# Style Reference Lexicon

> On-demand reference for aesthetic naming. Use these names in prompts to invoke specific visual characteristics.

- Skill: `tools-only/style-reference-lexicon` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/style-reference-lexicon`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tools-only/style-reference-lexicon/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-29
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/style-reference-lexicon

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# Style Reference Lexicon

On-demand reference for aesthetic naming. Use these names in prompts to invoke specific visual characteristics.

---

## Film Stocks

| Film | Effect |
|------|--------|
| Kodak Portra 160/400/800 | Warm skin tones, pastel highlights, fine grain, nostalgic |
| Kodak Ektar 100 | Vivid colors, high saturation, fine grain |
| Kodak Gold 200 | Consumer warmth, golden tones, everyday nostalgia |
| Fujifilm Pro 400H | Soft pastels, muted tones, airy highlights |
| Fujifilm Velvia 50 | Saturated colors, high contrast, punchy greens/blues |
| Fujifilm Superia | Consumer look, versatile, slight green cast |
| Cinestill 50D/800T | Cinematic, halation around lights, film-set feel |
| Ilford HP5 | B&W, medium contrast, versatile grain |
| Ilford Delta 3200 | B&W, high ISO, pronounced grain, night scenes |
| Kodak Tri-X 400 | B&W, classic photojournalism, gritty texture |
| Kodak Vision3 500T | Tungsten cinema film, blue shadows, warm highlights |

**Modifiers**: "pushed to 1600" (more grain, contrast), "cross-processed" (color shifts)

---

## Camera Systems

| Camera | Association |
|--------|-------------|
| Hasselblad 500C/X1D/X2D | Medium format, exceptional detail, fashion/portrait |
| Leica M6/M10/Q2 | Street photography, micro-contrast, documentary feel |
| Phase One IQ4 | Ultra-high resolution, commercial, studio |
| Mamiya RZ67 | Portrait, medium format, classic rendering |
| Contax T2/G2 | 90s aesthetic, Zeiss rendering, compact luxury |
| Fujifilm X100V | Modern street, Fuji colors, retro design |
| Canon AE-1 | 70s-80s consumer photography |
| Nikon FM2 | Mechanical reliability, photojournalism |
| Rolleiflex 2.8F | Twin-lens, square format, vintage portrait |
| Pentax 67 | "Medium format look," portrait favorite |

---

## Lenses

| Lens/Type | Effect |
|-----------|--------|
| Zeiss Otus 85mm | Razor sharp, smooth bokeh, clinical precision |
| Helios 44-2 | Swirly bokeh, vintage Soviet character |
| Leica Summilux | Soft glow wide open, classic rendering |
| Anamorphic | Oval bokeh, horizontal flares, cinematic 2.39:1 feel |
| Tilt-shift | Miniature effect, selective focus plane |

---

## Animation & Studios

| Reference | Style |
|-----------|-------|
| Studio Ghibli | Lush nature, soft lighting, whimsical, hand-painted feel |
| Makoto Shinkai | Hyper-detailed skies, light rays, emotional realism |
| Spider-Verse | Ben-Day dots, chromatic aberration, comic frames |
| Arcane (Netflix) | Painterly textures, dramatic lighting, stylized realism |
| MAPPA/Ufotable | Modern anime, dynamic action, high production value |
| Trigger | Exaggerated motion, bold colors, kinetic energy |
| Disney Renaissance | Clean lines, expressive characters, rich colors |
| Pixar | 3D polish, emotional storytelling, detailed textures |
| Satoshi Kon | Psychological, reality-bending, adult themes |
| Fleischer Studios | 1930s rubber hose, surreal, black and white |
| Cartoon Network/Adult Swim | Varied, often irreverent, stylized |

---

## Illustration & Comics

| Artist/Style | Effect |
|--------------|--------|
| Moebius / Jean Giraud | Intricate linework, surreal sci-fi landscapes |
| Alphonse Mucha | Art Nouveau, ornate borders, flowing forms |
| Frank Frazetta | Fantasy, muscular figures, dramatic action |
| Yoshitaka Amano | Ethereal, delicate lines, Final Fantasy aesthetic |
| Kim Jung Gi | Dense, ink-heavy, no preliminary sketches |
| Mike Mignola | Heavy shadows, angular, Hellboy style |
| Ukiyo-e | Japanese woodblock, flat colors, bold outlines |
| N.C. Wyeth | Golden age illustration, adventure, painterly |

---

## Game Art

| Reference | Style |
|-----------|-------|
| Breath of the Wild | Soft cel-shading, painterly skies, open world |
| Dark Souls/FromSoftware | Dark fantasy, intricate armor, oppressive mood |
| Hollow Knight | Hand-drawn 2D, bug aesthetic, moody underground |
| Cuphead | 1930s Fleischer, hand-drawn animation, jazz age |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Neon-soaked, high-tech dystopia, chrome |
| Vanillaware | Painterly 2D, rich colors, fantasy (Odin Sphere) |
| 16-bit SNES/Genesis | Limited palette, chunky pixels, nostalgic |
| MS-DOS aesthetic | CGA/EGA colors, dithering, early PC |

---

## Graphic Design & Eras

| Movement/Era | Characteristics |
|--------------|-----------------|
| Swiss International Style | Grid-based, clean sans-serif, asymmetric |
| Bauhaus | Geometric shapes, primary colors, functional |
| Art Deco | Geometric elegance, gold/black, 1920s glamour |
| Psychedelic 60s | Warped letterforms, vibrant, Art Nouveau influence |
| Y2K aesthetic | Chrome, gradients, futuristic optimism |
| Vaporwave | 80s nostalgia, pink/cyan, Roman busts, glitch |
| Brutalist | Raw, unconventional layouts, stark typography |

---

## Fine Art Movements

| Movement | Visual Language |
|----------|-----------------|
| Impressionism | Visible brushstrokes, light/color focus, en plein air |
| Post-Impressionism | Van Gogh swirls, Cézanne geometry, expressive color |
| Art Nouveau | Organic curves, nature motifs, decorative |
| Surrealism | Dreamlike, impossible scenes, subconscious imagery |
| Pop Art | Bold colors, commercial imagery, Warhol/Lichtenstein |
| Baroque/Caravaggio | Dramatic chiaroscuro, theatrical lighting |
| Pre-Raphaelite | Vivid colors, medieval subjects, intricate detail |
| Hudson River School | Romantic American wilderness, dramatic light |
| De Stijl/Mondrian | Primary colors, black grid, geometric abstraction |

---

## Photographers & Directors

| Name | Known For |
|------|-----------|
| Gregory Crewdson | Cinematic suburban tableaux, uncanny |
| Annie Leibovitz | Editorial portraits, dramatic, intimate |
| Wes Anderson | Symmetry, pastels, whimsy, centered compositions |
| Roger Deakins | Naturalistic cinematography, atmospheric |
| Terrence Malick | Magic hour, existential beauty, nature |
| Junji Ito | Horror manga, spiral patterns, body horror |
| Hiroshi Nagai | Japanese city pop, nostalgic summer, poolside |
| Zdzisław Beksiński | Surreal, nightmarish, organic decay |
| William Eggleston | Saturated color, mundane subjects elevated |
| Saul Leiter | Abstract color street photography, painterly |

---

## Quick Combinations

These patterns work well together:

```
Portraits: "shot on Kodak Portra 400, Hasselblad medium format, soft window light"
Street: "Leica M10, 35mm Summicron, Cinestill 800T at night"
Product: "Phase One IQ4, studio softbox lighting, commercial quality"
Fantasy: "Studio Ghibli style, Makoto Shinkai lighting"
Horror: "Junji Ito aesthetic, high contrast black and white ink"
Retro: "Y2K aesthetic, chrome text, gradient background"
```

The lexicon is vast—these are samples. If you know a specific name, try it directly.