mono-color

# Monocolor Editorial Print

Turn any user theme or image into an original printed editorial artifact with one stable visual language:

> adaptive neutral substrate + one or two inks + reproduced image + typographic tension + concise human voice

Do not imitate any one reference. Recombine the system below into a new composition every time.

## Default Deliverable

Create:

1. one final image-generation prompt;
2. one generated raster image;
3. a short recipe note naming palette, layout family, type pairing, and print process.

Save generated files under `~/Desktop/Claude skills/mono-color/` when a file path is available. Create the folder if needed. Stop at prompt-only only when the user explicitly asks for it or no image-generation capability is available.

## Input Reading

Extract four things before composing:

- **Subject:** the one person, object, scene, or idea that must remain recognizable.
- **Intent:** poetic observation, announcement, field note, personal statement, cultural poster, or specimen page.
- **Words:** preserve exact supplied text in its original language. When no text is supplied, invent one English display phrase of 2-8 words and preserve it across retries. Omit display text only when the user explicitly requests a text-free image.
- **Image role:** hero photograph, isolated specimen, cropped fragment, texture source, or no supplied image.
- **Representation:** faithful reproduction or abstract symbol extraction. Choose abstract symbol extraction when the user asks for abstract, artistic, loose, experimental, less realistic, or less photographic treatment.

For a complex topic, choose one concrete visual metaphor. Do not illustrate every point.

When the user supplies an image, preserve its identity and core factual content. In faithful reproduction, crop, isolate, enlarge, simplify, or convert it to halftone. In abstract symbol extraction, preserve 2-4 identifying anchors while replacing photographic description with simplified masses, contours, repeated marks, and exposed paper. Never replace the subject or invent branded details.

### Recipe Manifest

Before writing the generation prompt, resolve the input into this manifest. Do not skip fields and do not expose the manifest unless the user asks for process details.

Use the machine-readable catalogs in `design-system/` as the source of truth for palette IDs, typography roles, composition geometry, carrier signals, visual rhythm, and controlled print imperfections. Read only the relevant catalog for the current decision. The prose below explains intent; when an exact value differs, the catalog wins.

```yaml
subject: <one recognizable subject>
intent: <one intent from Input Reading>
exact_text: <user text, generated 2-8 word phrase, or none>
text_language: <language of supplied text, otherwise English>
representation: <faithful reproduction or abstract symbol extraction>
ratio: <explicit ratio or 3:4>
carrier: <one carrier ID from design-system/carriers.json or none>
substrate: <one substrate ID and exact hex from design-system/colors.json>
mode: <pure one-ink, chromatic + black, complementary duotone, or overprint duotone>
palette: <one palette ID from design-system/colors.json>
inks: <the palette's named ink or approved pair with exact hex values>
plate_roles: <one explicit role per ink plate>
layout: <one composition ID from design-system/compositions.json>
empty_paper: <explicit percentage>
visual_tension: <relaxed, balanced, or assertive from design-system/rhythm.json>
focal_event: <one strong visual event from design-system/rhythm.json>
release_zone: <one deliberately quiet region that gives the focal event room>
unresolved_edge: <one optional edge behavior from design-system/rhythm.json or none>
image_treatment: <one mechanical reproduction process>
type_hierarchy: <one role ID from design-system/typography.json>
disruption: <one deliberate disruption>
imperfection_seed: <stable hash derived from the resolved recipe>
imperfections: <0-2 restrained effect IDs for contemporary work, or 2-3 for tactile/vintage work>
```

Use these defaults whenever the user has not made the choice:

- ratio: `3:4`;
- representation: `faithful reproduction`, unless the user asks for abstract, artistic, loose, experimental, less realistic, or less photographic treatment;
- text language: English for all invented display text, labels, and microcopy;
- substrate: select from Neutral White `#FAFAF7`, Cool Gray `#E9E9E5`, or Pale Beige `#F5F1E8` according to the subject, image values, and ink contrast. Neutral White is the unspecified default; never assume beige or aged paper merely because the work uses halftone or risograph language;
- mode and ink: controlled two-ink by default. Use Cobalt + Terracotta `#2148B8` + `#C65F38` for an unspecified subject, then select the closest approved pair for the subject. The dominant plate carries 70%-85% and the accent plate carries 15%-30%. Switch to pure one-ink only when the user explicitly requests one ink, monochrome, or one named ink without a second color;
- empty paper: `35%`;
- visual tension: `relaxed` for reflective, travel, summer, leisure, lifestyle, and unspecified cultural subjects; `balanced` for ordinary events and editorial information; `assertive` only when the user requests a forceful declaration or the phrase itself is the subject;
- focal event: choose exactly one strong visual event and make all other devices support or release it;
- release zone: reserve one large quiet region with low information density; its size follows the composition rather than a universal percentage;
- unresolved edge: use one only when it strengthens the focal event or release zone; otherwise use none;
- image treatment: clean plate separation or medium screening for contemporary work; coarse halftone only when the subject, supplied image, or user request benefits from it;
- type hierarchy: resolve the role from `design-system/typography.json`. Use Literary for intimate or quiet subjects, Cul