home / skills / jimliu / baoyu-skills / baoyu-cover-image

baoyu-cover-image skill

This skill generates article cover images with 5-dimension customization (type, palette, rendering, text, mood) across aspect ratios to enhance engagement.

npx playbooks add skill jimliu/baoyu-skills --skill baoyu-cover-image

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

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SKILL.md

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---
name: baoyu-cover-image
description: Generates article cover images with 5 dimensions (type, palette, rendering, text, mood) combining 9 color palettes and 6 rendering styles. Supports cinematic (2.35:1), widescreen (16:9), and square (1:1) aspects. Use when user asks to "generate cover image", "create article cover", or "make cover".
---

# Cover Image Generator

Generate elegant cover images for articles with 5-dimensional customization.

## Usage

```bash
# Auto-select dimensions based on content
/baoyu-cover-image path/to/article.md

# Quick mode: skip confirmation
/baoyu-cover-image article.md --quick

# Specify dimensions
/baoyu-cover-image article.md --type conceptual --palette warm --rendering flat-vector

# Style presets (shorthand for palette + rendering)
/baoyu-cover-image article.md --style blueprint

# With reference images
/baoyu-cover-image article.md --ref style-ref.png

# Direct content input
/baoyu-cover-image --palette mono --aspect 1:1 --quick
[paste content]
```

## Options

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `--type <name>` | hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal |
| `--palette <name>` | warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro |
| `--rendering <name>` | flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk |
| `--style <name>` | Preset shorthand (see [Style Presets](references/style-presets.md)) |
| `--text <level>` | none, title-only, title-subtitle, text-rich |
| `--mood <level>` | subtle, balanced, bold |
| `--font <name>` | clean, handwritten, serif, display |
| `--aspect <ratio>` | 16:9 (default), 2.35:1, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, 3:4 |
| `--lang <code>` | Title language (en, zh, ja, etc.) |
| `--no-title` | Alias for `--text none` |
| `--quick` | Skip confirmation, use auto-selection |
| `--ref <files...>` | Reference images for style/composition guidance |

## Five Dimensions

| Dimension | Values | Default |
|-----------|--------|---------|
| **Type** | hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal | auto |
| **Palette** | warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro | auto |
| **Rendering** | flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk | auto |
| **Text** | none, title-only, title-subtitle, text-rich | title-only |
| **Mood** | subtle, balanced, bold | balanced |
| **Font** | clean, handwritten, serif, display | clean |

Auto-selection rules: [references/auto-selection.md](references/auto-selection.md)

## Galleries

**Types**: hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal
→ Details: [references/types.md](references/types.md)

**Palettes**: warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro
→ Details: [references/palettes/](references/palettes/)

**Renderings**: flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk
→ Details: [references/renderings/](references/renderings/)

**Text Levels**: none (pure visual) | title-only (default) | title-subtitle | text-rich (with tags)
→ Details: [references/dimensions/text.md](references/dimensions/text.md)

**Mood Levels**: subtle (low contrast) | balanced (default) | bold (high contrast)
→ Details: [references/dimensions/mood.md](references/dimensions/mood.md)

**Fonts**: clean (sans-serif) | handwritten | serif | display (bold decorative)
→ Details: [references/dimensions/font.md](references/dimensions/font.md)

## File Structure

Output directory per `default_output_dir` preference:
- `same-dir`: `{article-dir}/`
- `imgs-subdir`: `{article-dir}/imgs/`
- `independent` (default): `cover-image/{topic-slug}/`

```
<output-dir>/
├── source-{slug}.{ext}    # Source files
├── refs/                  # Reference images (if provided)
│   ├── ref-01-{slug}.{ext}
│   └── ref-01-{slug}.md   # Description file
├── prompts/cover.md       # Generation prompt
└── cover.png              # Output image
```

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

## Workflow

### Progress Checklist

```
Cover Image Progress:
- [ ] Step 0: Check preferences (EXTEND.md) ⛔ BLOCKING
- [ ] Step 1: Analyze content + save refs + determine output dir
- [ ] Step 2: Confirm options (6 dimensions) ⚠️ unless --quick
- [ ] Step 3: Create prompt
- [ ] Step 4: Generate image
- [ ] Step 5: Completion report
```

### Flow

```
Input → [Step 0: Preferences] ─┬─ Found → Continue
                               └─ Not found → First-Time Setup ⛔ BLOCKING → Save EXTEND.md → Continue
        ↓
Analyze + Save Refs → [Output Dir] → [Confirm: 6 Dimensions] → Prompt → Generate → Complete
                                              ↓
                                     (skip if --quick or all specified)
```

### Step 0: Load Preferences ⛔ BLOCKING

Check EXTEND.md existence (priority: project → user):
```bash
test -f .baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md && echo "project"
test -f "$HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md" && echo "user"
```

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

**CRITICAL**: If not found, complete setup BEFORE any other steps or questions.

### Step 1: Analyze Content

1. **Save reference images** (if provided) → [references/workflow/reference-images.md](references/workflow/reference-images.md)
2. **Save source content** (if pasted, save to `source.md`)
3. **Analyze content**: topic, tone, keywords, visual metaphors
4. **Deep analyze references** ⚠️: Extract specific, concrete elements (see reference-images.md)
5. **Detect language**: Compare source, user input, EXTEND.md preference
6. **Determine output directory**: Per File Structure rules

### Step 2: Confirm Options ⚠️

Full confirmation flow: [references/workflow/confirm-options.md](references/workflow/confirm-options.md)

| Condition | Skipped | Still Asked |
|-----------|---------|-------------|
| `--quick` or `quick_mode: true` | 6 dimensions | Aspect ratio (unless `--aspect`) |
| All 6 + `--aspect` specified | All | None |

### Step 3: Create Prompt

Save to `prompts/cover.md`. Template: [references/workflow/prompt-template.md](references/workflow/prompt-template.md)

**CRITICAL - References in Frontmatter**:
- Files saved to `refs/` → Add to frontmatter `references` list
- Style extracted verbally (no file) → Omit `references`, describe in body
- Before writing → Verify: `test -f refs/ref-NN-{slug}.{ext}`

**Reference elements in body** MUST be detailed, prefixed with "MUST"/"REQUIRED", with integration approach.

### Step 4: Generate Image

1. **Backup existing** `cover.png` if regenerating
2. **Check image generation skills**; if multiple, ask preference
3. **Process references** from prompt frontmatter:
   - `direct` usage → pass via `--ref` (use ref-capable backend)
   - `style`/`palette` → extract traits, append to prompt
4. **Generate**: Call skill with prompt file, output path, aspect ratio
5. On failure: auto-retry once

### Step 5: Completion Report

```
Cover Generated!

Topic: [topic]
Type: [type] | Palette: [palette] | Rendering: [rendering]
Text: [text] | Mood: [mood] | Font: [font] | Aspect: [ratio]
Title: [title or "visual only"]
Language: [lang] | Watermark: [enabled/disabled]
References: [N images or "extracted style" or "none"]
Location: [directory path]

Files:
✓ source-{slug}.{ext}
✓ prompts/cover.md
✓ cover.png
```

## Image Modification

| Action | Steps |
|--------|-------|
| **Regenerate** | Backup → Update prompt file FIRST → Regenerate |
| **Change dimension** | Backup → Confirm new value → Update prompt → Regenerate |

## Composition Principles

- **Whitespace**: 40-60% breathing room
- **Visual anchor**: Main element centered or offset left
- **Characters**: Simplified silhouettes; NO realistic humans
- **Title**: Use exact title from user/source; never invent

## Extension Support

Custom configurations via EXTEND.md. See **Step 0** for paths.

Supports: Watermark | Preferred dimensions | Default aspect/output | Quick mode | Custom palettes | Language

Schema: [references/config/preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-schema.md)

## References

**Dimensions**: [text.md](references/dimensions/text.md) | [mood.md](references/dimensions/mood.md) | [font.md](references/dimensions/font.md)
**Palettes**: [references/palettes/](references/palettes/)
**Renderings**: [references/renderings/](references/renderings/)
**Types**: [references/types.md](references/types.md)
**Auto-Selection**: [references/auto-selection.md](references/auto-selection.md)
**Style Presets**: [references/style-presets.md](references/style-presets.md)
**Compatibility**: [references/compatibility.md](references/compatibility.md)
**Visual Elements**: [references/visual-elements.md](references/visual-elements.md)
**Workflow**: [confirm-options.md](references/workflow/confirm-options.md) | [prompt-template.md](references/workflow/prompt-template.md) | [reference-images.md](references/workflow/reference-images.md)
**Config**: [preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-schema.md) | [first-time-setup.md](references/config/first-time-setup.md) | [watermark-guide.md](references/config/watermark-guide.md)

Overview

This skill generates elegant article cover images with five-dimensional customization: type, palette, rendering, text, and mood. It combines nine color palettes and six rendering styles and supports cinematic, widescreen, and square aspect ratios. Use natural commands like "generate cover image", "create article cover", or "make cover" to invoke it. Outputs include a prompt file, saved references, and a final cover image in a structured output directory.

How this skill works

The tool analyzes the article content and any supplied reference images to auto-select or confirm six cover dimensions: type, palette, rendering, text level, mood, and font. It builds a detailed generation prompt (saved to prompts/cover.md), processes references into either direct attachments or extracted style traits, and calls an image-generation backend to produce the cover. Workflows include a quick mode to skip confirmations, automatic retries on failure, and safe backup of existing cover files before regeneration.

When to use it

You need a polished cover image for a blog post, newsletter, or report.
You want consistent multi-article visual language using presets or EXTEND.md preferences.
You have reference images or a specific visual direction to incorporate.
You need different aspect ratios for platforms (cinematic 2.35:1, 16:9, 1:1).
You prefer automated sensible defaults but want manual overrides for dimensions.

Best practices

Provide the exact article title in the source; the title is used verbatim and never invented.
Include clear reference images when you want direct style or composition reuse; the skill treats them as MUST elements when referenced.
Use --quick for fast generation when defaults are acceptable; otherwise confirm the six dimensions to tailor results.
Set EXTEND.md in project or user config on first run to avoid blocking setup prompts and to store preferred defaults.
Backup or rename existing cover.png before regenerating if you want to preserve prior versions.

Example use cases

Generate a hero-style cinematic cover for a long-form feature article with a warm palette and painterly rendering.
Create a square social-media cover with minimal typography and a pastel palette for an interview post.
Batch-create covers for a series using a style preset (shorthand) to maintain consistent palette and rendering.
Produce a conceptual cover guided by two reference images: one for composition, one for color palette extraction.
Quickly make a text-rich cover for a tutorial by specifying --text text-rich and --aspect 16:9.

FAQ

What triggers this skill?

Use commands like "generate cover image", "create article cover", or "make cover"; CLI aliases and flags also invoke specific behaviors.

How do I force no title?

Use --no-title or --text none to produce a purely visual cover with no overlayed text.

Where are outputs saved?

Outputs follow your default_output_dir preference: same-dir, imgs-subdir, or independent (cover-image/{topic-slug}/) and include source, refs, prompts/cover.md, and cover.png.