Nous branding

Nous Branding

Generate images and brand-consistent visual content inspired by Nous Research ("The AI accelerator company").

Reference Images

This skill ships reference images in assets/ that can be used as visual anchors for img2img, style transfer, image variation, or prompt construction:

File	Description	Usage
assets/palette-typography-reference.png	Brand identity system card showing the 6-color palette swatches with hex codes, typography specimen (Inter, IBM Plex Sans, JetBrains Mono, heavy display), and classified-dossier layout	Upload as reference for color palette and typography style
assets/nous-girl-official.webp	Official high-resolution (2669×2709) Nous Girl mascot from nousresearch.com. High-contrast black-and-white retro manga portrait. Three-quarter profile facing left, white headband (primary badge variant). 51% dark / 47% light, pure b&w with no gray.	Primary mascot reference — the single most authentic brand image
assets/nous-girl-official-badge.png	Official badge portrait from the brand booklet (5760×7454). Shows the Nous Girl in her canonical form: white headband, three-quarter profile, neutral attentive expression, stark black/white manga style.	Use when the badge/primary variant is needed
assets/nous-girl-sketch-sheet.png	Official character sheet from the brand booklet showing all 4 canonical poses: primary badge, headphone ¾ profile, headphone profile left, and headphone small profile.	Use for pose reference and character consistency
assets/nous-girl-philosophy.png	Brand philosophy page from the booklet showing the Nous Girl alongside the "decentralization of good design" mission statement.	Use for brand context and philosophy reference
assets/nous-girl-style-reference.png	Generated reference portrait with "NOUS" on headphones, electric blue accents, and color swatch label	Color-application reference and prompt examples
assets/brand-collage-reference.png	Cyber-classical brand collage with Theia marble statue, glowing electric blue eye with targeting reticle, system architecture diagram, CRT noise overlay	Multi-panel brand layout and HUD aesthetic reference

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Brand Identity Overview

Nous Research's visual identity is a three-way fusion:

Influence	Expression
Classical / Greek myth	Statuary of Theia (Titaness of Sight), marble textures, mythological naming
Cyberpunk / Industrial	Grunge textures, CRT scan lines, photocopy noise, distressed type, dark palette
Retro Anime / Manga	The "Nous Girl" mascot, cel-shaded illustration, large expressive eyes, 1970s-80s manga aesthetic
Tech / Brutalist	Heavy display typography, system diagrams, blueprint-style layouts, monospace code labels

Tagline: "The AI accelerator company" Key phrases: "Advance human rights and freedoms", "Open source language models", "Unrestricted availability and use" Vibe: Intellectual but gritty — a cutting-edge research lab operating in the shadows

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Color Palette

Hero Palette (from reference image analysis)

Color	Hex	RGB	Usage
Electric Blue	#3847FF	(56, 71, 255)	Primary accent, mascot hair highlights, interactive elements, key brand color
Soft Lavender	#BDA6FF	(189, 166, 255)	Secondary accent, gradient blends, soft highlights
Burnt Orange	#D6825A	(214, 130, 90)	Geometric overlay lines, text accents, HUD elements
Deep Teal	#2E706B	(46, 112, 107)	Secondary backgrounds, zine section fills
Off-White	#E6E6E6	(230, 230, 230)	Text on dark backgrounds, paper backgrounds
Near Black	#00000E	(0, 0, 14)	Primary background, heavy text, dark framing

Extended Palette

Color	Hex	Usage
Deep Navy	#003681	Secondary brand color, headers
Medium Blue	#0051c3	Interactive elements, links
Coral Red	#fc574a	Alerts, emphasis accents
Gold	#E6C666	Constellation lines, geometric overlays
Charcoal	#1d1d1d	Dark UI backgrounds

Palette Principles

• High contrast is the rule — deep near-black backgrounds against bright electric blue accents
• Electric blue (#3847FF) is the signature color — use it for the most important accent elements
• Grunge textures over solid colors — never use flat, clean color blocks; always overlay with grain, noise, or scan lines
• Color is reserved for hero/feature content — the brand booklet is >95% grayscale
• Gold/orange geometric lines (#D6825A, #E6C666) for HUD-style overlays and constellation motifs

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Logo & Mascot

The Nous Girl (primary mascot)

The single most recognizable brand element. Based on the official brand booklet (pages 8-9).

Element	Description
Style	Retro 1970s-80s manga/anime cel-shaded, high-contrast pure black/white
Head-to-body	Head proportionally large (manga proportions)
Pose	Three-quarter profile, looking upward and to the left
Features	One large detailed eye with long spiky lashes, small delicate nose, lips slightly parted
Hair	Distinctive voluminous bob, solid black with sharp jagged edges against white background, straight bangs covering forehead
Headphones	The white cushioned arch visible across the crown IS the headphone band — the ear cups are partially obscured by the hair in the badge portrait. White over-ear headphones in all canonical poses. Black headphones are incorrect.
Alternate	3 alternate poses showing different angles of the same headphone variant
Expression	Neutral, calm, attentive — a quiet stillness. Not sad, not melancholic, not crying. The brand booklet describes her as "neutral, perhaps slightly surprised or attentive."
Shirt	White structured collared shirt
Technique	Pure black ink on white paper — no gray, no shading, no digital gradients
Facial markings	None — clean, clear skin, no tattoo, no tear, no scar

Official Pose Variants

Pose	Angle	Primary Use
Primary Badge	Three-quarter profile, looking upward-left	Main logo lockup, merchandise, official branding
Headphone — ¾ Profile	Three-quarter facing right	Hermes/Theia ecosystem, tech contexts
Headphone — Profile Left	Full profile facing left	Social media, alternate applications
Headphone — Small Profile	Smaller profile facing left	Secondary placement, watermarks

Usage Rules

• The mascot is not a substitute for the logo — use the Nous Research wordmark/symbol for official brand representation
• White over-ear headphones in all poses — the ear cups are partially obscured by the voluminous hair in the badge portrait, but the white cushioned arch across the crown confirms headphones in every variant
• Black headphones are incorrect
• No facial markings — clean skin, no tattoo, no scar, no tear
• Pure black-and-white high-contrast is the default; electric blue accents are for hero/feature content only

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Typography

From the Hermes-Theia brand system sheet (visible in assets/palette-typography-reference.png):

Role	Font	Treatment
Display / Headline	Heavy sans-serif (Druk Condensed / Impact style)	Massive, uppercase, with distressed/grunge texture
Body / Supporting	Inter or IBM Plex Sans	Clean sans-serif, uppercase with loose tracking
Code / Technical	JetBrains Mono	Small, compact, monospace — for version numbers, technical labels

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Texture System

The brand defines five key textures that should be applied to all visuals. Reference examples available in assets/palette-typography-reference.png:

Texture	Description	Application
Risograph Grain	Coarse, halftone-style dot grain	Background fills, image overlays
Photocopy Noise	Speckled noise, static	Shadow areas, dark regions
CRT / Scan Lines	Horizontal scan lines	Technical/screen elements
Paper Fiber	Subtle paper texture	Backgrounds, zine sections
Ink Smudge	Irregular ink spread/bleed	Edges of type, borders

Key rule: These textures should feel raw, analog, and imperfect — the opposite of polished corporate design.

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Art Style

Core Attributes

Attribute	Description
Primary aesthetic	"Cyber-classical" — classical sculpture meets cyberpunk
Medium	Digital mixed media: renders + photomontage + hand-drawn illustration
Technique	Photomontage (classical statues with digital overlays), blueprint technical drawings, cel-shaded anime
Shading	High-contrast chiaroscuro — deep shadows against bright highlights
Texture	Always textured — never clean or flat
Lighting	Dramatic spot lighting, light beams from eyes, neon edge highlights
Composition	Multi-panel grid layouts (system sheets); dramatic offset subjects (hero images)

What the Style is NOT

• NOT flat vector illustration
• NOT corporate minimalist
• NOT purely photographic
• NOT bright, saturated, or cheerful
• NOT glossy/skeuomorphic

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Style Lanes

Choose the lane that matches your output's purpose. Each lane encodes a distinct composition grammar, palette discipline, and print technology.

Lane	Palette	Best For
Xerox Poster	Pale cyan paper, black/dark teal ink, optional red accent	Release announcements, stark social images
Manual / Letterpress Cover	Aged tan paper, dark teal-black ink, red rule	Specs, manuals, technical announcements
Industrial Duotone	Cobalt blue, acid yellow, black	Product shots, system graphics, infrastructure
Minimal Stipple Field	Cream paper, navy stipple, turquoise border	Quiet editorial covers, abstract banners
Blue Registration Character	Deep blue, orange registration marks	Agent identity, symbolic personas
Legacy PNW / Celestial	Electric blue, purple, amber, off-white	Classic luminous Hermes/PNW requests

Lane 1 — Xerox Poster

For stark announcements and punchy social images. High-contrast xerox-style poster on colored paper stock.

Prompt cues: high-contrast xerox poster, pale cyan paper stock, black/dark teal ink, dense horizontal scanlines, harsh bitmap thresholding, bold block NOUS wordmark near top, centered anonymous subject, worn border/crop marks.

High-contrast xerox-style poster release announcement on pale cyan paper. [Subject description]. Black ink with dense horizontal scanlines, rough halftone breakup. Bold block `NOUS` wordmark near top. Centered poster composition with worn border and crop marks. --ar 16:9

Lane 2 — Manual / Letterpress Cover

For specs, manuals, and technical documentation covers. Distressed letterpress on aged stock.

Prompt cues: distressed letterpress technical manual cover, aged tan paper stock, thick dark teal-black border, compact all-caps condensed typography, red horizontal rule accent, scuffed ink, worn paper corners, NOUS as leading stamped brand word.

Distressed letterpress technical manual cover for [project]. Aged tan paper stock, thick dark teal-black border, compact all-caps condensed typography, red horizontal rule accent, scuffed ink and worn paper corners. `NOUS` as leading stamped brand word. --ar 4:5

Lane 3 — Industrial Duotone Grid

For product shots, system graphics, and infrastructure visuals. Edge-to-edge duotone with repeated artifacts.

Prompt cues: edge-to-edge industrial duotone print, repeated rounded branded artifacts, saturated cobalt blue and acid yellow, blown-out ink highlights, dense halftone dots, small embedded NOUS marks.

Edge-to-edge industrial duotone print for [product/release]. Repeated branded components in cobalt blue and acid yellow against black. Dense halftone dots, blown-out ink highlights, small embedded `NOUS` marks on artifacts. --ar 16:9

Lane 4 — Minimal Stipple Field

For quiet, refined, abstract graphics with generous negative space.

Prompt cues: abstract risograph/screenprint poster, cream paper base, navy stipple field fading downward, thin turquoise double border, small centered NOUS capsule mark, lots of negative space.

Abstract risograph poster on cream paper. Navy stipple field fading downward, thin turquoise double border, small centered `NOUS` capsule mark. Generous negative space. Restrained, editorial. --ar 4:5

Lane 5 — Blue Registration Character

For agent identity and symbolic character posters. Moody blue screenprint with technical registration marks.

Prompt cues: moody blue screenprint poster, anonymous illustrated character, electric-blue posterized lighting, dark cyan-black field, orange registration marks, thin frame lines, scratches, analog grain.

Moody blue screenprint poster for [project/agent]. Anonymous character subject with electric-blue posterized lighting against dark cyan-black field. Orange registration marks, thin frame lines, scratches, analog grain. --ar 4:5

Legacy Lane — PNW / Celestial

For classic Nous/Hermes luminous imagery. Used when the request explicitly asks for the misty, glowing, portal-driven aesthetic.

Prompt cues: dark navy background, misty atmospheric depth, portal/orb/beam light source, electric blue and purple accents, sacred geometry, lone figure.

Dark atmospheric scene with [subject description]. Misty PNW atmosphere, luminous portal/orb light source, electric blue accent, soft bloom, geometric framing. Match the classic luminous Hermes visual style. --ar 16:9

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Reference Catalog

Each asset in assets/ maps to specific style lanes. Use this table to find the right reference image for your generation:

Asset	Lanes	Best Used For
assets/nous-girl-official-badge.png	All lanes (mascot subject)	Primary Nous Girl reference — badge portrait, white headphones, 3/4 profile
assets/nous-girl-sketch-sheet.png	All lanes (mascot subject)	Character pose reference — all 4 canonical poses
assets/nous-girl-philosophy.png	Legacy PNW / Celestial	Brand philosophy visual context
assets/nous-girl-official.webp	All lanes (mascot subject)	Web-resolution mascot from nousresearch.com
assets/palette-typography-reference.png	All lanes (palette/style)	Color palette and typography specimen reference — use with any lane
assets/brand-collage-reference.png	Legacy PNW / Celestial, Blue Registration	Cyber-classical HUD collage reference
assets/nous-girl-style-reference.png	All lanes (headphone variant)	Stylized mascot with headphones and electric blue accents

Rule of thumb: Load the reference image that matches your lane's visual grammar. For Xerox Poster lanes, the palette-typography card is more useful than the mascot badge. For character-focused outputs, the sketch sheet is the primary reference.

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Image Prompt Templates

Method 1: Full Brand Portrait

A cyber-classical brand identity illustration in the style of Nous Research / Project Theia.
[SUBJECT DESCRIPTION]. High-contrast dramatic lighting with deep near-black background (#00000E).
Electric blue (#3847FF) primary accent. Soft lavender (#BDA6FF) and burnt orange (#D6825A)
secondary accents. Deep teal (#2E706B) shadow tones. Overlaid with risograph grain texture,
photocopy noise, and subtle CRT scan lines. Retro anime cel-shading combined with neo-classical
sculptural forms. Geometric HUD overlay lines in burnt orange. Bold, distressed display typography.
Raw, analog, imperfect finish. No corporate polish.
Palette: #00000E bg, #3847FF accent, #BDA6FF secondary, #D6825A warm, #E6E6E6 text.

Method 2: Nous Girl Mascot

High-contrast retro manga anime portrait, 1970s-80s cel-shaded style.
A young woman with large anime eyes, shoulder-length dark hair with blunt
straight-across bangs. White over-ear headphones. Three-quarter profile facing left.
Melancholic introspective expression. Bold heavy outlines. Pure black and white with
no grayscale. [Optional: Electric blue #3847FF hair highlights for color version].

Method 3: Brand System Sheet / Collage

Multi-panel brand identity system sheet in Nous Research / Project Theia style.
Grid layout. [Describe panels]. Color palette: #3847FF electric blue, #BDA6FF lavender,
#D6825A burnt orange, #2E706B deep teal, #E6E6E6 off-white, #00000E near-black.
Texture swatches: risograph grain, photocopy noise, CRT scan lines, paper fiber, ink smudge.
Typography: heavy distressed display for titles, Inter/IBM Plex Sans for labels,
JetBrains Mono for technical data. Grunge textures throughout. Dark near-black background.

Method 4: Reference-Image-Driven Generation (Recommended)

This is the preferred method for generating brand-consistent images. Use the scripts/generate-with-ref.py script which reads your Hermes config, determines the active image provider, and hits the API directly with the reference image as contextual input — bypassing the built-in image_generate tool which only supports text prompts.

python3 scripts/generate-with-ref.py \
  --prompt "Your prompt describing the desired image" \
  --reference assets/nous-girl-official-badge.png \
  --aspect landscape \
  --quality medium

Features:

• --prompt (required) — image description
• --reference (required) — path to a reference image (use assets/ images from this skill)
• --aspect — landscape (1536×1024), portrait (1024×1536), or square (1024×1024)
• --quality — low, medium (default), or high
• --output — custom output path
• --dry-run — preview without executing

How it works:

1. Reads ~/.hermes/config.yaml to find your active image generation provider
2. For OpenAI: uses /v1/images/edits with multipart upload — the only endpoint that accepts image input with gpt-image-2
3. Automatically crops the reference to square (1024×1024) as required by the edits endpoint
4. Saves output to ~/.hermes/cache/images/
5. Returns JSON with image, model, aspect_ratio, and provider

Why this matters: Text-only generation loses the precise manga style, character proportions, and contrast balance of the Nous Girl. Uploading the official badge preserves the specific 1970s–80s cel-shaded ink style.

Prompting for reference workflows: State what to preserve from the reference, then what to add:

• "Keep the character's white over-ear headphones, white collared shirt, solid black hair with blunt bangs, neutral expression"
• "Maintain the same high-contrast black ink on white manga style"
• Then add the scene details, text, lighting, etc.

Prompt Formula

[STYLE: cyber-classical / Nous Research]
+ [SUBJECT DESCRIPTION]
+ [PALETTE: #00000E bg, #3847FF accent, #BDA6FF, #D6825A]
+ [TEXTURES: risograph grain, photocopy noise, CRT scan lines, paper fiber, ink smudge]
+ [LIGHTING: high-contrast chiaroscuro, dramatic spot, neon edge highlights]
+ [MOOD: intellectual, gritty, underground, calm/attentive]
+ [TYPOGRAPHY: heavy distressed display, Inter/IBM Plex Sans labels, JetBrains Mono code]

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Post-Processing

Raw AI-generated images are too clean for the Nous aesthetic. Post-processing is mandatory after every generation. The scripts/postprocess.py script applies analog-print degradation effects locally using Pillow + numpy — no API calls needed.

Quick Start

python3 scripts/postprocess.py input.png output.png --mode imprint --intensity 0.7

Modes

Mode	Effects	When
imprint	All 14 effects: warm grade, CRT scanlines, film grain, Bayer dither, vignette, chromatic aberration, screen print texture, paper fiber, ink bleed, palette compression, xerox threshold, registration offset, plate wobble, print scuffs	Default for v9/v10/v11 targets — maximum analog print character
nous	Base 9 effects (warm grade → ink bleed) — no xerox/registration/wobble/scuffs	Legacy luminous PNW/celestial requests
standard	Base 6 effects (warm grade → chromatic aberration) only	When you want just a light texture touch

Intensity Calibration

Intensity	Best for
0.45–0.55	Fine manga linework, Future Halftone, Portal Minimal — keep detail visible
0.55–0.65	Blueprint Scene, general use — avoid crushing midtones
0.65–0.8	Xerox Poster, Acid Signal, heavy print effect — when the raw output is too clean
0.8+	Aggressive degradation — typography may become hard to read

Integration

Run post-processing as the final step after any generation method (text-only, img2img, multi-pass, or any provider):

# After any generation method:
python3 scripts/postprocess.py output-raw.png output-final.png --mode imprint --intensity 0.7

# For legacy luminous targets:
python3 scripts/postprocess.py output-raw.png output-final.png --mode nous --intensity 0.5

The raw generated image is never the final deliverable.

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API Workflow Notes

API	Approach
DALL-E 3	Text-only. Use Method 1–3 prompts with hex values.
OpenAI Variations / Edit	Upload assets/*.png as image input. Prompt describes differences.
Midjourney	--sref <asset-url> with --iw 1.5–2.0. Include palette hex values in prompt.
ComfyUI	IPAdapter or Reference-Only ControlNet from assets. Denoise 0.6–0.7. Post-process with grain overlay.
Replicate / SD img2img	Upload reference. Prompt strength 0.7–0.8. CFG 7.

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What Is NOT On-Brand

Avoid these common anti-patterns:

Anti-Pattern	Why It's Wrong
Sad/melancholic expression	Model defaults to sad for manga characters unless explicitly told "not sad, not crying"
Dark/black headphones	Nous Girl wears white over-ear headphones in all canonical poses
Facial markings (teardrop, tattoos, scars)	The character has clean, clear skin — no markings whatsoever
Wrong ethnicity (Asian instead of French)	Model defaults to Asian features for anime style; explicitly state "French Caucasian"
Busy/cluttered compositions	The brand is restrained — dark background, 1-2 accent colors, 2-3 text elements max
Smooth digital illustration	The brand is never clean — every image needs grain, noise, or analog texture
Cartoon/anime with glossy rendering	The manga style is stark black ink on white paper — no soft shading, no gradients
Corporate/sterile tech aesthetic	The finish should feel like an underground research lab, not a SaaS landing page
Over-detailed backgrounds	Let the subject breathe. Negative space is a feature.

For a complete list of known failure modes and mitigations, see references/pitfalls.md.

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Brand Compliance Checklist

• Background is near-black (#00000E) or very dark
• Electric blue (#3847FF) is used as primary accent
• At least one grunge texture visibly applied (grain, noise, scan lines, paper, ink)
• High contrast — dramatic light/dark difference
• Palette is restricted to the specified colors
• If mascot appears: white headphones, manga style, neutral attentive expression, three-quarter profile
• If text appears: heavy distressed display for titles, clean sans for labels, monospace for code
• No flat/clean/corporate polish — finish is raw and tactile
• Overall impression: intellectual, gritty, underground research lab