feat(baoyu-comic): add four-panel preset, minimalist art style, and flexible image workflow

- Add minimalist art style (clean line art, limited spot color, stick-figure characters)
- Add four-panel layout with 起承转合 structure
- Add four-panel preset combining minimalist + neutral + four-panel layout
- Make character sheet conditional (skip for simple presets like four-panel)
- Add --ref failure recovery: compress → retry → fall back to prompt-only
This commit is contained in:
Jim Liu 宝玉 2026-04-07 01:31:32 -05:00
parent 8bc01debac
commit 38f4f253df
7 changed files with 331 additions and 43 deletions

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@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ Create original knowledge comics with flexible art style × tone combinations.
| Option | Values | Description |
|--------|--------|-------------|
| `--art` | ligne-claire (default), manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk | Art style / rendering technique |
| `--art` | ligne-claire (default), manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk, minimalist | Art style / rendering technique |
| `--tone` | neutral (default), warm, dramatic, romantic, energetic, vintage, action | Mood / atmosphere |
| `--layout` | standard (default), cinematic, dense, splash, mixed, webtoon | Panel arrangement |
| `--layout` | standard (default), cinematic, dense, splash, mixed, webtoon, four-panel | Panel arrangement |
| `--aspect` | 3:4 (default, portrait), 4:3 (landscape), 16:9 (widescreen) | Page aspect ratio |
| `--lang` | auto (default), zh, en, ja, etc. | Output language |
@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ Details: [references/partial-workflows.md](references/partial-workflows.md)
| `realistic` | 写实 | Digital painting, realistic proportions, sophisticated |
| `ink-brush` | 水墨 | Chinese brush strokes, ink wash effects |
| `chalk` | 粉笔 | Chalkboard aesthetic, hand-drawn warmth |
| `minimalist` | 极简 | Clean black line art, limited spot color, stick-figure characters |
### Tones (基调)
@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ Presets with special rules beyond art+tone:
| `--style wuxia` | `--art ink-brush --tone action` | Qi effects, combat visuals, atmospheric elements |
| `--style shoujo` | `--art manga --tone romantic` | Decorative elements, eye details, romantic beats |
| `--style concept-story` | `--art manga --tone warm` | Visual symbol system, growth arc, dialogue+action balance |
| `--style four-panel` | `--art minimalist --tone neutral --layout four-panel` | 起承转合 4-panel structure, B&W + spot color, stick-figure characters |
### Compatibility Matrix
@ -88,6 +90,7 @@ Presets with special rules beyond art+tone:
| realistic | neutral, warm, dramatic, vintage | action | romantic, energetic |
| ink-brush | neutral, dramatic, action, vintage | warm | romantic, energetic |
| chalk | neutral, warm, energetic | vintage | dramatic, action, romantic |
| minimalist | neutral | warm, energetic | dramatic, vintage, romantic, action |
Details: [references/auto-selection.md](references/auto-selection.md)
@ -103,6 +106,7 @@ Content signals determine default art + tone + layout (or preset):
| Martial arts, wuxia | **wuxia** preset |
| Romance, school life | **shoujo** preset |
| Psychology, motivation, business narrative | **concept-story** preset |
| Business allegory, fable, parable, short insight, 四格 | **four-panel** preset |
| Biography, balanced | ligne-claire + neutral |
**When preset is recommended**: Load `references/presets/{preset}.md` and apply all special rules.
@ -174,9 +178,9 @@ Comic Progress:
- [ ] Step 4: Review outline (conditional)
- [ ] Step 5: Generate prompts
- [ ] Step 6: Review prompts (conditional)
- [ ] Step 7: Generate images ⚠️ CHARACTER REF REQUIRED
- [ ] 7.1 Generate character sheet FIRST → characters/characters.png
- [ ] 7.2 Generate pages WITH --ref characters/characters.png
- [ ] Step 7: Generate images
- [ ] 7.1 Generate character sheet (if needed) → characters/characters.png
- [ ] 7.2 Generate pages (with --ref if character sheet exists)
- [ ] Step 8: Merge to PDF
- [ ] Step 9: Completion report
```
@ -207,16 +211,24 @@ Analyze → [Check Existing?] → [Confirm: Style + Reviews] → Storyboard →
| 4 | Review outline (if requested) | User approval |
| 5 | Generate prompts | `prompts/*.md` |
| 6 | Review prompts (if requested) | User approval |
| **7.1** | **Generate character sheet FIRST** | `characters/characters.png` |
| **7.2** | Generate pages **with character ref** | `*.png` files |
| 7.1 | Generate character sheet (if needed) | `characters/characters.png` |
| 7.2 | Generate pages (with character ref if available) | `*.png` files |
| 8 | Merge to PDF | `{slug}.pdf` |
| 9 | Completion report | Summary |
### Step 7: Image Generation ⚠️ CRITICAL
### Step 7: Image Generation
**Character reference is MANDATORY for visual consistency.**
**7.1 Generate character sheet (conditional)**:
**7.1 Generate character sheet first**:
Character sheet is recommended for multi-page comics with recurring characters, but **NOT required** for all presets:
| Condition | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Multi-page comic with detailed characters | Generate character sheet (recommended) |
| Preset with simplified characters (e.g., four-panel minimalist) | Skip — prompt descriptions are sufficient |
| Single-page comic | Skip unless characters are complex |
**When generating character sheet**:
- **Backup rule**: If `characters/characters.png` exists, rename to `characters/characters-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.png`
- Invoke an installed image generation skill such as `baoyu-imagine`
- Read that skill's `SKILL.md` and follow its documented interface rather than calling its scripts directly
@ -224,18 +236,25 @@ Analyze → [Check Existing?] → [Confirm: Style + Reviews] → Storyboard →
- Save output to `characters/characters.png`
- Use aspect ratio `4:3`
**Compress character sheet** (recommended):
Compress to reduce token usage when used as reference image:
**Compress character sheet** (recommended when using as `--ref`):
- Use available image compression skill (if any)
- Or system tools: `pngquant`, `optipng`, `sips` (macOS)
- **Keep PNG format**, lossless compression preferred
- Or system tools: `sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 80 input.png --out output.jpg` (macOS)
- Or: `pngquant --quality=65-80 input.png -o output.png`
- Compression reduces API payload size and avoids `--ref` failures
**7.2 Generate each page WITH character reference**:
**7.2 Generate each page**:
| Skill Capability | Strategy |
|------------------|----------|
| Supports `--ref` | Pass `characters/characters.png` with EVERY page |
| No `--ref` support | Prepend character descriptions to EVERY prompt file |
| Character Sheet | Skill Capability | Strategy |
|-----------------|------------------|----------|
| Exists | Supports `--ref` | Pass `characters/characters.png` with EVERY page |
| Exists | No `--ref` support | Prepend character descriptions to EVERY prompt file |
| Skipped | — | Prompt file contains all character descriptions inline |
**`--ref` failure recovery**: If generation fails with `--ref`:
1. **Compress**: Convert reference image to JPEG with reduced quality:
`sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 70 characters.png --out characters-compressed.jpg`
2. **Retry** with compressed image as `--ref`
3. **If still fails**: Fall back to generating WITHOUT `--ref` (prompt-only, character descriptions embedded in prompt text)
**Backup rules for page generation**:
- If prompt file exists: rename to `prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug]-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.md`
@ -243,8 +262,8 @@ Compress to reduce token usage when used as reference image:
- Invoke the installed image generation skill for each page
- Use `prompts/01-page-xxx.md` as the prompt-file input
- Save output to `01-page-xxx.png`
- Use aspect ratio `3:4`
- If the chosen skill supports reference images, pass `characters/characters.png` as `--ref`
- Use aspect ratio from storyboard (default `3:4`, preset may override)
- If character sheet exists and skill supports reference images, pass as `--ref`
**Full workflow details**: [references/workflow.md](references/workflow.md)
@ -275,10 +294,10 @@ Schema: [references/config/preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-
- [ohmsha-guide.md](references/ohmsha-guide.md) - Ohmsha manga specifics
**Style Definitions**:
- `references/art-styles/` - Art styles (ligne-claire, manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk)
- `references/art-styles/` - Art styles (ligne-claire, manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk, minimalist)
- `references/tones/` - Tones (neutral, warm, dramatic, romantic, energetic, vintage, action)
- `references/presets/` - Presets with special rules (ohmsha, wuxia, shoujo, concept-story)
- `references/layouts/` - Layouts (standard, cinematic, dense, splash, mixed, webtoon)
- `references/presets/` - Presets with special rules (ohmsha, wuxia, shoujo, concept-story, four-panel)
- `references/layouts/` - Layouts (standard, cinematic, dense, splash, mixed, webtoon, four-panel)
**Workflow**:
- [workflow.md](references/workflow.md) - Full workflow details
@ -308,6 +327,6 @@ Schema: [references/config/preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-
- Maintain style consistency via session ID
- **Step 2 confirmation required** - do not skip
- **Steps 4/6 conditional** - only if user requested in Step 2
- **Step 7.1 character sheet MUST be generated before pages** - ensures consistency
- **Step 7.2 EVERY page MUST reference characters** - use `--ref` or embed descriptions
- **Step 7.1 character sheet** - recommended for multi-page comics, optional for simple presets
- **Step 7.2 character reference** - use `--ref` if sheet exists; compress/convert on failure; fall back to prompt-only
- Watermark/language configured once in EXTEND.md

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@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
# minimalist
极简画风 - Clean black line art, limited spot color, simplified stick-figure characters
## Overview
Minimalist cartoon illustration characterized by clean black line art on white background with very limited spot color for emphasis. Characters are simplified to near-stick-figure abstraction, focusing on gesture and concept rather than anatomical detail. Designed for business allegory, quick-read educational content, and concept illustration.
## Line Work
- Clean, uniform black lines (1.5-2px)
- No hatching, cross-hatching, or shading techniques
- Minimal detail — every line serves a purpose
- Bold outlines for characters, thinner lines for props/labels
- No decorative flourishes or ornamental lines
## Character Design
- Highly simplified, stick-figure-like business characters
- Circle or oval heads with minimal facial features (dot eyes, simple line mouth)
- Body as simple geometric shapes or line constructions
- Distinguishing features through props only (tie, hat, briefcase, glasses)
- No anatomical detail — expressive through posture and gesture
- 4-5 head height proportions (squat, iconic)
## Background Treatment
- Mostly blank/white — negative space is a design element
- Minimal environmental cues (a line for ground, simple desk outline)
- Concept labels and text annotations replace detailed environments
- Icons and symbols over realistic rendering
- No perspective or spatial depth
## Color Approach
- Primarily black and white (90%+ of the image)
- 1-2 spot accent colors for emphasis on key concepts
- Accent color used sparingly: highlighting key objects, text labels, concept indicators
- No gradients, no shading, no color fills on backgrounds
- Color draws the eye to the most important element in each panel
## Default Color Palette
| Role | Color | Hex |
|------|-------|-----|
| Primary | Black ink | `#1A1A1A` |
| Background | Clean white | `#FFFFFF` |
| Accent 1 | Spot orange | `#FF6B35` |
| Accent 2 | Spot blue (optional) | `#3182CE` |
| Text labels | Dark gray | `#4A4A4A` |
| Panel border | Medium gray | `#666666` |
## Visual Elements
- Text labels with accent-color backgrounds or underlines for key terms
- Simple icons: arrows, circles, checkmarks, crosses
- Concept highlight boxes with spot color
- Minimal speech bubbles (simple oval or rectangle, thin black outline)
- No sound effects, no motion lines, no screen tones
## Quality Markers
- ✓ Clean, purposeful line work with no unnecessary detail
- ✓ 90%+ black-and-white with strategic spot color
- ✓ Simplified characters readable at small sizes
- ✓ Text labels integrated naturally into panels
- ✓ Strong negative space usage
- ✓ Every element serves the narrative point
## Compatibility
| Tone | Fit | Notes |
|------|-----|-------|
| neutral | ✓✓ | Ideal for business/educational content |
| warm | ✓ | Works for gentle stories, slight warmth in accent |
| energetic | ✓ | Works for punchy, high-energy content |
| dramatic | ✗ | Style too stripped down for dramatic intensity |
| vintage | ✗ | Minimalist aesthetic conflicts with aged/textured look |
| romantic | ✗ | No capacity for decorative/soft elements |
| action | ✗ | No dynamic line capability for speed/impact |
## Best For
Business allegory, management fables, short concept illustration, four-panel comic strips, quick-insight education, social media content

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@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Content signals determine default art + tone + layout (or preset).
| Wine, food, lifestyle | realistic | neutral | cinematic | - |
| Martial arts, wuxia, xianxia | ink-brush | action | splash | **wuxia** |
| Romance, love, school life | manga | romantic | standard | **shoujo** |
| Business allegory, fable, parable, short insight, 四格 | minimalist | neutral | four-panel | **four-panel** |
| Biography, balanced | ligne-claire | neutral | mixed | - |
## Preset Recommendation Rules
@ -43,6 +44,11 @@ Content signals determine default art + tone + layout (or preset).
- **Special rules**: Visual symbol system, growth arc, dialogue+action balance, original characters
- **Base**: manga + warm + standard
### four-panel
- **Triggers**: Business allegory, fable, parable, short insight, four-panel, 四格, 四格漫画, single-page comic, minimalist comic strip
- **Special rules**: Strict 起承转合 4-panel structure, B&W + spot color, simplified stick-figure characters, single-page story
- **Base**: minimalist + neutral + four-panel
## Compatibility Matrix
Art Style × Tone combinations work best when matched appropriately:
@ -54,6 +60,7 @@ Art Style × Tone combinations work best when matched appropriately:
| realistic | neutral, warm, dramatic, vintage | action | romantic, energetic |
| ink-brush | neutral, dramatic, action, vintage | warm | romantic, energetic |
| chalk | neutral, warm, energetic | vintage | dramatic, action, romantic |
| minimalist | neutral | warm, energetic | dramatic, vintage, romantic, action |
**Note**: Art Style × Tone × Layout can be freely combined. Incompatible combinations work but may produce unexpected results.

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@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ watermark:
content: ""
position: bottom-right # bottom-right|bottom-left|bottom-center|top-right
preferred_art: null # ligne-claire|manga|realistic|ink-brush|chalk
preferred_art: null # ligne-claire|manga|realistic|ink-brush|chalk|minimalist
preferred_tone: null # neutral|warm|dramatic|romantic|energetic|vintage|action
preferred_layout: null # standard|cinematic|dense|splash|mixed|webtoon
preferred_layout: null # standard|cinematic|dense|splash|mixed|webtoon|four-panel
preferred_aspect: null # 3:4|4:3|16:9
language: null # zh|en|ja|ko|auto
@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ character_presets:
| `watermark.enabled` | bool | false | Enable watermark |
| `watermark.content` | string | "" | Watermark text (@username or custom) |
| `watermark.position` | enum | bottom-right | Position on image |
| `preferred_art` | string | null | Art style (ligne-claire, manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk) |
| `preferred_art` | string | null | Art style (ligne-claire, manga, realistic, ink-brush, chalk, minimalist) |
| `preferred_tone` | string | null | Tone (neutral, warm, dramatic, romantic, energetic, vintage, action) |
| `preferred_layout` | string | null | Layout preference or null |
| `preferred_aspect` | string | null | Aspect ratio (3:4, 4:3, 16:9) |
@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ character_presets:
| `realistic` | 写实 | Digital painting, realistic proportions |
| `ink-brush` | 水墨 | Chinese brush strokes, ink wash effects |
| `chalk` | 粉笔 | Chalkboard aesthetic, hand-drawn warmth |
| `minimalist` | 极简 | Clean black line art, limited spot color, stick-figure characters |
## Tone Options

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@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
# four-panel
四格漫画 - Strict 2×2 grid, single-page story
## Panel Structure
- **Panels per page**: 4 (exactly, no variation)
- **Structure**: Strict 2×2 equal grid
- **Gutters**: Consistent white space (8-10px), uniform on all sides
## Grid Configuration
- 2 columns × 2 rows, all panels identical size
- Panel sizes: Exactly equal (each panel = 25% of content area)
- Reading flow: Z-pattern — Panel 1 (top-left) → Panel 2 (top-right) → Panel 3 (bottom-left) → Panel 4 (bottom-right)
## Narrative Structure
Each panel serves a specific narrative role (起承转合 / kishōtenketsu):
| Panel | Position | Role | Purpose |
|-------|----------|------|---------|
| 1 | Top-left | 起 Setup | Establish situation, introduce characters/problem |
| 2 | Top-right | 承 Development | Build on setup, add complication or attempt |
| 3 | Bottom-left | 转 Turn | Twist, key insight, or reversal — the pivotal moment |
| 4 | Bottom-right | 合 Conclusion | Resolution, punchline, or takeaway |
## Aspect Ratio
- Recommended page aspect: **4:3** (landscape)
- Landscape gives each panel a comfortable wide rectangle
- Portrait (3:4) makes panels tall and narrow — avoid for this layout
## Best For
Business allegory, quick-insight education, social media comics, fables, parables, single-concept explanation
## Best Style Pairings
minimalist, ligne-claire, chalk

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@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
# four-panel
四格漫画预设 - Minimalist four-panel business allegory comics
## Base Configuration
| Dimension | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Art Style | minimalist |
| Tone | neutral |
| Layout | four-panel (default) |
| Aspect | 4:3 (landscape) |
Equivalent to: `--art minimalist --tone neutral --layout four-panel --aspect 4:3`
## Unique Rules
This preset includes special rules beyond the art+tone combination. When `--style four-panel` is used, ALL rules below must be applied.
### 起承转合 Narrative Structure (CRITICAL)
Every comic MUST follow the four-panel 起承转合 structure:
| Panel | Role | Requirements |
|-------|------|-------------|
| 1 (起 Setup) | Introduce the situation | Show character(s) in a recognizable context. Establish the "normal" state or problem |
| 2 (承 Development) | Build on the setup | Add complication, show an attempt, or introduce the concept. Stakes become clearer |
| 3 (转 Turn) | The twist or key insight | **Most important panel.** Show the unexpected reversal, contrast, or "aha" moment that makes the allegory work |
| 4 (合 Conclusion) | Resolution and takeaway | Show the result, consequence, or lesson learned. Can be a visual punchline or summary |
**CRITICAL**: Do NOT deviate from exactly 4 panels. No 5th panel, no title panel, no footer panel within the image.
### Single-Page Story Rule (CRITICAL)
- The entire story is told in ONE page with exactly 4 panels
- Page count: always 1 (plus optional cover)
- No multi-page four-panel stories — if content requires more, create multiple separate four-panel comics
- Storyboard structure: Cover (optional) + 1 page
### Accent Color System
- The image is primarily black-and-white line art
- Use exactly 1-2 spot colors per strip (default: orange `#FF6B35`)
- Rules:
- Key concept label or object: filled with accent color or outlined in accent
- Panel 3 (转 Turn) should have the strongest color emphasis
- Characters remain B&W — color is for concepts/objects/labels only
- Consistent accent color across all 4 panels (do not switch colors between panels)
### Character Design Rules
- Simplified stick-figure-like characters
- Distinguish characters through simple props: ties, glasses, hats, briefcases, aprons
- No detailed faces — dot eyes, line mouth at most
- Characters should be generic enough to represent archetypes (the manager, the employee, the customer)
- Maximum 2-3 characters per strip
### Text in Panels
- Chinese text for dialogue and labels (or match source language)
- Keep text minimal — 1-2 short lines per panel maximum
- Key concept terms can be highlighted with accent color background
- No narrator boxes — dialogue and labels only
- Speech bubbles: simple rectangles or ovals, thin black outline
### Optional Title & Caption
- A brief descriptive title above the 4 panels
- An optional one-line caption/moral below the panels
- These are part of the page composition, not separate panels
### Character Archetypes (Flexible)
Create simple stick-figure characters based on content. No fixed defaults:
| Role | Archetype | Visual Cues |
|------|-----------|------------|
| Protagonist | Worker/employee facing a situation | Simple figure, minimal distinguishing feature (glasses, tie) |
| Authority | Boss/manager/expert | Slightly larger figure, or prop like pointer/clipboard |
| Object | The concept itself | Labeled object, icon, or highlighted text with accent color |
### Prompt Template
When generating image prompts for four-panel comics, include these keywords:
> A minimalist, clean line art digital comic strip in a four-panel grid layout (2×2). The style is simplified cartoon illustration with clear black outlines and a minimal color palette of black, white, and specific spot [accent color] for key concepts.
Each panel description should specify:
- Panel position (Top Left / Top Right / Bottom Left / Bottom Right)
- Character poses and gestures (simple, stick-figure style)
- Dialogue text in Chinese (hand-drawn style)
- Any accent-colored elements (concept labels, key objects)
## Quality Markers
- ✓ Exactly 4 panels in strict 2×2 grid
- ✓ 起承转合 narrative arc clearly present
- ✓ 90%+ black-and-white with strategic spot color
- ✓ Simplified stick-figure characters
- ✓ Key concept visually highlighted with accent color
- ✓ Text is minimal and in Chinese (or source language)
- ✓ Single complete story in one page
- ✓ Panel 3 delivers a clear "turn" or insight
## Best For
Business allegory, management fables, short insights, workplace parables, concept contrasts, social media educational content, quick-read comics

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@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ Comic Progress:
- [ ] Step 5: Generate prompts
- [ ] Step 6: Review prompts (conditional)
- [ ] Step 7: Generate images
- [ ] 7.1 Character sheet (if needed)
- [ ] 7.2 Generate pages
- [ ] Step 8: Merge to PDF
- [ ] Step 9: Completion report
```
@ -410,28 +412,41 @@ options:
With confirmed prompts from Step 5/6:
### 7.1 Generate Character Reference Sheet (first)
### 7.1 Generate Character Reference Sheet (conditional)
Character sheet is recommended for multi-page comics with recurring characters, but **NOT required** for all presets.
**When to generate**:
| Condition | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Multi-page comic with detailed/recurring characters | Generate character sheet (recommended) |
| Preset with simplified characters (e.g., four-panel minimalist) | Skip — prompt descriptions are sufficient |
| Single-page comic | Skip unless characters are complex |
**When generating**:
1. Use Reference Sheet Prompt from `characters/characters.md`
2. **Backup rule**: If `characters/characters.png` exists, rename to `characters/characters-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.png`
3. Generate → `characters/characters.png`
4. This ensures visual consistency for all subsequent pages
4. **Compress** to reduce API payload size when used as `--ref`:
- `sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 80 characters.png --out characters-compressed.jpg` (macOS)
- Or: `pngquant --quality=65-80 characters.png -o characters-compressed.png`
### 7.2 Generate Comic Pages
**CRITICAL: Character Reference is MANDATORY** for visual consistency across all pages.
**Before generating any page**:
1. Read the image generation skill's SKILL.md
2. Check if it supports reference image input (`--ref`, `--reference`, etc.)
3. Choose the appropriate strategy below
3. Determine if character sheet exists
4. Choose the appropriate strategy below
**Character Reference Strategy**:
**Page Generation Strategy**:
| Skill Capability | Strategy | Action |
|------------------|----------|--------|
| Supports `--ref` | **Strategy A** | Pass `characters/characters.png` with EVERY page |
| Does NOT support `--ref` | **Strategy B** | Prepend character descriptions to EVERY prompt |
| Character Sheet | Skill Capability | Strategy |
|-----------------|------------------|----------|
| Exists | Supports `--ref` | **A**: Pass character sheet as `--ref` with every page |
| Exists | No `--ref` support | **B**: Embed character descriptions in every prompt |
| Skipped | — | **C**: Prompt file contains all descriptions inline |
**Strategy A: Using `--ref` parameter** (e.g., baoyu-imagine)
@ -439,8 +454,16 @@ With confirmed prompts from Step 5/6:
- Invoke that installed skill via its documented interface, not by calling its scripts directly
- For every page, use `prompts/01-page-xxx.md` as the prompt-file input
- Save output to `01-page-xxx.png`
- Use aspect ratio `3:4`
- Pass `characters/characters.png` as `--ref` on every page generation
- Use aspect ratio from storyboard (default `3:4`, preset may override)
- Pass `characters/characters.png` (or compressed version) as `--ref`
**`--ref` failure recovery**:
If generation fails when using `--ref`:
1. **Compress/convert** reference image:
- `sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 70 characters.png --out characters-compressed.jpg`
- Or reduce resolution: `sips -Z 1024 characters.png --out characters-small.png`
2. **Retry** with compressed/converted image as `--ref`
3. **If still fails**: Fall back to **Strategy C** — generate WITHOUT `--ref`, with character descriptions embedded in prompt text
**Strategy B: Embedding character descriptions in prompt**
@ -458,10 +481,17 @@ When skill does NOT support reference images, create combined prompt files:
[Original page prompt here]
```
**Strategy C: Prompt-only (no character sheet)**
When character sheet was skipped or `--ref` failed:
- Prompt file already contains all character descriptions inline
- No `--ref` parameter needed
- Rely on detailed text descriptions for character consistency
**For each page (cover + pages)**:
1. Read prompt from `prompts/NN-{cover|page}-[slug].md`
2. **Backup rule**: If image file exists, rename to `NN-{cover|page}-[slug]-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.png`
3. Generate image using Strategy A or B (based on skill capability)
3. Generate image using Strategy A, B, or C
4. Save to `NN-{cover|page}-[slug].png`
5. Report progress after each generation: "Generated X/N: [page title]"
@ -493,7 +523,7 @@ Title: [title] | Art: [art] | Tone: [tone] | Pages: [count] | Aspect: [ratio] |
Watermark: [enabled/disabled]
Location: [path]
✓ analysis.md
✓ characters.png
✓ characters.png (if generated)
✓ 00-cover-[slug].png ... NN-page-[slug].png
✓ {topic-slug}.pdf
```