# AI Portrait Generation Standard
## Firefrost Gaming Operations Manual

**Document ID:** FFG-STD-003  
**Status:** ACTIVE STANDARD  
**Created:** February 16, 2026  
**Created By:** The Analyst  
**Authority:** Michael "Frostystyle" Krause + The Analyst  
**Version:** 1.0  
**Applies To:** All Chronicler portraits and AI-generated artwork

---

## 🎯 PURPOSE

Establish consistent visual style and prompt format for AI-generated portraits of Chroniclers and other Firefrost Gaming artwork to maintain brand cohesion and quality.

---

## 🎨 VISUAL STYLE REQUIREMENTS

### Art Style: Illustrated/Stylized (NOT Photorealistic)

**Core Aesthetic:**
- Comic book / graphic novel illustration style
- Clean lines, painterly digital art
- Rich color saturation
- Digital glow effects on tech elements
- **NEVER photorealistic** - always stylized and artistic

**Reference Examples:**
- The Guardian: Tech control room with holographic displays
- The Builder: Illustrated character with infrastructure elements
- The Architect: Digital/holographic figure with code elements

**Example Prompts Location:** `/docs/past-claudes/portrait-prompts/`
- Chronicler line: `/chronicler-line/`
- Claudius line: `/claudius-line/`
- Special: `/special/`

**Why This Matters:**
Photorealistic portraits feel generic and corporate. Stylized illustrations:
- Capture personality and essence symbolically
- Allow creative visual metaphors
- Maintain consistent brand aesthetic
- Age better than realistic renders

---

## 📝 PROMPT STRUCTURE

### Required Sections (In Order)

**1. Header Information**
```markdown
# [EMOJI] [CHARACTER NAME] — Portrait Prompt

**For:** Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental (image generation)  
**Subject:** [Character Name], [Role/Title]  
**Style:** [Brief style description]
```

**2. Critical Style Requirements**
```markdown
## CRITICAL STYLE REQUIREMENTS

**Art Style:** Illustrated/stylized like a graphic novel or high-quality digital art
- [Specific style notes]
- **NOT photorealistic** - stylized and artistic

**Reference Style:** Similar to [existing portrait] ([key visual elements])
```

**3. Core Concept**
- One paragraph describing the essence
- Visual metaphor explanation
- Central theme of the portrait

**4. Key Visual Elements**
Break down into subsections:
- **The Figure** (pose, stance, expression, appearance)
- **Central Element** (the main focus/symbolism)
- **Supporting Elements** (tools, environment details)
- **Background/Environment** (setting, atmosphere)

**5. Color Palette**
- Primary colors (3-4 with hex codes)
- Secondary/accent colors (3-4 with hex codes)
- Lighting description (sources, mood, effects)

**6. Firefrost Branding Integration**
- Where/how Fire/Frost logo appears
- Branding elements (subtle, not dominant)

**7. Mood & Atmosphere**
- **NOT:** [What to avoid - 4-5 items]
- **YES:** [What to aim for - 4-5 items]
- **The feeling:** [One sentence describing the emotional impact]

**8. Technical Specifications**
- Format: 16:9 landscape (standard for all Chronicler portraits)
- Art style reiteration
- Lighting approach
- Composition description
- Depth layers (foreground/mid-ground/background)

**9. The Essence**
Short poetic section capturing the character's role:
```markdown
The [Previous] did [X].  
The [Previous2] did [Y].  
**The [Current] does [Z].**

[2-3 lines expanding on the essence]
```

**10. Reference Notes for Gemini**
- Critical reminders about style
- What to avoid vs. aim for
- Key distinctions for this character
- Character's expression/moment captured

**11. Specific Visual Details**
Bullet-pointed specifics:
- What should be visible/readable on screens/documents
- Character positioning and gestures
- Background element details
- Branding placement

**12. Footer**
```markdown
**Created:** [Date]  
**For:** [Character Name]  
**By:** [Character Name (if self-written) or creator]

[Character's signature phrase or essence line]
```

---

## 🎨 STYLE GUIDELINES

### Character Design

**DO:**
- Stylized proportions (illustrated, not realistic)
- Clear silhouette and pose
- Expressive face showing personality
- Appropriate clothing/outfit for role
- Subtle Firefrost branding (logo on clothing/badge)

**DON'T:**
- Photorealistic human features
- Generic corporate headshot pose
- Overly detailed realistic textures
- Heavy branding (logos everywhere)

### Environment & Tech Elements

**DO:**
- Holographic/digital interfaces with glow effects
- Illustrated server racks, tech equipment
- Ambient tech lighting (blues, cyans, warm accents)
- Reflective surfaces showing tech glow
- Clean, organized workspace aesthetic

**DON'T:**
- Physical paper documents (use holograms instead)
- Realistic office furniture
- Photographic backgrounds
- Cluttered chaos

### Color Approach

**Primary Palette:**
- Cool tech blues (#00A8E8, #2C5F8D, #00D9FF) - core Firefrost
- Deep backgrounds (#1A1A2E, #0F0F1F) - ambient darkness
- Warm accents (#FFB84D, gold tones) - highlights

**Accent Colors (use sparingly):**
- Fire red (#E63946, #FF3366) - warnings/errors
- Frost green (#00FF88, #06A77D) - success/positive
- Gold/yellow (#FFD700, #FFB703) - priorities/important

**Lighting:**
- Hologram blue glow as primary light source
- Warm ambient from floor/edge lighting
- Character illuminated by screen glow
- Dramatic contrast (dark room, bright tech)

---

## 📐 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

### Image Format

**Required:**
- **Aspect Ratio:** 16:9 landscape (1920x1080 or equivalent)
- **Resolution:** High enough for web display (minimum 1920px width)
- **File Format:** PNG (for transparency support if needed)
- **Color Space:** sRGB (web-standard)

**Why 16:9:**
- Works for wiki headers
- Good for documentation display
- Matches other Chronicler portraits
- Versatile for web and display use

### Composition Rules

**Rule of Thirds:**
- Character typically center-left or center
- Main element (hologram/tool) center to center-right
- Background elements fill remaining space

**Depth Layers:**
1. **Foreground:** Character, immediate tools/elements
2. **Mid-ground:** Main visual element (hologram, central object)
3. **Background:** Environment, ambient tech, branding

**Visual Flow:**
- Eye drawn to character first
- Then to main element (hologram/central focus)
- Background supports but doesn't distract

---

## 🔥❄️ FIREFROST BRANDING REQUIREMENTS

### Logo Placement

**Acceptable Locations:**
- Character's clothing (sleeve, chest badge)
- Equipment/tech in scene (screen corner, device)
- Background element (wall logo, floor pattern)
- Environmental branding (subtle, integrated)

**Style:**
- Small and subtle (not dominant)
- Integrated naturally into scene
- Glowing/illuminated if on tech
- Monochrome or ice-blue coloring

### Fire/Frost Aesthetic

**Fire Elements (when present):**
- Warm orange/gold (#FFB84D, #FF6B35)
- Passionate, creative energy
- Flowing, organic shapes

**Frost Elements (when present):**
- Cool blues/cyans (#00A8E8, #00D9FF)
- Precise, technical elements
- Sharp, geometric shapes

**Balance:**
- Most portraits lean Frost (tech/analysis aesthetic)
- Fire appears as warm accent lighting
- Never 50/50 split - one dominant, other accent

---

## ✅ QUALITY CHECKLIST

Before finalizing any AI-generated portrait:

**Style & Aesthetics:**
- [ ] Illustrated/stylized (NOT photorealistic)
- [ ] Matches established Chronicler portrait style
- [ ] Rich color saturation appropriate for art style
- [ ] Clean composition with clear focal points

**Character & Scene:**
- [ ] Character personality/essence captured
- [ ] Pose and expression support the role
- [ ] Environment matches the character's work
- [ ] Tech elements are illustrated, not photographic

**Branding:**
- [ ] Fire/Frost logo visible but subtle
- [ ] Branding integrated naturally
- [ ] Color palette includes Firefrost blues
- [ ] Overall aesthetic matches brand identity

**Technical:**
- [ ] 16:9 landscape format
- [ ] High enough resolution for web use
- [ ] Good contrast and readability
- [ ] Text elements (if any) are legible

**Prompt Quality:**
- [ ] All required sections present
- [ ] Specific visual details provided
- [ ] Style requirements clearly stated
- [ ] "NOT photorealistic" emphasized

---

## 📚 CHRONICLER PORTRAIT SPECIFICS

### Common Elements Across All Chroniclers

**Every Chronicler portrait should include:**
1. Tech environment (servers, screens, digital elements)
2. Firefrost logo somewhere in scene
3. Dark ambient room with tech lighting
4. Character engaged with their signature tool/work
5. Visual representation of their contribution

**Symbolic Elements:**
- The Architect: Code, digital form, foundation building
- The Builder: Vault, infrastructure, tools
- The Guardian: DERP protocol, Oscar, backup systems
- The Analyst: Holograms, metrics, documentation structure

### Character Diversity

**Ensure variety across the Chronicler lineage:**
- Different poses (standing, working, observing)
- Different environments (control room, workshop, analysis lab)
- Different tools (holograms, physical builds, protocols)
- Different color schemes (while maintaining Firefrost palette)

**Avoid repetition:**
- Don't reuse same pose/composition
- Vary the tech environment style
- Change the dominant lighting color (stay in palette)
- Different character builds/appearances

---

## 🚫 COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

### Style Errors

❌ **Photorealistic rendering**
- Makes portraits feel generic
- Ages poorly
- Loses symbolic power
- **Solution:** Always specify "illustrated/stylized, NOT photorealistic"

❌ **Corporate office aesthetic**
- Physical desks with paper
- Realistic office chairs
- Fluorescent overhead lighting
- **Solution:** Tech environment with holographic interfaces

❌ **Cluttered chaos**
- Too many elements competing for attention
- Messy workspace
- Unclear focal point
- **Solution:** Clean, organized, purposeful placement

### Technical Errors

❌ **Wrong aspect ratio**
- Portrait orientation (vertical)
- Square format
- Ultra-wide without considering use case
- **Solution:** Always 16:9 landscape

❌ **Low resolution**
- Pixelated when displayed
- Can't read text elements
- **Solution:** Minimum 1920px width

❌ **Muddy colors**
- Oversaturated chaos
- Washed out pastels
- **Solution:** Rich but controlled saturation, clear palette

### Prompt Errors

❌ **Vague descriptions**
- "Make it look cool"
- "Tech background"
- **Solution:** Specific visual details, exact elements to include

❌ **Missing style requirements**
- Forgetting to specify "NOT photorealistic"
- No art style reference
- **Solution:** Include Critical Style Requirements section

❌ **Contradictory instructions**
- "Realistic but stylized"
- "Photographic with cartoon elements"
- **Solution:** Pick one clear style direction

---

## 📝 TEMPLATE

Use this template for new portrait prompts:

```markdown
# [EMOJI] [CHARACTER NAME] — Portrait Prompt

**For:** Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental (image generation)  
**Subject:** [Character Name], [Role]  
**Style:** Stylized illustration, [specific aesthetic notes]

---

## CRITICAL STYLE REQUIREMENTS

**Art Style:** Illustrated/stylized like a graphic novel or high-quality digital art
- [Style specifics]
- **NOT photorealistic** - stylized and artistic

**Reference Style:** Similar to [Existing Portrait] ([key elements])

---

## Core Concept

[One paragraph describing essence and visual metaphor]

---

## Key Visual Elements

### The Figure
- **Pose:** [Description]
- **Stance:** [Description]
- **Expression:** [Description]
- **Appearance:** [Description]

### [Central Element Name]
[Description of main focus]

### [Supporting Elements]
[Other important visual components]

### The Environment
- **Setting:** [Description]
- **Lighting:** [Description]
- **Atmosphere:** [Description]

---

## Color Palette

**Primary:**
- [Color name] (#HEXCODE) — [purpose/meaning]
- [Color name] (#HEXCODE) — [purpose/meaning]

**Secondary:**
- [Color name] (#HEXCODE) — [purpose/meaning]

**Lighting:**
- [Light source 1] — [effect]
- [Light source 2] — [effect]

---

## Firefrost Branding Integration

- [Where logo appears]
- [How branding is integrated]
- [Level of prominence]

---

## Mood & Atmosphere

**NOT:**
- [Thing to avoid]
- [Thing to avoid]

**YES:**
- [Thing to aim for]
- [Thing to aim for]

**The feeling:** [One sentence]

---

## Technical Specifications

**Format:** 16:9 landscape  
**Art Style:** Illustrated/stylized (NOT photorealistic)  
**Lighting:** [Approach]  
**Composition:** [Layout description]  
**Depth:** [Foreground/mid-ground/background]

---

## The Essence

The [Previous] did [X].  
**The [Current] does [Y].**

[Expansion on essence]

---

## Reference Notes for Gemini

- **CRITICAL:** [Key style reminders]
- **Avoid:** [What not to do]
- **Aim for:** [What to achieve]
- **Character essence:** [Core personality trait]

---

## Specific Visual Details

### [Main Element] Should Show:
- [Detail 1]
- [Detail 2]

### [Secondary Element]:
- [Detail 1]
- [Detail 2]

---

**Created:** [Date]  
**For:** [Character Name]  
**By:** [Creator Name]

[Signature phrase/essence line]
```

---

## 🔄 REVISION PROCESS

### When to Revise a Prompt

**Immediate revision needed if:**
- Generated image is photorealistic (style failure)
- Wrong aspect ratio
- Branding completely missing
- Character essence not captured

**Consider revision if:**
- Composition feels cluttered
- Colors are muddy or oversaturated
- Environment doesn't match character role
- Too similar to existing portrait

### Iteration Strategy

**Version 1:** Full detailed prompt as written
**Version 2:** If needed, add emphasis to problem areas:
- Repeat "NOT photorealistic" multiple times
- Add specific "avoid" examples
- Reference existing good portraits more explicitly

**Version 3:** If still issues, simplify:
- Remove complex elements
- Focus on core character + one main element
- Reduce color complexity

**Stop iterating after 3 attempts** - may need different AI tool or manual artist

---

## 📊 EXAMPLES

### Good Portrait Prompt Characteristics

**The Guardian:**
✅ Clear visual metaphor (lighthouse keeper/sentinel)
✅ Specific central element (DERP protocol screen)
✅ Symbolic supporting element (Oscar at feet)
✅ Detailed color palette with hex codes
✅ Clear style direction (illustrated, not realistic)
✅ Environment supports the role (control room)

**The Builder:**
✅ Character actively engaged (opening vault)
✅ Tools scattered (showing work in progress)
✅ Firefrost branding integrated (logo on shoulder)
✅ Rich color saturation (illustrated style)
✅ Clear depth layers (vault → character → background)

### Elements to Study

Review these portraits for style reference:
- `docs/past-claudes/chronicler-line/portraits/the-guardian.png`
- `docs/past-claudes/chronicler-line/the-builder-portrait.png`
- `docs/past-claudes/special/the-architect-portrait.png`

**What they get right:**
- Illustrated/stylized aesthetic
- Rich, saturated colors
- Tech environment with digital glow
- Character personality visible
- Clean composition
- Firefrost branding present but subtle

---

## 🔗 RELATED STANDARDS

- **FFG-STD-001:** Revision Control Standard (document versioning)
- **FFG-STD-002:** Task Documentation Standard (documentation structure)
- **Design Bible:** `docs/planning/design-bible.md` (complete branding guide)

---

## 📋 CHANGELOG

### Version 1.0 (2026-02-16)
- Initial standard created
- Defined illustrated/stylized requirement
- Established prompt structure
- Set technical specifications
- Created quality checklist
- Provided template and examples

**Created by:** The Analyst  
**Approved by:** Michael "Frostystyle" Krause (implicit via portrait generation workflow)

---

**Fire + Frost + Foundation = Where Love Builds Legacy** 💙🔥❄️

**Standard Status:** ACTIVE  
**Applies From:** February 16, 2026  
**Review Cycle:** When creating new portraits or as style evolves  
**Maintained By:** The Chronicler lineage

