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baoyu-article-illustrator skill

/skills/baoyu-article-illustrator

This skill analyzes article structure, identifies illustration points, and generates Type × Style visuals to enhance understanding and retention.

npx playbooks add skill jimliu/baoyu-skills --skill baoyu-article-illustrator

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

Files (29)
SKILL.md
5.2 KB
---
name: baoyu-article-illustrator
description: Analyzes article structure, identifies positions requiring visual aids, generates illustrations with Type × Style two-dimension approach. Use when user asks to "illustrate article", "add images", "generate images for article", or "为文章配图".
---

# Article Illustrator

Analyze articles, identify illustration positions, generate images with Type × Style consistency.

## Two Dimensions

| Dimension | Controls | Examples |
|-----------|----------|----------|
| **Type** | Information structure | infographic, scene, flowchart, comparison, framework, timeline |
| **Style** | Visual aesthetics | notion, warm, minimal, blueprint, watercolor, elegant |

Combine freely: `--type infographic --style blueprint`

## Types

| Type | Best For |
|------|----------|
| `infographic` | Data, metrics, technical |
| `scene` | Narratives, emotional |
| `flowchart` | Processes, workflows |
| `comparison` | Side-by-side, options |
| `framework` | Models, architecture |
| `timeline` | History, evolution |

## Styles

See [references/styles.md](references/styles.md) for Core Styles, full gallery, and Type × Style compatibility.

## Workflow

```
- [ ] Step 1: Pre-check (EXTEND.md, references, config)
- [ ] Step 2: Analyze content
- [ ] Step 3: Confirm settings (AskUserQuestion)
- [ ] Step 4: Generate outline
- [ ] Step 5: Generate images
- [ ] Step 6: Finalize
```

### Step 1: Pre-check

**1.5 Load Preferences (EXTEND.md) ⛔ BLOCKING**

```bash
test -f .baoyu-skills/baoyu-article-illustrator/EXTEND.md && echo "project"
test -f "$HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-article-illustrator/EXTEND.md" && echo "user"
```

| Result | Action |
|--------|--------|
| Found | Read, parse, display summary |
| Not found | ⛔ Run [first-time-setup](references/config/first-time-setup.md) |

Full procedures: [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md#step-1-pre-check)

### Step 2: Analyze

| Analysis | Output |
|----------|--------|
| Content type | Technical / Tutorial / Methodology / Narrative |
| Purpose | information / visualization / imagination |
| Core arguments | 2-5 main points |
| Positions | Where illustrations add value |

**CRITICAL**: Metaphors → visualize underlying concept, NOT literal image.

Full procedures: [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md#step-2-setup--analyze)

### Step 3: Confirm Settings ⚠️

**ONE AskUserQuestion, max 4 Qs. Q1-Q3 REQUIRED.**

| Q | Options |
|---|---------|
| **Q1: Type** | [Recommended], infographic, scene, flowchart, comparison, framework, timeline, mixed |
| **Q2: Density** | minimal (1-2), balanced (3-5), per-section (Recommended), rich (6+) |
| **Q3: Style** | [Recommended], minimal-flat, sci-fi, hand-drawn, editorial, scene, Other |
| Q4: Language | When article language ≠ EXTEND.md setting |

Full procedures: [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md#step-3-confirm-settings-)

### Step 4: Generate Outline

Save `outline.md` with frontmatter (type, density, style, image_count) and entries:

```yaml
## Illustration 1
**Position**: [section/paragraph]
**Purpose**: [why]
**Visual Content**: [what]
**Filename**: 01-infographic-concept-name.png
```

Full template: [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md#step-4-generate-outline)

### Step 5: Generate Images

⛔ **BLOCKING: Prompt files MUST be saved before ANY image generation.**

1. For each illustration, create a prompt file per [references/prompt-construction.md](references/prompt-construction.md)
2. Save to `prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md` with YAML frontmatter
3. Prompts **MUST** use type-specific templates with structured sections (ZONES / LABELS / COLORS / STYLE / ASPECT)
4. LABELS **MUST** include article-specific data: actual numbers, terms, metrics, quotes
5. **DO NOT** pass ad-hoc inline prompts to `--prompt` without saving prompt files first
6. Select generation skill, process references (`direct`/`style`/`palette`)
7. Apply watermark if EXTEND.md enabled
8. Generate from saved prompt files; retry once on failure

Full procedures: [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md#step-5-generate-images)

### Step 6: Finalize

Insert `![description](path/NN-{type}-{slug}.png)` after paragraphs.

```
Article Illustration Complete!
Article: [path] | Type: [type] | Density: [level] | Style: [style]
Images: X/N generated
```

## Output Directory

```
illustrations/{topic-slug}/
├── source-{slug}.{ext}
├── references/           # if provided
├── outline.md
├── prompts/
└── NN-{type}-{slug}.png
```

**Slug**: 2-4 words, kebab-case. **Conflict**: append `-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS`.

## Modification

| Action | Steps |
|--------|-------|
| Edit | Update prompt → Regenerate → Update reference |
| Add | Position → Prompt → Generate → Update outline → Insert |
| Delete | Delete files → Remove reference → Update outline |

## References

| File | Content |
|------|---------|
| [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md) | Detailed procedures |
| [references/usage.md](references/usage.md) | Command syntax |
| [references/styles.md](references/styles.md) | Style gallery |
| [references/prompt-construction.md](references/prompt-construction.md) | Prompt templates |
| [references/config/first-time-setup.md](references/config/first-time-setup.md) | First-time setup |

Overview

This skill analyzes article structure, pinpoints where images add the most value, and generates consistent illustrations using a two-dimension Type × Style system. It produces an outline of image positions, creates prompts, and outputs ready-to-insert image files and metadata. The goal is coherent visual language across an article with reproducible prompts and filenames.

How this skill works

The skill scans the article to detect content type, purpose, core arguments, and exact positions where visuals will improve comprehension or engagement. It asks up to four quick confirmation questions (Type, Density, Style, Language) to align generation settings. Then it writes an outline (outline.md), constructs generation prompts, and sequentially produces images, applying references, palettes, and optional watermarking. Final output is organized in an illustrations/{topic-slug}/ folder with prompts, sources, and numbered image files.

When to use it

  • When you ask to “illustrate article”, “add images”, or “generate images for article”.
  • When an article contains data, processes, comparisons, or metaphors that need visual explanation.
  • When you want a consistent visual identity across multiple illustrations.
  • When preparing tutorials, long-form guides, or narratively driven posts that benefit from imagery.

Best practices

  • Run pre-checks and load EXTEND.md preferences before starting to ensure project-level settings are applied.
  • Answer the three required confirmation questions (Type, Density, Style) to get targeted results; use the recommended options if unsure.
  • Prefer per-section or balanced density for most articles; choose rich only for image-first formats.
  • Provide references or sample images to guide style and palette; include desired filename slugs to keep outputs organized.
  • Review and edit the outline.md before generation to avoid wasted renders and to control image count.

Example use cases

  • Convert a technical tutorial into an illustrated guide with infographics for key metrics and flowcharts for processes.
  • Add emotional scene illustrations to a narrative article to strengthen reader engagement.
  • Generate side-by-side comparison visuals for product or method comparisons.
  • Create a timeline and framework diagrams for a research review or historical feature.
  • Produce a consistent image set for a multi-part series using the same Type × Style settings.

FAQ

How many questions will you ask me before generating images?

I will ask up to four quick questions; Q1–Q3 (Type, Density, Style) are required and Q4 is optional for language adjustments.

Can I mix Types and Styles within one article?

Yes. The workflow supports mixed types and styles per illustration, but maintain a clear outline to preserve visual consistency across the article.