ScienceClaw Aesthetics — Publication-Quality Figure Standards
Rachel's aesthetic reference for all visualization work. Use this skill when generating any scientific figure.
Best use case
ScienceClaw Aesthetics — Publication-Quality Figure Standards is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Rachel's aesthetic reference for all visualization work. Use this skill when generating any scientific figure.
Teams using ScienceClaw Aesthetics — Publication-Quality Figure Standards should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/scienceclaw-aesthetics/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How ScienceClaw Aesthetics — Publication-Quality Figure Standards Compares
| Feature / Agent | ScienceClaw Aesthetics — Publication-Quality Figure Standards | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Rachel's aesthetic reference for all visualization work. Use this skill when generating any scientific figure.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
Related Guides
SKILL.md Source
# ScienceClaw Aesthetics — Publication-Quality Figure Standards Rachel's aesthetic reference for all visualization work. Use this skill when generating any scientific figure. --- ## Color Palettes ### Scientific Journal Palettes (discrete, 2-10 groups) | Name | Colors | Use for | |------|--------|---------| | **NPG** | `#E64B35` `#4DBBD5` `#00A087` `#3C5488` `#F39B7F` `#8491B4` `#91D1C2` `#DC0000` `#7E6148` `#B09C85` | Nature Publishing Group style | | **Lancet** | `#00468B` `#ED0000` `#42B540` `#0099B4` `#925E9F` `#FDAF91` `#AD002A` `#ADB6B6` `#1B1919` | The Lancet style | | **JCO** | `#0073C2` `#EFC000` `#868686` `#CD534C` `#7AA6DC` `#003C67` `#8F7700` `#3B3B3B` `#A73030` `#4A6990` | J Clinical Oncology | | **NEJM** | `#BC3C29` `#0072B5` `#E18727` `#20854E` `#7876B1` `#6F99AD` `#FFDC91` `#EE4C97` | New England J Med | | **AAAS** | `#3B4992` `#EE0000` `#008B45` `#631879` `#008280` `#BB0021` `#5F559B` `#A20056` `#808180` `#1B1919` | Science/AAAS | ### Qualitative Palettes (6-12 groups) | Name | Colors | |------|--------| | **Paired** | `#A6CEE3` `#1F78B4` `#B2DF8A` `#33A02C` `#FB9A99` `#E31A1C` `#FDBF6F` `#FF7F00` `#CAB2D6` `#6A3D9A` `#FFFF99` `#B15928` | | **Set1** | `#E41A1C` `#377EB8` `#4DAF4A` `#984EA3` `#FF7F00` `#FFFF33` `#A65628` `#F781BF` `#999999` | | **Dark2** | `#1B9E77` `#D95F02` `#7570B3` `#E7298A` `#66A61E` `#E6AB02` `#A6761D` `#666666` | ### Continuous & Diverging | Type | Options | |------|---------| | Sequential | `viridis`, `magma`, `plasma` | | Diverging | `RdBu`, `Spectral`, `RdYlBu` | ### Special Purpose | Name | Colors | Use | |------|--------|-----| | **Up/Down/NS** | Up: `#E64B35`, Down: `#4DBBD5`, NS: `#999999` | Volcano plots, differential expression | ### Selection Guide - 2-5 groups: NPG or Lancet - 6-12 groups: Paired - 12+ groups: `colorRampPalette` interpolation - Continuous data: viridis (sequential), RdBu (diverging) --- ## Journal Figure Sizing | Preset | Width | Height | Base Font | DPI | Typical Use | |--------|-------|--------|-----------|-----|-------------| | `single_column` | 8.5 cm | 7 cm | 11 pt | 300 | Most journal figures | | `one_half_column` | 12 cm | 9 cm | 12 pt | 300 | Medium-width figures | | `double_column` | 17.5 cm | 10 cm | 13 pt | 300 | Full-width figures | | `ppt` | 25 cm | 18 cm | 16 pt | 150 | Presentations | --- ## Aesthetic Rules 1. **Theme**: Clean and minimal. Start from `theme_classic()` (R) or equivalent. No unnecessary gridlines. 2. **Font**: Consistent sizing at `base_size` for the chosen preset. Helvetica or Arial preferred. 3. **Whitespace**: Generous margins. Elements should breathe. 4. **Color**: Every color must carry meaning. No decorative colors. No rainbow gradients unless data is continuous. 5. **Accessibility**: Always offer colorblind-safe alternatives. Never rely on color alone. 6. **Parameters at top**: All adjustable values (colors, sizes, paths) as variables at the top of the script. 7. **Return plot object**: Last expression returns the plot for further composition. 8. **Output formats**: PNG (300+ dpi), PDF (vector), SVG, TIFF. Always journal-spec compliant. 9. **3-second rule**: Reader should grasp the core message within 3 seconds. 10. **Consistency**: Within a project, all figures share the same visual language.
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