Photocopy Zine Linework

StyleRef·@styleref·
STYLE REFERENCE — HARD CONSTRAINT (HIGHEST PRIORITY) This style must be applied to ALL generated content (text, image, video). If any part of the request conflicts with this style, the style OVERRIDES the request. STYLE DEFINITION (to be operationally enforced): Photocopy Zine Linework • Output Format: Creative discipline: Illustration; Print; Delivery mode: Still; 300dpi resolution; Print-scale. • Container / Boundary: Container: Explicit (shape mask); Container shape: Card; Container Dominance: Visual element; Padding: Tight; Edge Behavior: Clipped elements. • Mood & Personality: Rebellious, Raw, Rugged, Experimental; Energy: Vibrant; Real-world accuracy: Stylized; Full scene narrative; Characters: Allowed (detailed). • Colors: Palette: Solid Colors: [ #000000 55% (Linework and shadows), #FFFFFF 45% (Paper)]; Monochrome; Saturation: Achromatic; High contrast; No gradients; Color dominance: Balanced; Black/White point: Pure black + Pure white. • Typography: Handwritten; photocopied typewriter or plain grotesque cut-and-paste accents; Bold, Extra Bold; Text case: ALL CAPS; Font pairing: Hand-lettered primary type with occasional pasted typewriter or grotesque fragments; Hierarchy: Expressive / Art-directed; Tight (1.1); Letter spacing: Tight; Text presence: Optional; Text visual role: Integrated into imagery; Text integration: Embedded in shapes. • Light & Shadow: Lighting presence: Implied; Lighting mood style: Graphic black-and-white rendering; light defined only through hatching density and white cut-ins; Shadow type: Hard; Shadow density: Inky; Fill-light ratio: No fill. • Spatial Structure & Hierarchy: Aggressive, slightly incorrect perspective with low angles, tilted horizons, and foreshortened limbs perspective; Multiple equal focal structure; Hierarchy: Strong; Symmetry: Asymmetrical balance; Balance: Tension-based; Layout axis: Diagonal; Plane separation: Overlap, Shadow; Grid system: Hand-ruled panels, borders, and dividers; Visual density: Packed. • Surface, Material & Detail: Material simulation: Paper; Surface treatment: Matte; Texture: Scratchy dry-brush edges, blotted ink, correction-fluid marks, closed-up hatching, and broken copier solids; Texture usage: Photographic; Imperfection level: Gritty; Stylized realism; Micro-detail allowance: Encouraged; Age of surface: Anachronistic. • Shape Language: Hybrid; Edge sharpness: Thick, distressed contours with scratchy dry-brush breaks; hard cropped frame edges; Silhouette clarity: Recognizable; Negative space usage: Minimal; Angle usage: Dominant. • Line & Stroke System: Structural outlines; Heavy; Expressive consistency; Stroke Color: Neutral. • Background & Environment: Background type: Solid color; Background–Subject: Integrated; Background complexity: Complex. • Artistic Mediums & Techniques: Physical medium: Brush and dip pen on cheap paper, reproduced through photocopying; Illustrative technique: Cross-hatching, scratchy dry-brush, ink blotting, correction-fluid correction marks. • References: Grunge; Reference Brands: Self-published photocopied zines; punk music flyers; DIY apparel graphics. • Guardrails: Avoid: AI Gloss / Plastic Smoothing, Heavy Bokeh / Blur, Lens Flare, HDR over-processing, Over-saturation, Studio Post-processing, Stylistic filters, AI symmetry artifacts; Avoid Visuals: grey tonal washes; clean digital linework; texture-filter finish; generous white space; calm margins; polished anatomy; full-colour palettes; Allowed Visuals: pure black ink; copier white or cheap colored stock; dense cross-hatching; solid black shadows; hand-ruled panels; clipped figures; correction fluid; blotted ink; single spot-color overprint. • Copier-First Drawing: Build marks to survive repeated copying: thick contours, dense hatching, blacked-in shadows, and no tonal middle., Shadow Construction: Replace grey shading with cross-hatching or wholesale black shadow masses; carve facial highlights from white., Layout Pressure: Crowd panels, image fragments, and text blocks into tight frames with minimal margins and hard crops., Print Imperfections: Keep correction fluid, ink blots, dry-brush breaks, line thickening, and broken solids visible as intentional marks.. ENFORCEMENT RULE: Before finalizing the output, internally verify that ALL elements comply with the style definition above. If compliance is uncertain, simplify or soften the output until it fully matches the style. Generated by StyleRef.io

Description

Raw, high-contrast ink drawing built for the copier: heavy blacks, scratchy hatching, no greys, and everything reproduced at the edge of legibility. Suits music and event graphics, apparel, self-published work and identities with a stated edge.

Colors

#00000055%Usage: Linework and shadows
#FFFFFF45%Usage: Paper
Palette Size
Monochrome
Saturation Range
Achromatic
Contrast Strategy
High contrast
Gradient Policy
No gradients
Color Dominance
Balanced
Black & White Point
Pure black + Pure white

Mood & Personality

Mood & Personality
Rebellious, Raw, Rugged, Experimental
Energy Level
Vibrant
Real-world Accuracy
Stylized
Narrative Allowance
Full scene
Characters
Allowed (detailed)

Container / Boundary

Container presence
Explicit (shape mask)
Container shape
Card
Container Dominance
Visual element
Padding rules
Tight
Edge behavior
Clipped elements

Surface, Material & Detail

Material Simulation
Paper
Surface Treatment
Matte
Surface Texture Style
Scratchy dry-brush edges, blotted ink, correction-fluid marks, closed-up hatching, and broken copier solids
Texture Usage
Photographic
Imperfection Level
Gritty
Abstraction Level
Stylized realism
Micro-detail Allowance
Encouraged
Age of Surface
Anachronistic

References

Cultural References
Grunge
Reference Brands
Self-published photocopied zines; punk music flyers; DIY apparel graphics

Typography

Bold, Aa, Bb, Typography
Font FamilyHandwritten; photocopied typewriter or plain grotesque cut-and-paste accents
Line HeightTight
Font WeightsBold, Extra Bold
Letter SpacingTight
Text Case
ALL CAPS
Font Pairing Strategy
Hand-lettered primary type with occasional pasted typewriter or grotesque fragments
Hierarchy
Expressive / Art-directed
Text Presence
Optional
Text Visual Role
Integrated into imagery
Text Integration
Embedded in shapes

Shape Language

Shape Basis
Hybrid
Edge Sharpness
Thick, distressed contours with scratchy dry-brush breaks; hard cropped frame edges
Silhouette Clarity
Recognizable
Negative Space Usage
Minimal
Angle Usage
Dominant

Line & Stroke System

Stroke Usage
Structural outlines
Stroke Weight
Heavy
Stroke Consistency
Expressive
Stroke Color
Neutral

Background & Environment

Background Type
Solid color
Background–Subject Relationship
Integrated
Background Complexity
Complex

Guardrails

Common Artifacts to Avoid
AI Gloss / Plastic Smoothing, Heavy Bokeh / Blur, Lens Flare, HDR over-processing, Over-saturation, Studio Post-processing, Stylistic filters, AI symmetry artifacts
Avoided Visuals
grey tonal washes; clean digital linework; texture-filter finish; generous white space; calm margins; polished anatomy; full-colour palettes
Allowed Visuals
pure black ink; copier white or cheap colored stock; dense cross-hatching; solid black shadows; hand-ruled panels; clipped figures; correction fluid; blotted ink; single spot-color overprint

Output Format

Creative Discipline
Illustration
Medium
Print
Delivery Mode
Still
Resolution Target
300dpi
Scaling Expectation
Print-scale

Light & Shadow

Lighting Presence
Implied
Lighting Mood Style
Graphic black-and-white rendering; light defined only through hatching density and white cut-ins
Shadow Type
Hard
Shadow Density
Inky
Fill-light Ratio
No fill

Spatial Structure & Hierarchy

Perspective Style
Aggressive, slightly incorrect perspective with low angles, tilted horizons, and foreshortened limbs
Focal Structure
Multiple equal
Hierarchy Clarity
Strong
Symmetry
Asymmetrical balance
Balance Type
Tension-based
Layout Axis
Diagonal
Plane Separation Method
Overlap, Shadow
Grid System
Hand-ruled panels, borders, and dividers
Visual Density
Packed

Artistic Mediums & Techniques

Physical Medium
Brush and dip pen on cheap paper, reproduced through photocopying
Illustrative Technique
Cross-hatching, scratchy dry-brush, ink blotting, correction-fluid correction marks

Custom Style Items

Copier-First Drawing
Build marks to survive repeated copying: thick contours, dense hatching, blacked-in shadows, and no tonal middle.
Shadow Construction
Replace grey shading with cross-hatching or wholesale black shadow masses; carve facial highlights from white.
Layout Pressure
Crowd panels, image fragments, and text blocks into tight frames with minimal margins and hard crops.
Print Imperfections
Keep correction fluid, ink blots, dry-brush breaks, line thickening, and broken solids visible as intentional marks.
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