| name | cover-image |
| description | This skill should be used when the user asks to "生成封面", "文章封面", "create cover", "cover image", or wants a polished article cover image for an existing draft. It builds cover prompts and output paths around the package's article workflow. |
| version | 1.1.0 |
Cover Image
Use this skill to generate a polished article cover image that matches the package's writing workflow and output conventions.
Use This For
- cover generation for a drafted article
- thumbnail-style personal brand covers
- reference-photo-based cover composition
- WeChat article cover with 10 composition style options
- personal IP cover with 5-dimension customization (type, palette, rendering, text, mood)
Do Not Use This For
- generic illustration generation inside article sections
- full article drafting
- open-ended visual experimentation with no article context
Inputs
- article slug or article path
- optional explicit title
- required or recommended reference photo path
- optional style direction
Outputs
- generated cover image saved to
output/images/wechat/
- prompt composition based on article title, layout rules, and selected style
- cover output should reuse the same slug family as the brief and article draft when available
5 Dimensions Customization
This skill supports 5-dimensional customization for personalized IP covers:
| Dimension | Values | Default |
|---|
| Type | hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal | auto |
| Palette | warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro, duotone, macaron | auto |
| Rendering | flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk, screen-print | auto |
| Text | none, title-only, title-subtitle, text-rich | title-only |
| Mood | subtle, balanced, bold | balanced |
| Font | clean, handwritten, serif, display | clean |
Palette Descriptions
| Palette | Description |
|---|
| warm | Orange/amber/golden tones, inviting and energetic |
| elegant | Muted, sophisticated, refined |
| cool | Blue/gray/teal tones, calm and professional |
| dark | Deep shadows, dramatic |
| earth | Brown/green/nature tones |
| vivid | Saturated, high-impact colors |
| pastel | Soft, light, gentle |
| mono | Black/white/grayscale |
| retro | Vintage-inspired hues |
| duotone | Two-tone contrast |
| macaron | Pastel with a modern twist |
Rendering Descriptions
| Rendering | Description |
|---|
| flat-vector | Clean, graphic, no textures |
| hand-drawn | Sketchy, organic strokes |
| painterly | Artistic, brush-stroke feel |
| digital | Modern, clean digital art |
| pixel | Retro pixel art style |
| chalk | Chalk-like texture on dark background |
| screen-print | Halftone dots, bold colors |
Underlying Tool (Unified)
All cover images call tools/nanobanana_client.py:
python tools/nanobanana_client.py --openai-compatible-image \
--ref "img/20260423-140003.jpg" \
--prompt "..." \
--image-size 1536x1024 \
--output "output/images/wechat/cover.png"
Important:
- Never write real API keys or specific relay platform names in skill or public configs
- Default: OpenAI-compatible Images API; also supports OpenAI official and Gemini official
- Default Images API model:
gpt-image-2
Workflow
Step 1: Select Style
Ask the user to choose one of the 10 composition styles below:
| # | Style Name | Best For |
|---|
| 1 | 深色渐变风 | 人物居中，大字覆盖后方，深色渐变背景，高对比强冲击 |
| 2 | 纯色扁平风 | 干净清爽，人物+道具+纯色背景，主体高饱和 |
| 3 | 产品主视觉风 | 有 UI 截图或产品图时，截图占主体，人物做引导 |
| 4 | 对比卡片风 | 前后对比、好坏对比类内容，人物手持两张卡片推向镜头 |
| 5 | 极简留白风 | 大留白，标题是唯一焦点，克制感强 |
| 6 | 海报拼贴风 | 多张素材叠加，有前中后景纵深，叙事丰富 |
| 7 | 人物侧置留白风 | 人物偏一侧，另一边全给标题，版面大气 |
| 8 | 背影构图风 | 人物背对镜头，适合励志、启发类内容 |
| 9 | 局部出镜风 | 只露手或半张脸，产品是绝对主角 |
| 10 | 正面对视风 | 人物直视镜头，眼神接触，情绪直接强烈 |
一次只问一个问题，等用户回答后再问下一个。
Step 2: Reference Photo
Ask the user if they have a face reference photo:
- 有 → let them provide the path; the prompt will include "reference photo preserves identical facial features"
- 没有 → ask them to describe the person (gender, approximate appearance); the prompt will describe directly
Step 3: Expression (skip for 背影构图风 Style 8)
Ask them to choose one:
- 捂嘴惊讶 — 双手捂嘴，眼睛睁大，震惊感
- 张嘴震惊 — 嘴巴微张，眼神放大，强烈惊讶
- 开心大笑 — 嘴角上扬，眼睛弯起，真实喜悦
- 兴奋雀跃 — 眉飞色舞，身体前倾，藏不住的激动
- 自信得意 — 嘴角微扬，眼神笃定
- 托腮思考 — 单手托腮，眼神若有所思
- 推荐种草感 — 微笑点头，眼神看向镜头
- 交给模型决定
Step 4: Extra Materials
Ask if they have any additional materials (product screenshots, UI images, brand assets) as 图2, 图3 etc:
- 有 → ask how many and what each one is
- 没有 → skip
Step 5: Background Color
- 浅色系 — 白/米白/浅灰，干净清爽
- 深色系 — 深灰/墨黑，沉稳有力
- 暖色调 — 米黄/暖棕/柔橙，温暖感
- 冷色调 — 浅蓝灰/青灰，冷静专业
- 高饱和撞色 — 模型根据选题自选高对比色
- 交给模型决定
Note: 极简留白风(5) and 人物侧置留白风(7) default to light backgrounds; this step can be skipped or simplified for those.
Step 6: Font Style
- 超粗黑体 — 粗壮有力，干货/科技类首选
- 柔和圆体 — 圆角笔画，温暖亲切
- 手写涂鸦体 — 笔触自然，个性感强
- 极简无衬线 — 笔画均匀，国际范
- 复古宋体 — 有衬线，古典怀旧感
- 交给模型决定
Step 7: Font Color Effect
- 纯白 — 深色背景首选，干净清晰
- 纯黑 — 浅色背景首选，沉稳有力
- 渐变色 — 模型根据背景色调自选
- 描边效果 — 字体加轮廓，增加层次感
- 交给模型决定
Step 8: Cover Title
Extract 1-3 candidate titles from the article (4-8 characters each), present them to the user for confirmation or modification.
Step 9: Generate Prompt
After collecting all answers, generate the prompt using the appropriate style template (see Prompt Templates section below).
Core requirements for all prompts:
- Person pose specific: describe body position, hand placement, action details — no vague descriptions like "she made a gesture"
- Subject elements detailed: what the main visual element looks like, what's on it, size ratio, static or dynamic
- Spatial relationships clear: foreground / midground / background, who overlaps whom
- Each style has its own background and font logic: do not reuse the same color/font across all styles
Step 10: Generate Image
- Call
tools/nanobanana_client.py with --openai-compatible-image --ref <path> (reference photo if available)
- If provider call fails with 429 or network error, report failure clearly. Do not silently replace with a local pasted-photo composition.
- Save output to
output/images/wechat/{slug}-cover-final.png
Fallback Guidance
- If no reference image is available, tell the user the cleanest personal-brand result still depends on a user-supplied portrait.
- If no article exists yet, ask for a title or article path before generating the cover.
- If user explicitly asked for reference-photo-based generation and the provider call fails, report that failure clearly. Do not silently replace it with a local pasted-photo composition and call it generated.
- If the provider is unavailable or rate-limited, wait for reset rather than falling back to local composition.
Prompt Rule For Reference Photos
When a reference photo is used, write prompts that ask the model to:
- preserve the same person's identity
- recompose the subject into an editorial portrait
- integrate the subject naturally into the scene
- avoid collage / cutout / sticker-like results
Avoid prompts that merely describe "put a person on the right side" because they encourage pasted-subject composition.
The reference photo is used to give the AI model a facial identity to maintain, not to paste that exact photo into the scene.
Prompt Templates
Style 1: 深色渐变风 (Dark Gradient)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body shot.
[Expression description], [body position and pose], [specific hand action: right hand / left hand],
[main visual element's narrative behavior — describe clearly what is happening between person and element],
[main visual element detailed description: shape / content / size / dynamic],
(if additional refs: [ref编号] as [specific presentation and position])
Massive Chinese text "[Cover Title]" overlaid behind the figure, [font style], [color effect], partially obscured by figure and main elements, creating visual hierarchy
Background: [dark gradient — deep purple-gray / dark blue-black / charcoal], smooth gradient transition
All elements concentrated in central area, margins preserved top and bottom, within safe zone
Foreground: scattered extremely small [theme-related icons], minimal quantity, purely decorative, partially overlapping text edges
Floating elements with soft shadows, layered depth, high saturation, organized chaos aesthetic
Style 2: 纯色扁平风 (Flat Solid Color)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body shot.
[Expression], [body pose], [hand action: pushing / lifting / displaying],
[main prop] occupies large area of the frame, strong motion blur, intense near-large-far-small perspective,
[main prop detailed description: appearance / content / material],
(if ref2: [prop/interface] displaying ref2 content, minimal and clean)
Background: [solid flat color — teal / coral / purple], pure flat, no gradient
Massive Chinese "[Cover Title]" at [top/center], [font style], [color effect],
font partially obscured by main subject, creating visual hierarchy
Foreground: scattered tiny [theme-related icons], soft shadows, partially overlapping text edges
Main subject high saturation, background low saturation, clear contrast
Style 3: 产品主视觉风 (Product Hero)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body, figure smaller in proportion.
Figure positioned at [left/right] lower portion, ~25% of frame, [specific guiding gesture: right hand pointing toward / body turned toward],
[expression], eyes directed toward main visual,
Ref2 as the main visual of the frame, ~65% of frame, [specific presentation: floating in air / unfolding beside figure / filling background],
[ref2 content detailed description: which parts of interface are clearly visible, white base or dark base, content layout],
(if ref3: ref3 as [specific position and presentation])
"[Cover Title]", [font style], [color effect],压在产品[顶部/一侧]边缘，形成层次感
Background: [light / neutral tone, making product the absolute protagonist]
All elements within central area, safe zone, soft shadows, layered depth
Style 4: 对比卡片风 (Contrast Cards)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body shot.
[Expression — must have strong contrast feeling: triumphant / shocked / promotional], centered,
left hand holding a [small/dim/worn-looking] card, distant perspective,
card displays "[Card B content — represents before/bad side]", [card B visual description],
right hand thrusting a [large/bright/glowing] card hard toward camera lens,
card displays "[Card A content — represents after/good side]", [card A visual description],
foreground card occupies large area, strong motion blur, intense near-large-far-small perspective,
the two cards [specific contrast relationship], strong contrast,
Massive Chinese "[Cover Title]" overlaid behind figure, [font style], [color effect], forming visual hierarchy
Background: [tone — dark to make card contrast stand out]
All elements within central area, safe zone
Floating elements with soft shadows, foreground small elements partially overlapping text edges
Style 5: 极简留白风 (Minimalist White Space)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body, smaller proportion.
Figure positioned at [lower-left / lower-right / side], ~20% of frame, [simple pose],
[light expression — not over-the-top], eyes/body directed toward white space area,
[Opposite side of frame] ~65% is large [white/cream/light gray] white space,
massive Chinese "[Cover Title]" occupying the white space area, [font style — thin to medium weight], [dark color],
character spacing open, breathing room,
(if subtitle: one line small gray text below, as supplementary info),
Background: overall [light tone], minimal, no decoration
Composition restrained, white space is part of the design, within safe zone
Style 6: 海报拼贴风 (Poster Collage)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body shot.
[Expression], [pose and body position],
Foreground: [foreground element detailed description — size, position, visual details], ~[ratio] of frame, with slight shadow and floating feel,
Midground: main figure, with overlapping relationship with foreground element, [which part of figure is overlapped by foreground],
Background: [background element description — lightly blurred, content summarized], [count] pieces, staggered arrangement, as background layer,
all elements have front-back overlap relationships, creating layers and depth,
Massive Chinese "[Cover Title]", [font style], [color — white or white with outline recommended],
positioned between figure and foreground elements, forming overlap relationship with multiple layers,
Background: [deep steady tone — dark navy / charcoal], making each layer stand out
All elements within central area, safe zone, floating elements with slight shadows, strong layering
Style 7: 人物侧置留白风 (Figure Offset White Space)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body shot.
Figure positioned at [left/right] side of frame, ~30% width, [specific pose],
[expression], eyes and body naturally facing [opposite white space area],
[Opposite side] ~65% is large white space,
massive Chinese "[Cover Title]" filling the white space area, [font style], [dark color],
[arrangement: vertical top-to-bottom / horizontal split-two-lines / main large + secondary small],
(if supplementary info: one line small gray text below title),
Background: [neutral or light tone, soft overall]
Figure and text retain sufficient breathing room, not cramped, within safe zone
Style 8: 背影构图风 (Back View Composition)
[Gender] figure from behind, only back of head, shoulders, and back visible, hair strands clear, no face shown,
[specific action: looking up toward front / arms spread / walking slowly forward], [body pose description — sense of motion],
in front of [or above] figure is [main visual element detailed description: content / size / state / dynamic],
[spatial relationship between main visual element and figure],
Massive Chinese "[Cover Title]" at [above / left-right sides of] figure, [font style], [color effect],
generous character spacing, sufficient contrast with background,
Background: [grand deep gradient — sense of breadth and depth], creating expansive depth
Frame has [narrative feeling: release / departure / arrival], strong immersion, within safe zone
Style 9: 局部出镜风 (Partial Appearance)
Main subject is [product/screenshot/card detailed description: content layout / color / key information],
~[ratio] of frame, [white base or color], clear and sharp,
(if ref2: main content is ref2, [ref2 display method])
[Lower-right corner / left edge / bottom edge] partially appears:
reference photo [hand close-up / half face / side profile],
[specific partial action: index finger lightly touching / picking up / pointing at a location],
[partial appearance details: hand pose / face direction / distance relationship with main subject],
"[Cover Title]", [font style], [color effect], pressed at [top / left / bottom] of main subject
Background: [light / neutral — making main subject the absolute focus]
Product is the focus, figure is merely the witness, within safe zone
Style 10: 正面对视风 (Direct Eye Contact)
[Gender] figure, reference photo preserves identical facial features, bust/half-body, facing camera directly.
[Expression — must be strong and clear], [hand/body coordinated pose], forming strong eye contact with viewer,
"[Cover Title — first half]" [count] characters above figure's face, [font style], [color effect], very large,
"[Cover Title — second half]" [count] characters below figure's face, [font style], [color effect], slightly smaller,
two lines of text above and below the face, forming a natural frame, not obscuring eyes or mouth,
text has breathing room from the face,
(if decoration: one extremely small [theme icon] floating on each side of the face, slight shadow)
Background: [tone — high saturation solid color or dark gradient, high contrast with figure]
Figure is absolute focus, frame direct and powerful, emotion overflowing, within safe zone
Quick Generation Commands (Person IP Cover)
python tools/nanobanana_client.py --openai-compatible-image \
--ref "img/20260423-140003.jpg" \
--prompt "Photorealistic WeChat cover. Person on right side (40-45% frame), half-body, confident smile, amber rim light. Left side: large orange Chinese headline '效率翻倍，岗位减半？' with three icon tags. Warm orange-to-amber gradient background. NO watermark." \
--image-size 1536x1024 \
--output "output/images/wechat/article-cover.png"
python tools/nanobanana_client.py --openai-compatible-image \
--prompt "..." \
--image-size 1536x1024 \
--output "output/images/wechat/cover-no-ref.png"
Note: When title is long, do not rely on --article-title (it bypasses ref image and uses generations interface, reducing person similarity). Write all text information directly into --prompt with --ref to use img2img interface.
Confirmation Strategy
When quick_mode: true is set in EXTEND.md, skip all confirmation steps and generate directly.
When confirmation is needed each time, use this tool call order:
- Caller first confirms dimensions / aspect ratio / copy / backend selection
- Only skip when caller explicitly says "generate directly" or "--quick"
EXTEND.md Configuration Example
To apply default settings, create EXTEND.md in the skill root:
preferred_image_backend: openai-compatible
quick_mode: false
default_aspect: 16:9
language: zh
cover_mode: personal_brand
brand_name: Your Name
brand_palette:
primary: "#0E1A2B"
accent: "#F59E0B"
layout_style: youtube-thumbnail
watermark:
enabled: false
References
references/cover-rules.md - composition, palette, and output conventions../../docs/overview/article-artifact-family.md - recommended file family for brief, draft, cover, and inline images../../docs/overview/slug-rules.md - how to generate and reuse a stable slug
