visual-content
Visual Content Skill
Create gallery-quality branded presentations and carousels through artistic design philosophy.
The Critical Understanding
Visual content creation is an act of artistic expression, not template filling. Every slide or card should appear as if crafted by a designer at the absolute top of their field—meticulous, intentional, worthy of display.
What you receive: A canvas philosophy and brand DNA—use these as foundation, not constraint. What you create: Visual artifacts that are 90% design, 10% essential text. The standard: Work that looks like it took countless hours, labored over with painstaking care.
Part 1: Understanding Canvas Philosophy
A canvas philosophy is not a layout specification—it's an aesthetic movement, a manifesto for how ideas become visual form.
How to Read a Canvas Philosophy
When you receive a canvas-philosophy.md, internalize its spirit:
- The movement name tells you the soul: "Chromatic Silence" demands restraint; "Brutalist Joy" permits boldness
- The philosophy paragraphs describe how ideas manifest through form, space, color, composition
- The constraints are sacred boundaries that define the style's character
Read it as an artist reads a creative brief—absorb the worldview, then express it.
Philosophy Examples (for reference)
These illustrate the language and depth expected in a canvas philosophy:
"Concrete Poetry" Communication through monumental form and bold geometry. Massive color blocks, sculptural typography (huge single words, tiny labels), Brutalist spatial divisions. Ideas expressed through visual weight and spatial tension, not explanation. Text as rare, powerful gesture—never paragraphs, only essential words integrated into visual architecture. Every element placed with the precision of a master craftsman who has labored over each decision.
"Chromatic Language" Color as the primary information system. Geometric precision where color zones create meaning. Typography minimal—small sans-serif labels letting chromatic fields communicate. Information encoded spatially and chromatically. Words only anchor what color already shows. The result of painstaking chromatic calibration by someone at the top of their field.
"Analog Meditation" Quiet visual contemplation through texture and breathing room. Paper grain, ink bleeds, vast negative space. Photography and illustration dominate. Typography whispered (small, restrained, serving the visual). Images breathe across pages. Text appears sparingly—short phrases, never explanatory blocks. Each composition balanced with the care of a meditation practice, meticulously crafted over countless hours.
"Geometric Silence" Pure order and restraint. Grid-based precision, bold photography or stark graphics, dramatic negative space. Typography precise but minimal—small essential text, large quiet zones. Swiss formalism meets Brutalist material honesty. Structure communicates, not words. Every alignment the work of countless refinements by an expert hand.
Part 2: The Subtle Reference
CRITICAL STEP: Before creating visuals, identify the conceptual thread from the content.
The topic becomes a subtle, niche reference embedded within the design itself—not literal, always sophisticated. Someone familiar with the subject should feel it intuitively, while others simply experience a masterful composition.
Think like a jazz musician quoting another song—only those who know will catch it, but everyone appreciates the music.
The canvas philosophy provides the aesthetic language. The content provides the soul—the quiet conceptual DNA woven invisibly into form, color, and composition.
Part 3: Visual Expression
With philosophy internalized and conceptual thread identified, create the visual artifacts.
The Craftsmanship Standard
CRITICAL: To achieve human-crafted quality (not AI-generated), create work that looks like it took countless hours. Make it appear as though someone at the absolute top of their field labored over every detail with painstaking care.
Ensure the composition, spacing, color choices, typography—everything screams expert-level craftsmanship. This is non-negotiable.
Repeat this mantra:
- Meticulously crafted
- The product of deep expertise
- Painstaking attention to detail
- Master-level execution
- Labored over with care
Creating Presentations (16:9)
- Dimensions: 1920 x 1080 pixels
- Format: PDF first (source of truth) → PPTX (for editability)
- Character: Each slide = one clear message (3-second test)
- Text treatment: Sparse, integrated as visual element—never paragraphs
- Safe zones: Nothing within 50px of edges
The slide is a canvas, not a document. Information lives in design choices: scale, position, color, whitespace. Words are visual accents, not content delivery.
Creating Carousels (Mobile-First)
- LinkedIn: 1080 x 1350 (4:5 portrait)
- Instagram Square: 1080 x 1080 (1:1)
- Instagram Portrait: 1080 x 1350 (4:5)
- Format: Multi-page PDF
- Character: Each card = 2-second comprehension (thumb-stopping)
- Text treatment: Bold, scannable, commanding
The card is a poster glimpsed while scrolling. It must arrest attention instantly through visual impact, not dense information.
Style Enforcement
Each piece must respect its style's hard constraints:
| Constraint | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Whitespace % | Defines the breathing room—the silence between notes |
| Word limit | Forces economy—every word must earn its place |
| Element count | Prevents visual noise—simplicity is sophistication |
| Layout rules | Establishes spatial grammar—centered, asymmetric, grid |
| Typography weight | Sets the voice—whispered, conversational, commanding |
If content exceeds constraints, reduce. Never violate the style. The constraints ARE the style.
Part 4: Execution Principles
Visual Hierarchy
1. Single focal point per slide/card—the eye knows where to land
2. Clear reading order (F-pattern or Z-pattern)—the journey is intuitive
3. Contrast guides attention—importance is visible
4. Nothing competes with the message—supporting elements support
Typography as Visual Element
- Headlines: Bold, commanding, minimal—a single powerful statement
- Body: Avoid entirely when possible—if you must, keep it whispered
- Numbers: Large, prominent, contextualized—let data be visual
- Labels: Small, quiet, supportive—they annotate, not explain
Text is always minimal and visual-first. Let context guide whether that means whisper-quiet labels or bold typographic gestures. A pitch deck might have larger, more aggressive type than a meditation app. Regardless of approach, sophistication is non-negotiable.
Color Application
- Use brand palette or selected alternative palette exclusively
- Primary: 60% of color usage—the dominant voice
- Secondary: 30% of color usage—the supporting harmony
- Accent: 10% for emphasis only—the punctuation
- Never introduce off-brand colors—consistency builds trust
Spatial Communication
- Whitespace is not empty—it's active, meaningful silence
- Placement carries meaning—center = importance, edges = supporting
- Proportion creates rhythm—vary scale intentionally
- Margins are sacred—nothing touches edges, nothing overlaps
Part 5: Anti-Patterns (Death to These)
- Bullet point lists: The death of visual communication
- Wall of text: Violates the 3-second rule, breaks the visual contract
- Clip art or stock clichés: Instant amateur signal
- Competing focal points: Confusion disguised as richness
- Decoration without purpose: If it doesn't serve the message, delete it
- Violating whitespace minimums: Cramped = desperate
- Exceeding word limits: Discipline defines mastery
- Generic template feel: The opposite of everything we're doing
Part 6: The Final Polish
IMPORTANT: Before declaring done, assume the user already said: "It isn't perfect enough. It must be pristine, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, as if it were about to be displayed in a museum."
CRITICAL: To refine the work, avoid adding more elements. Instead, refine what exists and make it extremely crisp. Rather than adding a new graphic or changing a font, ask: "How can I make what's already here more of a piece of art?"
Take a second pass:
- Check every alignment
- Verify every spacing decision
- Confirm nothing overlaps
- Ensure breathing room between all elements
- Polish until it gleams
Part 6b: Accessibility & Safety (MANDATORY)
These checks are NON-NEGOTIABLE before any output is finalized.
Contrast Validation (WCAG AA)
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum contrast ratio | 4.5:1 for all text |
| Large text (24px+) | 3:1 acceptable |
| Standard | WCAG 2.1 AA |
Before rendering ANY text:
- Calculate contrast ratio between text color and background
- If ratio < 4.5:1, auto-fix with safe alternative (white on dark, near-black on light)
- Log warning if auto-fix was needed
See references/technical-implementation.md → "Accessibility & Safety Checks" for validate_contrast() code.
No Overlap Rule (ABSOLUTE)
Text elements MUST NEVER overlap. This includes:
- Text on text
- Text on logos
- Text on icons
- Text bleeding into margins
Before placing ANY element:
- Calculate bounding box (position + dimensions)
- Check against all existing elements for collision
- Check against safe zone margins
- If collision detected → STOP and adjust position or reduce content
Safe Zone Enforcement
| Format | Margin | Safe Area |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation (1920×1080) | 50px | 1820×980 usable |
| Carousel (1080×1350) | 54px (5%) | 972×1242 usable |
Nothing may cross these boundaries:
- No text
- No logos (except intentional bleed designs)
- No icons
- No cards
Gradient Text Safety
When text appears on gradients:
- Test contrast at BOTH ends of the gradient
- Minimum 4.5:1 at the lowest contrast point
- If fail: add semi-transparent backing behind text OR use text shadow
Pre-Render Checklist (EVERY slide/card)
□ All text passes 4.5:1 contrast check
□ No elements overlap
□ All elements within safe zone
□ Word count within style limit
□ Element count within style limit
□ Gradient text readable at both ends (if applicable)
If ANY check fails, DO NOT render. Fix the issue first.
Part 7: Visual Components (Optional)
Some styles support visual components that enhance the design. Components are opt-in (user enables during template creation) but should be used intelligently based on content—not on every slide just because they're enabled.
The Golden Rule
Don't use components everywhere. Use them where they genuinely help:
- Cards → Only when grouping multiple related points (features, tips, steps)
- Icons → Only when a clear visual metaphor exists (don't force it)
- Gradients → Only on 2-3 slides max (hook, transition, CTA)
See references/visual-components.md → "Intelligent Usage Guidelines" for detailed decision framework.
Component Availability by Style
Before using components, verify the style supports them (see style-constraints.md):
| Component | Supported Styles | Not Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Cards | Dramatic, Organic, Hygge, Lagom, Swiss, Memphis, Feng Shui, Iki | Ma, Yeo-baek |
| Icons | Dramatic, Organic, Hygge, Lagom, Swiss, Memphis, Feng Shui, Iki | Minimal, Wabi-Sabi, Shibui, Ma, Yeo-baek |
| Gradients | Dramatic, Organic, Hygge, Memphis, Feng Shui | Minimal, Swiss, Ma, Yeo-baek, Lagom |
Using Cards
Draw rounded containers for content grouping. See references/technical-implementation.md for:
draw_content_card()- Basic rounded containerdraw_icon_card()- Square card with centered icondraw_feature_card()- Card with icon, title, description
Using Icons
Lucide icons available via the icon helper. The plugin sets BRAND_CONTENT_DESIGN_DIR via SessionStart hook.
import os
import sys
from pathlib import Path
# Plugin sets BRAND_CONTENT_DESIGN_DIR automatically
plugin_dir = os.environ.get('BRAND_CONTENT_DESIGN_DIR')
if plugin_dir:
sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(plugin_dir) / "scripts"))
from icons import get_icon_png, search_icons, ICON_CATEGORIES
icon_path = get_icon_png('lightbulb', color='#3B82F6', size=48)
canvas.drawImage(icon_path, x, y, width=48, height=48, mask='auto')
See references/technical-implementation.md for full icon usage patterns.
Using Gradients
Background transitions for depth:
# See references/technical-implementation.md for draw_gradient_background
Slide-Type Quick Reference
| Slide Type | Cards | Icons | Gradient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook/Opening | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Features/Steps | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data/Stats | ◐ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Quote | ◐ | ✗ | ✗ |
| CTA/Closing | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Legend: ✓ = Use | ◐ = If content warrants | ✗ = Avoid
Remember: Visual components must serve the message. When in doubt, use fewer.
Part 8: Technical Implementation
For PDF generation code patterns, see references/technical-implementation.md:
- Asset preparation (SVG→PNG conversion, font loading)
- reportlab patterns for presentations (1920x1080) and carousels (1080x1350)
- Color parsing from brand-philosophy.md
- Positioning patterns: Centered (Ma/Minimal), Asymmetric (Dramatic/Iki), Grid (Swiss)
- Visual components: Cards, gradients, icons
Quick Reference
| Task | Action |
|---|---|
| Logo format | PNG or JPG only - SVG not supported by reportlab |
| SVG logo | Convert to PNG with cairosvg (/brand-extract does this automatically) |
| Custom fonts | Load from {PROJECT_PATH}/assets/fonts/ |
| Presentations | 1920x1080, 50px safe zones |
| Carousels | 1080x1350 (LinkedIn), 5% margins |
| Colors | Parse from brand-philosophy.md color table |
Output Process
- Generate PDF (source of truth) - Use
pdfskill with reportlab - Convert to PPTX (presentations only) - Use
pptxskill for editability
Part 9: Workflow Integration
This skill is called by:
/template-presentation- Generate sample.pdf + sample.pptx/template-carousel- Generate sample.pdf/presentation- Generate final presentation/presentation-quick- Generate final presentation (fast path)/carousel- Generate final carousel/carousel-quick- Generate final carousel (fast path)
Part 10: Input Requirements
When invoking this skill, provide:
- Canvas philosophy content (from template's canvas-philosophy.md)
- Style enforcement block (from style-constraints.md)
- Content outline (slide/card content to render)
- Brand philosophy (colors, fonts, logo from brand-philosophy.md)
- Output format (presentation or carousel)
- Dimensions (based on content type)
- Visual components config (optional - from canvas-philosophy.md Visual Components section)
Part 11: The Ultimate Test
Before finalizing, ask:
Would this work hang in a design museum? Would a creative director approve this for a premium client? Does every pixel serve the message? Does it look like someone labored over it with painstaking care?
If yes to all four, the work is ready.
If no to any, return to Part 6 and polish until it gleams.