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Good base to start generation

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2026-09-11 18:38:01 -07:00
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docs/art-direction.md
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@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Across the whole product, the artwork should generally follow these ideas:
- Sacred and reverent tone.
- Stained-glass-inspired composition.
- Jewel-tone palette where appropriate.
- Gold can be used as an accent, but should become more prominent as rarity increases.
- Gold begins at Uncommon and may become more prominent as rarity increases; Common uses no gold.
- Tapestry, linen, parchment, and illuminated-manuscript textures can support the overall look.
- Clear subject silhouettes.
- Cards should remain readable at thumbnail size.
@@ -91,9 +91,10 @@ For character cards, prefer:
- One clear subject.
- Strong silhouette.
- Limited background complexity.
- Background complexity appropriate to rarity.
- Symbolic items associated with the subject.
- Calm, iconic poses over excessive action scenes unless the card itself represents an event.
- For Common, wider and calmer compositions with the subject in the middle distance doing one modest action.
- Reserve tighter, iconic presentation for higher rarities where appropriate. Legendary may also achieve grandeur through a large scene or a spacious, contemplative composition.
For event cards, larger compositions and multiple figures can be used when necessary.
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ A normal card can contain:
- Name.
- Short subtitle or descriptor.
- One quiet subject-type label, such as Person, Event, Place, Object, or Doctrine.
- Short verse, quote, or historical line.
- Reference.
@@ -134,6 +136,18 @@ A short excerpt with an ellipsis is fine when it is clearly intentional.
The full content can appear in the inspection panel.
### Text Budget and Placement
- Name: one line where practical, with an approved two-line layout for long names.
- Subtitle: optional; include it only when it adds useful information.
- Main excerpt or fact: initially target about 15-25 words, then validate actual typeset fit.
- Reference: a short, readable attribution. Full citations and supporting sources belong in the inspection panel.
- Use fixed text boxes, approved fonts, line spacing, alignment, and a minimum readable size for each template.
- Measure actual rendered text. If it overflows, edit the wording, select a shorter faithful excerpt, or use an approved alternate layout. Do not silently shrink or clip it.
- Typeset all lettering separately from generated imagery. Textless and Boundless contain no lettering, including the name and category.
The subject-type label should come from the Master Card Catalog taxonomy. History, period, tradition, and collection grouping belong in the inspection UI; they are different dimensions from Person or Event. Category should not introduce its own border colors or decorative badges.
---
## Card Back
@@ -167,7 +181,6 @@ When inspecting a card, the user should be able to:
- Flip between front and back.
- Zoom in to inspect artwork and physical characteristics.
- Observe material properties responding dynamically to lighting.
- Observe wear and imperfections where applicable.
- Return quickly to the originating collection / binder context.
The inspection UI should also expose the educational and collectible information that does not need to live directly on the physical card.
@@ -191,8 +204,6 @@ Possible sections:
- Printing.
- Finish.
- Material.
- Wear classification.
- Exact wear percentage.
## Provenance
@@ -222,7 +233,7 @@ requires otherwise.
The standard master artwork resolution should be:
**3000 × 4200 px**
**2000 × 2800 px**
This is the source-quality asset and should be retained even if smaller
versions are generated for the application.
@@ -234,7 +245,6 @@ practical, including:
- Holographic masks
- Metallic masks
- Roughness maps
- Wear masks
- Normal/bump maps
- Printing masks
@@ -254,6 +264,33 @@ runtime export.
---
# Layered Card Production
Every card starts with full-card illustration, composed to work with the Normal printing's overlays. Essential subjects and storytelling remain within its visible art area. The regions revealed by other printings must also feel intentionally illustrated.
Author these components independently:
1. **Base art:** full-card illustration without lettering, a card frame, or a text panel baked into it.
2. **Outer frame:** reusable tier ornament with a transparent interior.
3. **Text backing:** the title and supporting-text panel shapes, without lettering.
4. **Text:** deterministic typography from the card's content data.
Outer frame and text backing are editable parts of the same border system. Export three border overlays from them: combined frame/backing, frame only, and backing only. Each printing uses at most one of these overlays.
Common through Extraordinary each use one approved frame system per rarity initially. Reuse its geometry, colors, ornament, and text regions across cards in that tier. Subject-specific symbols belong in the illustration. Legendary artwork variants may use bespoke artwork, frames, and layouts while retaining the shared printing definitions and text-readability requirements.
Generation supplies imagery and decoration; a versioned template supplies exact geometry. All production layers use the full 2000 × 2800 canvas, the same origin, and recorded transforms. Do not trim transparent margins and then attempt to realign layers by eye.
Create frame and backing masks from shared vector paths. Extend their joining regions underneath one another so separately antialiased edges cannot expose a seam. For Normal, export the assembled overlay as one image. Derive the other overlays from the same geometry.
Transparency masks and finish masks serve different purposes. Transparency determines visible composition; finish masks determine where surface treatment responds to light. Assemble finish coverage for each printing from its active components, with text protection derived from that printing's actual text regions. Removing a text backing also removes its associated protection.
Keep an editable layered master and export the composed card face plus aligned finish maps. Three.js continues to supply materials, finish response, and interaction. Changing finish or substrate should not require regenerating the illustration.
The proposed template coordinates, validation checks, and GIMP/SVG tooling workflow are recorded in [Card Layer Pipeline](./card-layer-pipeline.md). The first template remains a proof to review, not a final approved layout.
---
# Rarity Art Direction
Rarity should have a major impact on the visual grammar of the card.
@@ -275,7 +312,9 @@ Rarity should **not** simply mean adding more glow or visual effects.
A useful principle:
> **Higher rarity should add storytelling and ornamentation, not merely more effects.**
> **Higher rarity should have greater narrative and visual presence. Ornament is one way to achieve that; scale, light, beauty, and restraint are others.**
Rarity describes collectible presentation, never the spiritual worth of a person or subject.
Another way to think about it:
@@ -301,11 +340,12 @@ Common cards should be intentionally restrained.
- Limited palette.
- Roughly 2-3 dominant colors plus cream / parchment.
- More muted or restrained jewel tones.
- Gold used mostly for separation or small accents.
- No gold accents or gold dividers.
### Artwork
- It doesn't need to be just the subject but rather them in the background doing something
- Show the subject in the middle distance doing one modest action, rather than presenting a headshot or dominant frontal portrait.
- Preserve a clear focal subject through placement and contrast; do not make the person an unreadable background speck.
- Simple background.
- Larger stained-glass panes.
- Fewer small glass segments.
@@ -326,16 +366,15 @@ Example:
**Timothy**
- Timothy holding a scroll.
- Simple ancient street or landscape.
- Simple arch.
- Blue / green / cream palette.
- Thin brass or gold divider.
- Timothy seated beside a modest doorway, reading a scroll with another person.
- A simple wall, street, and sky described with large glass panes.
- Blue / muted green / cream palette.
- Thin geometric frame and plain divider.
- No ornate botanical frame.
- No special corner symbols.
- No heavily gilded title plaque.
![alt text](image-2.png)
The earlier Timothy reference is too elaborate for the revised Common target and should not define its visual ceiling. Retain the existing harness fixture for material comparison while creating the new proof.
---
@@ -379,8 +418,8 @@ Rare cards should feel distinctive.
### Border
- Decorative frame.
- More custom ornament.
- Symbolic motifs related to the subject.
- More ornament within the shared Rare frame design.
- Subject-specific symbolic motifs remain in the illustration.
### Color
@@ -411,7 +450,7 @@ Extraordinary cards should feel prestigious.
- Elaborate framing.
- Strong illuminated-manuscript influence.
- More bespoke ornamentation.
- Richer ornamentation within the shared Extraordinary frame design.
- Larger use of gold.
### Color
@@ -446,22 +485,22 @@ They can break some of the normal card-layout rules while still clearly belongin
- Highly bespoke.
- Custom symbolic elements related specifically to the card.
- Extensive but tasteful ornamentation.
- Rich gilding.
- Ornamentation chosen to serve the artwork; density is not a requirement.
- Tasteful gilding where appropriate, without requiring a maximum amount of gold.
### Color
- Full jewel-tone palette where appropriate.
- Strong gold accents.
- Gold accents where they support the composition.
- Deep color contrast.
### Artwork
- Strong visual storytelling.
- Multiple symbols connected directly to the subject.
- Complex stained-glass composition.
- More dramatic light.
- More detailed environments.
- One governing narrative or visual idea, with supporting symbols chosen deliberately.
- Exceptional composition through scale, light, beauty, or restraint.
- Epic scenes may use immense environments and consequential moments.
- Contemplative scenes may use spacious composition, restrained symbolism, and remarkable light.
- Unique framing or iconography.
### Overall Feel
@@ -489,6 +528,8 @@ Possible visual elements:
These elements help tell David's story rather than simply adding decoration for decoration's sake.
They are possibilities, not a checklist for one image. A Legendary may contain fewer elements than an Extraordinary while having greater presence. Different artwork variants can explore different governing ideas.
![alt text](image-3.png)
@@ -523,7 +564,7 @@ A Legendary plain-paper card should still visually read as Legendary.
- Surface microtexture and roughness.
- Edge and core appearance.
- Base reflectivity and perceived weight.
- Paper, linen, plastic, metal, or wood response.
- Paper, linen, metal, or wood response.
## Finish controls
@@ -553,8 +594,6 @@ Examples:
- Finish -> visible.
- Material -> visible.
- Wear -> visible.
- Imperfections -> visible.
- Printing -> visible.
- Weight -> indirectly observable.
- Provenance -> inspectable metadata.
@@ -570,13 +609,6 @@ The material is the card's substrate. The finish is a treatment applied over tha
- Broad, weak reflection rather than a sharp sheen.
- Grain should become visible during close inspection without making the artwork noisy.
## Plastic
- Smoother surface.
- Clear-coated dielectric reflection.
- A bounded moving highlight should remain visible even with Printed Ink.
- Cleaner edges.
## Linen
- Raised interlaced warp and weft rather than generic noise.
@@ -598,7 +630,7 @@ The material is the card's substrate. The finish is a treatment applied over tha
- Warm substrate tint with a darker brown core.
- Longitudinal, slightly warped grain with shallow physical relief.
- Grain should support the card artwork rather than overpowering it.
- Reflection should remain restrained and less polished than plastic or metal.
- Reflection should remain restrained and less polished than metal.
## Foil
@@ -618,76 +650,28 @@ The material is the card's substrate. The finish is a treatment applied over tha
- Finish masks should be authored and reviewed as part of the card art rather than treated as arbitrary technical output.
- Preserve titles, verses, and other critical text unless a specific treatment is intentionally designed for them.
- Do not create obvious circular or elliptical exclusions around faces, hands, animals, or other subjects. Those shapes read as artificial holes when the card moves.
- Avoid isolated mask islands that produce unrelated holographic spots across skin or focal features.
- Prefer coverage that follows stained-glass panes, ornament, borders, garments, environmental color, and other compositional regions.
- Evaluate every mask while rotating the card under multiple lighting angles. A mask that looks acceptable in a still image may look distracting in motion.
---
# Wear
Wear should not make cards ugly to the point that the artwork becomes undesirable.
Even the lowest wear levels should remain visually readable and collectible.
A 0.00 wear card can be noticeably scratched, worn, or damaged while still looking like a cared-for physical collectible rather than a destroyed object.
Possible classifications are still subject to change, but could look something like:
- Mint.
- Near Mint.
- Minimal Wear.
- Moderately Played.
- Worn.
Wear can affect:
- Edge whitening.
- Surface scratches.
- Small scuffs.
- Minor print abrasion.
- Subtle corner wear.
It should not normally obscure:
- Subject identity.
- Important text.
- Major portions of the artwork.
Wear patterns should ideally be seeded per card instance so two cards with the same wear value do not necessarily have identical damage.
Use the approved [Card Harness Current Defaults](../spikes/card-harness/CURRENT-DEFAULTS.md#finish-masks) as the material and finish reference. Its David and Timothy thresholds are fixture-specific starting points for evaluation, not one universal mask formula. Keep exact runtime parameters there. Preserve the approved holographic response when iterating on coverage.
---
# Printing Variants
Printing should affect the graphic presentation of the same card identity.
## Normal
| Printing | Full-card art | Outer frame | Text backing | Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Borderless | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Textless | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Boundless | Yes | No | No | No |
- Standard frame.
- Name.
- Subtitle.
- Short verse / quote / fact.
- Normal artwork area.
Textless retains only the outer frame over the illustration. Borderless retains only the backing needed for legible text. Boundless presents the illustration alone. Educational information remains available in the inspection panel for every printing.
## Borderless
- Artwork extends farther toward the card edges.
- Reduced frame.
- Minimal text treatment.
## Textless
- Artwork-focused.
- Little or no text.
- Educational information remains available in the inspection panel.
## Boundless
- Full-bleed or near-full-bleed artwork.
- Minimal or absent conventional frame.
- Intended to feel like a special printing rather than a higher rarity.
Artwork variant remains distinct from printing. A bespoke Legendary artwork variant may supply its own approved template, but its Normal, Borderless, Textless, and Boundless versions still follow these definitions.
Printing type should not change the underlying rarity of the card.
@@ -775,7 +759,7 @@ Across all rarities:
The distinction should be:
> **Common is simple. Legendary is elaborate.**
> **Common is simple. Legendary has exceptional presence.**
Not:
@@ -798,7 +782,6 @@ The MVP should establish:
- Multiple materials.
- Multiple finishes.
- Multiple printing types.
- Wear.
- 3D card inspection.
- Light-reactive materials.
- Pack-opening presentation.
@@ -808,22 +791,28 @@ I think it makes more sense to create a smaller number of highly intentional art
---
# First Proof and Deferred Work
Create a newly restrained Timothy illustration and one Common frame system, then assemble all four printings. Establish and validate the template geometry before generating final decoration. Review seams, text fit, focal placement, and exposed artwork at master size and application sizes, then evaluate the printings with the approved harness foil/holographic response. A small typography stress set should include a long name, a two-line title, and an excerpt near the budget limit.
The Trinity/Foundation art pass, wear/condition, and imperfections are deferred. They are outside this proof and M1 art requirements. Existing harness wear controls remain experimental tooling, not approval to add those properties to the product.
---
# Open Art Questions
Things that still need to be explored:
- Exact card dimensions / aspect ratio.
- Final typography.
- Exact template coordinates, optical text adjustments, minimum font sizes, and seam overlap after reviewing the first proof.
- Exact color palette.
- Whether each rarity has a fixed base frame or a family of frames.
- Whether card categories have their own secondary visual motifs.
- Whether tradition-specific cards alter UI or border accents.
- Final subject-type vocabulary and quiet label placement, using the Master Card Catalog.
- Tradition-specific illustration and UI motifs within the shared rarity frame system.
- Exact visual treatment for controversies.
- Whether halos should be used based on historical iconography, card category, tradition, or purely artistic composition.
- How much motion should exist inside holographic cards.
- Exact distinction between Extraordinary and Legendary.
- Whether higher-rarity cards are always visually more complex or occasionally gain prestige through extreme simplicity.
- How much the card artwork itself changes across printing variants.
- Which Legendary artwork variants need bespoke templates or alternate compositions.
- Final card back design.
---