curiositech/hand-drawn-infographic-creator

Hand-Drawn Infographic Creator

Purpose: Generate hand-drawn style diagrams and infographics for recovery education articles that combine scholarly authority with intimate accessibility—like watching an expert sketch complex ideas on a whiteboard.

DECISION POINTS

Primary Content Classification Tree

Content Request
├── Is it anatomical/neuroscience?
│   ├── Shows brain structure/function → Brain Anatomy Template
│   │   ├── Mechanism (dopamine, receptors) → Sagittal section + color highlights
│   │   ├── Damage patterns (addiction effects) → Comparative views + coral coding  
│   │   └── Recovery processes (healing) → Before/after + gold progression
│   └── Shows body systems → Body diagram with organ focus
├── Is it temporal/progression?
│   ├── Recovery timeline → Timeline Graph Template
│   │   ├── Symptom progression → Multi-curve graph + semantic colors
│   │   ├── Treatment phases → Staged timeline + milestone markers
│   │   └── Relapse patterns → Cyclical diagram + warning points
│   └── Process sequence → Process Flow Template
├── Is it social/interpersonal?
│   ├── Communication patterns → Social Comparison Template
│   │   ├── Conflict scenarios → Side-by-side contrast + gesture language
│   │   ├── Support responses → Empathy vs judgment comparison
│   │   └── Group dynamics → Multi-figure interaction mapping
│   └── Relationship effects → Network diagram with connection quality
└── Is it abstract concept?
    ├── Psychological mechanisms → Process Flow Template
    ├── Systemic effects → Cascade diagram with feedback loops
    └── Theoretical frameworks → Conceptual mapping with metaphors

Color Strategy Decision Matrix

| Content Type | Primary Issue | Healing/Progress | Activity/Function | Problem/Risk | |--------------|---------------|------------------|-------------------|--------------| | Brain diagrams | Coral highlights | Gold regions | Cyan activation | Coral damage | | Timelines | Coral peaks | Gold improvement | Teal stability | Coral crisis points | | Social scenarios | Coral conflict panel | Gold connection panel | Teal positive flow | Coral negative spiral | | Process flows | Coral problem boxes | Gold solution boxes | Cyan active pathways | Coral breakdown points |

Visual Complexity Decision Tree

Audience Assessment
├── General public (family members, friends)
│   ├── Use simple metaphors → "Brain's alarm system"
│   ├── Minimal technical labels → Common language only
│   └── Focus on emotional impact → What does this feel like?
├── Recovering individuals
│   ├── Include personal relevance → "You might recognize this"
│   ├── Balance hope with realism → Show both struggle and recovery
│   └── Avoid stigmatizing imagery → Focus on healing, not pathology
└── Healthcare providers/counselors
    ├── Include technical accuracy → Proper anatomical terms
    ├── Show clinical relevance → How does this inform treatment?
    └── Reference evidence base → Include research context

FAILURE MODES

1. "Medical Textbook Drift"

Symptoms: Overly clinical aesthetic, sterile precision, loss of warmth Detection Rule: If the output looks like it belongs in a medical textbook rather than a caring conversation, you've hit this anti-pattern Fix Strategy:

• Add organic line variation and hand-drawn imperfections
• Include margin notes with conversational explanations
• Ensure parchment background and ink aesthetic
• Test: Would this feel welcoming to someone seeking help?

2. "Rainbow Vomit Highlighting"

Symptoms: Using too many colors, decorative rather than semantic color use, visual chaos Detection Rule: If you're using more than 3 highlight colors or color doesn't convey meaning, you've hit this anti-pattern Fix Strategy:

• Limit to 1-2 semantic colors per diagram
• Use color coding table: cyan=activity, coral=problem, gold=healing
• Start with line-only version, add color strategically
• Ask: What specific meaning does each color communicate?

3. "Jargon Overload Annotation"

Symptoms: Technical terms without explanation, assumption of prior knowledge, inaccessible language Detection Rule: If someone's family member couldn't understand the margin notes, you've hit this anti-pattern Fix Strategy:

• Translate every technical term: "Anterior cingulate cortex (brain's alarm center)"
• Use conversational margin notes: "This is why everything feels like a threat"
• Include emotional context: "This can feel scary, but it's normal healing"
• Test: Would this help someone explain to their worried parent?

4. "Photorealism Creep"

Symptoms: Smooth gradients, perfect lines, digital aesthetic, stock photo appearance Detection Rule: If the AI output looks digitally rendered rather than hand-sketched, you've hit this anti-pattern Fix Strategy:

• Strengthen negative prompts: "photorealistic, 3D render, smooth gradients, digital art"
• Emphasize hand-drawn keywords: "continuous line art, organic variation, slight imperfections"
• Specify ink medium: "charcoal ink on parchment, hand-sketched"
• Check technical settings: CFG scale too high causes over-rendering

5. "Layout Cramming"

Symptoms: No white space, overcrowded elements, margin notes competing with main content Detection Rule: If the diagram feels visually overwhelming or hard to parse at first glance, you've hit this anti-pattern Fix Strategy:

• Follow 60/20/15/5 grid strictly: 60% main content, 20% margins, 15% title, 5% bottom
• Preserve negative space around key elements
• Limit annotations to 4-5 key points maximum
• Ask: Can someone understand the main point in 3 seconds?

WORKED EXAMPLES

Example 1: Meth-Induced Paranoia Brain Diagram

Initial Request: "Show why meth causes paranoia"

Content Analysis Decision Path:

• Content type: Anatomical/neuroscience → Brain Anatomy Template
• Mechanism focus (salience network overactivity) → Sagittal section + color highlights
• Audience: Recovering individuals + families → Balance technical accuracy with accessibility
• Complexity: Moderate → Include proper terms with plain-language explanations

Template Selection Reasoning:

• Brain anatomy template chosen because we're explaining a neurological mechanism
• Sagittal section provides clear view of anterior cingulate cortex and insula
• Color strategy: Cyan highlights for hyperactivity (semantic meaning: abnormal activation)

AI Prompt Construction:

"Sagittal section of human brain, continuous line art, anatomical drawing style, 
ink on parchment (#faf8f3 background), charcoal lines (#1a2332), 
highlight anterior cingulate cortex and insula in cyan glow (#4a9d9e, 40% opacity), 
margin notes on right side in ocean blue (#2d5a7b) reading 'Pattern detector 
gone haywire - seeks threats everywhere', scale bar showing 5cm at bottom right, 
Leonardo da Vinci anatomical study aesthetic, engineer's notebook style"

Negative: "photorealistic, 3D render, stock photo, modern clinical, smooth gradients"

Layout Decisions:

• 60% for brain structure (center-left positioning for natural reading flow)
• 20% for margin explanations (right side, engineer's notebook style)
• Labels pointing from structures to margin area (avoids crowding the anatomy)
• Title space includes context: "Why Meth Causes Paranoia"

Expert vs Novice Catches:

• Novice miss: Would just show "brain damage" in general terms
• Expert catch: Specifically identifies salience network (ACC + insula) as the pattern-detection system gone haywire
• Novice miss: Might use scary, stigmatizing language about "drug brain"
• Expert catch: Frames as treatable neurological symptom, not moral failing
• Novice miss: Would use medical jargon without translation
• Expert catch: "Anterior cingulate cortex (brain's alarm center)" provides both accuracy and accessibility

Example 2: PAWS Timeline Graph

Initial Request: "Show how long withdrawal symptoms last"

Content Analysis Decision Path:

• Content type: Temporal/progression → Timeline Graph Template
• Symptom progression over months → Multi-curve graph + semantic colors
• Audience: Newly recovering individuals → Balance realism with hope
• Complexity: Moderate → Show multiple symptom types with different recovery trajectories

Color Strategy Decisions:

• Anxiety curve: Coral (represents struggle, peaks at "The Wall")
• Mood stability: Gold (represents healing, inverse relationship to anxiety)
• Sleep quality: Teal (represents improvement, first system to normalize)
• Strategic use of color to show that different systems heal at different rates

Critical Trade-offs Navigated:

• Realism vs Hope: Show the difficulty of "The Wall" (weeks 4-8) while emphasizing the "Turning Point" (month 6)
• Accuracy vs Simplicity: Include variation disclaimer while maintaining clear general trajectory
• Individual vs Universal: Show common patterns while noting "timeline varies by drug, duration, individual"

Revision Reasoning:

• Initial version focused too much on pathology (what's wrong)
• Revision emphasized that "these symptoms are HEALING, not failure"
• Added empowering frame: "If you make it past 'The Wall,' recovery accelerates"

QUALITY GATES

• [ ] Style Authenticity: Output has hand-drawn aesthetic (organic lines, slight imperfections, parchment background)
• [ ] Color Semantics: Every color conveys specific meaning (cyan=activity, coral=problem, gold=healing)
• [ ] Layout Hierarchy: Follows 60/20/15/5 grid with clear visual hierarchy
• [ ] Accessibility Compliance: Alt text written, color not sole information carrier, WCAG AA contrast
• [ ] Scientific Accuracy: Anatomical structures correctly labeled and positioned
• [ ] Language Accessibility: Technical terms explained in margin notes using conversational language
• [ ] Emotional Appropriateness: Tone is hopeful and non-stigmatizing while being realistic about challenges
• [ ] Educational Clarity: Main concept understandable within 3 seconds of viewing
• [ ] Technical Specifications: 16:9 aspect ratio, proper hex codes specified, AI generation settings included
• [ ] Scope Appropriateness: Diagram serves defined educational purpose without mission creep

NOT-FOR BOUNDARIES

What This Skill Should NOT Create:

Clinical Diagnosis Tools:

• For diagnostic flowcharts or assessment instruments → use medical-assessment-creator instead
• This skill creates educational explanations, not clinical decision-making tools

Medication Instructions or Dosage Information:

• For pharmaceutical guidance or treatment protocols → use medication-education-designer instead
• This skill explains mechanisms and processes, not specific medical interventions

Crisis Intervention Graphics:

• For suicide prevention resources or emergency protocols → use crisis-resource-designer instead
• This skill handles educational content about recovery, not acute crisis situations

Legal or Regulatory Compliance Materials:

• For informed consent forms or treatment agreements → use legal-document-designer instead
• This skill creates understanding aids, not legally binding materials

Delegation Guidelines:

If request involves specific medical recommendations: "This requires clinical expertise - use medical-guidance-creator for treatment-specific content"

If request needs real-time crisis support: "This requires immediate professional resources - use crisis-intervention-designer for safety-focused materials"

If request involves legal documentation: "This requires legal compliance review - use healthcare-legal-designer for regulated content"