# Lasting Logo Design

Use when someone gives a brand name and wants brand nouns, logo concept directions or AI logo prompts (Figma AI, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Ideogram), or wants help designing a logo that lasts, from brief to stress tests, refinement and brand system.

Claude skill from Creative UI. Docs: https://ui.krutikraut.com/docs/lasting-logo-design

## Installation

```bash
npx shadcn@latest add @creative-ui/lasting-logo-design
```

On an older shadcn CLI, use the URL: `npx shadcn@latest add https://ui.krutikraut.com/r/lasting-logo-design.json`

Files go into `.claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/`.

## Skill files

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/SKILL.md

```md
---
name: lasting-logo-design
description: Use when someone gives a brand name and wants brand nouns, logo concept directions or AI logo prompts (Figma AI, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Ideogram), or wants help designing a logo that lasts, from brief to stress tests, refinement and brand system.
---

# Lasting Logo Design: Brand Name → Brand Nouns → Logo Prompts

A logo process built for marks that stay relevant for decades. It is inspired by the publicly described approach of Allan Peters' *Logos That Last* (Rockport, 2023):

- build on brand truth instead of trends
- explore widely before narrowing
- stress-test early
- simplify only until meaning would be lost
- extend the mark into a system

All guidance here is original. Recommend the book for the author's full method and case studies.

**Core use: the generator.** The user gives a **brand name** (plus whatever they know about the brand). You return:
1. a **brand truth** statement
2. a **name analysis**
3. 30–50 **brand nouns** (the raw material)
4. **idea pairings**
5. 4–6 **logo directions**
6. copy-ready **image prompts** for each direction
7. what to **avoid**

Then, if asked, carry a direction through critique, stress tests, refinement and the brand system.

**AI images are concepts, never final logos.** The chosen direction is always rebuilt as clean vector.

---

## Mode A: Generator (default)

### Step 1. Gather inputs
Ask only for what's missing. If the user is in a hurry, infer the rest and list your assumptions.

| Input | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brand name | yes | Exact spelling and casing |
| What they do, for whom | yes | One line, real offering |
| Differentiator / proof | recommended | Origin, method, place, founder story |
| Personality | recommended | 3 adjectives + 3 "never" adjectives |
| Competitors | optional | Names or logos to avoid looking like |
| Applications | optional | App icon, packaging, signage, embroidery… |
| Preferred logo types | optional | Otherwise choose a spread |
| Target image tool | optional | Figma AI (gpt-image / Gemini), ChatGPT, Midjourney, Ideogram, Firefly. Default is generic |

The full question bank is in `references/01-brief.md`.

### Step 2. Brand truth
Write one sentence: **"[Name] is the [category] that [true, provable differentiator] for [audience], feeling [adj, adj, adj]."** Use operational truth (what they demonstrably do), not aspirations. Every direction must trace back to this sentence.

### Step 3. Name analysis
- Meaning, etymology and translations, including any unwanted meanings in key markets.
- Sound and rhythm: syllables, hard or soft consonants.
- **Letterforms:** distinctive letters, symmetry, ascenders/descenders, double letters, the initial's shape potential.
- Built-in symbols: objects, actions or places hidden in the name.
- Length → wordmark viability (short and distinctive favours a wordmark; long favours a symbol or monogram).

### Step 4. Brand nouns (30–50)
Mine words from the brand truth and name across these categories (method in `references/02-brand-nouns.md`):
`objects` · `materials` · `places` · `actions/verbs` · `tools` · `nature` · `people/roles` · `cultural references` · `letters & numbers` · `abstract qualities` · `opposites/tensions`.
Mark each noun **★** if it is ownable (specific to this brand) or **○** if it is generic or category-cliché. Keep clichés visible so you can avoid them.

### Step 5. Pairings (10–20)
Strong marks often fuse **two ideas into one form**. Pair nouns across categories: letter + object, object + action, place + craft, material + tool. For each pairing, give the visual idea in one line ("the S doubles as a rope coil").

### Step 6. Directions (4–6)
Pick the strongest pairings and spread them across logo types (wordmark, lettermark, pictorial, abstract, combination, emblem, mascot) using `references/03-directions.md`. For each direction give:
- **Title** (2–4 words)
- **Logo type**
- **Concept**: what you see
- **Story**: one sentence a client can repeat
- **Why it fits**: link to the brand truth
- **Risks**: cliché, scaling, similarity
- **Techniques**: negative space, single line, modular grid, etc.

### Step 7. Prompts
For each direction write **two prompts** using the templates in `references/04-prompt-library.md`:
1. **Concept sheet**: a 3×3 grid of 9 flat black explorations (for divergence).
2. **Single mark**: one refined flat mark (for convergence).

Then add 2–3 **iteration prompts**: "keep X, change Y."

Prompt rules:
- black on white, flat vector, no gradients, shadows, 3D, mockups or extra text
- symbols are generated without text; wordmarks are set in real type later
- never name living designers or existing brands' logos

Adapt the syntax to the user's tool (e.g. Midjourney `--ar 1:1 --style raw --no gradient,shadow,text`).

### Step 8. Avoid list
Category clichés (e.g. coffee: bean, steam, cup; tech: globe, swoosh, circuit, lightbulb), trend gimmicks, and competitor look-alikes.

### Output format
Use `templates/output.md` (human-readable) or `templates/output.schema.json` (JSON, for tools and apps). Default to Markdown with:
- headings
- a noun table
- one card per direction
- prompts in fenced code blocks so they're easy to copy

---

## Mode B: Full logo process (when the user wants to go further)
1. **Generate** concept sheets with the available image tool. Figma MCP `generate_image` uses Figma AI credits, so tell the user. Prefer a gpt-image model when letters must render.
2. **Critique** with the 9-point rubric and cut hard: `references/05-critique-and-stress-tests.md`.
3. **Stress-test** early versions: 16px, one colour, reversed, blur, embroidery, rotation, look-alike and trademark search (not legal advice).
4. **Refine** in vector: construction, optical corrections, reduction threshold, wordmark spacing, small-size cut. See `references/06-refine-and-system.md`.
5. **Present** 2–3 directions in context with the story, recommendation first.
6. **System**: lockups, colour, type, pattern, motion idea, usage rules, file exports, credits and ownership notes.

---

## Principles to apply throughout
1. **Truth over trend.** If a choice is fashionable rather than true, cut it.
2. **Volume before judgement.** Explore many ideas before falling for one.
3. **Two ideas, one form.** Fusion beats decoration.
4. **One colour first.** If it needs colour to work, it doesn't work.
5. **Test early, test ugly.** Small, reversed, blurred, on bad backgrounds.
6. **Reduce to the threshold.** Remove until one more cut would lose the meaning.
7. **Design the system, not just the mark.** It must extend to icon, pattern, motion and type.
8. **Commit.** Recommend one direction clearly. Don't hedge with safe options.

## Never
- Present raw AI output as a final logo.
- Imitate an existing logo or prompt with brand or designer names.
- Show more than three options in a client presentation.
- Skip the brand truth.
- Claim a mark is legally clear. Always recommend a trademark search and an attorney.
```

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/examples/saffron-lane.md

````md
# Worked example — Saffron Lane (fictional brand)

**Input:** "Saffron Lane — a D2C spice brand. Single-origin saffron bought directly from farmers in Pampore, Kashmir. For home cooks. Warm, honest, unhurried. Never flashy, never 'luxury bling'."

## Brand truth
> Saffron Lane is the spice brand that buys hand-plucked, single-origin saffron directly from Pampore farmers for home cooks who care where food comes from, feeling warm, honest and unhurried.

## Name analysis
- **Meaning:** saffron (spice, colour, crocus) + lane (path, route from farm to kitchen)
- **Sound:** soft S and L sounds, three syllables, gentle rhythm
- **Letterforms:** S and L initials. The S curve suits a thread; the L is a corner or path.
- **Hidden objects:** thread, crocus, path, lane lines
- **Wordmark viability:** medium. The name is distinctive, but two words is long, so a compact symbol is needed.
- **Risks:** "saffron" connotes luxury and gold clichés, so stay honest and earthy.

## Brand nouns (excerpt)
| Category | Nouns |
|---|---|
| Objects | ★ three threads · ★ tin with hand-written label · ○ jar · ○ spoon |
| Places | ★ Pampore fields · ★ lane · ○ market |
| Actions | ★ pluck · ★ dry · steep · pour |
| Nature | ★ crocus · frost · sunrise · valley |
| Letters | S · L · SL |
| Qualities | patience · rarity · warmth · honesty |
| Tensions | ★ tiny ↔ precious · wild ↔ tended |

## Pairings (excerpt)
| Pairing | Visual idea |
|---|---|
| S + thread | The S drawn as one curling saffron thread |
| Lane + crocus | Path lines converging into a crocus petal |
| Three threads + hand | Three short strokes pinched between two fingertips |
| L + field row | The L as the corner of a field with crocus rows |

## Directions

### 01 — Thread S · Lettermark · ⭐ Recommended
**Concept:** A single monoline thread forms an S. One end tapers like a stigma tip.
**Story:** "Every jar starts with one hand-plucked thread."
**Why it fits:** It makes the provable differentiator (hand-plucked, single-origin) the mark itself.
**Risks:** Monoline S marks are common, so the taper must be distinctive. Needs a heavier small-size cut.

**Concept sheet prompt**
```
A designer's logo exploration sheet: a 3×3 grid of nine different flat black vector logo symbols
on a pure white background, evenly spaced, no labels or text.
All nine explore one idea for "Saffron Lane", a spice brand: the letter S drawn as a single curling
saffron thread whose end tapers like a stigma tip.
Vary the construction across the grid: geometric, monoline, bold silhouette, negative space,
rounded, angular, symmetrical, minimal, modular.
Style: clean professional logo design, solid shapes, crisp edges, no gradients, no shadows, no 3D,
no texture, no mockup. Mood: warm, honest, unhurried.
```

**Single mark prompt**
```
A single flat vector logo symbol for "Saffron Lane", a spice brand.
Concept: one continuous curling line forming the letter S, the lower end tapering to a fine point
like a saffron thread, the upper end slightly rounded.
Construction: monoline with uniform stroke about 9% of the mark width, balanced optical weight,
simple enough to draw from memory, readable at 16 pixels.
Solid black shape on pure white, centred with generous margin, square format.
No text, no gradients, no shadows, no 3D, no texture, no mockup. Mood: warm, honest, unhurried.
```

**Iterations**
```
Keep the S rhythm and the tapered end. Change: make the upper terminal flat-cut, reduce the curl
to two clear bends, enlarge the inner counters for small sizes.
```

### 02 — Lane to Bloom · Pictorial
Two converging path lines meet and open into a single crocus petal (negative space).

### 03 — Three Threads · Abstract
Three short, slightly curved strokes set at a gentle angle, like a pinch of threads. They become a pattern unit for packaging.

### 04 — Field Corner L · Combination
An L forms the corner of a field with three crocus rows, paired with a quiet serif wordmark.

## Avoid
Gold foil gradients, crowns, Taj Mahal-style domes, generic chili or leaf icons, paisley overload, "luxury" scripts.
````

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/LICENSE

```registry/skills/lasting-logo-design/LICENSE
MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Krutik Raut

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.
```

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/references/01-brief.md

````md
# 01 — Brief & Brand Truth

## Question bank
Ask the essentials first, and the rest only if the user has time.

**Essentials**
1. What is the exact brand name (spelling, casing, any tagline)?
2. What do you sell or do, and for whom? (one line)
3. What is true about you that a competitor can't honestly say?
4. Three words for how it should feel. Three words it must never feel like.

**Helpful**
5. Where did the business or name come from? (founder story, place, family, method)
6. Who are your 3–5 closest competitors?
7. Where will the logo live most? (app icon, signage, packaging, uniforms, social, merch, vehicle, embroidery, engraving)
8. Is there existing equity to keep? (colour, symbol, letterform)
9. Any cultural, religious, colour or symbol taboos in your markets?
10. Which markets and languages? (for unwanted meanings)
11. Any logos you love or hate, and why? (for taste only, never to copy)

## Brand truth formula
> **[Name] is the [category] that [true, provable differentiator] for [audience], feeling [adj], [adj] and [adj].**

**Good:** "Saffron Lane is the spice brand that sources single-origin saffron directly from Pampore farms for home cooks who care where food comes from, feeling warm, honest and unhurried."
**Weak:** "Saffron Lane is a premium, innovative spice brand for everyone." (aspirational, not provable)

Check:
- Is the differentiator something they *do*, not something they *hope*?
- Could a competitor say the same sentence? If yes, dig deeper.
- Are the adjectives specific? ("unhurried" beats "premium")

## Name analysis checklist
| Lens | Questions |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Literal meaning, origin, metaphor, translations, slang |
| Sound | Syllables, rhythm, hard (K, T) vs soft (S, L) sounds |
| Letters | Distinctive letters (Q, K, R, G, &), symmetry (A, H, M, O, X), round vs angular, double letters, ascenders and descenders |
| Initial | Can the first letter become a monogram or icon? |
| Hidden objects | Nouns inside the name (Saffron → crocus flower, thread; Lane → path, lines) |
| Length | Short (≤7 letters) and distinctive → wordmark viable; long or generic → symbol or monogram needed |
| Risks | Unwanted words formed by letters or spacing, bad abbreviations |

## Assumptions block
When inferring, list assumptions explicitly:
```
Assumptions (correct me if wrong):
- Audience: …
- Main application: …
- Personality: …
```
````

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/references/02-brand-nouns.md

```md
# 02 — Brand Nouns & Pairings

Brand nouns are the raw material for concepts. Generate many and judge later.

## Categories (aim for 3–6 words each, 30–50 total)
| Category | Prompting question | Example (Saffron Lane, spices) |
|---|---|---|
| Objects | What physical things are involved? | thread, jar, mortar, spoon, flower |
| Materials | What is it made of or with? | saffron stigma, glass, brass, clay |
| Places | Where does it come from or happen? | Pampore fields, lane, market, kitchen |
| Actions / verbs | What do people do? | harvest, pluck, grind, steep, pour |
| Tools | What instruments are used? | sieve, scale, sickle, hand |
| Nature | Plants, animals, weather, landscape? | crocus, sunrise, frost, valley |
| People / roles | Who makes or uses it? | farmer, cook, grandmother, trader |
| Culture | Rituals, traditions, symbols? | festival, wedding, chai, kesar |
| Letters & numbers | Letters in the name, dates, quantities? | S, L, "SL", 3 threads |
| Abstract qualities | Feelings and values? | patience, warmth, honesty, rarity |
| Tensions / opposites | What contrasts define it? | tiny ↔ precious, wild ↔ cultivated |

## Marking
- **★ Ownable:** specific to this brand's truth (Pampore, three threads, hand-plucked)
- **○ Generic / cliché:** used by many in the category (chili, leaf, pot)

Keep ○ words in the list so they're visible, then steer away from them.

## Pairing method
1. Pick one ★ noun.
2. Combine it with a noun from a **different** category.
3. Describe the single form that holds both ideas.

| Pairing | Visual idea |
|---|---|
| S + saffron thread | The S drawn as one curling saffron thread |
| Lane + crocus | A path that narrows into a crocus petal (negative space) |
| Three threads + hand | Three strokes held between two fingers, a monoline gesture |
| Jar + sunrise | A jar lid whose arc reads as a rising sun |

**Quality bar:** a strong pairing is **surprising, simple to draw and true**. Discard pairings that need explanation, have more than two ideas, or rely on detail.

## Fusion techniques (to turn pairings into form)
- **Letter as object:** the initial becomes a tool, plant or animal
- **Negative space:** a second object appears in the gap
- **Continuous line:** one stroke draws both ideas
- **Crop / zoom:** a detail stands for the whole
- **Container:** one shape holds the other (jar holding sun)
- **Pattern unit:** a module that tiles into a brand pattern
- **Symmetry break:** a calm form with one meaningful irregularity
```

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/references/03-directions.md

````md
# 03 — Directions & Logo Types

Spread 4–6 directions across **at least three logo types** so the client sees real alternatives, not variations of one idea.

| Type | Best when | Watch out for | Lasting test |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Wordmark** | Name is short, distinctive and pronounceable | Off-the-shelf fonts with nothing ownable | One custom detail you'd recognise from a single letter |
| **Lettermark / monogram** | Long name; needs a compact icon | Monogram look-alikes; illegible ligatures | Readable as letters and as a shape |
| **Pictorial symbol** | A clear, ownable object exists in the brand nouns | Clichés, literalness, too much detail | Drawable from memory after one look |
| **Abstract mark** | Broad offer, many products, global audience | Meaningless shapes; similarity to others | Has a story; holds up without the name later |
| **Combination** | Most new brands | Parts that don't work alone | Symbol and wordmark each work separately |
| **Emblem / badge** | Heritage, craft, F&B, sports, institutions | Breaks small; text inside the badge | Comes with a simplified icon cut |
| **Mascot / character** | Consumer, community, playful brands | Ages fastest; hard to scale | A simplified head or silhouette version exists |

## Direction card template
```
### Direction 02 — "Thread S"
Type: Lettermark (combination with wordmark)
Concept: The S is drawn as a single curling saffron thread with a tapered end.
Story: "Every jar starts with one hand-plucked thread."
Why it fits: Ties the initial to the brand's provable differentiator (single-origin, hand-plucked).
Techniques: continuous line, letter as object, tapered stroke.
Risks: Monoline S marks are common, so the taper and thread tip must be distinctive. Thin strokes at 16px need a heavier small-size cut.
```

## Choosing which to recommend
Score each direction quickly before writing prompts:
- **Truth link** (does it come from a ★ noun?)
- **Distinctiveness** in the category
- **Simplicity** (fewer than ~5 distinct shapes)
- **Range** (works as icon, pattern and motion)

Mark one as **Recommended** and say why in one line.
````

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/references/04-prompt-library.md

````md
# 04 — Prompt Library

Image models are for **exploring** directions. Every prompt follows these rules:
- flat vector style, **solid black on pure white**, no gradients, shadows, 3D, texture or mockups
- **no text** in symbol prompts (set wordmarks in real type later)
- centred, generous margin, square
- describe forms, never brands or living designers

## 1. Concept sheet (divergent, 9 explorations)
```
A designer's logo exploration sheet: a 3×3 grid of nine different flat black vector logo symbols
on a pure white background, evenly spaced, no labels or text.
All nine explore one idea for "{NAME}", a {CATEGORY}: {CONCEPT}.
Vary the construction across the grid: geometric, monoline, bold silhouette, negative space,
rounded, angular, symmetrical, minimal, modular.
Style: clean professional logo design, solid shapes, crisp edges, no gradients, no shadows, no 3D,
no texture, no mockup. Mood: {ADJ1}, {ADJ2}, {ADJ3}.
```

## 2. Single mark (convergent)
```
A single flat vector logo symbol for "{NAME}", a {CATEGORY}.
Concept: {CONCEPT, described as shapes}.
Construction: {geometric / monoline with uniform stroke / bold silhouette / negative space reveal},
balanced optical weight, simple enough to draw from memory, readable at 16 pixels.
Solid black shape on pure white, centred with generous margin, square format.
No text, no gradients, no shadows, no 3D, no texture, no mockup. Mood: {ADJ1}, {ADJ2}, {ADJ3}.
```

## 3. Wordmark exploration (only with text-capable models, e.g. gpt-image, Ideogram)
```
A wordmark logo reading exactly "{NAME}" in {lowercase / uppercase / title case},
{serif / sans-serif / geometric sans / humanist / slab} letterforms with one custom detail:
{DETAIL, e.g. the 'a' tail extends into a thread}. Even letter spacing, solid black on white,
centred, no symbol, no tagline, no gradients, no mockup.
```
Then rebuild the wordmark in a licensed typeface. Treat AI letterforms as sketches only.

## 4. Emblem / badge
```
A flat vector emblem logo for "{NAME}" ({CATEGORY}): {SHAPE, e.g. circular seal} containing {SYMBOL}.
Thick consistent outlines, limited detail, works as a stamp and embroidery,
solid black on white, no text, no gradients, no mockup.
```

## 5. Mascot simplification
```
A minimal flat vector character mark of {CHARACTER} for "{NAME}", built from simple geometric shapes,
bold silhouette readable as a small app icon, solid black on white, no text, no gradients, no shading.
```

## 6. Iteration prompts (keep / change)
```
Keep: {what works — e.g. the tapered thread end and the S rhythm}.
Change: {e.g. make the stroke uniform at ~8% of the mark width, remove the inner loop,
tighten to a square bounding box, increase negative space in the counter}.
Same style rules: flat solid black on white, no text, no gradients.
```
```
Simplify this concept further: remove every detail that is not needed to recognise {IDEA},
keep the silhouette identical, thicken thin parts so it reads at 16 pixels.
```

## 7. Context test (after a direction is chosen, for presentation only)
```
A realistic mockup of a flat black logo symbol {DESCRIBE MARK} applied as {embossed on kraft paper bag /
embroidered on a canvas cap / app icon on a phone home screen / engraved on brass}, soft natural light.
```

## Tool syntax notes
| Tool | Notes |
|---|---|
| Figma AI (`generate_image`) | Use `gpt-image-*` when letters must render; Gemini models are fine for symbols. Uses Figma AI credits. Results land on canvas next to the vector work. |
| ChatGPT / OpenAI images | Paste prompts as-is. Ask for "transparent background" if needed. |
| Midjourney | Append `--ar 1:1 --style raw --no gradient, shadow, text, 3d, mockup`. Use `--chaos 20–40` for concept sheets. |
| Ideogram | Best for wordmark explorations. Pick the "Design" style. |
| Adobe Firefly | Choose "Graphic" content type and turn off visual intensity extras. |

## Negative / avoid list (append when a model drifts)
`photorealistic, gradient, shadow, glow, 3d render, bevel, texture, mockup, extra text, watermark, signature, frame, multiple colours`
````

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/references/05-critique-and-stress-tests.md

```md
# 05 — Critique & Stress Tests

## Rubric (score 1–5 each)
| Criterion | Question |
|---|---|
| Meaningful | Does it trace to the brand truth? Can you tell its story in one sentence? |
| Distinctive | Could it be confused with a competitor or a stock icon? |
| Simple | Could someone draw it from memory after one look? |
| Scalable | Is it readable at 16px and on a billboard? |
| One-colour | Does it work in solid black and reversed white? |
| Timeless | Will it look dated in 10 years? Is anything trendy? |
| Balanced | Do optical weight, rhythm and negative space feel intentional? |
| Flexible | Does it work as icon, lockup, pattern and motion? |
| Appropriate | Does it match the audience and the personality adjectives? |

**Keep:** an average of 4 or more, with no score below 3. **Cut** everything else, and say why in one line each.

## Stress tests (run on rough versions, early)
- [ ] **16px / 32px / 1024px:** favicon, tab, app icon
- [ ] **Black, white reversed, brand colour, one wrong colour**
- [ ] **Blur 4–8px / squint:** the silhouette still reads
- [ ] **Busy photo background:** still recognisable
- [ ] **Production:** embroidery (no strokes under ~1.5mm), stamp, engraving, single-colour screen print
- [ ] **Crops:** circle avatar, square app tile
- [ ] **Rotation and mirror:** no accidental shapes or meanings (check key languages and cultures)
- [ ] **Motion:** can it draw, build or reveal in about 1 second?
- [ ] **Look-alike search:** reverse image search plus trademark databases (USPTO, WIPO Global Brand Database, India IP / regional office). This is not legal advice; recommend a trademark attorney before launch.

## Honest feedback language
- "Strong idea, weak execution: the thread reads at 64px but disappears at 16px."
- "Distinctive in silhouette, but the concept doesn't come from the brand truth."
- "Too close to [generic category icon]. Push the fusion further or drop it."
```

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/references/06-refine-and-system.md

```md
# 06 — Refine, Present & Build the System

## From AI sketch to real logo
1. **Use the image as a sketch.** Rebuild in vector with pen and boolean tools rather than auto-trace.
2. **Construction:** base the geometry on circles, squares and a consistent angle set. Keep one stroke weight and one corner-radius family.
3. **Optical corrections:**
   - Round and pointed shapes overshoot the baseline and cap height by about 1–3%.
   - Horizontal strokes are slightly thinner than vertical ones to look equal.
   - Balance by visual weight, not by measured area.
   - Open tight counters and gaps for small sizes.
4. **Reduction threshold:** remove details one at a time. Stop when the next removal would lose the idea.
5. **Wordmark:** start from a licensed typeface (check that the licence allows logo use), customise 1–3 letters, kern by eye at large and small sizes.
6. **Small-size cut:** a simplified version with heavier strokes and fewer parts, used below a set size.
7. **Clearspace and minimum size:** define clearspace from a part of the mark (e.g. the cap height) and set a minimum size in px and mm.

## Presenting
- Show **2–3 directions**, recommended one first.
- For each direction:
  - the brand truth line and the one-sentence story
  - the mark large in black
  - the colour version
  - the 16px test
  - 3–4 real-context mockups
- Never show raw AI sheets as options. Show the refined vector only.
- Frame feedback against the brief: "Does it feel warm, honest, unhurried?"

## Brand system
- **Lockups:** horizontal (primary), stacked, icon only, wordmark only
- **Colour:** 1 primary, 1–2 secondary, neutrals, with HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone values and contrast checks
- **Type:** a display and a text typeface that echo the mark's construction
- **Extensions:** a pattern from the mark's module, an icon style, a 1-second motion reveal, photo and illustration direction
- **Rules:** clearspace, minimum sizes, and misuse examples (stretch, recolour, effects, rotation, outline)

## Deliverables
- Vector: SVG, PDF/EPS. Raster: PNG at 1×, 2× and 4×
- Favicon (SVG and ICO) and an app icon set
- Black, white and colour versions, in RGB and CMYK
- A one-page usage guide
- `CREDITS.md`: which images started as AI generations (tool and prompt), the fonts and licences used, and who did the vector work

## Ownership note (not legal advice)
In many jurisdictions purely AI-generated images may not be protectable by copyright. Substantial human design work in the final vector strengthens ownership, but recommend a trademark search and an IP attorney before launch.
```

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/templates/output.md

````md
# {NAME} — Logo Prompt Kit

## Brand truth
> {NAME} is the {category} that {differentiator} for {audience}, feeling {adj}, {adj} and {adj}.

**Assumptions:** {list any inferred inputs}

## Name analysis
- **Meaning:** …
- **Sound:** …
- **Letterforms:** …
- **Hidden objects:** …
- **Wordmark viability:** …
- **Risks:** …

## Brand nouns
| Category | Nouns (★ ownable · ○ generic) |
|---|---|
| Objects | ★ … · ○ … |
| Materials | … |
| Places | … |
| Actions | … |
| Tools | … |
| Nature | … |
| People | … |
| Culture | … |
| Letters & numbers | … |
| Qualities | … |
| Tensions | … |

## Pairings
| # | Pairing | Visual idea |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | … + … | … |

## Directions

### 01 — {Title} · {Logo type} · ⭐ Recommended
**Concept:** …
**Story:** "…"
**Why it fits:** …
**Techniques:** …
**Risks:** …

**Concept sheet prompt**
```
…
```
**Single mark prompt**
```
…
```
**Iterations**
```
Keep … / Change …
```

(repeat for each direction)

## Avoid
- Category clichés: …
- Trends: …
- Look-alikes: …

## Next steps
1. Generate 2–3 concept sheets per direction.
2. Score them with the rubric and shortlist 2–3.
3. Stress-test (16px, one colour, reversed, blur).
4. Rebuild the chosen direction in vector.
5. Build the system and run a trademark check.
````

### .claude/skills/lasting-logo-design/templates/output.schema.json

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
  "title": "LogoPromptKit",
  "description": "Structured output of the lasting-logo-design generator. Usable with structured-output APIs; some strict modes reject minItems/maxItems, so drop those keys there and enforce counts in the prompt.",
  "type": "object",
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "required": ["brandName", "brandTruth", "assumptions", "nameAnalysis", "brandNouns", "pairings", "directions", "avoid"],
  "properties": {
    "brandName": { "type": "string" },
    "brandTruth": { "type": "string", "description": "[Name] is the [category] that [differentiator] for [audience], feeling [adj, adj, adj]." },
    "assumptions": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
    "nameAnalysis": {
      "type": "object",
      "additionalProperties": false,
      "required": ["meaning", "sound", "letterforms", "hiddenObjects", "wordmarkViability", "risks"],
      "properties": {
        "meaning": { "type": "string" },
        "sound": { "type": "string" },
        "letterforms": { "type": "string" },
        "hiddenObjects": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
        "wordmarkViability": { "type": "string" },
        "risks": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } }
      }
    },
    "brandNouns": {
      "type": "array",
      "minItems": 30,
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "additionalProperties": false,
        "required": ["word", "category", "ownable"],
        "properties": {
          "word": { "type": "string" },
          "category": { "type": "string", "enum": ["objects", "materials", "places", "actions", "tools", "nature", "people", "culture", "letters", "qualities", "tensions"] },
          "ownable": { "type": "boolean", "description": "true = specific to this brand (★); false = generic or category cliché (○)" }
        }
      }
    },
    "pairings": {
      "type": "array",
      "minItems": 10,
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "additionalProperties": false,
        "required": ["a", "b", "visualIdea"],
        "properties": { "a": { "type": "string" }, "b": { "type": "string" }, "visualIdea": { "type": "string" } }
      }
    },
    "directions": {
      "type": "array",
      "minItems": 4,
      "maxItems": 6,
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "additionalProperties": false,
        "required": ["title", "logoType", "concept", "story", "whyItFits", "techniques", "risks", "recommended", "prompts"],
        "properties": {
          "title": { "type": "string" },
          "logoType": { "type": "string", "enum": ["wordmark", "lettermark", "pictorial", "abstract", "combination", "emblem", "mascot"] },
          "concept": { "type": "string" },
          "story": { "type": "string" },
          "whyItFits": { "type": "string" },
          "techniques": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
          "risks": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
          "recommended": { "type": "boolean" },
          "prompts": {
            "type": "object",
            "additionalProperties": false,
            "required": ["conceptSheet", "singleMark", "iterations"],
            "properties": {
              "conceptSheet": { "type": "string" },
              "singleMark": { "type": "string" },
              "iterations": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "avoid": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } }
  }
}
```