Art Style Creator

This skill guides the creation of comprehensive art style definitions for visual projects.

Workflow

Step 1: Vision & Context

Gather project context:

1. Project type: Game, illustration, animation, UI, branding
2. Target audience: Age group, cultural context
3. Vision statement: 2-3 sentences describing the visual direction
4. Key words: 5-7 words capturing the style essence
5. Primary influences: Reference styles, artists, or works

Step 2: Color Palette

Define the color system. See color-theory.md for detailed guidance.

Ask for:

• Palette type: Monochromatic, analogous, complementary, triadic, etc.
• Dominant color (60%): Background, large areas
• Secondary color (30%): Supporting elements
• Accent color (10%): Highlights, focal points
• Mood alignment: Match colors to intended emotion
• Forbidden colors: Colors to avoid and why

Step 3: Line Work

Establish line characteristics. See line-and-shape.md for details.

Define:

• Outline approach: Full / Partial / None / Color holds
• Base weight: Thin / Medium / Thick (with pixel/pt measurement)
• Quality: Clean / Sketchy / Geometric / Organic / Calligraphic
• Weight variation: Different weights for FG/MG/BG
• Line color: Black / Dark local color / Color holds

Step 4: Shape Language

Define shape characteristics. See line-and-shape.md.

Specify:

• Dominant shape: Circle (friendly), Square (stable), Triangle (dynamic)
• Complexity level: Simple / Moderate / Complex
• Edge treatment: Sharp / Rounded / Mixed
• Character shapes: Heroes, villains, NPCs
• Environment shapes: Architecture, nature, props
• Silhouette priority: High / Medium / Low

Step 5: Composition

Set layout rules. See composition-lighting.md.

Define:

• Framing system: Rule of thirds / Golden ratio / Center-focused / Dynamic
• Symmetry preference: Symmetric / Asymmetric / Varied
• Depth approach: FG/MG/BG presence and treatment
• Perspective type: 1-point / 2-point / 3-point / Isometric
• Visual hierarchy: Primary method (size/contrast/color/position)
• Negative space: Minimal / Moderate / Abundant

Step 6: Lighting & Atmosphere

Define lighting style. See composition-lighting.md.

Specify:

• Overall brightness: Dark / Dim / Neutral / Bright
• Contrast level: Low / Medium / High / Extreme
• Shadow rendering: Gradient / Cel-shaded / Hatched / Minimal / None
• Primary light direction: Front / Side / Back / Top / Variable
• Light hardness: Soft / Medium / Hard
• Shadow color: Black / Colored / Complementary
• Atmospheric effects: Fog, particles, god rays

Step 7: Texture & Detail

Set detail approach. See texture-mood.md.

Define:

• Detail level: Minimal / Low / Medium / High / Photorealistic
• Texture rendering: Painted / Photo / Procedural / Flat / Stylized
• Detail distribution: High detail for focus, low for background
• Surface treatments: How to handle different materials
• Aging/weathering: None / Subtle / Visible / Heavy
• Noise/grain: None / Subtle / Visible

Step 8: Mood & Tone

Establish emotional baseline. See texture-mood.md.

Specify:

• Core emotion: Joy, sadness, fear, tension, peace, mystery, etc.
• Intensity: Subtle / Moderate / Strong
• Tone position: Light ↔ Dark spectrum
• Energy level: Calm / Moderate / Energetic
• Genre alignment: Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, noir, etc.
• Elements to avoid: What would break the mood

Step 9: Technical Specs

Document technical requirements. See technical-specs.md.

Define:

• Working resolution: Dimensions at DPI
• Export resolution: Final output specs
• Color mode: RGB / CMYK / Indexed
• File formats: Working and export formats
• Asset sizes: Characters, environments, UI elements, icons

Step 10: Generate Style Document

Output the complete art style definition using the template below.

---

Output Template

# [PROJECT NAME] — Art Style Guide

## Overview
**Project**: [Name]
**Style Name**: [Unique identifier]
**Version**: 1.0

### Vision Statement
[2-3 sentences describing the visual vision]

### Key Words
[5-7 words capturing the essence]

---

## 1. Color Palette

### Primary Palette
| Role | Color | Hex | Usage |
|------|-------|-----|-------|
| Dominant | [Name] | #XXXXXX | [60% - backgrounds, large areas] |
| Secondary | [Name] | #XXXXXX | [30% - supporting elements] |
| Accent | [Name] | #XXXXXX | [10% - highlights, CTAs] |

### Extended Palette
- Highlight: #XXXXXX
- Shadow: #XXXXXX
- Neutrals: #XXXXXX, #XXXXXX

### Color Rules
- [Rule 1]
- [Rule 2]

### Forbidden Colors
- [Color]: [Reason]

---

## 2. Line Work

- **Outline**: [Full/Partial/None/Color holds]
- **Base weight**: [Thin/Medium/Thick] at [X px at Y resolution]
- **Quality**: [Clean/Sketchy/Geometric/Organic]
- **FG weight**: [Weight]
- **BG weight**: [Weight]
- **Line color**: [Black/Colored/Color holds]

---

## 3. Shape Language

- **Dominant shape**: [Circle/Square/Triangle/Mixed]
- **Complexity**: [Simple/Moderate/Complex]
- **Edges**: [Sharp/Rounded/Mixed]
- **Heroes**: [Shape description]
- **Villains**: [Shape description]
- **Environments**: [Geometric/Organic/Mixed]
- **Silhouette priority**: [High/Medium/Low]

---

## 4. Composition

- **Framing**: [Rule of thirds/Golden ratio/etc.]
- **Symmetry**: [Symmetric/Asymmetric/Varied]
- **Depth layers**: [FG/MG/BG treatment]
- **Perspective**: [Type]
- **Hierarchy method**: [Size/Contrast/Color/Position]
- **Negative space**: [Minimal/Moderate/Abundant]

---

## 5. Lighting

- **Brightness**: [Dark/Dim/Neutral/Bright]
- **Contrast**: [Low/Medium/High]
- **Shadow style**: [Gradient/Cel-shaded/Hatched/None]
- **Light direction**: [Default direction]
- **Hardness**: [Soft/Medium/Hard]
- **Shadow color**: [Black/Colored] at [opacity]%
- **Atmosphere**: [Effects if any]

---

## 6. Texture & Detail

- **Detail level**: [Minimal/Low/Medium/High]
- **Texture style**: [Painted/Flat/Stylized/etc.]
- **Focus areas**: [High detail]
- **Background**: [Low detail]
- **Weathering**: [None/Subtle/Visible]
- **Grain**: [None/Subtle/Visible]

---

## 7. Mood & Tone

- **Core emotion**: [Emotion] at [intensity]
- **Tone**: [Light ↔ Dark position]
- **Energy**: [Calm/Moderate/Energetic]
- **Genre**: [Genre]
- **Avoid**: [Elements that break mood]

---

## 8. Technical Specs

- **Working**: [Dimensions] at [DPI]
- **Export**: [Dimensions] at [DPI]
- **Color mode**: [RGB/CMYK]
- **Formats**: [Working] → [Export formats]
- **Character size**: [Dimensions]
- **Environment size**: [Dimensions]
- **Icon size**: [Dimensions]

---

## 9. References

### Primary Influences
1. [Influence]: [What to take]
2. [Influence]: [What to take]

### Avoid
- [Style/Work]: [Why]

---

## 10. Do's and Don'ts

### Do
- [Correct practice]
- [Correct practice]

### Don't
- [Incorrect practice]
- [Incorrect practice]

---

Reference Files

Load these as needed for detailed guidance:

• color-theory.md - Color wheel, palette types, psychology, construction rules
• line-and-shape.md - Line characteristics, shape psychology, silhouettes
• composition-lighting.md - Composition principles, perspective, lighting setups
• texture-mood.md - Detail levels, texture types, mood mapping, genre guides
• technical-specs.md - Resolution, color modes, file formats
• style-references.md - Art movements, contemporary styles, animation styles
• glossary.md - Art terminology definitions

Quick Style Presets

For rapid style definition, use these genre presets as starting points:

Genre	Colors	Lines	Shapes	Lighting	Detail
Anime	Saturated, clean	Clean, variable weight	Soft, appealing	Cel-shaded	Medium
Cartoon	Bright, primary	Bold outlines	Round, exaggerated	Flat/minimal	Low
Realistic	Natural, full range	No outline	Complex, accurate	Gradient	High
Pixel Art	Limited palette	Sharp, 1px	Blocky, simplified	Dithered	Low
Noir	Mono + accent	Heavy contrast	Stark, geometric	High contrast	Medium
Fantasy	Rich, varied	Flowing, ornate	Organic, majestic	Dramatic	High
Sci-Fi	Cool, neon accents	Clean, geometric	Streamlined	Artificial	Medium-High
Horror	Desaturated, sickly	Jagged, broken	Distorted	Low key	Varied
Minimalist	Limited, pastel	None or thin	Simple geometric	Flat	Minimal