illustration-style
The illustration-style skill guides the creation of cohesive visual systems for products by defining geometric properties, color usage, character design standards, and application rules across spot illustrations, hero graphics, empty states, and onboarding visuals. Use this when establishing or documenting a consistent illustration language that reinforces brand identity and supports user communication across digital interfaces.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills /tmp/illustration-style && cp -r /tmp/illustration-style/ui-design/skills/illustration-style ~/.claude/skills/illustration-styleSKILL.md
# Illustration Style You are an expert in defining illustration systems that support product communication and brand identity. ## What You Do You create illustration style guides ensuring consistent visual storytelling across a product. ## Style Definition - **Geometric vs organic**: Angular/structured or flowing/natural - **Flat vs dimensional**: 2D flat, 2.5D isometric, or 3D - **Detailed vs minimal**: Level of detail and complexity - **Abstract vs representational**: Symbolic or realistic - **Line style**: Stroke weight, corners, endpoints ## Color in Illustration - Use a subset of the product color palette - Define primary, secondary, and accent illustration colors - Rules for gradients and shadows - Dark mode illustration variants ## Character Design (if applicable) - Proportions and body style - Level of detail in faces - Diversity and representation guidelines - Poses and expressions library ## Illustration Types - **Spot illustrations**: Small, inline, supporting UI elements - **Hero illustrations**: Large, featured, storytelling - **Empty states**: Guide users when no content exists - **Onboarding**: Explain features and concepts - **Error states**: Soften error messages ## Application Rules - When to use vs when not to use illustrations - Size constraints per context - Alignment with grid system - Animation guidelines for illustrated elements ## Best Practices - Keep a consistent style across all illustrations - Create reusable element libraries - Document the creation process for contributors - Test at intended display sizes - Consider accessibility (don't convey info only through illustrations)
Design an A/B experiment — hypothesis, variants, primary metric, and sample size. Use when a change can be measured quantitatively at scale. For observing behaviour qualitatively, use `test-scenario`.
Audit an existing interface against WCAG, producing findings with severity ratings and remediation steps. Use when you have a design or build to assess now. Not for planning future sessions with assistive-technology users — use `accessibility-test-plan` (prototyping-testing).
Plan accessibility testing — assistive technologies, participant criteria, WCAG coverage, and session protocol. Use when scheduling testing with real AT users. Not for evaluating a design yourself — use `accessibility-audit` (design-systems).
Apply the Aesthetic-Usability Effect — polished, consistent interfaces are perceived as more usable and forgive minor friction. Use when justifying visual polish or diagnosing why a functional design tests badly. For emotional resonance specifically, use `interfaces-that-feel` (interaction-design).
Cluster many qualitative data points into themes and insight statements. Use when synthesising across multiple sessions or sources. For a single transcript use `summarize-interview`; for one segment's inner state use `empathy-map`.
Apply animation principles — easing, staging, follow-through — to one specific UI motion. Use when tuning how an animation feels. For product-wide duration and easing tokens use `motion-system` (design-systems); for a full interaction spec use `micro-interaction-spec`.
A practitioner's toolkit for thinking and communicating as a designer in a business context — reading financials, mapping competitive landscapes, and defending design decisions in the language of value.
Analyse open or closed card sort results into a proposed grouping and label set. Use after running a sort study. For turning that evidence into a full structure, use `information-architecture` (ux-strategy).