Cover Image Generator

Generate elegant cover images for articles with 5-dimensional customization.

User Input Tools

When this skill prompts the user, follow this tool-selection rule (priority order):

1. Prefer built-in user-input tools exposed by the current agent runtime — e.g.,

   AskUserQuestion

   ,

   request_user_input

   ,

   clarify

   ,

   ask_user

   , or any equivalent.
2. Fallback: if no such tool exists, emit a numbered plain-text message and ask the user to reply with the chosen number/answer for each question.
3. Batching: if the tool supports multiple questions per call, combine all applicable questions into a single call; if only single-question, ask them one at a time in priority order.

Concrete

AskUserQuestion

Image Generation Tools

When this skill needs to render an image:

• Use whatever image-generation tool or skill is available in the current runtime — e.g., Codex

  imagegen

  , Hermes

  image_generate

  ,

  baoyu-imagine

  , or any equivalent the user has installed.
• If multiple are available, ask the user once at the start which to use (batch with any other initial questions).
• If none are available, tell the user and ask how to proceed.

Prompt file requirement (hard): write each image's full, final prompt to a standalone file under

prompts/

NN-{type}-[slug].md

Concrete tool names (

imagegen

image_generate

baoyu-imagine

Options

--type <name>

--palette <name>

--rendering <name>

--style <name>

--text <level>

--mood <level>

--font <name>

--aspect <ratio>

--lang <code>

--no-title

--text none

--quick

--ref <files...>

Five Dimensions

Auto-selection rules: references/auto-selection.md

Galleries

Types: hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal → Details: references/types.md

Palettes: warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro, duotone, macaron → Details: references/palettes/

Renderings: flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk, screen-print → Details: references/renderings/

Text Levels: none (pure visual) | title-only (default) | title-subtitle | text-rich (with tags) → Details: references/dimensions/text.md

Mood Levels: subtle (low contrast) | balanced (default) | bold (high contrast) → Details: references/dimensions/mood.md

Fonts: clean (sans-serif) | handwritten | serif | display (bold decorative) → Details: references/dimensions/font.md

File Structure

Output directory per

default_output_dir

• same-dir

  :

  {article-dir}/

• imgs-subdir

  :

  {article-dir}/imgs/

• independent

  (default):

  cover-image/{topic-slug}/

<output-dir>/
├── source-{slug}.{ext}    # Source files
├── refs/                  # Reference images (if provided)
│   ├── ref-01-{slug}.{ext}
│   └── ref-01-{slug}.md   # Description file
├── prompts/cover.md       # Generation prompt
└── cover.png              # Output image

Slug: 2-4 words, kebab-case. Conflict: append

-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS

Workflow

Progress Checklist

Cover Image Progress:
- [ ] Step 0: Check preferences (EXTEND.md) ⛔ BLOCKING
- [ ] Step 1: Analyze content + save refs + determine output dir
- [ ] Step 2: Confirm options (6 dimensions) ⚠️ unless --quick
- [ ] Step 3: Create prompt
- [ ] Step 4: Generate image
- [ ] Step 5: Completion report

Flow

Input → [Step 0: Preferences] ─┬─ Found → Continue
                               └─ Not found → First-Time Setup ⛔ BLOCKING → Save EXTEND.md → Continue
        ↓
Analyze + Save Refs → [Output Dir] → [Confirm: 6 Dimensions] → Prompt → Generate → Complete
                                              ↓
                                     (skip if --quick or all specified)

Step 0: Load Preferences ⛔ BLOCKING

Check EXTEND.md in priority order — the first one found wins:

.baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md

${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md

$HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md

CRITICAL: If not found, complete setup BEFORE any other steps or questions.

Step 1: Analyze Content

1. Save reference images (if provided) → references/workflow/reference-images.md
2. Save source content (if pasted, save to

   source.md

   )
3. Analyze content: topic, tone, keywords, visual metaphors
4. Deep analyze references ⚠️: Extract specific, concrete elements (see reference-images.md)
5. Detect language: Compare source, user input, EXTEND.md preference
6. Determine output directory: Per File Structure rules

⚠️ People in Reference Images:

If reference images contain people who should appear in the cover:

• Model supports

  --ref

  (default): Copy image to

  refs/

  , pass via

  --ref

  at generation. No description file needed — the model sees the face directly.
• Model does NOT support

  --ref

  (Jimeng, Seedream 3.0): Create

  refs/ref-NN-{slug}.md

  with per-character description (hair, glasses, skin tone, clothing). Embed as MUST/REQUIRED instructions in prompt text.

See reference-images.md for full decision table.

Step 2: Confirm Options ⚠️

MUST use

AskUserQuestion

AskUserQuestion

Full confirmation flow and question format: references/workflow/confirm-options.md

--quick

quick_mode: true

--aspect

--aspect

Step 3: Create Prompt

Save to

prompts/cover.md

CRITICAL - References in Frontmatter:

• Files saved to

  refs/

  → Add to frontmatter

  references

  list
• Style extracted verbally (no file) → Omit

  references

  , describe in body
• Before writing → Verify:

  test -f refs/ref-NN-{slug}.{ext}

Reference elements in body MUST be detailed, prefixed with "MUST"/"REQUIRED", with integration approach.

Step 4: Generate Image

1. Backup existing

   cover.png

   if regenerating
2. Select backend via the

   ## Image Generation Tools

   rule at the top: use whatever is available; if multiple, ask the user once. Do this once per session before any generation.
3. Write the full final prompt to

   prompts/01-cover-[slug].md

   (hard requirement) BEFORE invoking the backend.
4. Process references from prompt frontmatter:

   • direct

     usage → pass via

     --ref

     (use ref-capable backend)

   • style

     /

     palette

     → extract traits, append to prompt
5. Generate: Call the chosen backend with the prompt file, output path, aspect ratio
6. On failure: auto-retry once

Step 5: Completion Report

Cover Generated!

Topic: [topic]
Type: [type] | Palette: [palette] | Rendering: [rendering]
Text: [text] | Mood: [mood] | Font: [font] | Aspect: [ratio]
Title: [title or "visual only"]
Language: [lang] | Watermark: [enabled/disabled]
References: [N images or "extracted style" or "none"]
Location: [directory path]

Files:
✓ source-{slug}.{ext}
✓ prompts/cover.md
✓ cover.png

Image Modification

Composition Principles

• Whitespace: 40-60% breathing room
• Visual anchor: Main element centered or offset left
• Characters: Simplified silhouettes; NO realistic humans
• Title: Use exact title from user/source; never invent

Extension Support

Custom configurations via EXTEND.md. See Step 0 for paths.

Supports: Watermark | Preferred dimensions | Default aspect/output | Quick mode | Custom palettes | Language

Schema: references/config/preferences-schema.md

References

Dimensions: text.md | mood.md | font.md Palettes: references/palettes/ Renderings: references/renderings/ Types: references/types.md Auto-Selection: references/auto-selection.md Style Presets: references/style-presets.md Compatibility: references/compatibility.md Visual Elements: references/visual-elements.md Workflow: confirm-options.md | prompt-template.md | reference-images.md Config: preferences-schema.md | first-time-setup.md | watermark-guide.md