# Paper Illustration

> Generate publication-quality AI illustrations for academic papers using Gemini image generation. Creates architecture diagrams, method illustrations with Claude-supervised iterative refinement loop. Use when user says \"生成图表\", \"画架构图\", \"AI绘图\", \"paper illustration\", \"generate diagram\", or needs visual figures for papers.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-wanshuiyin-auto-claude-code-research-in-sleep-paper-illustration`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [wanshuiyin](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/wanshuiyin)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [AI & ML](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/ai-and-ml)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [wanshuiyin](https://github.com/wanshuiyin)
- **Source:** https://github.com/wanshuiyin/Auto-claude-code-research-in-sleep/tree/main/skills/paper-illustration

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-wanshuiyin-auto-claude-code-research-in-sleep-paper-illustration
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Paper Illustration: Multi-Stage Claude-Supervised Figure Generation

Generate publication-quality illustrations using a **multi-stage workflow** with **Claude as the STRICT supervisor/reviewer**.

## Core Design Philosophy

```
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    MULTI-STAGE ITERATIVE WORKFLOW                        │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                          │
│   User Request                                                           │
│       │                                                                  │
│       ▼                                                                  │
│   ┌─────────────┐                                                        │
│   │   Claude    │ ◄─── Step 1: Parse request, create initial prompt     │
│   │  (Planner)  │                                                        │
│   └──────┬──────┘                                                        │
│          │                                                               │
│          ▼                                                               │
│   ┌─────────────┐                                                        │
│   │   Gemini    │ ◄─── Step 2: Optimize layout description               │
│   │ (gemini-3-pro)│      - Refine component positioning                    │
│   │  Layout     │      - Optimize spacing and grouping                   │
│   └──────┬──────┘                                                        │
│          │                                                               │
│          ▼                                                               │
│   ┌─────────────┐                                                        │
│   │   Gemini    │ ◄─── Step 3: CVPR/NeurIPS style verification          │
│   │ (gemini-3-pro)│      - Check color palette compliance                  │
│   │  Style      │      - Verify arrow and font standards                 │
│   └──────┬──────┘                                                        │
│          │                                                               │
│          ▼                                                               │
│   ┌─────────────┐                                                        │
│   │ Paperbanana │ ◄─── Step 4: Render final image                       │
│   │ (gemini-3-  │      - High-quality image generation                   │
│   │ pro-image)  │      - Internal codename: Nano Banana Pro              │
│   └──────┬──────┘                                                        │
│          │                                                               │
│          ▼                                                               │
│   ┌─────────────┐                                                        │
│   │   Claude    │ ◄─── Step 5: STRICT visual review + SCORE (1-10)      │
│   │  (Reviewer) │      - Verify EVERY arrow direction                    │
│   │   STRICT!   │      - Verify EVERY block content                      │
│   └──────┬──────┘      - Verify aesthetics & visual appeal               │
│          │                                                               │
│          ▼                                                               │
│   Score ≥ 9? ──YES──► Accept & Output                                    │
│          │                                                               │
│          NO                                                              │
│          │                                                               │
│          ▼                                                               │
│   Generate SPECIFIC improvement feedback ──► Loop back to Step 2        │
│                                                                          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## Constants

- **IMAGE_MODEL = `gemini-3-pro-image-preview`** — Paperbanana (Nano Banana Pro) for image rendering
- **REASONING_MODEL = `gemini-3-pro-preview`** — Gemini for layout optimization and style checking
- **MAX_ITERATIONS = 5** — Maximum refinement rounds
- **TARGET_SCORE = 9** — Minimum acceptable score (1-10) — RAISED FOR QUALITY
- **OUTPUT_DIR = `figures/ai_generated/`** — Output directory
- **API_KEY_ENV = `GEMINI_API_KEY`** — Environment variable

## Optional: Style reference (`— style-ref: `, opt-in)

Lets the user steer **structural** figure conventions (caption length, panel-count distribution, figure-to-table ratio in the parent paper) toward a reference paper. **Default OFF — when the user does not pass `— style-ref`, do nothing differently from before.**

Only when `— style-ref: ` appears in `$ARGUMENTS`, run the helper FIRST, before generating prompts:

```bash
# Resolve $STYLE_HELPER via the canonical strict-safe chain (see
# shared-references/integration-contract.md §2). Policy A — gate:
# unresolved helper means --style-ref cannot be satisfied, so abort.
cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd)" || exit 1
if [ -z "${ARIS_REPO:-}" ] && [ -f .aris/installed-skills.txt ]; then
    ARIS_REPO=$(awk -F'\t' '$1=="repo_root"{print $2; exit}' .aris/installed-skills.txt 2>/dev/null) || true
fi
STYLE_HELPER=".aris/tools/extract_paper_style.py"
[ -f "$STYLE_HELPER" ] || STYLE_HELPER="tools/extract_paper_style.py"
[ -f "$STYLE_HELPER" ] || { [ -n "${ARIS_REPO:-}" ] && STYLE_HELPER="$ARIS_REPO/tools/extract_paper_style.py"; }
[ -f "$STYLE_HELPER" ] || {
  echo "ERROR: extract_paper_style.py not resolved at .aris/tools/, tools/, or \$ARIS_REPO/tools/." >&2
  echo "       Fix: rerun bash tools/install_aris.sh, export ARIS_REPO, or copy the helper to tools/." >&2
  echo "       --style-ref cannot be satisfied; aborting." >&2
  exit 1
}
STYLE_STATUS=0
CACHE=$(python3 "$STYLE_HELPER" --source "") || STYLE_STATUS=$?
case "$STYLE_STATUS" in
  0) ;;                                       # use $CACHE/style_profile.md as structural guidance
  2) echo "warning: style-ref skipped (missing optional dep)" >&2 ;;
  3) echo "error: --style-ref source failed; aborting illustration" >&2 ; exit 1 ;;
  *) echo "error: helper failed unexpectedly; aborting illustration" >&2 ; exit 1 ;;
esac
```

Sources accepted: local TeX dir / file, local PDF, arXiv id, http(s) URL. Overleaf URLs/IDs are rejected — clone via `/overleaf-sync setup ` first and pass the local clone path.

**Strict rules** (full contract in `tools/extract_paper_style.py` docstring):

- Use `style_profile.md` to align caption length and figure density with the reference paper. The CVPR/ICLR/NeurIPS visual standards above still take precedence — `--style-ref` only refines length-and-density tendencies, never image content.
- **Never copy figure content, color palettes, or specific design elements** from anything reachable through the cache. The visual design comes from the user's prompt, not the reference.
- **Never pass `— style-ref` (or the cache contents) to the Claude vision-checker / Gemini reasoning-checker sub-agents** when they score the generated image — the image must be judged on its own merits.

## CVPR/ICLR/NeurIPS Top-Tier Conference Style Guide

**What "CVPR Style" Actually Means:**

### Visual Standards
- **Clean white background** — No decorative patterns or gradients (unless subtle)
- **Sans-serif fonts** — Arial, Helvetica, or Computer Modern; minimum 14pt
- **Subtle color palette** — Not rainbow colors; use 3-5 coordinated colors
- **Print-friendly** — Must be readable in grayscale (many reviewers print papers)
- **Professional borders** — Thin (2-3px), solid colors, not flashy

### Layout Standards
- **Horizontal flow** — Left-to-right is the standard for pipelines
- **Clear grouping** — Use subtle background boxes to group related modules
- **Consistent sizing** — Similar components should have similar sizes
- **Balanced whitespace** — Not cramped, not sparse

### Arrow Standards (MOST CRITICAL)
- **Thick strokes** — 4-6px minimum (thin arrows disappear when printed)
- **Clear arrowheads** — Large, filled triangular heads
- **Dark colors** — Black or dark gray (#333333); avoid colored arrows
- **Labeled** — Every arrow should indicate what data flows through it
- **No crossings** — Reorganize layout to avoid arrow crossings
- **CORRECT DIRECTION** — Arrows must point to the RIGHT target!

### Visual Appeal (科研风格 - Professional Academic Style)

**目标：既不保守也不花哨，找到平衡点**

#### ✅ 应该有的视觉元素：
- **Subtle gradient fills** — 淡雅的渐变填充（同色系从浅到深），不是炫彩
- **Rounded corners** — 圆角矩形（6-10px radius），现代感但不夸张
- **Clear visual hierarchy** — 通过大小、颜色深浅区分层次
- **Consistent color coding** — 统一的配色方案（3-4种主色）
- **Internal structure** — 大模块内部显示子组件（如Encoder内部的layer结构）
- **Professional typography** — 清晰的标签，适当的字号层次

#### ✅ 配色建议（学术专业）：
- **Inputs**: 柔和的绿色系 (#10B981 / #34D399)
- **Encoders**: 专业的蓝色系 (#2563EB / #3B82F6)
- **Fusion**: 优雅的紫色系 (#7C3AED / #8B5CF6)
- **Outputs**: 温暖的橙色系 (#EA580C / #F97316)
- **Arrows**: 黑色或深灰 (#333333 / #1F2937)
- **Background**: 纯白 (#FFFFFF)，不要花纹

#### ❌ 要避免的过度装饰：
- ❌ Rainbow color schemes (彩虹配色)
- ❌ Heavy drop shadows (重阴影效果)
- ❌ 3D effects / perspective (3D透视)
- ❌ Excessive gradients (夸张的多色渐变)
- ❌ Clip art / cartoon icons (卡通图标)
- ❌ Decorative patterns in background (背景花纹)
- ❌ Glowing effects (发光效果)
- ❌ Too many small icons (过多小图标)

#### ✓ 理想的视觉效果：
- 一眼看上去**专业、清晰**
- 有**适度的视觉吸引力**，但不抢眼
- 符合**CVPR/NeurIPS论文**的审美标准
- **打印友好**（灰度模式下也能清晰辨认）
- 像**精心设计**的学术图表，而不是PPT模板

### What to AVOID (CRITICAL)
- ❌ Rainbow color schemes (too many colors)
- ❌ Thin, hairline arrows (arrows must be THICK)
- ❌ Unlabeled connections
- ❌ Plain boring rectangles (add some visual interest)
- ❌ **Over-decorated with shadows/glows/icons** (too flashy)
- ❌ Small text that's unreadable when printed
- ❌ **WRONG arrow directions** — This is UNACCEPTABLE!

## Scope

| Figure Type | Quality | Examples |
|-------------|---------|----------|
| **Architecture diagrams** | Excellent | Model architecture, pipeline, encoder-decoder |
| **Method illustrations** | Excellent | Conceptual diagrams, algorithm flowcharts |
| **Conceptual figures** | Good | Comparison diagrams, taxonomy trees |

**Not for:** Statistical plots (use `/paper-figure`), photo-realistic images

## Workflow: MUST EXECUTE ALL STEPS

### Step 0: Pre-flight Check

```bash
# Check API key
if [ -z "$GEMINI_API_KEY" ]; then
    echo "ERROR: GEMINI_API_KEY not set"
    echo "Get your key from: https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey"
    echo "Set it: export GEMINI_API_KEY='your-key'"
    exit 1
fi

# Create output directory
mkdir -p figures/ai_generated
```

### Step 1: Claude Plans the Figure (YOU ARE HERE)

**CRITICAL: Claude must first analyze the user's request and create a detailed prompt.**

Parse the input: **$ARGUMENTS**

Claude's task:
1. Understand what figure the user wants
2. Identify all components, connections, data flow
3. Create a **detailed, structured prompt** for Gemini
4. Include style requirements AND visual appeal requirements

**Prompt Template for Claude to generate:**

```
Create a PROFESSIONAL, VISUALLY APPEALING publication-quality academic diagram following CVPR/ICLR/NeurIPS standards.

## Visual Style: 科研风格 (Academic Professional Style)
### 目标：平衡 — 既不保守也不花哨

#### DO (应该有):
- **Subtle gradients** — 同色系淡雅渐变（如 #2563EB → #3B82F6），不是多色炫彩
- **Rounded corners** — 圆角矩形（6-10px），现代感
- **Clear visual hierarchy** — 通过大小、深浅区分层次
- **Internal structure** — 大模块内显示子组件结构
- **Consistent color coding** — 统一的3-4色方案
- **Professional polish** — 精致但不夸张

#### DON'T (不要有):
- ❌ Rainbow/multi-color gradients (彩虹渐变)
- ❌ Heavy drop shadows (重阴影)
- ❌ 3D effects / perspective (3D效果)
- ❌ Glowing effects (发光效果)
- ❌ Excessive decorative icons (过多装饰图标)
- ❌ Plain boring rectangles (完全平淡的方块)

#### 理想效果：
像顶会论文中精心设计的架构图 — 专业、清晰、有适度的视觉吸引力

## Figure Type
[Architecture Diagram / Pipeline / Comparison / etc.]

## Components to Include (BE SPECIFIC ABOUT CONTENT)
1. [Component 1]:
   - Label: "[exact text]"
   - Sub-label: "[smaller text below]"
   - Position: [left/center/right, top/middle/bottom]
   - Style: [border color, fill, internal structure]
2. [Component 2]: ...

## Layout
- Direction: [left-to-right / top-to-bottom]
- Spacing: [tight / normal / loose]
- Grouping: [how components should be grouped]

## Connections (BE EXPLICIT ABOUT DIRECTION)
EXACT arrow specifications:
1. [Component A] → [Component B]: Arrow goes FROM A TO B, label it "[data type]"
2. [Component C] → [Component D]: Arrow goes FROM C TO D, label it "[data type]"
...
VERIFY: Each arrow must point to the CORRECT target!

## Style Requirements (CVPR/ICLR/NeurIPS Standard)

### Visual Style
- Color palette: Professional academic colors
  - Inputs: Green (#10B981)
  - Encoders: Blue (#2563EB)
  - Fusion modules: Purple (#7C3AED)
  - Outputs: Orange (#EA580C)
- Font: Sans-serif (Arial/Helvetica), minimum 14pt, bold for labels
- Background: Clean white, no patterns
- Blocks: Rounded rectangles (8-12px radius), subtle gradient fill, colored border (2-3px)
- Subtle shadows for depth effect
- Print-friendly (must work in grayscale)

### CRITICAL: Arrow & Data Flow Requirements
1. **ALL arrows must be VERY THICK** - minimum 5-6px stroke width
2. **ALL arrows must have CLEAR arrowheads** - large, visible triangular heads
3. **ALL arrows must be BLACK or DARK GRAY** - not colored
4. **Label EVERY arrow** with what data flows through it
5. **VERIFY arrow direction** - each arrow MUST point to the correct target
6. **No ambiguous connections** - every arrow should have a clear source and destination

### Logic Clarity Requirements
1. **Data flow must be immediately obvious** - viewer should understand the pipeline in 5 seconds
2. **No crossing arrows** - reorganize layout to avoid arrow crossings
3. **Consistent direction** - maintain left-to-right or top-to-bottom flow throughout
4. **Group related components** - use subtle background boxes or spacing to group modules
5. **Clear hierarchy** - main components larger, sub-components smaller

## Additional Requirements
[Any specific requirements from user]
```

### Step 2: Gemini Layout Optimization (gemini-3-pro)

**Claude sends the initial prompt to Gemini (gemini-3-pro) for layout optimization.**

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# Step 2: Optimize layout using Gemini gemini-3-pro
# This step refines component positioning and spacing

set -e

OUTPUT_DIR="figures/ai_generated"
mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"

API_KEY="${GEMINI_API_KEY}"
URL="https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/models/gemini-3-pro-preview:generateContent?key=$API_KEY"

# The initial prompt from Claude
INITIAL_PROMPT='[Claude fills in the detailed prompt here]'

# Layout optimization request
LAYOUT_REQUEST="You are an expert in academic figure layout design for CVPR/NeurIPS papers.

Analyze this figure request and provide an OPTIMIZED LAYOUT DESCRIPTION:

$INITIAL_PROMPT

Provide:
1. **Optimized Component Positions**: Exact positions (left/center/right, top/middle/bottom) for each component
2. **Spacing Recommendations**: Specific spacing between components
3. **Grouping Strategy**: Which components should be visually grouped together
4. **Arrow Routing**: Optimal paths for arrows to avoid crossings
5. **Visual Hierarchy**: Size recommendations for main vs sub-components

Output a DETAILED layout specification that will be used for rendering."

# Build JSON payload
python3  "$OUTPUT_DIR/layout_description.txt"
```

### Step 3: Gemini Style Verification (gemini-3-pro)

**Claude sends the optimized layout to Gemini for CVPR/NeurIPS style verification.**

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# Step 3: Verify and enhance style compliance using Gemini gemini-3-pro

API_KEY="${GEMINI_API_KEY}"
URL="https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/models/gemini-3-pro-preview:generateContent?key=$API_KEY"

# Read layout from previous step
LAYOUT=$(cat figures/ai_generated/layout_description.txt)

# Style verification request
STYLE_

…

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [wanshuiyin](https://github.com/wanshuiyin)
- **Source:** [wanshuiyin/Auto-claude-code-research-in-sleep](https://github.com/wanshuiyin/Auto-claude-code-research-in-sleep)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** yes
- **Filesystem access:** yes
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-wanshuiyin-auto-claude-code-research-in-sleep-paper-illustration
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/wanshuiyin
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
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