{
  "core_meta": {
    "core_id": "00_visual_protocol_core_v1",
    "schema_version": "1.0.0",
    "purpose": "Global ruleset for visual style library: composition, lighting, color logic, material realism, QC, and folder classification.",
    "applies_to_folders": [
      "01_Cinematic_Portraiture",
      "02_Luxury_Fashion_Editorial",
      "03_Neo_Noir_Selective_Color",
      "04_Diffusion_Dreamcore",
      "05_Arctic_Hyperreal_Survival",
      "06_Monumental_Digital_Fresco",
      "07_Techno_Spiritual_AI",
      "08_Minimal_Luxury_Composition",
      "09_Psychology_Emotion_Design",
      "10_Commercial_Brand_Signature"
    ]
  },
  "global_principles": {
    "clarity_over_style": "Legibility and intent must remain clear even when stylization is strong.",
    "single_primary_message": "Each visual must communicate one dominant idea; secondary details must support it.",
    "hierarchy_first": "Establish subject dominance, then supporting elements, then background.",
    "avoid_visual_noise": [
      "unmotivated particles",
      "random lens artifacts",
      "busy textures in background",
      "uncontrolled reflections"
    ],
    "consistency": {
      "lighting": "One coherent lighting story per image.",
      "palette": "Palette must follow the selected folder logic.",
      "materials": "Materials must be physically plausible."
    }
  },
  "composition_grammar": {
    "subject_dominance": {
      "rule": "Main subject should read within 0.5s at thumbnail size.",
      "checks": [
        "silhouette readability",
        "edge separation",
        "background simplicity"
      ]
    },
    "negative_space": {
      "rule": "Reserve deliberate empty space for breathing room and labels when needed.",
      "targets": {
        "minimal_design": "25-55%",
        "editorial_portrait": "10-35%",
        "poster_grade": "5-25%"
      }
    },
    "framing": {
      "default_lens_equivalent": "50-85mm for humans; 70-120mm for product; wider only if narrative requires.",
      "distortion": "Avoid strong wide-angle distortion unless explicitly stylistic.",
      "camera_tilt": {
        "default": "neutral",
        "allowed": [
          "neutral",
          "slight_downward",
          "slight_upward",
          "subtle_dutch_if_story"
        ]
      }
    },
    "depth_and_layers": {
      "rule": "Use at most 3 depth layers (foreground/mid/background) unless the style requires complex layering.",
      "dof_guidance": {
        "portrait": "shallow to medium",
        "product": "medium to deep (clarity)",
        "dreamcore": "shallow with diffusion"
      }
    }
  },
  "lighting_grammar": {
    "baseline_setups": {
      "studio_soft": {
        "use_for": [
          "editorial",
          "product",
          "catalog"
        ],
        "components": [
          "key_softbox",
          "fill",
          "rim_optional"
        ],
        "shadow_style": "soft grounding shadows"
      },
      "cinematic_contrast": {
        "use_for": [
          "drama",
          "noir",
          "poster"
        ],
        "components": [
          "key_directional",
          "negative_fill",
          "rim"
        ],
        "shadow_style": "defined but not crushed"
      },
      "diffused_haze": {
        "use_for": [
          "dreamcore",
          "watercolor",
          "ethereal"
        ],
        "components": [
          "large_soft_source",
          "ambient_fill"
        ],
        "shadow_style": "low contrast gradients",
        "effects": [
          "subtle bloom",
          "mist layer"
        ]
      },
      "emissive_neon": {
        "use_for": [
          "techno_spiritual",
          "neo-noir accent",
          "cyber visuals"
        ],
        "components": [
          "emissive_sources",
          "controlled_fill"
        ],
        "shadow_style": "high contrast with clean edge separation",
        "effects": [
          "glow controlled",
          "bloom minimal to medium"
        ]
      }
    },
    "quality_rules": {
      "avoid": [
        "overblown highlights",
        "crushed blacks",
        "unclear light direction"
      ],
      "color_temperature": {
        "default": "5000–5600K neutral",
        "allowed_variance": "Warm (4300–5000K) for wholesome/editorial; Cool (5600–7000K) for techno/noir."
      }
    }
  },
  "color_logic": {
    "palette_discipline": {
      "rule": "Define dominant, supporting, and accent colors explicitly.",
      "limits": {
        "dominant_colors_max": 3,
        "accent_colors_max": 2
      }
    },
    "selective_color_rule": {
      "applies_to_folder": "03_Neo_Noir_Selective_Color",
      "rule": "Base remains near-monochrome; one accent hue dominates focal interest.",
      "accent_examples": [
        "cyan",
        "magenta",
        "red",
        "gold"
      ]
    },
    "saturation_thresholds": {
      "minimal": "low to medium",
      "editorial": "medium",
      "neo_noir": "accent high, base low",
      "techno_spiritual": "emissive accents high, base controlled"
    }
  },
  "material_realism": {
    "pbr_requirements": {
      "rule": "Materials must be physically plausible (roughness/IOR/anisotropy consistent).",
      "avoid": [
        "plastic skin",
        "mirror metals everywhere",
        "unmotivated gloss"
      ]
    },
    "skin_realism": {
      "when_humans_present": true,
      "requirements": [
        "subsurface_scattering subtle",
        "pores and micro-variation visible",
        "avoid over-smoothing",
        "specular highlights controlled"
      ]
    },
    "common_material_presets": {
      "matte_plastic": {
        "roughness": "0.35-0.6",
        "notes": "micro texture visible"
      },
      "brushed_metal": {
        "anisotropy": "on",
        "notes": "micro scratches, controlled reflections"
      },
      "glass": {
        "ior": "1.45-1.55",
        "notes": "edge thickness, clean caustics optional"
      },
      "fabric": {
        "notes": "weave detail, stitch fidelity, believable folds"
      }
    }
  },
  "text_and_labels": {
    "default": "No text unless explicitly required (infographic/product explainer).",
    "if_used": {
      "typography": "thin sans-serif, minimal, label-ready margins",
      "line_style": "fine dotted or thin solid connectors",
      "density": "labels must not exceed 10-15% of visual attention"
    }
  },
  "folder_classification_rules": {
    "decision_tree": [
      {
        "if": "explicit_campaign_or_brand_key_visual",
        "then_primary": "10_Commercial_Brand_Signature"
      },
      {
        "if": "fashion_or_beauty_editorial_focus",
        "then_primary": "02_Luxury_Fashion_Editorial"
      },
      {
        "if": "historical_epic_or_fresco_mosaic_heritage",
        "then_primary": "06_Monumental_Digital_Fresco"
      },
      {
        "if": "tech_symbols_emissive_spiritual_light_blueprints",
        "then_primary": "07_Techno_Spiritual_AI"
      },
      {
        "if": "soft_haze_watercolor_dreamlike_diffusion",
        "then_primary": "04_Diffusion_Dreamcore"
      },
      {
        "if": "high_contrast_near_monochrome_with_single_accent_color",
        "then_primary": "03_Neo_Noir_Selective_Color"
      },
      {
        "if": "clean_minimal_background_controlled_palette_negative_space",
        "then_primary": "08_Minimal_Luxury_Composition"
      },
      {
        "if": "extreme_realism_survival_grit_technical_environment",
        "then_primary": "05_Arctic_Hyperreal_Survival"
      },
      {
        "if": "dramatic_human_portrait_cinematic_lighting",
        "then_primary": "01_Cinematic_Portraiture"
      },
      {
        "if": "primary_goal_is_emotional_trigger_or_psychological_response",
        "then_primary": "09_Psychology_Emotion_Design"
      }
    ],
    "secondary_tags_rule": "Assign up to 3 secondary folders that explain lighting/palette/emotional intent."
  },
  "naming_and_versioning": {
    "file_naming": {
      "pattern": "{snake_case_style_name}_v{major}",
      "examples": [
        "botanical_shadow_editorial_portrait_v1",
        "product_visual_engineering_exploded_view_v1"
      ]
    },
    "versioning": {
      "major": "Breaking changes to logic or output expectations",
      "minor": "Refinements (new presets, better thresholds)",
      "patch": "Typos, metadata fixes"
    }
  },
  "quality_control_checklist": {
    "thumbnail_test": "Readable at small size; subject dominance passes.",
    "lighting_story": "Single coherent lighting direction and purpose.",
    "palette_discipline": "Dominant/supporting/accent obey folder rules.",
    "material_plausibility": "No impossible gloss/IOR; textures coherent.",
    "artifact_screening": [
      "no random text",
      "no extra limbs/objects",
      "no muddy gradients",
      "no overdone bloom"
    ]
  }
}