photo-to-zine-postcard

Imported from Whiplashzeb/photo-to-zine-postcard (SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add Whiplashzeb/photo-to-zine-postcard. Copyright stays with the author.

SKILL.md — photo-zine-postcard-v3.3

1. Name

photo-zine-postcard-v3.3

A compact, self-contained skill for generating a minimal postcard front and back from one source photo.

Use only this document.
Do not retrieve or reference external skills.

2. Goal

Generate two coordinated images:

1. Front — original photo embedded above, minimal editorial composition below
2. Back — unified postcard back

The design must remain:

• minimal
• airy
• source-specific
• visually attractive
• lightly hand-crafted
• print-friendly

The source photo remains primary.
The lower area contains one strong visual motif, not a collection of samples.

3. Default Format

• card ratio: portrait 2:3
• reference print size: 100 × 150 mm
• background: warm off-white / ivory paper
• texture: very subtle paper grain
• original photo: embedded directly
• lower fragment style: hand_drawn_first
• palette: enabled by default

4. Fixed Front Structure

Do not redesign the layout.

Use this structure:

1. original photo in the upper area
2. generous blank transition space
3. metadata block on the lower left
4. one large main visual motif on the lower right
5. optional one much smaller supporting motif
6. exactly three small color swatches near the lower area

Do not add any other visual modules.

5. Main Photo

• Use the actual source photo.
• Preserve its exact original aspect ratio.
• Do not stretch, repaint, replace, or crop it by default.
• Place it in the upper half, centered horizontally.
• Add a very thin frame.
• Leave a small even paper gap between photo and frame.
• At most one tiny archival tape detail is allowed.

6. Main Motif Selection

The model must first select the most visually attractive and source-defining motif, not merely the easiest object to isolate.

Selection priority

Choose the motif with the strongest combination of:

1. distinctive source identity
2. visually appealing color
3. clear silhouette
4. strong contrast
5. elegant shape
6. relevance to the overall photograph

Prefer

• vivid turquoise or blue water forms
• distinctive shoreline contours
• strong mountain silhouettes
• expressive plant clusters
• recognizable window-and-vine structures
• elegant architectural fragments
• visually dominant clouds or shadows

Avoid as main motif

• dull beige fragments when a stronger colored subject exists
• visually insignificant debris
• the easiest isolated object if it is not the most attractive
• low-contrast secondary details
• fragments that do not represent the photograph’s main visual character

Mandatory rule

When the source contains a clearly dominant color feature, the main motif should normally come from that feature.

For example:

• turquoise lake photo → select turquoise water / shoreline motif
• mountain sunset → select illuminated ridge or sky-lit peak
• ivy window → select window + vine cluster
• flower close-up → select the flower, not the pot or background

7. Hand-Drawn First Rule

The main motif should be hand-drawn by default when the subject is suitable.

This is not optional styling language.
It is the preferred rendering mode.

Required hand-drawn treatment

Render the main motif as a restrained editorial illustration using one or a combination of:

• watercolor
• gouache
• ink
• pencil
• cut-paper illustration
• painted contour
• soft hand-rendered texture

The result must:

• preserve the original silhouette
• preserve the major internal structure
• preserve the recognizable identity
• keep the source color character
• feel more lively than a raw crop
• remain clean and controlled

Do not use a raw crop as the main motif when the motif is suitable for drawing.

Good hand-drawn candidates:

• water shapes
• shorelines
• islands
• mountains
• plants
• branches
• windows
• clouds
• rocks
• simple buildings
• facades
• natural contours

Crop fallback

Use a source crop only when exact fidelity is essential, such as:

• faces
• hands
• text or signage
• precise machinery
• complex perspective
• dense repeated detail
• objects that lose identity when simplified

When using crop fallback, keep it lightly softened and integrated with the paper.

8. Main Motif Size and Placement

The main motif should be clearly visible and larger than in V3 Lite.

Recommended size:

• width: 28%–38% of card width
• height: 14%–22% of card height

Placement:

• lower right
• lower center-right

The motif must remain subordinate to the main photo, but should feel intentional and substantial.

9. Supporting Motif

Optional only.

Rules:

• one supporting motif maximum
• size: 20%–35% of the main motif
• placed close to the main motif
• must support the same visual story
• may be hand-drawn or lightly cropped
• never equal in size to the main motif

10. Color Swatches

Color swatches are enabled by default.

Use exactly three small swatches sampled from the source photo:

1. dominant color
2. dark structural color
3. pale neutral or accent color

Rules:

• small and secondary
• simple circles or rectangles
• no texture sample cards
• no large palette strip
• no more than three
• placed near the lower edge or near the main motif
• never replace the main motif

For the turquoise lake example, the swatches should normally include:

• bright turquoise
• deep teal
• pale mineral sand

11. Metadata

Allowed text only:

• title
• optional short subtitle
• LOCATION
• DATE
• small index number

Preferred placement:

• lower left
• restrained and compact

Do not add:

• keyword lists
• descriptive paragraphs
• multiple labels
• phrases such as SHORE / ISLAND / MINERAL / LAGOON / SALT
• invented metadata such as Unknown or Undated unless explicitly requested

Leave metadata values blank when not provided.

12. Forbidden Front Elements

Do not add:

• rows of multiple cutouts
• multiple main motifs
• texture sample boxes
• material sample cards
• image sample grids
• large color blocks
• generic circles
• decorative dots
• wave doodles
• badges
• seals
• logos
• keyword lists
• long captions
• full-width lower compositions
• rounded card corners unless explicitly requested

If uncertain, simplify.

13. Back

Generate a unified postcard back.

Include:

• thin outer border
• one vertical divider slightly right of center
• stamp box in the upper-right
• 3 or 4 address lines on the right
• large blank message area on the left

Optional:

• small POST CARD text near upper-left
• tiny metadata or index near lower-left
• one extremely faint source-derived watermark

Do not add:

• large collage
• large palette
• decorative sample blocks
• anything that reduces writing space

14. Quality Requirements

Target:

• highest detail quality
• sharp and clear rendering
• crisp edges
• refined hand-drawn texture
• clean paper texture
• low noise
• no blur
• no muddy watercolor
• no smudged edges
• suitable for later 4× super-resolution upscaling

Quality requirements must improve rendering only.
They must not increase the number of elements.

15. Priority Order

Always follow this order:

1. original photo embedded correctly
2. V3 Lite layout preserved
3. large white space preserved
4. choose the most visually attractive source-defining motif
5. use hand-drawn rendering when suitable
6. make the main motif large enough to read clearly
7. optional one small supporting motif
8. include exactly three small source-derived color swatches
9. minimal metadata
10. omit everything else

If any later rule conflicts with an earlier rule, keep the earlier rule.

16. Front Prompt Template

Create a minimal portrait postcard front using the fixed V3 Lite structure.

Use the actual source photo in the upper area. Preserve its exact original aspect ratio. Do not repaint, replace, stretch, or crop it unless cropping was explicitly requested. Center it horizontally, keep generous margins, add a very thin frame, and leave a small even paper gap between the photo and frame.

Keep a large blank transition area below the photo.

In the lower area, use:
- one compact metadata block on the lower left
- one large source-specific main motif on the lower right
- optionally one much smaller supporting motif near it
- exactly three small color swatches sampled from the source photo

Select the main motif based on visual attractiveness and source identity, not ease of extraction. Prefer the most distinctive color-rich and elegant feature in the image. When the source contains a dominant color feature, choose that feature as the main motif. Do not choose a dull neutral fragment when a stronger colored motif exists.

Render the main motif as a restrained hand-drawn editorial illustration whenever suitable. Preserve its original silhouette, major internal structure, identity, and source color character. Use controlled watercolor, gouache, ink, pencil, or cut-paper illustration treatment. Keep it clean, sharp, and clearly derived from the source photo.

Use a source crop only when exact fidelity is essential.

The main motif should occupy roughly 28% to 38% of the card width and remain subordinate to the photo.

Use exactly three tiny source-derived color swatches: dominant color, dark structural color, and pale neutral or accent color.

Add only:
- title
- optional short subtitle
- LOCATION
- DATE
- small index number

Leave location and date values blank if the user did not provide them.

Do not add keyword lists, sample boxes, rows of cutouts, image cards, generic circles, large color blocks, wave doodles, badges, seals, logos, or long text.

Use warm ivory paper with subtle grain.

Quality: highest detail quality, sharp and clear, crisp edges, refined hand-drawn texture, low noise, no blur, suitable for later 4× super-resolution upscaling.

Overall mood: minimal, airy, refined, source-specific, lightly hand-crafted, and collectible.

17. Back Prompt Template

Create a matching unified postcard back using the same portrait 2:3 ratio, paper tone, thin-line style, and restrained visual language as the front.

Keep it functional and mostly blank.

Include:
- thin outer border
- one vertical divider slightly right of center
- stamp box in the upper-right
- 3 or 4 address lines on the right
- large blank message area on the left

Optionally add small POST CARD text near the upper-left and tiny metadata or index near the lower-left.

Do not add a large collage, palette, sample blocks, or decoration that reduces writing space.

Quality: clean sharp lines, refined paper texture, low noise, no blur, suitable for later 4× super-resolution upscaling.

18. Quick Checklist

Front

• original photo embedded
• original aspect ratio preserved
• thin frame and even paper gap
• V3 Lite layout preserved
• large whitespace remains
• main motif selected for visual attractiveness
• dominant color feature preferred
• hand-drawn style used when suitable
• main motif large enough
• at most one small supporting motif
• exactly three small color swatches
• no keyword list
• no sample boxes
• no decorative overload
• output sharp and high-detail

Back

• unified functional layout
• writing space preserved
• no large collage
• output clean and sharp

19. One-Line Definition

Preserve the V3 Lite layout, embed the original photo unchanged above, choose the most visually attractive source-defining motif below, render it as a large restrained hand-drawn editorial illustration when suitable, retain one optional supporting motif, and always include exactly three small source-derived color swatches.