What’s inside

One SKILL.md (the playbook) + one starter template. A preview:

Gallery Catalogue Deck

When to use

• Presenting a portfolio, collection, or exhibition to a client, gallery, or buyer
• A portfolio deck where work is crammed 6-up and nothing gets looked at
• Preparing an exhibition catalogue, art-fair handout, or collection overview
• Selling a set of pieces (art, photography, design objects, products)
• You need a deck that works printed as well as projected

Workflow

1. Select and sequence (input: full body of work → output: ordered item list)
   Pick the pieces that belong in this catalogue and order them: chronologically, by theme, or by the story the deck tells (strongest piece first and last, never two similar pieces adjacent). Cut ruthlessly: a 12-piece catalogue people finish beats a 40-piece one they abandon. Each item gets an ID for tracking.
2. Write the entry for each piece (input: item list → output: catalogue entries)
   Each entry: title, year, medium or materials, dimensions, one paragraph of story (what it is, why it was made, what to notice). Facts first, story second; dimensions and materials are exact, never approximate. If a piece is sold, reserved, or editioned, state it plainly.
3. Lay out the spreads (input: entries + images → output: deck layout)
   One spread per piece: full-bleed or large image on one side, entry text on the other; consistent margins, one typeface family, image captions with title + year. Cover: title, collection name, date — no collage of everything inside. Add a contents/index spread listing every item with its page.
4. Add the apparatus (input: layout → output: complete deck)
   Front: short introduction (what the collection is, who made it) and how to read it; back: artist/maker bio, price or enquiry note, contact, colophon (image credits, print specs). Every image gets a credit line; every borrowed image gets permission noted.
5. Check it as a reader (input: complete deck → output: final deck)
   Read it end to end as a stranger: does each spread make sense alone, do images match their entries, are dimensions consistent in format, do page numbers match the index. Export print PDF + screen PDF; check the print file at 100% for image resolution and text overflow.

Output spec

• Ordered item list: selected pieces with IDs, sequence rationale
• Entries: title, year, medium/materials, dimensions, one story paragraph, availability
• Layout: one spread per piece, image + entry, cover, contents/index spread
• Apparatus: intro, bio, enquiry/contact, colophon with image credits
• Exports: print PDF + screen PDF; reader check passed

Good vs. bad examples

Template preview

Gallery Catalogue Deck — Build Template

One spread per piece. A 12-piece catalogue people finish beats a 40-piece one they abandon.

Selection + sequence

Collection: {name} — Date: {date} — Deck purpose: {exhibition / sale / overview} Sequence logic: {chronological / thematic / story — rationale in one line} Pieces cut (and why): {piece — reason}

Entries

{ID} — {Title}, {Year}

• Medium / materials: {exact}
• Dimensions: {exact, consistent format}
• Edition / availability: {e.g. edition of 3 + 1 AP / sold / reserved / price on enquiry}
• Story (one paragraph): {what it is, why it was made, what to notice}

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