Principles
The Visual Language is a construction system, not a universal skin. It standardises how marks, interfaces, and worlds are made while preserving the character of each project.
Material before decoration
Section titled “Material before decoration”Mosaic is treated as a physical assembly of stone and glass. Architecture has weight, depth, joints, reflectivity, weather, and light. A tessera pattern pasted over an unrelated image does not satisfy the system.
Shared structure, project character
Section titled “Shared structure, project character”Projects share navigation behaviour, theme persistence, search, code presentation, spacing discipline, and accessibility. They do not share one mascot, one palette, or one world.
| Shared | Project-specific |
|---|---|
| Header and search behaviour | Sigil geometry |
| Theme state and persistence | Accent palette |
| Tessera construction | Architecture and ecology |
| Documentation shell | Product narrative |
| Visual-integrity checks | Hero composition |
Space-led imagery
Section titled “Space-led imagery”A world image begins with a place and an affordance. The living subject behaves naturally because of the architecture: a rabbit uses cover, a raven uses a rail, a moth follows light, and a peacock uses open ground and roosts.
Sparse symbolism
Section titled “Sparse symbolism”A sigil appears where a real environment would carry identity: a threshold, medallion, standard, instrument, or wayfinder. It is not repeated as wallpaper.
Day and night are one place
Section titled “Day and night are one place”Night artwork edits an accepted day master. Camera, geometry, furniture, landscape, mosaic patterns, and object positions remain fixed. Illumination and natural behaviour change.
Interface restraint
Section titled “Interface restraint”The imagery can be luxurious and high-concept. The interface around it remains calm, readable, and operational. Text does not sit on busy mosaic fields without a deliberate veil or surface.