Prompt Construction

Default Composition Requirements

Apply to ALL prompts:

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

Character Rendering

When depicting people:

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

Express emotion through posture and simple gestures. Use varied body types for multiple people.

Text in Illustrations

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

Match the article's language. Use concise keywords and core concepts only.

Prompt Structure

Good prompts must include:

Layout Structure First: composition, zones, flow direction
Specific Data/Labels: actual numbers, terms from article
Visual Relationships: how elements connect
Semantic Colors: meaning-based color choices (red=warning, green=efficient)
Style Characteristics: line treatment, texture, mood
Aspect Ratio: end with ratio

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

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

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

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

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

Style × Type Combinations

When combining a style with a type, load the style spec from styles/<style>.md and apply its rendering rules to the type template.

Example — 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)

Example — 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

Example — 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

Screen-Print Style Override

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

Screen print / silkscreen poster art. Flat color blocks, NO gradients.
COLORS: 2-5 colors maximum.
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)

Palette Override

When a palette is specified, it overrides the style's default colors:

Read style file → get rendering rules (Visual Elements, Style Rules, line treatment)
Read palette file (palettes/<palette>.md) → get Colors + Background
Palette Colors replace style's default Color Palette in prompt
Palette Background replaces style's Background color (keep style's texture)

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

What to Avoid

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