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

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)

→ 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

Performance Targets

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

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.