manipulate-image

name	manipulate-image
description	Manipulate images - resize, crop, convert, add alpha, transform, compress, and analyze. Use when user needs any image manipulation, format conversion, or image information.
argument-hint	[operation] [image path] [options]
allowed-tools	Bash, Read, Write, Glob, AskUserQuestion

Image Tools

Swiss army knife for image manipulation powered by Pillow.

First Use

Run setup check:

bash "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/manipulate-image/scripts/check-setup.sh"

If it fails, read the install guide: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/manipulate-image/scripts/install.md

Running Commands

SCRIPTS="${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/manipulate-image/scripts"
"$SCRIPTS/run.sh" <command> [args...]

Available Commands

Command	What it does	Instruction file
resize	Scale to width/height/percentage	resize-and-scale.md
thumbnail	Generate max-size thumbnail	resize-and-scale.md
crop	Crop by box or center	crop-and-trim.md
trim	Auto-trim whitespace borders	crop-and-trim.md
pad	Pad to target size with color	crop-and-trim.md
convert	Change format (PNG/JPG/WebP)	convert-and-compress.md
compress	Reduce file size	convert-and-compress.md
alpha	Add/remove/transparent alpha	alpha-and-composite.md
composite	Overlay images	alpha-and-composite.md
rotate	Rotate by degrees	transform.md
flip	Flip horizontal/vertical	transform.md
info	Show dimensions, format, mode	analyze.md
metadata	Extract EXIF data	analyze.md

Workflow

1. Run check-setup.sh if this is the first use or you hit errors
2. Read the instruction file for the operation the user needs
3. Run run.sh <command> with the right arguments
4. Show the user the result

Transparent Background from AI-Generated Images

When removing backgrounds from images generated by image-tools:generate-image (or similar AI tools):

1. Sample the actual background color (AI never produces exact colors):

   # from PIL import Image; print(Image.open("image.png").getpixel((0,0)))
   

2. Remove with --feather (activates HSV chroma key + spill suppression):

   run.sh alpha <image> --transparent "<actual R,G,B>" --tolerance 15 --feather 40 -o <output>
   run.sh trim <output> -o <final>
   

Chroma key palette (the generate-image skill picks the best one based on subject colors):

Color	Exact RGB	Hex	Approximate AI output
Green	0, 255, 0	#00FF00	varies around (0-20, 240-255, 0-20)
Magenta	255, 0, 255	#FF00FF	varies around (235-255, 0-20, 235-255)
Blue	0, 0, 255	#0000FF	varies around (0-20, 0-20, 235-255)
Yellow	255, 255, 0	#FFFF00	varies around (235-255, 235-255, 0-20)

Always sample the actual corner pixel — Gemini never produces the exact requested RGB.

Why --feather matters: Without it, you get binary transparency with colored halos. With it, the algorithm uses HSV hue detection (handles imprecise colors), Gaussian-blurred alpha edges, and spill suppression that removes background color contamination from outline pixels.

See the image-tools:generate-image skill for chroma key color selection rules.

Quick Reference

All commands accept: input (file or directory for batch), -o/--output.