Logo maker
Make a logo, not an illustration. The subject is reduced to a symbol that
survives being shrunk to the size of a favicon, and everything that does not
survive that is cut before it is drawn.
Two things decide whether the result is any good, and neither is style: what is
left out, and whether the silhouette reads as one shape.
Pick the path first
There are two ways to produce the artwork, and the choice is made once, before
any design work:
- An image generator is available — use it. Follow
prompt.md, which turns
the design rules into a prompt and lists what to reject on the way back.
- No image generator — author the mark as SVG. Follow
vector.md. The
output is a file the project can keep, diff and re-export, which is often the
better answer for a product that already has a repository.
Do not claim to have generated an image without one. If neither path is open,
say so and stop.
design.md and palette.md apply to both. They are separate files so the two
paths cannot drift into two different design languages.
Workflow
Find the subject. If the request names one, keep it. If not, and the
working directory is a product, read the README, the package metadata and
the landing copy before asking anything — what the product does, who it is
for and how it should feel is usually already written down.
Ask once, if you must. One consolidated round of questions covering the
product, its audience and its tone. Not a branding workshop, and never a
second round.
Propose three directions before drawing. One line each:
<subject> — <what it says about the product> — <the shape it makes>.
When the subject is fixed, vary the treatment instead: composition,
silhouette, which region carries the second colour, what the expression
does. When it is not, tie each subject to a different thing the product
claims. Three arbitrary animals is not three directions.
Offer a batch. Six candidates, two per direction, labelled A1–C2.
Wait for agreement unless the request already authorised drawing.
Draw them, each as its own square asset. Never ask for a grid or a
contact sheet in one image — compose the comparison afterwards from finished
marks.
Check every one against the rejection rules in design.md and
palette.md before showing it. Name the rule anything fails; do not quietly
repair it and do not claim a pass you did not check.
Report each candidate's label, subject, palette, saved path and size,
and what if anything is still wrong with it. Then ask which to refine.
The one check that decides it
Render the mark at 32 × 32 and look at it. If you cannot tell what it is,
the design has failed, however good it looks at full size — and no amount of
colour or detail fixes it, because detail is what broke it.
Everything in design.md exists to make that check pass.
1---2name: logo-maker3description: Design an original app logo — a compact mascot or symbol that stays readable at 32 × 32 and works as an icon at every size. Use when asked to create, design or generate a logo, app icon, brand mark, mascot or avatar for a product, whether or not an image generator is available. Produces either a vector file the project can keep or a prompt for an image model, from one shared set of design rules.4---56# Logo maker78Make a **logo**, not an illustration. The subject is reduced to a symbol that9survives being shrunk to the size of a favicon, and everything that does not10survive that is cut before it is drawn.1112Two things decide whether the result is any good, and neither is style: what is13left out, and whether the silhouette reads as one shape.1415## Pick the path first1617There are two ways to produce the artwork, and the choice is made once, before18any design work:1920- **An image generator is available** — use it. Follow `prompt.md`, which turns21 the design rules into a prompt and lists what to reject on the way back.22- **No image generator** — author the mark as SVG. Follow `vector.md`. The23 output is a file the project can keep, diff and re-export, which is often the24 better answer for a product that already has a repository.2526Do not claim to have generated an image without one. If neither path is open,27say so and stop.2829`design.md` and `palette.md` apply to both. They are separate files so the two30paths cannot drift into two different design languages.3132## Workflow33341. **Find the subject.** If the request names one, keep it. If not, and the35 working directory is a product, read the README, the package metadata and36 the landing copy before asking anything — what the product does, who it is37 for and how it should feel is usually already written down.38392. **Ask once, if you must.** One consolidated round of questions covering the40 product, its audience and its tone. Not a branding workshop, and never a41 second round.42433. **Propose three directions before drawing.** One line each:44 `<subject> — <what it says about the product> — <the shape it makes>`.45 When the subject is fixed, vary the treatment instead: composition,46 silhouette, which region carries the second colour, what the expression47 does. When it is not, tie each subject to a different thing the product48 claims. Three arbitrary animals is not three directions.49504. **Offer a batch.** Six candidates, two per direction, labelled `A1`–`C2`.51 Wait for agreement unless the request already authorised drawing.52535. **Draw them**, each as its own square asset. Never ask for a grid or a54 contact sheet in one image — compose the comparison afterwards from finished55 marks.56576. **Check every one against the rejection rules** in `design.md` and58 `palette.md` before showing it. Name the rule anything fails; do not quietly59 repair it and do not claim a pass you did not check.60617. **Report** each candidate's label, subject, palette, saved path and size,62 and what if anything is still wrong with it. Then ask which to refine.6364## The one check that decides it6566Render the mark at **32 × 32** and look at it. If you cannot tell what it is,67the design has failed, however good it looks at full size — and no amount of68colour or detail fixes it, because detail is what broke it.6970Everything in `design.md` exists to make that check pass.
panel-ui