Square 1:1 Layout Skill

This skill is the layout source of truth for square-1-1 pages, usually 1200x1200.

A 1:1 page is a square content card. It works best when the card has one unmistakable center of gravity and balanced margins on all four sides. The layout should feel complete as a single shareable visual, not like a cropped presentation page.

Deep details live in the references:

• references/catalog.md - named square-card patterns and 1200x1200 zone skeletons.
• references/checklist.md - P0/P1/P2 structural self-check for delivery.

Preflight

Before writing HTML, decide:

1. Message - the one sentence this card should make the viewer remember.
2. Focal anchor - claim, quote, hero number, chart, image, concept, or matrix.
3. Support shape - orbit chips, 2x2 cells, evidence band, stacked pair, or short explanation.
4. Reading path - center first, then support, then takeaway/source.
5. Density - low for quote/claim, medium for most cards, high only for compact 2x2 or ranked list.
6. Pattern - choose one structure from references/catalog.md before writing HTML.
7. Balance check - inspect top/bottom/left/right margins and corner weight.

Use the canvas dimensions from the prompt. If custom dimensions are supplied, preserve square balance.

Canvas Grammar

• Start with one focal anchor. A square card needs a dominant center of gravity.
• Keep margins visually balanced on all four sides.
• Use at most two real columns or a 2x2 grid.
• Corners matter. Fill them only with meaningful support, not decorative leftovers.
• Use grid/flex document flow for text-bearing modules. Absolute positioning is only for background accents, connector lines, and non-text decoration.
• Body copy, ordinary labels, and card descriptions must be at least 24px (Tailwind text-2xl is 24px, or use style="font-size:24px" / text-[24px]); headings must be at least 32px (text-3xl or larger); auxiliary source/footer text must be at least 16px (text-base or text-[16px]). These floors compensate for the smaller fit-scale a 1200h canvas gets in presentation mode — text-lg/text-xl (18px/20px) are too small here, do not use them for body copy.

Pattern Quick Lookup

Use references/catalog.md for the full structure recipe before writing a new or heavily repaired card.

Square Budget

Calculate before writing:

1. Canvas: usually 1200px x 1200px.
2. Outer padding: commonly 64-112px per axis.
3. Title/claim wrapping.
4. Gaps between zones.
5. Bottom takeaway/source/reserve: 40-96px when present.
6. Remaining width and height define the focal zone.

For charts, reserve a specific frame height and keep the @ppt-chart-height=N marker aligned with the h-[Npx] class. Prefer one clear chart, hero number, compact bars, rank list, or small 2x2 data matrix.

Repair And Self-check

• If modules feel equal, promote one block to hero and compress support.
• If the card is top-heavy, move the focal anchor, takeaway, or evidence into the middle/lower area.
• If corners feel accidental, rebalance support around the focal anchor.
• If a table or timeline feels cramped, convert it into a 2x2, ranked list, stacked pair, or compact evidence band.
• If content is sparse, enlarge the core claim or visual anchor instead of adding filler.
• Before delivery, run references/checklist.md.