refactor(skills): move image catalogs to references

Keep the decision steps in SKILL.md and move catalogs, examples, and
checklists verbatim to references/ to reduce the context cost of loading the
skill.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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@@ -47,277 +47,19 @@ Pick the right tool for the job:
--- ---
## AI Image Generation ## References
Generate original images from text prompts. The fastest way to create unique marketing visuals. - [references/ai-image-generation.md](references/ai-image-generation.md): Read when generating images with AI: model comparison, model choice decision tree, prompting basics
- [references/design-tools.md](references/design-tools.md): Read when using Canva or Figma, or deciding between design tools and AI generation
### Model Comparison - [references/marketing-image-workflows.md](references/marketing-image-workflows.md): Read when producing blog heroes, social graphics, product mockups, profile/listing banners, or brand assets (includes platform sizes)
- [references/image-optimization.md](references/image-optimization.md): Read when optimizing images for web performance: formats, checklist, commands
| Model | Best For | Text in Images | API | Cost | - [references/og-social-preview-images.md](references/og-social-preview-images.md): Read when setting up OG/social preview images and meta tags
|-------|----------|:-:|-----|------| - [references/common-mistakes.md](references/common-mistakes.md): Read before delivering, to check against common image mistakes
| **Gemini Image** (Google, "Nano Banana" / Nano Banana Pro) | All-around, editing, multi-image reference, text rendering | Good | [Gemini API](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/image-generation) | Check [pricing](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing) |
| **Flux** (Black Forest Labs — Pro 1.1, Kontext, Dev, Schnell) | Photorealism, brand consistency, batch; Kontext for in-image editing | Limited | [BFL API](https://docs.bfl.ai/), Replicate, fal.ai | Check [pricing](https://docs.bfl.ai/quick_start/pricing) |
| **Ideogram 3.0** | Typography, branded graphics, accurate text rendering | Best | [Ideogram API](https://developer.ideogram.ai/) | Check [pricing](https://about.ideogram.ai/api-pricing) |
| **ChatGPT Images 2.0 / GPT Image** (OpenAI) | General purpose, ChatGPT integration, native editing | Good | [OpenAI API](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/image-generation) | Check [pricing](https://platform.openai.com/docs/pricing) |
| **Midjourney v7** | Artistic, high-aesthetic, art-directed visuals | Improved | No official API; Discord + Web | Subscription-based |
| **Recraft V3** | Vector + brand-consistent illustrations, design assets | Strong | [Recraft API](https://www.recraft.ai/docs) | Per-credit |
| **Stable Diffusion 3.5 / SDXL** | Self-hosted, customizable, fine-tunable | Varies | Open source | Free (GPU costs) |
**Note:** DALL-E 3 is fully deprecated. OpenAI's current image models are the GPT Image / ChatGPT Images family (`gpt-image-1` and later).
### When to Use Which
```
Need text/headlines in the image?
├── Yes → Ideogram 3.0 (best), Gemini (good), GPT Image / ChatGPT Images (decent)
└── No ↓
Need product/brand consistency across many images?
├── Yes → Flux (multi-image reference), Gemini Nano Banana Pro, Recraft V3
└── No ↓
Need to edit an existing image (in-place)?
├── Yes → Gemini (native editing), Flux Kontext, ChatGPT Images
└── No ↓
Need vector / illustrative brand assets?
├── Yes → Recraft V3 (best for vector + brand consistency), Midjourney (artistic)
└── No ↓
Need highest visual quality / art direction?
├── Yes → Flux Pro 1.1, Midjourney v7
└── No ↓
Need volume at low cost?
└── Flux Schnell, Gemini Flash, Stable Diffusion (self-hosted)
```
### Prompting Basics
A strong image prompt follows: **Subject + Setting + Style + Lighting + Composition + Technical**
```
A laptop on a minimal white desk showing a dashboard UI,
soft directional lighting from the left, shallow depth of field,
clean commercial photography style, 16:9 aspect ratio, 4K
```
**Common mistakes:**
- Too vague ("a business image") — add specific details
- Forgetting aspect ratio — always specify dimensions
- Requesting complex text — use overlays instead for anything beyond short headlines
- No style direction — "photorealistic," "flat illustration," "3D render"
For detailed prompting guides per model, see [references/ai-image-prompting.md](references/ai-image-prompting.md). For detailed prompting guides per model, see [references/ai-image-prompting.md](references/ai-image-prompting.md).
--- ---
## Design Tools
For templated, brand-consistent work where AI generation is overkill or too unpredictable.
### Canva
Best for non-designers who need polished output fast.
- **Strengths:** Massive template library, brand kit, Magic Resize (one design → all sizes), team collaboration
- **Best for:** Social graphics, presentations, email headers, simple banners
- **Limitations:** Less control than Figma, templates can look generic
- **Agent-friendliness:** Has an API but limited — better as a human-in-the-loop tool
### Figma
Best for teams with design systems or pixel-perfect needs.
- **Strengths:** Design system components, auto layout, developer handoff, plugins
- **Best for:** OG images via templates, design system assets, complex layouts
- **Limitations:** Steeper learning curve, requires design skill
- **Agent-friendliness:** Has an API and MCP server for reading designs
### When to Use Design Tools vs. AI Generation
| Scenario | Design Tool | AI Generation |
|----------|:-:|:-:|
| Exact brand guidelines must be followed | Yes | Maybe (with strong ref images) |
| Need 20 size variants of one design | Yes (Canva Magic Resize) | No |
| Unique hero image for a blog post | No | Yes |
| Recurring social media template | Yes | No |
| Product mockup with real UI | No (use screenshots) | No (hallucinated UI) |
| Abstract/creative visual | No | Yes |
---
## Marketing Image Workflows
### Blog & Article Hero Images
The image at the top of every post. Sets tone, improves shareability, required for OG/social previews.
1. **Define the concept** — what visual metaphor represents the topic?
2. **Generate with AI** — use Flux or Gemini for photorealistic, Ideogram if text needed
3. **Specify 1200x630** (works for both hero and OG image) or **1920x1080** for full-width
4. **Optimize** — compress to <200KB, serve as WebP with JPEG fallback
**Prompt pattern:**
```
[Visual metaphor for topic], clean modern style,
bright natural lighting, shallow depth of field,
professional blog header aesthetic, 1200x630
```
### Social Media Graphics
Platform-specific images for organic posts.
| Platform | Primary Size | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|----------|-------------|:---:|-------|
| Twitter/X | 1200x675 | 16:9 | Large image card |
| LinkedIn | 1200x627 | 1.91:1 | Feed image |
| Instagram Feed | 1080x1080 | 1:1 | Square; 1080x1350 (4:5) also strong |
| Instagram Stories | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | Full screen vertical |
| Facebook | 1200x630 | 1.91:1 | Link share image |
**Workflow:**
1. Create the hero concept at highest resolution needed
2. Use Canva Magic Resize or manual crop for platform variants
3. Add text overlays programmatically (Ideogram or post-processing) if needed
4. Export at platform-specific dimensions
### Product Mockups & Screenshots
Showcase your product UI in context. AI models hallucinate UI — don't use them for this.
1. **Capture real screenshots** of your product at 2x resolution
2. **Frame in device mockups** — use browser frame, laptop, or phone templates
3. **Add context** — callout arrows, feature labels, before/after comparisons
4. **Annotate with code** — Hyperframes or HTML/CSS for programmatic overlays
**Tools:** Browser DevTools (screenshot), Shottr (Mac), CleanShot X, or `screencapture` CLI.
### Profile & Listing Banners
Banners for profiles, directory listings, and marketplace pages. Often the first visual impression.
| Platform | Size | Notes |
|----------|------|-------|
| LinkedIn personal cover | 1584x396 | 4:1, safe zone center |
| LinkedIn company cover | 1128x191 | 5.9:1; LinkedIn recommends up to 4200x700 |
| Twitter/X header | 1500x500 | 3:1, partially obscured by avatar |
| Product Hunt gallery | 1270x760 | 5:3, up to 6 images |
| G2 profile | 1280x720 | 16:9, product screenshots preferred |
| GitHub social preview | 1280x640 | 2:1, shows in link cards |
| App Store screenshots | Varies by device | Check current platform specifications |
| Google Play feature graphic | 1024x500 | ~2:1, required for store listing |
**Best practices:**
- **Keep text minimal** — banners are seen at small sizes on mobile
- **Center critical content** — edges get cropped differently per device
- **Show the product** — real UI screenshots outperform abstract graphics on directory listings
- **Match your brand** — use consistent colors, fonts, logo placement
- **Update seasonally** — stale banners signal an inactive product
**Workflow:**
1. Pick the platform(s) and note exact dimensions
2. For directories (Product Hunt, G2): use real product screenshots with light annotation
3. For profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter): use brand colors + tagline + optional product shot
4. Generate with Canva/Figma templates or Ideogram (if text-heavy)
5. Test at actual display size — zoom out to check readability
### Brand Assets
Logos, icons, and illustrations. AI generation has limits here.
| Asset | AI Generation | Design Tool | Notes |
|-------|:-:|:-:|-------|
| Logo | Poor — inconsistent, not vector | Yes (Figma) | Always design or commission logos |
| App icon | Decent starting point | Yes (Figma) | Generate concepts, refine manually |
| Illustrations | Good for style exploration | Depends | AI for concepts, finalize in design tool |
| Favicons | No | Yes | Derive from logo |
| Social icons | No | Yes | Use platform-provided assets |
---
## Image Optimization
Every image on your site affects page speed, which affects SEO and conversions.
### Format Guide
| Format | Best For | Compression | Browser Support |
|--------|----------|-------------|:---:|
| **WebP** | Photos, graphics — default choice | Lossy + lossless | ~96% |
| **AVIF** | Highest compression, newest | Better than WebP | ~94% |
| **JPEG** | Fallback for older browsers | Lossy only | Universal |
| **PNG** | Transparency, screenshots | Lossless | Universal |
| **SVG** | Logos, icons, illustrations | Vector (scales) | Universal |
### Optimization Checklist
- [ ] **Serve WebP** with JPEG/PNG fallback (`<picture>` element or CDN auto-format)
- [ ] **Resize to display size** — don't serve 4000px images in 800px containers
- [ ] **Compress** — target quality 75-85% for photos, near-lossless for screenshots
- [ ] **Lazy load** below-the-fold images (`loading="lazy"`)
- [ ] **Set explicit dimensions** — `width` and `height` attributes prevent layout shift (CLS)
- [ ] **Use a CDN** with auto-optimization (Cloudflare, Vercel, Imgix, Cloudinary)
- [ ] **Add alt text** — descriptive, keyword-relevant, not stuffed
### Quick Optimization Commands
```bash
# Convert to WebP (using cwebp)
cwebp -q 80 input.png -o output.webp
# Batch convert with ImageMagick
mogrify -format webp -quality 80 *.png
# Optimize JPEG (using jpegoptim)
jpegoptim --max=80 --strip-all *.jpg
# Check image sizes on a page
curl -s https://yoursite.com | grep -oP 'src="[^"]+\.(jpg|png|webp)"' | head -20
```
---
## OG & Social Preview Images
The image that appears when your URL is shared on social media, Slack, Discord, etc.
### Required Meta Tags
```html
<meta property="og:image" content="https://yoursite.com/og/page-name.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" />
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630" />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://yoursite.com/og/page-name.jpg" />
```
### Dynamic OG Images
Generate OG images programmatically for pages with dynamic content (blog posts, user profiles):
- **Vercel OG** (`@vercel/og`) — generates images at the edge using JSX
- **Satori** — converts HTML/CSS to SVG (powers Vercel OG)
- **Cloudinary** — URL-based text overlay on template images
**Best for programmatic SEO:** Generate unique OG images per page using templates + dynamic data.
---
## Common Mistakes
1. **Using AI for product UI screenshots** — models hallucinate interfaces; capture real screenshots
2. **Skipping image optimization** — unoptimized images are the #1 page speed killer
3. **No OG image** — shared links look broken without a preview image
4. **Wrong aspect ratio** — always check platform specs before generating
5. **Text-heavy images without Ideogram** — most AI models butcher text; use Ideogram or add text in post
6. **Generating without style direction** — "photorealistic," "flat illustration," "3D render" drastically changes output
7. **Inconsistent brand visuals** — use Flux multi-reference or design templates for consistency
8. **Huge images on landing pages** — compress, resize, lazy load
---
## Task-Specific Questions ## Task-Specific Questions
1. What type of image do you need? (Blog hero, social graphic, mockup, banner, brand asset) 1. What type of image do you need? (Blog hero, social graphic, mockup, banner, brand asset)
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
# AI Image Generation
Generate original images from text prompts. The fastest way to create unique marketing visuals.
## Model Comparison
| Model | Best For | Text in Images | API | Cost |
|-------|----------|:-:|-----|------|
| **Gemini Image** (Google, "Nano Banana" / Nano Banana Pro) | All-around, editing, multi-image reference, text rendering | Good | [Gemini API](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/image-generation) | Check [pricing](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing) |
| **Flux** (Black Forest Labs — Pro 1.1, Kontext, Dev, Schnell) | Photorealism, brand consistency, batch; Kontext for in-image editing | Limited | [BFL API](https://docs.bfl.ai/), Replicate, fal.ai | Check [pricing](https://docs.bfl.ai/quick_start/pricing) |
| **Ideogram 3.0** | Typography, branded graphics, accurate text rendering | Best | [Ideogram API](https://developer.ideogram.ai/) | Check [pricing](https://about.ideogram.ai/api-pricing) |
| **ChatGPT Images 2.0 / GPT Image** (OpenAI) | General purpose, ChatGPT integration, native editing | Good | [OpenAI API](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/image-generation) | Check [pricing](https://platform.openai.com/docs/pricing) |
| **Midjourney v7** | Artistic, high-aesthetic, art-directed visuals | Improved | No official API; Discord + Web | Subscription-based |
| **Recraft V3** | Vector + brand-consistent illustrations, design assets | Strong | [Recraft API](https://www.recraft.ai/docs) | Per-credit |
| **Stable Diffusion 3.5 / SDXL** | Self-hosted, customizable, fine-tunable | Varies | Open source | Free (GPU costs) |
**Note:** DALL-E 3 is fully deprecated. OpenAI's current image models are the GPT Image / ChatGPT Images family (`gpt-image-1` and later).
## When to Use Which
```
Need text/headlines in the image?
├── Yes → Ideogram 3.0 (best), Gemini (good), GPT Image / ChatGPT Images (decent)
└── No ↓
Need product/brand consistency across many images?
├── Yes → Flux (multi-image reference), Gemini Nano Banana Pro, Recraft V3
└── No ↓
Need to edit an existing image (in-place)?
├── Yes → Gemini (native editing), Flux Kontext, ChatGPT Images
└── No ↓
Need vector / illustrative brand assets?
├── Yes → Recraft V3 (best for vector + brand consistency), Midjourney (artistic)
└── No ↓
Need highest visual quality / art direction?
├── Yes → Flux Pro 1.1, Midjourney v7
└── No ↓
Need volume at low cost?
└── Flux Schnell, Gemini Flash, Stable Diffusion (self-hosted)
```
## Prompting Basics
A strong image prompt follows: **Subject + Setting + Style + Lighting + Composition + Technical**
```
A laptop on a minimal white desk showing a dashboard UI,
soft directional lighting from the left, shallow depth of field,
clean commercial photography style, 16:9 aspect ratio, 4K
```
**Common mistakes:**
- Too vague ("a business image") — add specific details
- Forgetting aspect ratio — always specify dimensions
- Requesting complex text — use overlays instead for anything beyond short headlines
- No style direction — "photorealistic," "flat illustration," "3D render"
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
# Common Mistakes
1. **Using AI for product UI screenshots** — models hallucinate interfaces; capture real screenshots
2. **Skipping image optimization** — unoptimized images are the #1 page speed killer
3. **No OG image** — shared links look broken without a preview image
4. **Wrong aspect ratio** — always check platform specs before generating
5. **Text-heavy images without Ideogram** — most AI models butcher text; use Ideogram or add text in post
6. **Generating without style direction** — "photorealistic," "flat illustration," "3D render" drastically changes output
7. **Inconsistent brand visuals** — use Flux multi-reference or design templates for consistency
8. **Huge images on landing pages** — compress, resize, lazy load
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
# Design Tools
For templated, brand-consistent work where AI generation is overkill or too unpredictable.
## Canva
Best for non-designers who need polished output fast.
- **Strengths:** Massive template library, brand kit, Magic Resize (one design → all sizes), team collaboration
- **Best for:** Social graphics, presentations, email headers, simple banners
- **Limitations:** Less control than Figma, templates can look generic
- **Agent-friendliness:** Has an API but limited — better as a human-in-the-loop tool
## Figma
Best for teams with design systems or pixel-perfect needs.
- **Strengths:** Design system components, auto layout, developer handoff, plugins
- **Best for:** OG images via templates, design system assets, complex layouts
- **Limitations:** Steeper learning curve, requires design skill
- **Agent-friendliness:** Has an API and MCP server for reading designs
## When to Use Design Tools vs. AI Generation
| Scenario | Design Tool | AI Generation |
|----------|:-:|:-:|
| Exact brand guidelines must be followed | Yes | Maybe (with strong ref images) |
| Need 20 size variants of one design | Yes (Canva Magic Resize) | No |
| Unique hero image for a blog post | No | Yes |
| Recurring social media template | Yes | No |
| Product mockup with real UI | No (use screenshots) | No (hallucinated UI) |
| Abstract/creative visual | No | Yes |
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
# Image Optimization
Every image on your site affects page speed, which affects SEO and conversions.
## Format Guide
| Format | Best For | Compression | Browser Support |
|--------|----------|-------------|:---:|
| **WebP** | Photos, graphics — default choice | Lossy + lossless | ~96% |
| **AVIF** | Highest compression, newest | Better than WebP | ~94% |
| **JPEG** | Fallback for older browsers | Lossy only | Universal |
| **PNG** | Transparency, screenshots | Lossless | Universal |
| **SVG** | Logos, icons, illustrations | Vector (scales) | Universal |
## Optimization Checklist
- [ ] **Serve WebP** with JPEG/PNG fallback (`<picture>` element or CDN auto-format)
- [ ] **Resize to display size** — don't serve 4000px images in 800px containers
- [ ] **Compress** — target quality 75-85% for photos, near-lossless for screenshots
- [ ] **Lazy load** below-the-fold images (`loading="lazy"`)
- [ ] **Set explicit dimensions** — `width` and `height` attributes prevent layout shift (CLS)
- [ ] **Use a CDN** with auto-optimization (Cloudflare, Vercel, Imgix, Cloudinary)
- [ ] **Add alt text** — descriptive, keyword-relevant, not stuffed
## Quick Optimization Commands
```bash
# Convert to WebP (using cwebp)
cwebp -q 80 input.png -o output.webp
# Batch convert with ImageMagick
mogrify -format webp -quality 80 *.png
# Optimize JPEG (using jpegoptim)
jpegoptim --max=80 --strip-all *.jpg
# Check image sizes on a page
curl -s https://yoursite.com | grep -oP 'src="[^"]+\.(jpg|png|webp)"' | head -20
```
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
# Marketing Image Workflows
## Blog & Article Hero Images
The image at the top of every post. Sets tone, improves shareability, required for OG/social previews.
1. **Define the concept** — what visual metaphor represents the topic?
2. **Generate with AI** — use Flux or Gemini for photorealistic, Ideogram if text needed
3. **Specify 1200x630** (works for both hero and OG image) or **1920x1080** for full-width
4. **Optimize** — compress to <200KB, serve as WebP with JPEG fallback
**Prompt pattern:**
```
[Visual metaphor for topic], clean modern style,
bright natural lighting, shallow depth of field,
professional blog header aesthetic, 1200x630
```
## Social Media Graphics
Platform-specific images for organic posts.
| Platform | Primary Size | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|----------|-------------|:---:|-------|
| Twitter/X | 1200x675 | 16:9 | Large image card |
| LinkedIn | 1200x627 | 1.91:1 | Feed image |
| Instagram Feed | 1080x1080 | 1:1 | Square; 1080x1350 (4:5) also strong |
| Instagram Stories | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | Full screen vertical |
| Facebook | 1200x630 | 1.91:1 | Link share image |
**Workflow:**
1. Create the hero concept at highest resolution needed
2. Use Canva Magic Resize or manual crop for platform variants
3. Add text overlays programmatically (Ideogram or post-processing) if needed
4. Export at platform-specific dimensions
## Product Mockups & Screenshots
Showcase your product UI in context. AI models hallucinate UI — don't use them for this.
1. **Capture real screenshots** of your product at 2x resolution
2. **Frame in device mockups** — use browser frame, laptop, or phone templates
3. **Add context** — callout arrows, feature labels, before/after comparisons
4. **Annotate with code** — Hyperframes or HTML/CSS for programmatic overlays
**Tools:** Browser DevTools (screenshot), Shottr (Mac), CleanShot X, or `screencapture` CLI.
## Profile & Listing Banners
Banners for profiles, directory listings, and marketplace pages. Often the first visual impression.
| Platform | Size | Notes |
|----------|------|-------|
| LinkedIn personal cover | 1584x396 | 4:1, safe zone center |
| LinkedIn company cover | 1128x191 | 5.9:1; LinkedIn recommends up to 4200x700 |
| Twitter/X header | 1500x500 | 3:1, partially obscured by avatar |
| Product Hunt gallery | 1270x760 | 5:3, up to 6 images |
| G2 profile | 1280x720 | 16:9, product screenshots preferred |
| GitHub social preview | 1280x640 | 2:1, shows in link cards |
| App Store screenshots | Varies by device | Check current platform specifications |
| Google Play feature graphic | 1024x500 | ~2:1, required for store listing |
**Best practices:**
- **Keep text minimal** — banners are seen at small sizes on mobile
- **Center critical content** — edges get cropped differently per device
- **Show the product** — real UI screenshots outperform abstract graphics on directory listings
- **Match your brand** — use consistent colors, fonts, logo placement
- **Update seasonally** — stale banners signal an inactive product
**Workflow:**
1. Pick the platform(s) and note exact dimensions
2. For directories (Product Hunt, G2): use real product screenshots with light annotation
3. For profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter): use brand colors + tagline + optional product shot
4. Generate with Canva/Figma templates or Ideogram (if text-heavy)
5. Test at actual display size — zoom out to check readability
## Brand Assets
Logos, icons, and illustrations. AI generation has limits here.
| Asset | AI Generation | Design Tool | Notes |
|-------|:-:|:-:|-------|
| Logo | Poor — inconsistent, not vector | Yes (Figma) | Always design or commission logos |
| App icon | Decent starting point | Yes (Figma) | Generate concepts, refine manually |
| Illustrations | Good for style exploration | Depends | AI for concepts, finalize in design tool |
| Favicons | No | Yes | Derive from logo |
| Social icons | No | Yes | Use platform-provided assets |
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
# OG & Social Preview Images
The image that appears when your URL is shared on social media, Slack, Discord, etc.
## Required Meta Tags
```html
<meta property="og:image" content="https://yoursite.com/og/page-name.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" />
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630" />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://yoursite.com/og/page-name.jpg" />
```
## Dynamic OG Images
Generate OG images programmatically for pages with dynamic content (blog posts, user profiles):
- **Vercel OG** (`@vercel/og`) — generates images at the edge using JSX
- **Satori** — converts HTML/CSS to SVG (powers Vercel OG)
- **Cloudinary** — URL-based text overlay on template images
**Best for programmatic SEO:** Generate unique OG images per page using templates + dynamic data.