content

Design Aesthetic

Maximum simplicity with purposeful restraint. Every element serves a function. Zen-like calm and focus through extensive negative space. Single focal point approach that guides attention naturally. Quiet elegance through reduction.

Background

• Color: Pure White (#FFFFFF) or Off-White (#FAFAFA)
• Texture: None - clean solid backgrounds

Color Palette

Note: Accent color is derived from content context. Use sparingly.

Visual Elements

• Single focal element per illustration
• Maximum negative space
• Thin, precise lines
• Simple geometric forms
• Subtle shadows if any
• Typography as primary element
• Strategic use of single accent
• Clean, uncluttered compositions

Style Rules

Do

• Embrace empty space
• Use single focal points
• Keep lines thin and precise
• Let content breathe
• Question every element

Don't

• Add decorative elements
• Use multiple accent colors
• Fill available space
• Add textures or patterns
• Create visual complexity

Best For

Philosophy articles, minimalism content, focused explanations, meditation and mindfulness, essential concepts, clarity-focused writing

nature

Organic, earthy illustration style for environmental and wellness content

Design Aesthetic

Natural and organic visual approach inspired by the outdoors. Earth tones and natural textures that evoke calm and connection to nature. Flowing lines and organic shapes. Creates a sense of tranquility and environmental awareness.

Background

• Color: Sand Beige (#F5E6D3) or Sky Blue wash (#E0F2FE)
• Texture: Natural paper texture with organic feel

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Leaf and plant motifs
• Tree and branch silhouettes
• Mountain and landscape shapes
• Organic flowing lines
• Natural textures (wood grain, stone)
• Water and wave patterns
• Animal silhouettes
• Sun and moon symbols

Style Rules

Do

• Use earth-inspired colors
• Create organic, flowing shapes
• Include nature elements
• Evoke outdoor atmosphere
• Maintain calm and balance

Don't

• Use synthetic or neon colors
• Create rigid geometric shapes
• Add tech or digital elements
• Use stark contrasts
• Overcomplicate compositions

Best For

Sustainability articles, wellness content, outdoor topics, slow living, environmental issues, health and fitness, gardening, travel nature pieces

notion

Minimalist hand-drawn line art style for knowledge content (Default)

Design Aesthetic

Clean, minimalist hand-drawn line art with intellectual feel. Simple doodle-style illustrations with intentional wobble. Maximum whitespace with single concept focus. Notion-like aesthetic that feels thoughtful and organized.

Background

• Color: Pure White (#FFFFFF) or Off-White (#FAFAFA)
• Texture: None - clean solid backgrounds

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Simple line doodles
• Hand-drawn wobble effect
• Basic geometric shapes
• Stick figures for people
• Conceptual icons
• Clean hand-drawn lettering
• Minimal decorative elements
• Single-weight line work

Style Rules

Do

• Use maximum whitespace
• Keep illustrations simple
• Add slight hand-drawn wobble
• Focus on single concepts
• Use pastel accents sparingly

Don't

• Create complex illustrations
• Use many colors at once
• Add detailed textures
• Make precise geometric shapes
• Overcrowd the composition

Best For

Knowledge sharing, concept explanations, SaaS content, productivity articles, educational posts, how-to guides, professional blogs

pixel-art

Retro 8-bit pixel art aesthetic with nostalgic gaming style

Design Aesthetic

Pixelated retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic 8-bit and 16-bit era games. Chunky pixels, limited color palettes, and nostalgic gaming references. Simple geometric shapes rendered in blocky pixel form. Fun, playful, and immediately recognizable retro tech aesthetic.

Background

• Color: Light Blue (#87CEEB) or Soft Lavender (#E6E6FA)
• Texture: Subtle pixel grid pattern, optional CRT scanline effect

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• All elements rendered with visible pixel structure
• Simple iconography: notepad, checkboxes, gears, rockets
• Text bubbles with pixel borders
• 8-bit decorations: stars, hearts, arrows
• Progress bars with chunky pixel segments
• Dithering patterns for color transitions
• Limited 16-32 color palette

Style Rules

Do

• Maintain consistent pixel grid throughout
• Use limited color palette (16-32 colors max)
• Create blocky, geometric shapes
• Add nostalgic gaming references
• Use dithering for color transitions

Don't

• Use smooth gradients or anti-aliasing
• Create photorealistic elements
• Use thin lines or fine details
• Add modern glossy effects
• Break the pixel grid alignment

Best For

Gaming articles, tech tutorials, nostalgic content, developer topics, retro-themed pieces, creative tech content

playful

Fun, creative illustration style for casual and educational content

Design Aesthetic

Whimsical and entertaining visual approach that sparks joy. Pastel colors with bright pops of energy. Doodle-like quality that feels approachable and fun. Creates a sense of play and discovery. Encourages engagement through visual delight.

Background

• Color: Light Cream (#FFFBEB) or Soft White (#FFF)
• Texture: Subtle, playful pattern or clean

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Doodles and sketchy lines
• Star and sparkle decorations
• Swirls and curvy elements
• Cute character illustrations
• Speech bubbles and callouts
• Emoji-style icons
• Confetti and celebration marks
• Playful hand-lettering

Style Rules

Do

• Use varied pastel palette
• Add whimsical decorations
• Create friendly characters
• Include playful details
• Keep energy high and positive

Don't

• Use dark or moody colors
• Create serious compositions
• Add corporate elements
• Use rigid geometric shapes
• Make it feel professional

Best For

Tutorials and guides, beginner-friendly content, casual articles, fun topics, children's content, hobby-related posts, entertaining explanations

retro

80s/90s nostalgic aesthetic with vibrant colors and geometric patterns

Design Aesthetic

Nostalgic retro aesthetic inspired by 80s and 90s design trends. Vibrant neon colors, geometric patterns, and Memphis design influence. Energetic, fun, and unapologetically bold. Perfect for content that embraces nostalgia or playful energy.

Background

• Color: Deep Purple (#2D1B4E) or Dark Teal (#0F4C5C)
• Texture: Subtle grid patterns or geometric shapes

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Geometric patterns (triangles, circles)
• Grid backgrounds and lines
• Neon glow effects
• Memphis design shapes
• Zigzag and wavy patterns
• Retro computer graphics
• Bold outline strokes
• Gradient sunsets

Style Rules

Do

• Use bold neon colors
• Create geometric patterns
• Add retro typography
• Include Memphis-style shapes
• Embrace maximalism

Don't

• Use muted or subtle colors
• Create minimal compositions
• Add modern flat design
• Make it look contemporary
• Use understated elements

Best For

Pop culture articles, gaming content, music and entertainment, nostalgia pieces, youth-focused content, creative industry, party and event content

scientific

Academic scientific illustration style for technical diagrams and processes

Design Aesthetic

Academic scientific illustration aesthetic for biological, chemical, and technical diagrams. Clean, precise diagrams with proper labeling and clear visual flow. Educational clarity with professional polish. Textbook quality illustrations.

Background

• Color: Off-White (#FAFAFA) or Light Blue-Gray (#F0F4F8)
• Texture: None or subtle paper grain

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Precise labeled diagrams
• Flow arrows showing direction
• Modular components with colors
• Chemical formulas and notation
• Cross-section views
• Numbered step sequences
• Molecule and cell representations
• Process summary boxes

Style Rules

Do

• Use precise consistent lines
• Label all components clearly
• Show directional flow
• Include technical notation
• Create clear numbered sequences

Don't

• Use decorative elements
• Create imprecise diagrams
• Omit important labels
• Use inconsistent styling
• Add artistic flourishes

Best For

Biology articles, chemistry explanations, medical content, research summaries, academic writing, technical documentation, process explanations

screen-print

Bold poster art with limited colors, halftone textures, and symbolic storytelling

Design Aesthetic

Screen print / silkscreen aesthetic inspired by Mondo limited-edition posters and vintage concert prints. Flat color blocks, halftone dot patterns, bold silhouettes, and deliberate print imperfections. Conceptual and symbolic rather than literal — one iconic image tells the whole story. Perfect for opinion pieces, cultural commentary, and editorial content.

Background

• Color: Off-Black (#121212) or Warm Cream (#F5E6D0)
• Texture: Paper grain with subtle halftone dot overlay

Color Palette

Duotone Pairs (choose ONE pair for high-impact compositions):

Rule: Use 2-5 colors maximum. Fewer colors = stronger impact.

Visual Elements

• Bold silhouettes and symbolic shapes
• Halftone dot patterns within color fills
• Slight color layer misregistration (print offset effect)
• Geometric framing (circles, arches, triangles)
• Figure-ground inversion (negative space forms secondary image)
• Stencil-cut edges, no outlines — shapes defined by color boundaries
• Typography integrated as design element, not overlay
• Vintage poster border treatments

Style Rules

Do

• Limit to 2-5 flat colors
• Use bold silhouettes over detailed rendering
• Let negative space tell part of the story
• Add halftone texture for authenticity
• Use geometric composition (centered, symmetrical)
• Reference vintage decades (60s/70s/80s) for era feel

Don't

• Use photorealistic rendering or gradients
• Add complex facial details (silhouettes preferred)
• Mix too many visual elements (one focal point)
• Use modern digital aesthetic
• Create busy or cluttered compositions
• Use more than 5 colors

Best For

Opinion/editorial articles, cultural commentary, philosophy and strategy, dramatic narratives, cinematic storytelling, music and entertainment, event announcements, bold branding content

sketch-notes

Soft hand-drawn illustration style with warm, educational feel

Design Aesthetic

Hand-drawn feel with soft, relaxed brush strokes. Fresh, refined style with minimalist editorial approach. Emphasis on precision, clarity and intelligent elegance while prioritizing warmth, approachability and friendliness.

Background

• Color: Warm Off-White (#FAF8F0)
• Texture: Subtle paper grain, warm tone

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Connection lines with hand-drawn wavy feel
• Conceptual abstract icons illustrating ideas
• Color fills don't completely fill outlines (hand-painted feel)
• Simple geometric shapes with rounded corners
• Arrows and pointers with sketchy style
• Doodle decorations: stars, spirals, underlines

Style Rules

Do

• Keep layouts open and well-structured
• Emphasize information hierarchy
• Use hand-drawn quality for all elements
• Allow imperfection (slight wobbles add character)
• Layer elements with subtle overlaps

Don't

• Use perfect geometric shapes
• Create photorealistic elements
• Overcrowd with too many elements
• Use pure white backgrounds
• Make it look computer-generated

Best For

Educational content, knowledge sharing, technical explanations, tutorials, onboarding materials, friendly articles

sketch

Raw, authentic notebook-style illustration for ideas and processes

Design Aesthetic

Hand-drawn sketch aesthetic that feels authentic and in-progress. Pencil-on-paper quality with intentional imperfection. Suggests thinking, brainstorming, and creative exploration. Raw and honest visual approach that invites collaboration.

Background

• Color: Off-White Paper (#F7FAFC) or Cream (#FAFAFA)
• Texture: Paper texture with visible grain

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Rough sketch lines with natural variation
• Arrows and directional pointers
• Handwritten labels and notes
• Crossed-out marks and corrections
• Underlines and emphasis marks
• Simple diagram shapes
• Margin notes style
• Quick icon sketches

Style Rules

Do

• Use pencil-like line quality
• Include natural imperfections
• Add handwritten annotations
• Create diagram-style layouts
• Show thinking process

Don't

• Use perfect geometric shapes
• Add polished or refined elements
• Create colorful compositions
• Use digital effects
• Make it look finished

Best For

Ideas in progress, brainstorming articles, thought processes, concept exploration, draft-stage thinking, planning content, problem-solving pieces

vector-illustration

Flat vector illustration style with clear black outlines and retro soft colors

Design Aesthetic

Flat vector illustration with no gradients or 3D effects. Clear, uniform-thickness black outlines on all elements. Geometric simplification reducing complex objects to basic shapes. Toy model aesthetic that's cute, playful, and approachable. Coloring book style with closed outlines.

Background

• Color: Cream Off-White (#F5F0E6)
• Texture: Subtle paper texture, warm nostalgic feel

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• All objects have closed black outlines (coloring book style)
• Rounded line endings, avoid sharp corners
• Trees simplified to lollipop or triangle shapes
• Buildings as rectangular blocks with grid windows
• Depth through layering and overlap
• Decorative elements: sunbursts, pill-shaped clouds, dots, stars
• People as simple geometric figures

Style Rules

Do

• Maintain consistent outline thickness
• Use soft, vintage color palette
• Simplify objects to basic geometric shapes
• Create depth through layering
• Add playful decorative elements

Don't

• Use gradients or realistic shading
• Create photorealistic elements
• Use thin or varying line weights
• Include complex detailed illustrations
• Add textures inside shapes

Best For

Educational content, creative articles, children's content, brand showcases, explainer pieces, warm approachable topics

vintage

Nostalgic aged-paper aesthetic for historical and heritage content

Design Aesthetic

Nostalgic vintage aesthetic with aged paper textures and historical document styling. Explorer's journal and antique map quality. Rich warm tones with weathered textures. Evokes discovery, heritage, and timeless knowledge.

Background

• Color: Aged Parchment (#F5E6D3) or Sepia Cream (#FFF8DC)
• Texture: Heavy aged paper texture with subtle stains and worn edges

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Antique map styling with route lines
• Compass roses and navigation elements
• Specimen-style drawings
• Handwritten annotations
• Rope, leather, brass decorative motifs
• Vintage photograph frames
• Aged paper edge effects
• Historical document styling

Style Rules

Do

• Apply consistent aged texture
• Use period-appropriate styling
• Include map and journey elements
• Create layered compositions
• Maintain warm sepia tones

Don't

• Use modern digital styling
• Create crisp clean edges
• Use cold or bright colors
• Add contemporary elements
• Make it look new or fresh

Best For

Historical articles, travel and exploration, biography pieces, heritage stories, scientific discovery narratives, museum-style content, classic literature references

warm

Friendly, approachable illustration style for human-centered content

Design Aesthetic

Warm and inviting visual approach that feels personal and approachable. Soft, friendly colors that evoke comfort and connection. Emphasizes human elements and emotional resonance. Creates an atmosphere of trust and openness.

Background

• Color: Cream (#FFFAF0) or Soft Peach (#FED7AA)
• Texture: Soft paper texture with warm undertones

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Rounded shapes and soft corners
• Friendly character illustrations
• Sun rays and warm light motifs
• Heart symbols and care icons
• Cozy lighting effects
• Gentle gradients with warmth
• Soft shadows without harsh edges
• Hand-drawn quality touches

Style Rules

Do

• Use warm, inviting colors
• Create rounded, friendly shapes
• Include human-centered elements
• Evoke feelings of comfort
• Maintain soft, gentle contrasts

Don't

• Use cold or stark colors
• Create sharp, aggressive shapes
• Add technical or clinical elements
• Use dark, moody backgrounds
• Create sterile compositions

Best For

Personal growth articles, lifestyle content, education, human interest stories, wellness topics, relationship advice, self-help content, community building

watercolor

Soft, artistic watercolor illustration style with natural warmth

Design Aesthetic

Gentle watercolor aesthetic with visible brush strokes and natural color bleeding. Hand-painted feel with soft edges and organic shapes. Warm, approachable, and artistically refined. Combines artistic expression with clear visual communication.

Background

• Color: Warm Off-White (#FAF8F0) or Soft Cream (#FFF9E6)
• Texture: Subtle watercolor paper texture with visible grain

Color Palette

Visual Elements

• Watercolor washes as backgrounds
• Illustrated elements with visible brush strokes
• Natural elements: leaves, flowers, bubbles
• Color bleeds and soft edges
• Hand-drawn arrows and lines
• Layered wash effects
• Soft gradients through water
• Expressive character illustrations

Style Rules

Do

• Allow color to bleed beyond edges
• Use visible brush stroke textures
• Create soft, organic shapes
• Include hand-drawn quality
• Maintain warm color palette

Don't

• Use sharp geometric shapes
• Create hard digital edges
• Use cold or stark colors
• Add photographic elements
• Create overly precise illustrations

Best For

Lifestyle articles, wellness content, travel pieces, food and cooking, personal stories, creative topics, artistic portfolios, warm educational content

Usage

This skill is triggered by natural language in Hermes — no slash command or CLI flags.

Trigger Phrases

• "Illustrate this article" / "为文章配图"
• "Add images to this post"
• "Generate illustrations for [path/to/article.md]"

Input Modes

Specifying Options in Natural Language

The user can specify any of the following directly in their request. If not specified, the skill asks via the clarify tool.

Examples

Technical article with data:

帮我为 api-design.md 配图，用 infographic + blueprint 风格

Preset shortcut:

Illustrate api-design.md with the tech-explainer preset

Personal story:

Illustrate journey.md using the storytelling preset

Tutorial with rich images:

Generate illustrations for how-to-deploy.md — tutorial preset, rich density

Opinion article:

Illustrate opinion.md with the opinion-piece preset

Preset with style override:

Use the tech-explainer preset for article.md but swap the style for notion

Detailed Workflow Procedures

Step 1: Detect Reference Images

If the user provides reference images (local path or URL), the goal is to produce textual descriptions that can be embedded in prompts — image_generate doesn't accept reference-image inputs, and Hermes' text file tools can't read or write binaries.

Tool rules:

Procedure (when a path/URL is available):

1. Call vision_analyze(image_url=..., question="Describe the style, color palette (with hex approximations), composition, and subject so this can be used as a style/palette reference for another illustration."). 2. Write {output-dir}/references/NN-ref-{slug}.md via write_file with the description. 3. (Optional) Run terminal with cp (or curl -sSL -o ... for URLs) to keep a local binary copy. Not required by the skill. 4. Mark the reference in the outline with usage direct / style / palette. In Step 5.1 the description gets appended to the prompt body.

Sidecar File Format:

---
ref_id: NN
source: "<original path or URL>"
local_copy: "NN-ref-{slug}.png"   # omit if no copy made
usage_hint: style                 # direct | style | palette
---
[vision_analyze description — colors, style, composition, subject]

---

Step 2: Analyze

2.1 Determine Output Directory

If the user explicitly asked for a different layout (e.g., images in the article's folder, or an illustrations/ subdirectory), honor that.

2.2 Analyze Content

Save analysis to {output-dir}/analysis.md using write_file.

2.3 Extract Core Arguments

• Main thesis
• Key concepts reader needs
• Comparisons/contrasts
• Framework/model proposed

CRITICAL: If the article uses metaphors (e.g., "电锯切西瓜"), do NOT illustrate literally. Visualize the underlying concept.

2.4 Identify Positions

Illustrate:

• Core arguments (REQUIRED)
• Abstract concepts
• Data comparisons
• Processes, workflows

Do NOT Illustrate:

• Metaphors literally
• Decorative scenes
• Generic illustrations

2.5 Plan Reference Image Usage (if analyzed in Step 1)

For each reference image (use the vision_analyze description from Step 1):

Note: image_generate does not accept reference-image inputs under any usage type. Everything is mediated through the vision_analyze description.

---

Step 3: Confirm Settings

Use the clarify tool. Since clarify handles one question at a time, ask the most important question first. Skip any question the user already answered in their request.

Q1: Preset or Type (highest priority)

Based on Step 2 content analysis, recommend a preset first (sets both type & style). Look up style-presets.md "Content Type → Preset Recommendations" table.

• [Recommended preset] — [brief: type + style + why]
• [Alternative preset] — [brief]
• Or choose type manually: infographic / scene / flowchart / comparison / framework / timeline / mixed

If user picks a preset → skip Q3 (type & style both resolved). If user picks a type → Q3 is required.

Q2: Density

• minimal (1-2) — Core concepts only
• balanced (3-5) — Major sections
• per-section — At least 1 per section/chapter (Recommended)
• rich (6+) — Comprehensive coverage

Q3: Style (skip if preset chosen in Q1)

Present Core Styles first:

• [Best compatible core style] (Recommended)
• [Other compatible core style 1]
• [Other compatible core style 2]
• Other (see full Style Gallery)

Core Styles (simplified selection):

Style selection based on Type × Style compatibility matrix (styles.md). In Step 5, read styles/<style>.md for visual elements and rendering rules.

Q4: Palette (optional)

If the preset did not specify a palette, offer:

• Default (use style's built-in colors) (Recommended)
• macaron — soft pastel blocks on warm cream
• warm — warm earth tones, no cool colors
• neon — vibrant neon on dark backgrounds

Skip if: preset already resolved palette, or user specified a palette in the request.

See Palette Gallery in styles.md and full specs in palettes/<palette>.md.

Q5: Image Text Language (only when ambiguous)

If the article language is different from the user's conversational language, ask which to use:

• Article language (match article content) (Recommended)
• User's conversational language

Skip if: languages match, or the user already specified in the request.

Display Reference Usage (if references saved in Step 1)

When presenting the outline preview to the user, show reference assignments:

Reference Images:
| Ref | Filename | Recommended Usage |
|-----|----------|-------------------|
| 01 | 01-ref-diagram.png | direct → Illustration 1, 3 |
| 02 | 02-ref-chart.png | palette → Illustration 2 |

---

Step 4: Generate Outline

Save as {output-dir}/outline.md using write_file:

---
type: infographic
density: balanced
style: blueprint
image_count: 4
references:                    # Only if references provided
  - ref_id: 01
    filename: 01-ref-diagram.png
    description: "Technical diagram showing system architecture"
  - ref_id: 02
    filename: 02-ref-chart.png
    description: "Color chart with brand palette"
---

## Illustration 1

**Position**: [section] / [paragraph]
**Purpose**: [why this helps]
**Visual Content**: [what to show]
**Type Application**: [how type applies]
**References**: [01]                    # Optional: list ref_ids used
**Reference Usage**: direct             # direct | style | palette
**Filename**: 01-infographic-concept-name.png

## Illustration 2
...

Backup rule: If outline.md exists, rename to outline-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.md before writing.

Requirements:

• Each position justified by content needs
• Type applied consistently
• Style reflected in descriptions
• Count matches density
• References assigned based on Step 2.5 analysis

---

Step 5: Generate Prompts

BLOCKING: Every illustration must have a saved prompt file before any image is generated.

For each illustration in the outline:

1. Create prompt file: {output-dir}/prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md via write_file 2. Include YAML frontmatter:

   ---
   illustration_id: 01
   type: infographic
   style: custom-flat-vector
   ---

3. Load style specs: Read styles/<style>.md (via read_file) for visual elements, style rules, and rendering instructions 4. Load palette specs (if palette specified): Read palettes/<palette>.md for colors and background. Palette colors replace the style's default Color Palette. If no palette specified, use the style's built-in colors. 5. Follow type-specific template from prompt-construction.md, using rendering from style + colors from palette (or style default) 6. Prompt quality requirements (all REQUIRED):

• Layout: Describe overall composition (grid / radial / hierarchical / left-right / top-down)
• ZONES: Describe each visual area with specific content, not vague descriptions
• LABELS: Use actual numbers, terms, metrics, quotes from the article — NOT generic placeholders
• COLORS: Specify hex codes from palette (or style default) with semantic meaning
• STYLE: Describe line treatment, texture, mood, character rendering per style rules
• ASPECT: Specify ratio (e.g., 16:9)

7. Apply defaults: composition requirements, character rendering, text guidelines 8. Backup rule: If a prompt file exists, rename to prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.md

CRITICAL - References in Frontmatter:

• Only add references field if a sidecar .md description exists in {output-dir}/references/
• If style/palette was extracted verbally (no description file), append info to prompt BODY only
• Before writing frontmatter, confirm the sidecar exists (try read_file on the .md)

5.1 Process References (if analyzed in Step 1)

Read the vision_analyze description from the sidecar references/NN-ref-{slug}.md (via read_file) and embed it in the prompt body. image_generate never receives the binary.

---

Step 6: Generate Images

image_generate returns a JSON blob with a URL ({"success": true, "image": "<url>"}). It does NOT save a local file, does NOT accept an output path, and does NOT let the agent pick a backend/model. Treat the URL as a temporary artifact and download it explicitly.

For each prompt file:

1. Read the prompt file (via read_file) and extract the assembled prompt 2. Map the prompt's ASPECT to image_generate's enum: 16:9 → landscape, 9:16 → portrait, 1:1 → square. Custom ratios → nearest named aspect. 3. Call image_generate(prompt=<assembled>, aspect_ratio=<enum>) and extract the image URL from the returned JSON. 4. Backup rule: If {output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png already exists, rename it via terminal (mv "{output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png" "{output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.png") before writing. 5. Download the URL via terminal:

   curl -sSL -o "{output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png" "{image_url}"

If curl is unavailable, fall back to wget -qO "{output-dir}/NN-{type}-{slug}.png" "{image_url}". 6. Verify the file exists and has non-zero size (terminal: test -s "{path}" && echo ok). 7. On generation failure, retry image_generate once. On download failure, retry curl once with a longer timeout. Then log and continue. 8. After each generation, report "Generated X/N".

---

Step 7: Finalize

7.1 Update Article

Insert after the corresponding paragraph, using the path relative to the article file:

Alt text: concise description in the article's language.

7.2 Output Summary

Article Illustration Complete!

Article: [path]
Type: [type] | Density: [level] | Style: [style]
Location: [directory]
Images: X/N generated

Positions:
- 01-xxx.png → After "[Section]"
- 02-yyy.png → After "[Section]"

[If failures]
Failed:
- NN-zzz.png: [reason]