📐 Core Technical Parameters
| Parameter | Value / Range | What It Means for Your Image |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Shape | 1 : 1 Square | Always generate a square image — the app crops it to the node shape internally. |
| Recommended Resolution | 512 × 512 or 1024 × 1024 | App auto-downsizes to 800 px max on load. Higher = crisper at big node sizes. |
| Node Size Range | 60 px → 600 px (drag-resize) | Image scales to fill whatever size the node is dragged to. Avoid tiny text in the image. |
| Scaling Method | KeepAspectRatioByExpanding |
Cover / fill — image is cropped to fill the shape. Center-weighted subject matter wins. |
| Clip Mask | Set by node shape | Edges are hard-clipped. Anything outside the shape silhouette is invisible. |
| Supported Formats | .png .jpg .jpeg .gif .bmp .webp | PNG recommended — supports transparency where desired. |
| Background Context | Dark navy #0f172a |
The app canvas is very dark. Images with bright or transparent borders can look floaty. |
⬡ The 5 Node Shapes — Composition Rules
⚫ Circle
Round crop
⬛ Square
Full image shown
🔷 Diamond
Rotated 45° crop
⬡ Hexagon
Hex crop
❤ Heart
Center focus critical
| Shape | Crop Behavior | Composition Advice |
|---|---|---|
| ⚫ Circle | Circular mask, corners removed | Keep main subject centered. Radial / vignette designs work perfectly. Avoid portraits where face is off-center. |
| ⬛ Square | Full image visible (rounded corners) | Most forgiving — entire canvas used. Great for detailed scenes or icons. |
| 🔷 Diamond | 45° rotated square mask | Subject should be dead-center. Think of it as a circle but with diagonal corners. Symmetrical designs shine. |
| ⬡ Hexagon | Six-sided mask | Center focus. Works beautifully with honeycomb patterns, icons, and mandala-style art. |
| ❤ Heart | Heart silhouette — bottom point is narrow | Keep subject in the upper-center. Bottom third of image disappears to a point. Gradient / soft backgrounds best. |
📏 Node Size — What Changes as You Resize
60 px
Minimum
100 px
Default
150 px
Medium
220 px
Large
300 px
Hero
600 px
Maximum
Implication: Generate at 1024 × 1024. The image will always look sharp whether the user keeps the node small or drags it to full 600 px. Avoid generating at tiny resolution — scaling up later introduces blurriness.
🎨 ThoughtJunkie Visual Aesthetic
Images that feel native to the dark, glowing, sci-fi mind-map environment look best in-app.
App Color Palette (for tonal matching)
✅ Styles That Work Great
Glowing neon on dark, cinematic concept art, cosmic/space scenes, cel-shaded icons, bokeh light effects, watercolor on dark paper, synthwave aesthetics, holographic / iridescent, minimalist icons with transparency, flat-design illustrations.
⚠️ Styles to Use Carefully
Bright white / stark white backgrounds (will conflict with dark canvas), photorealistic photos with cluttered backgrounds (details lost at small node sizes), light pastel palettes (can look washed out against dark backgrounds), dense text or small labels in the image.
🤖 Universal Prompt Template
Use this as your base. Replace [SUBJECT], [SHAPE], and [STYLE].
[SUBJECT], [STYLE aesthetic], centered composition, square 1:1 format, dark background (#0f172a deep navy), subject fills center 80% of canvas, soft glowing edges, no text, no UI, no borders, no watermarks, high detail, 1024x1024
Shape modifier to append:
• Circle nodes → add:
• Diamond nodes → add:
• Hexagon nodes → add:
• Heart nodes → add:
• Square nodes → add:
• Circle nodes → add:
, circular composition, radial symmetry, vignette edges
• Diamond nodes → add:
, diamond/rhombus symmetry, strong diagonal lines, centered focal point
• Hexagon nodes → add:
, hexagonal framing, honeycomb aesthetic, centered focal point
• Heart nodes → add:
, subject in upper center, tapered bottom, warm soft glow
• Square nodes → add:
, full-frame composition, corner-to-corner coverage
💡 Ready-to-Use Example Prompts
⚫ Circle | Journal / Daily Entry Node | Style: Watercolor
A single open journal book with glowing golden pages, watercolor painting style, dark navy background, centered radial composition, soft ink splash effect around the book, warm amber and teal tones, circular vignette, no text, square 1024x1024
🔷 Diamond | Important / Warning Node | Style: Glowing Icon
A glowing red warning shield icon, centered on deep black background, neon red glow radiating outward, diamond-symmetrical composition, strong diagonal emphasis, clean vector-art style, no text, 1024x1024 square
⬡ Hexagon | Idea / Brainstorm Node | Style: Neon Synthwave
A glowing lightbulb filled with swirling galaxy nebula colors, synthwave neon aesthetic, purple and cyan tones, centered hexagonal composition, dark cosmic background, electric glow particles around bulb, no text, square 1024x1024
⬛ Square | Project / Map Node | Style: Cinematic
An aerial isometric city blueprint glowing in blue neon lines on dark background, cinematic concept art, full-frame grid composition, holographic teal and blue tones, no text, 1024x1024 square
❤ Heart | Mood / Feeling Node | Style: Soft Glow
A glowing heart made of stardust and aurora light, subject in upper center of frame, tapered soft glow at bottom, dark navy background, pink and violet bokeh particles, dreamy romantic aesthetic, no text, square 1024x1024
✅ Checklist Before Prompting
- 📐Square format specified? Always say "square", "1:1", or "1024x1024" (or both). Never let the AI pick an aspect ratio.
- 🎯Subject centered? The app uses cover-fill scaling. Off-center subjects get cropped out.
- 🔵Shape composition modifier added? Circle/diamond/hexagon/heart each need their own composition hint.
- 🌑Dark background specified? Say "dark navy background", "#0f172a background", or "deep black background".
- 🚫No text / no UI / no borders specified? Prevents the AI from adding unreadable labels or frames.
- 🖼️Resolution at 512+ ? At minimum 512 × 512. 1024 × 1024 is ideal for large nodes.
- 💾Saving as PNG? Preserves quality, supports transparency. Prefer over JPEG for icons/illustrations.
- 🎨Color matches node intent? Optionally match image tones to the node's glow color for cohesive look.
⚡ Do's and Don'ts
✅ DO
- Center your main subject in all cases
- Use dark or transparent backgrounds
- Generate square images (1:1)
- Include "no text, no watermarks, no borders"
- Match the image's glow color to node color
- Use high contrast between subject and background
- Save as PNG for illustrations/icons
- Think about what the image looks like at tiny sizes (60px node)
- Add soft vignette or feathered edges for shapes that clip
❌ DON'T
- Use white/bright backgrounds — clashes with dark canvas
- Put important content in corners — gets clipped on circles/hearts/diamonds
- Include tiny text — illegible at small node sizes
- Use portrait/landscape aspect ratios — will be cropped asymmetrically
- Generate low resolution (under 256px)
- Use complex scenes with many competing focal points
- Rely on the bottom-third for heart shapes
- Forget that nodes can glow — high-saturation images can clash with intense glow effects
🌟 Bonus: Matching Image to Glow Intensity
ThoughtJunkie nodes have a glow intensity from 0–5. Images look best when the color palette cooperates with the glow color.
| Intensity Level | Glow Behavior | Best Image Style |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – None | No glow, flat node | Any image works. Clean icons, flat illustrations. |
| 1–2 – Subtle | Soft halo | Dark or muted backgrounds with centered subject. |
| 3 – Medium | Visible pulsing halo | Glowing or luminous subjects. Neon / bioluminescent themes. |
| 4–5 – Intense | Bright pulsing, color-boosted node | High-contrast dark images. Cosmic, neon, plasma aesthetics. Node color becomes very bright — use complementary or neutral image tones. |
📋 Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
// Core parameters — always include these
square 1:1 format
1024x1024 resolution
centered composition
dark navy background (#0f172a)
no text, no UI, no watermarks, no borders
subject fills center 70–80% of canvas
// Shape modifiers — add the one that matches your node
circle → radial symmetry, circular vignette
square → full-frame coverage, corner-to-corner
diamond → diagonal symmetry, centered focal point
hexagon → hexagonal framing, centered subject
heart → subject in upper-center, soft tapered bottom
// Style keywords that work great in ThoughtJunkie
glowing neon | synthwave | cosmic | cinematic concept art
watercolor dark | cel-shaded | holographic | bioluminescent
isometric icon | flat design | bokeh glow | crystalline