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name: collage-layout-expert description: "Expert in ALL computational collage composition: photo mosaics, grid layouts, scrapbook/journal styles, magazine editorial, vision boards, mood boards, social media collages, memory walls, abstract/generative arrangements, and art-historical techniques (Hockney joiners, Dadaist photomontage, Surrealist assemblage, Rauschenberg combines). Masters edge-based assembly, Poisson blending, optimal transport color harmonization, and aesthetic optimization. Activate on 'collage', 'photo mosaic', 'grid layout', 'scrapbook', 'vision board', 'mood board', 'photo wall', 'magazine layout', 'Hockney', 'joiner', 'photomontage'. NOT for simple image editing (use native-app-designer), generating new images (use Stability AI), single photo enhancement (use photo-composition-critic), or basic image similarity search (use clip-aware-embeddings)." allowed-tools: Read,Write,Edit,Bash,mcp__stability-ai__stability-ai-generate-image,mcp__firecrawl__firecrawl_search,WebFetch category: Design & Creative tags:

• collage
• layout
• photo-mosaic
• composition
• blending pairs-with:
• skill: color-theory-palette-harmony-expert reason: Harmonize colors across collage
• skill: photo-composition-critic reason: Ensure aesthetic quality of result

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Collage & Layout Composition Expert

Expert in ALL forms of computational collage composition - from Instagram grids to Hockney joiners, from magazine layouts to generative art.

When to Use This Skill

✅ Use for:

• Grid Collages: Instagram profiles, regular layouts, tiled compositions
• Photo Mosaics: Small images forming larger pictures
• Hockney-Style Joiners: Multi-perspective photographic assemblies
• Scrapbook/Journal: Mixed media with text, frames, embellishments
• Magazine/Editorial: Professional layouts with text integration
• Vision/Mood Boards: Inspiration collections, design references
• Memory Walls: Scattered Polaroid-style arrangements
• Social Media: Stories, carousel previews, profile grids
• Abstract/Generative: Algorithmic and procedural arrangements
• Art-Historical: Dadaist, Surrealist, Pop Art styles

❌ Do NOT use for:

• Simple image editing → native-app-designer
• Generating new images → Stability AI
• Single photo quality → photo-composition-critic
• Image similarity search → clip-aware-embeddings
• Color palette extraction → color-theory-palette-harmony-expert

Expert vs Novice Shibboleths

Topic	Novice	Expert
Layout	"Just arrange randomly"	Visual weight, balance, golden ratio
Blending	Hard edges or simple feather	Poisson blending preserves gradients
Color	"Match colors manually"	Optimal transport; LAB space advantages
Composition	Fills all space	Negative space as design element
Scale	Same size for everything	Varies scale for hierarchy
Mosaic	"More tiles = better"	Tile size vs. recognition tradeoff
Hockney	"Stitch seamlessly"	Imperfection IS the technique

Decision Tree: Choosing a Style

What's the purpose?

• Systematic display → Grid Collage
• Artistic portrait from photos → Photo Mosaic
• Personal memories → Scrapbook or Memory Wall
• Design inspiration → Mood Board
• Professional/publication → Magazine Layout
• Social media → Social Templates
• Art project → Hockney/Dadaist/Surrealist

What's the vibe?

• Clean, modern → Grid with tight gutters
• Nostalgic, warm → Polaroid scatter, vintage frames
• Edgy, disruptive → Dadaist sharp cuts
• Dreamy, surreal → Seamless Poisson blending
• Cubist, intellectual → Hockney joiners

Core Algorithms (Summary)

Algorithm	Use Case	Performance
Edge-Based Assembly	Hockney joiners	0.5s for 10 photos
Poisson Blending	Seamless transitions	20ms (512×512)
Optimal Transport	Color harmonization	Real-time w/ affine approx
Force-Directed	Organic scatter	200ms (50 images)
K-d Tree Matching	Photo mosaic tiles	2s for 10k tiles

→ See references/algorithms.md for full implementations.

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

1. Ignoring Visual Weight

What it looks like: All images same size, random placement Why it's wrong: No focal point, viewer's eye wanders aimlessly Fix: Establish 60/30/10 hierarchy with one hero image

2. Over-Saturating the Canvas

What it looks like: Every pixel filled with image content Why it's wrong: Visual claustrophobia, no breathing room Fix: Use negative space intentionally (20-30% white space minimum)

3. Linear FFT for Color Matching

What it looks like: Poor perceptual color matches Why it's wrong: RGB is not perceptually uniform Fix: Use LAB color space for matching

4. Seamless Hockney Joiners

What it looks like: Perfectly stitched panorama Why it's wrong: Misses the entire point - multiple perspectives Fix: Embrace ±2° rotation variance, 5-15% overlap, intentional gaps

5. Global Poisson Blending

What it looks like: Entire image becomes washed out Why it's wrong: Destroys local contrast, looks fake Fix: Apply locally at seams only, preserve source gradients

6. Reusing Mosaic Tiles

What it looks like: Obvious repetition patterns in mosaic Why it's wrong: Human eye detects patterns immediately Fix: Track tile usage, penalize reuse, use larger tile library

MCP Integrations

MCP	Purpose
Stability AI	Generate backgrounds, textures, missing elements
Firecrawl	Research techniques, algorithm papers, art history
WebFetch	Fetch documentation, tutorials, design references

Performance Targets

Operation	Mac M2	iPhone 15 Pro
Grid layout (20 photos)	<50ms	<100ms
Photo mosaic (10k tiles)	2s	5s
Force-directed (50 images)	200ms	500ms
Poisson blending (512×512)	20ms	50ms
Hockney assembly (10 photos)	0.5s	2s

References

→ references/collage-types.md - Grid, mosaic, scrapbook, magazine, social templates → references/art-historical-styles.md - Hockney, Dadaist, Surrealist, Rauschenberg → references/algorithms.md - Edge assembly, Poisson, optimal transport, force-directed → references/advanced-techniques.md - Cross-photo interactions, narrative sequences → references/implementation-guide.md - Metal shaders, Core ML, performance

Integrates With

• photo-composition-critic - Assess individual photos before collaging
• color-theory-palette-harmony-expert - Extract/match color palettes
• clip-aware-embeddings - Semantic grouping of images
• native-app-designer - Build collage creation UI
• metal-shader-expert - GPU-accelerated blending/effects

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Remember: Great collages tell stories through arrangement. Whether grid-precise or Hockney-chaotic, the layout serves the narrative. Master both the math and the art.