Read assets/base.css and references/01-grammar.md; keep references/04-anti-patterns.md open while writing.
Pick the minimum extension set from the content signals in references/03-composition.md; read only those notes under references/extensions/.
Compose from assets/snippets/ with parameters from references/02-components.md: link base.css, copy structure, replace content.
Run python3 scripts/audit.py <page.html> and python3 scripts/render.py <page.html> <out-dir>; iterate to PASS.
Pass references/05-acceptance.md gate 3 against assets/examples/canonical-desktop.png.

Hard rules

Link or inline base.css verbatim; never redefine --pvl-* tokens or reimplement components in page CSS. A new component goes into base.css with a version bump.
= 2 distinct hand-made markers per page, one on the first screen: scribble title, tape, sticky note, rough card, band highlight, pencil annotation. audit.py enforces this and prints the markers.
One focal accent per screen; <= 1 highlight per card, <= 3 per section.
Hover never expands or reveals layout; expand is a whole-card click with aria-expanded.
Body >= 14px, mono >= 10.5px; <html data-dense="true"> opts scan surfaces into 10.5-13px. No horizontal overflow at 390px.
Ink #2a2a2a (paper #202723); no pure black, brand gradients, glossy shadows, decorative motion; emoji attach to nodes, never float in prose.
Edit before layering: merge, compress, draw; secondary material goes behind a fold, whole-card expand, or the density toggle.

Identity invariants and the freedoms each extension may take live in references/01-grammar.md and references/extensions/. Production corrections enter references/04-anti-patterns.md first; the base.css header carries the version and git history is the changelog.

patrick-visual-language

Patrick Visual Language

Workflow