illo skill is an AI agent skill designed to generate original, print-style editorial illustrations for articles and blogs. It addresses the need for unique visual content by featuring a recurring mascot that embodies the core idea of the text. The skill targets users of various AI agent platforms (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Copilot, etc.) seeking to quickly enhance their content with custom-styled, consistent imagery, offering a significant benefit in streamlining the illustration creation process.

How It Works

The core of illo skill lies in its ability to translate textual concepts into visual metaphors, rendered with a distinct editorial aesthetic. It utilizes a recurring mascot, customizable through numerous character packs and styles, to ensure visual continuity. Illustrations are generated using one of two backends: the Codex CLI's gpt-image-2 model (free for Codex subscribers) or OpenRouter, which offers a selection of models like Grok Imagine and GPT-5.4 Image 2. This dual-backend approach provides flexibility and accessibility, catering to different user environments and preferences.

Quick Start & Requirements

Installation is recommended via platform-native plugin or skill managers for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Copilot/GitHub CLI, Hermes, OpenClaw, and Cursor. A generic npx skills installer is available as a fallback. Live examples, the character gallery, and installation instructions can be found at 🌐 illo-skill.com. Detailed prerequisites, API key setup, model choices, and cost information are available in the skills/illo/ README within the repository.

Highlighted Details

• Extensive Customization: Features over 30 character packs, including the ability to design custom characters and styles via a built-in builder.
• Diverse Art Styles: Offers 10 bundled looks (riso, blueprint, woodcut, pixel, clay, manila, chalk, phosphor, enamel, gouache) and supports custom palettes.
• Consistency: Ensures reference-image character consistency and one-metaphor-per-image scenes.
• Flexible Rendering: Integrates with Codex CLI and OpenRouter, supporting various advanced image generation models.

Maintenance & Community

The project is maintained by Trevin Chow, with companion character packs available via the tmchow/illo-characters repository. Specific community channels like Discord or Slack are not detailed in the provided README.

Licensing & Compatibility

The project is released under the MIT License. While generally permissive for commercial use, attribution is required for the Blot character and bundled artwork as specified in the skills/illo/NOTICE file.

Limitations & Caveats

The Cursor Marketplace listing is pending review. The skill relies on either the Codex CLI or an OpenRouter subscription for rendering, and users should be aware of potential costs associated with specific OpenRouter models.