Light and Shadow Prompt Generator

This skill generates image prompts based on the “Container + Pressure + Cut + Anchor” aesthetic formula. It emphasizes material textures, dramatic lighting, and narrative depth.

Process

1. Materiality & Theme Analysis

• Goal: Establish the “Substance” of the scene.
• Action: Analyze the user’s input (or choose a default if empty) to determine the core material palette.
• Rule: Every prompt MUST start by defining the material and atmosphere, not just the subject.
  • Bad: “A big room.”
  • Good: “A cold, damp concrete chamber with water stains on the walls.”
  • Good: “A rusting industrial corridor filled with steam.”

2. Structural Formula Application

Construct the scene using this 4-step formula:

1. Container (The Geometry)

   • Describe a repetitive or imposing geometric structure.
   • Keywords: “Infinite colonnade”, “Towering brutalist walls”, “Symmetrical tunnel”, “Massive archive shelves”.

2. Pressure (The Lens)

   • Use wide-angle lenses and low angles to create scale and “pressure”.
   • Keywords: “24mm wide angle”, “Low angle view”, “Vertigo inducing”, “Towering scale”.
   • Action: Draw from resources/variations.json “lens_types” for variety.

3. Cut (The Light)

   • Describe light not as illumination, but as a physical object cutting the space.
   • Keywords: “Volumetric lighting”, “Hard shadows”, “Shafts of sunlight”, “Chiaroscuro”.
   • Action: Draw from resources/variations.json “lighting_styles” for variety.

4. Anchor (The Scale)

   • Place a single, small, static element to provide scale.
   • Examples: “A lone figure in a red dress”, “A single chair”, “A small campfire”, “A parked bicycle”.
   • Rule: The anchor must be small relative to the container.

3. Detail Injection (Texture & Props)

• Goal: Make it feel “real” and “lived-in”.
• Micro-Details: explicit mention of surface imperfections.
  • Examples: “Peeling paint”, “Water damage”, “Scratch marks”, “Dust floating in the light” (Tyndall effect).
• Contextual Props: Add small scatter objects relevant to the theme.
  • Theme: Ancient Temple -> Props: “Burnt-out candles”, “Fallen petals”.
  • Theme: Cyberpunk -> Props: “Tangled wires”, “Discarded takeout box”.
  • Theme: Office -> Props: “Scattered papers”, “Overturned coffee cup”.

4. Assembly & Variety Check

• Combine all parts into a cohesive prompt.
• Negative Prompt: Include a standard negative prompt for this style (e.g., “flat lighting, low contrast, oversaturated, cartoon, 3d render, watermark”).
• Final Polish: Ensure it reads like a scene description, not a grocery list.

Example Output Format

Prompt: [Material/Atmosphere] + [Container] + [Pressure/Lens] + [Cut/Lighting] + [Anchor] + [Details/Props]

Negative Prompt: [Standard Negative Prompt]

Usage Examples

Input: “Subway Station” Output: Prompt: Rough, grime-covered ceramic tiles lining the walls of a desolate underground space. An infinite symmetrical subway tunnel stretching into darkness. 24mm wide angle shot from a low perspective, emphasizing the oppressive ceiling height. Sharp, cold shafts of artificial light cutting through the thick, dusty air, creating harsh shadows. A lone commuter standing still on the platform, waiting. Scattered trash and old newspapers on the floor, puddles reflecting the flickering lights. cinematic lighting, photorealistic, 8k.

Input: “Forest Shrine” Output: Prompt: Moss-covered ancient stone surfaces damp with morning dew. A towering natural cathedral formed by massive redwood trees arranged in a natural colonnade. Ultra-wide panoramic perspective looking up at the canopy. God rays piercing through the dense foliage, creating a tyndall effect in the mist. A single small stone idol placed at the base of a tree. Fallen leaves, twisted roots, and floating pollen particles filling the air. mystical atmosphere, intricate texture, unreal engine 5.