---
name: brand-illustrator
description: Generate Builder Methods hand-drawn line art illustrations (icons, scenes, periphery) with a single accent color (Coral/Teal/Indigo/Amber). Use for blog headers, thumbnails, course graphics, social posts, and on-brand UI/tech metaphors.
allowed-tools:
  - Bash
  - Read
  - Write
  - Edit
---

# Builder Methods Brand Illustrator

Generate hand-drawn line illustrations that match the Builder Methods visual identity:
warm off-white canvas, confident black ink lines, and one bold accent color.

This Skill is designed to be *reusable* and *procedural*:
- you gather requirements
- you propose three on-brand concepts
- you get a selection
- you generate final image(s) consistently using our style + color system

## What this Skill produces

- **Icon**: 1 primary object, isolated, quick punctuation.
- **Scene**: 2–4 objects, suggested environment, hero/header moments.
- **Periphery**: 1–3 objects, used as corner/edge elements or decorative supports.

See `references/visual-world.md` for the world + constraints and `references/style.md` for rendering rules.

## Requirements

- **Python 3.8+** for running the generation script
- **google-genai package**: `pip install google-genai`
- **GEMINI_API_KEY environment variable**: Set your Google Gemini API key as `GEMINI_API_KEY` (alternatively `GOOGLE_API_KEY` or `GENAI_API_KEY`)

Get an API key from: https://ai.google.dev/

## Quick Start

1. **Create a project folder** (recommended) in `projects/` with today's date and a short slug.

   Example:
   ```bash
   mkdir -p projects/2026-01-13-blog-hero
   ```

2. **Gather requirements** — use the AskUserQuestion tool for each missing piece *one at a time*.
   Required inputs:
   - **Content context**: topic + the core idea (insight), or paste article/transcript
   - **Visual context**: where the illustration will live (page screenshot, layout notes), or “n/a”
   - **Accent color**: `coral` | `teal` | `indigo` | `amber`
   - **Image type**: `icon` | `scene` | `periphery`
   - **Dimensions** (px): width × height

   Defaults:
   - scene: **1200×630**
   - icon: **512×512**
   - periphery: **500×500**

3. **Generate 3 concept options** using `references/idea-mapping.md`:
   - Present **Option A / B / C**
   - Each option includes: connection type, category (Builder’s World / Metaphor / Digital Artifact),
     object list, and why it fits the content.
   - Keep options meaningfully different (object choice, metaphor, or mood), but all on-brand.

4. **Get user choice** — use AskUserQuestion and let them pick A/B/C (or “Other” for feedback).

5. **Document the project** — create `project.md` inside the project folder with:
   - requirements
   - A/B/C concepts
   - chosen direction
   - final prompt + parameters
   - output filenames

6. **Craft prompt and generate** once a concept is approved, saving outputs to the project folder.

   Example:
   ```bash
   python3 scripts/generate.py \
     --prompt "A worn leather notebook open to a page with handwritten wireframe sketches" \
     --color coral \
     --type scene \
     --width 1200 \
     --height 630 \
     --output projects/2026-01-13-blog-hero/illustration-v1.png
   ```

## Color System

See `references/colors.md` for all hex values (single source of truth).

**Available accent colors:** Coral, Teal, Indigo, Amber

### Rules
- Use **ONE** accent color per illustration.
- Most of the image is **warm off-white background** with **confident black lines**.
- Accent color should fill **~20–30%** of the illustration.
- Shadow/depth color is used **sparingly** (**~5–10%**), mostly as grounding.

## Style Requirements (non-negotiable)

These are enforced by prompt + review. See `references/style.md` for full details.

- Hand-drawn ink line art; no photorealism, no 3D, no gradients
- Restrained compositions: focus objects over scenery
- Suggest environment with a few cues; do not render full rooms
- Leave negative space for text overlays when used as a hero image

## Concepting Guidance

Use the mapping doc to ensure every illustration is connected to the content:
- `references/idea-mapping.md` — connection types, object lists, metaphors, quick reference by meaning
- `references/visual-world.md` — what “belongs” in the Builder Methods world
- `references/prompts.md` — prompt templates and proven patterns

## Safety / Brand Guardrails

- Avoid trademarks/logos/brand names on devices, mugs, screens, or apparel.
- Avoid depicting real identifiable people.
- Keep UI/terminal content generic (nonsense code is fine; no secrets).
- No violence, gore, or sensitive themes—Builder Methods illustrations should feel calm and inviting.

## Project Documentation Template

Copy into `projects/<date>-<slug>/project.md`:

```md
# Project: <slug>

## Requirements
- Content context:
- Core idea:
- Visual context:
- Accent color:
- Image type:
- Dimensions:

## Concepts
### Option A
- Connection type:
- Category:
- Objects:
- Rationale:

### Option B
...

### Option C
...

## Selected Direction
- Chosen option:
- Notes / tweaks:

## Final Prompt
```text
<final prompt here>
```

## Generation Params
- color:
- type:
- width:
- height:
- output:

## Outputs
- illustration-v1.png
- illustration-v2.png
```


---
Source attribution: nibzard
Original project: https://github.com/nibzard/skills-marketplace/blob/ef40bfb9a0bfc1b7af4e6d258d668da706922641/skills/brand-illustrator/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Skills Kit

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.


# Dave AI resource metadata

Creator / publisher: nibzard
Original project: https://github.com/nibzard/skills-marketplace/blob/ef40bfb9a0bfc1b7af4e6d258d668da706922641/skills/brand-illustrator/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Recovered original package and original project license at a pinned revision

Fields of work: Design, Marketing
Roles: Brand Strategist, Content Marketer, Graphic Designer
Specialties: Design
Tools: Google Genai
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 050ba0247e75bd9d16b9a22ac2bf2bacd68cfd6a3a48283b943a8633293666af
Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27
This metadata supersedes earlier Dave AI catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.