--- name: docs-image description: | Generate AI illustrations (hero, cover, conceptual, infographic) for nexus-agents docs via the nanobanana-mcp gateway. Use when the user needs a hero image, README cover, or conceptual illustration. NOT for precise architecture diagrams — those redirect to docs-mermaid. NOT for quantitative charts — those redirect to docs-chart. Triggers on "generate image", "blog image", "hero image", "cover image", "illustration". allowed-tools: Read, Edit, Write, Bash, Grep, Glob --- # AI Illustrations Skill ## When to apply Use AI image generation in **three specific cases**: 1. **Hero / cover images** — README header, blog post cover, major architecture doc landing image 2. **Conceptual illustrations** — abstract / editorial mode for "what consensus voting feels like" — illustrative, not load-bearing 3. **Infographic-mode visualizations** — shape of an approach, layered process flows where "approximate shape" beats "exact byte path" For everything else, redirect. ## Step 1 (CRITICAL) — Mermaid-first check Before generating, ask: _"Is this a 'show how X works' question with precise components / sequence / state?"_ If YES → recommend `docs-mermaid`. State the rule of thumb: _"Mermaid wins for precise diagrams: it's text-based, diff-able, and renders accurately. AI images are wrong for this — they look right until you check the details."_ If NO and the request is genuinely illustrative ("show me what consensus feels like", "hero for the README"), proceed to step 2. This guardrail is the highest-priority rule in the skill. Skipping it produces architecture diagrams that look plausible but are wrong in detail. ## Step 2 — Select domain mode | Mode | When to use | Prompt emphasis | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------- | | **Infographic** (default) | Layered process shape, comparison panels | Layout structure, hierarchy, accessible colors | | **Editorial** | Hero / blog cover with mood | Composition, lighting, publication references | | **Abstract** | Pattern background, decorative section divider | Color theory, mathematical forms, textures | | **UI/Web** | Tech illustration with vector / flat-design feel | Clean lines, exact colors, icon-style | Defaulting to **Infographic** is correct for ~80% of nexus-agents use cases — most requests are about explaining a process, not setting a mood. (Product / Landscape modes from upstream are intentionally omitted — this is a code-governance project, not e-commerce or travel.) ## Step 3 — Construct the 6-component prompt Build the prompt as a natural narrative paragraph using the 6-component reasoning brief: 1. **Subject** — who/what, with rich physical detail 2. **Action** — what's happening 3. **Context** — environment / setting 4. **Composition** — framing, perspective, focal point 5. **Lighting** — mood, time of day, light source 6. **Style** — visual treatment (Infographic / Editorial / etc.) Never pass raw user text directly to the API. Always interpret + enhance. See `references/prompt-engineering.md` for full per-mode modifier libraries and worked examples. ## Step 4 — Generate via nanobanana-mcp ```text Tool: mcp__nanobanana__generate_image Prompt: Aspect ratio: 16:9 (hero / OG card) or 4:3 (inline) Resolution: 1200x630 for OG, 1920x1080 for hero ``` If nanobanana-mcp is not configured: 1. Try calling `get_image_history` (lightweight, no side effects) 2. If it fails: inform the user _"Image generation requires the nanobanana-mcp server. See `references/prompt-engineering.md` for setup."_ 3. When called internally (from a doc generation workflow): return silently — the calling workflow continues without the image. ## Operational considerations - **Costs money per image** (Gemini Imagen pricing ≈ $0.039/image at time of writing). Always announce cost-per-call before generating more than one image. - **Regenerate sparingly.** Iterate on the prompt before committing budget; one carefully-constructed prompt beats five quick attempts. - **Save outputs to a documented location.** Hero images in `docs/architecture/images/`; blog covers in `/cover.png`. Never to `/tmp` or scratch dirs. ## Cross-references — when to redirect This is the illustrative-images lane. Redirect when the request fits elsewhere: - **Sequence / state / flow / class / ER** → `docs-mermaid` - **Bar / donut / line / lollipop chart** → `docs-chart` - **Doc structure / placement** → `documentation-management` When you redirect, state the rule of thumb so the user calibrates for next time. ## What this skill does NOT do - **Architecture diagrams.** Mermaid wins on accuracy + diff-ability. - **Quantitative charts.** SVG wins on precision. - **Image editing pipelines** beyond what nanobanana-mcp supports natively. Defer to next round if needed. - **Local generation** (Stable Diffusion / etc.). Operator opts into Gemini via the MCP server. ## See also - `references/prompt-engineering.md` — domain-mode modifier library + worked examples - `references/setup-nanobanana.md` — MCP server setup walkthrough (TBD — file as a follow-up if operators ask) --- Source attribution: nexus-substrate Original project: https://github.com/nexus-substrate/nexus-agents/blob/ddc209542969af8515e8424e45f93905e445d81c/skills/docs-image/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) 2026 William Zujkowski 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. ## Additional upstream notices docs-image/DAVEAI-UPSTREAM-NOTICE nexus-agents Copyright (c) 2026 William Zujkowski This project is inspired by and incorporates concepts from claude-team-mcp, which is also licensed under the MIT License. Attribution is preserved per the terms of the original license. # Dave AI resource metadata Creator / publisher: nexus-substrate Original project: https://github.com/nexus-substrate/nexus-agents/blob/ddc209542969af8515e8424e45f93905e445d81c/skills/docs-image/SKILL.md Attribution basis: Source repository record Fields of work: Design, Marketing Roles: Content Marketer, Graphic Designer, UX Designer Specialties: Design Tools: Nanobanana Mcp Country applicability: Country not specified Classification basis: Source catalog labels Instruction SHA-256: 2e741a16d29aa6e918b03d31ffe6d5aacb31c3f5dd0be11fb9e62f7e3f1a3331