Monochrome

STYLEKIT_STYLE_REFERENCE
style_name: Monochrome
style_slug: monochrome
style_source: /styles/monochrome

# Hard Prompt

## When To Use
Use this when you want AI to generate code with strict style consistency. It is the safest default for production UI.

## How To Use
- Copy the full prompt into ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or another coding assistant.
- Append the concrete product/page requirement after the prompt.
- After generation, check the forbidden rules and interaction states before accepting the output.

Strictly follow the style rules below and maintain consistency. No style drift allowed.

## Requirements

- Prioritize style consistency first, then creative extension.
- When conflicts arise, treat prohibitions as the highest priority.
- Self-check before output: verify colors, typography, spacing, and interactions still match this style.

## Style Rules

You are designing in Monochrome style.
- Use ONLY grayscale colors: #111111, #333333, #666666, #999999, #cccccc, #e5e5e5, #f5f5f5, #fafafa, #ffffff
- NEVER use any color with hue (no blue, red, green, pink, orange, etc.)
- Build hierarchy with font-weight contrast: font-light for body, font-bold for headings
- Use generous negative space (py-24, px-8) for breathing room
- Borders must be subtle: grayscale borders in the #e5e5e5 to #cccccc range
- No rounded-full, no heavy shadows, no gradients
- Keep corners sharp: rounded-sm or rounded-none
- Uppercase tracking-wider for labels and small text
- Grid-based alignment for all layouts

Animation & Interaction Rules:
- Deliberate Slowness: Interactions should use duration-500 to 700 slow rhythm, avoiding fast jumps.
- Grayscale Breathing: Only allow adjacent grayscale transitions (e.g., #111111 to #2a2a2a), maintaining restraint.
- Line Growth: Prefer thin line extension as interaction hints, reducing large-area contrast switching.
- Static Elevation: Avoid translate and heavy shadows, maintaining a quiet two-dimensional plane feel.

---

# Monochrome Design System

> An ultimate monochrome design in pure black, white, and gray, building visual hierarchy through precise grayscale levels, font-weight contrast, and negative space without relying on any color. Ideal for photography, architecture, and premium brands.

## Design Philosophy

Monochrome is the complete abandonment of color, building a full visual hierarchy solely through the precise orchestration of black, white, and gray.

Core principles:
- Zero hue dependency: no colors with any hue are used; all visual information is conveyed through grayscale
- Grayscale hierarchy: precise gray gradients from #111111 to #fafafa establish information priority
- Font-weight contrast: differences between font-light and font-bold replace color differentiation
- Negative space composition: generous whitespace is not empty -- it is part of the design
- Grid order: strict grid systems ensure every element has a precise position

---

## Token Dictionary (exact class mapping)

### Border
```
Width: border
Color: border-[#e5e5e5]
Radius: rounded-sm
```

### Shadow
```
sm: shadow-sm
md: shadow-sm
lg: shadow-md
hover: shadow-sm
focus: ring-1 ring-[#cccccc]
```

### Interaction
```
Hover translate: (none)
Hover scale: (none)
Hover opacity: hover:opacity-80
Transition: transition-colors duration-200
Active: active:opacity-70
```

### Typefaces
```
Heading: font-bold tracking-tight
Body: font-light
Mono: font-mono
```

### Type scale
```
Hero: text-4xl md:text-6xl lg:text-8xl
H1: text-3xl md:text-5xl
H2: text-2xl md:text-4xl
H3: text-lg md:text-xl
Body: text-sm md:text-base
Small: text-xs
```

### Spacing
```
Section: py-16 md:py-24
Container: px-6 md:px-8
Card: p-6
Gap sm: gap-4
Gap md: gap-6
Gap lg: gap-8
```

### Color roles
```
Background primary: bg-[#fafafa]
Background secondary: bg-[#f5f5f5]
Background accent: bg-[#e5e5e5], bg-[#cccccc], bg-[#111111]
Text primary: text-[#111111]
Text secondary: text-[#666666]
Text muted: text-[#999999]
Button primary: bg-[#111111] text-[#fafafa]
Button secondary: bg-[#f5f5f5] border border-[#e5e5e5] text-[#111111]
```

---

## [FORBIDDEN]

These classes are banned in this style. Check for them before returning code:

### Banned classes
- `bg-blue-500`
- `bg-red-500`
- `bg-green-500`
- `bg-pink-500`
- `bg-purple-500`
- `bg-yellow-500`
- `bg-orange-500`
- `bg-cyan-500`
- `bg-indigo-500`
- `bg-teal-500`
- `bg-emerald-500`
- `bg-rose-500`
- `text-blue-500`
- `text-red-500`
- `text-green-500`
- `text-pink-500`
- `rounded-full`
- `shadow-lg`
- `shadow-xl`
- `shadow-2xl`

### Banned patterns
- matches `^bg-(?:blue|red|green|pink|purple|yellow|orange|cyan|indigo|teal|emerald|rose|violet|amber|lime|sky|fuchsia)-`
- matches `^text-(?:blue|red|green|pink|purple|yellow|orange|cyan|indigo|teal|emerald|rose|violet|amber|lime|sky|fuchsia)-`
- matches `^border-(?:blue|red|green|pink|purple|yellow|orange|cyan|indigo|teal|emerald|rose|violet|amber|lime|sky|fuchsia)-`
- matches `^rounded-full$`
- matches `^shadow-(?:xl|2xl)$`
- matches `^bg-gradient-`

### Why they are banned
- `bg-blue-500`: Monochrome style forbids any color with hue; use grayscale only
- `text-red-500`: Monochrome style forbids any color with hue; use grayscale only
- `rounded-full`: Monochrome style uses sharp corners only (rounded-sm or rounded-none)
- `shadow-xl`: Monochrome style uses minimal shadows only (shadow-sm max)
- `bg-gradient-to-r`: Monochrome style forbids gradients entirely

> WARNING: if your code contains any of the above, replace it before shipping.

---

## [REQUIRED]

### Every button must include
```
rounded-sm
transition-colors
font-medium
```

### Every card must include
```
rounded-sm
border
```

### Every input must include
```
border-b
focus:outline-none
bg-transparent
```

---

## [COMPARE] Monochrome wrong vs right

The wrong examples below stand for generic library defaults that were never adapted to this style. Do not read them as visual suggestions.

### Button

[WRONG] **Wrong** (generic component library default, do not copy):
```html
<button class="{GENERIC_LIBRARY_BUTTON_DEFAULT}">
  Click me
</button>
```

[CORRECT] **Right** (uses this style's tokens):
```html
<button class="rounded-sm transition-colors font-medium bg-[#111111] text-[#fafafa]">
  Click me
</button>
```

### Card

[WRONG] **Wrong** (generic card, not adapted to this style):
```html
<div class="{GENERIC_LIBRARY_CARD_DEFAULT}">
  <h3>{TITLE}</h3>
</div>
```

[CORRECT] **Right** (uses this style's card tokens):
```html
<div class="rounded-sm border p-6">
  <h3 class="font-bold tracking-tight text-lg md:text-xl">{TITLE}</h3>
</div>
```

### Input

[WRONG] **Wrong** (generic input, not adapted to this style):
```html
<input class="{GENERIC_LIBRARY_INPUT_DEFAULT}" />
```

[CORRECT] **Right** (uses this style's input tokens):
```html
<input class="border-b focus:outline-none bg-transparent" placeholder="{PLACEHOLDER}" />
```

---

## [TEMPLATES] Monochrome page skeletons

These skeletons use this style's tokens only. Replace `{PLACEHOLDER}` values, but keep every token in place:

### Navigation
```html
<nav class="bg-[#fafafa] text-[#111111] border border-[#e5e5e5] px-6 md:px-8">
  <div class="flex items-center justify-between max-w-6xl mx-auto gap-6">
    <a href="/" class="font-bold tracking-tight text-lg md:text-xl">
      {LOGO_TEXT}
    </a>
    <div class="flex gap-6 font-light text-xs">
      {NAV_LINKS}
    </div>
  </div>
</nav>
```

### Hero section
```html
<section class="bg-[#e5e5e5] text-[#111111] py-16 md:py-24 px-6 md:px-8">
  <div class="max-w-4xl mx-auto">
    <h1 class="font-bold tracking-tight text-4xl md:text-6xl lg:text-8xl">
      {HEADLINE}
    </h1>
    <p class="font-light text-sm md:text-base max-w-xl">
      {SUBHEADLINE}
    </p>
    <button class="rounded-sm transition-colors font-medium bg-[#111111] text-[#fafafa]">
      {CTA_TEXT}
    </button>
  </div>
</section>
```

### Card grid
```html
<section class="bg-[#fafafa] text-[#111111] py-16 md:py-24 px-6 md:px-8">
  <div class="max-w-6xl mx-auto">
    <h2 class="font-bold tracking-tight text-2xl md:text-4xl">{SECTION_TITLE}</h2>
    <div class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">
      <!-- Card template - repeat for each card -->
      <div class="rounded-sm border p-6">
        <h3 class="font-bold tracking-tight text-lg md:text-xl">{CARD_TITLE}</h3>
        <p class="font-light text-sm md:text-base text-[#999999]">{CARD_DESCRIPTION}</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</section>
```

### Form input
```html
<input class="border-b focus:outline-none bg-transparent" placeholder="{PLACEHOLDER}" />
```

### Footer
```html
<footer class="bg-[#f5f5f5] text-[#666666] py-16 md:py-24 px-6 md:px-8">
  <div class="max-w-6xl mx-auto">
    <div class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-3 gap-8">
      <div>
        <span class="font-bold tracking-tight text-lg md:text-xl">{LOGO_TEXT}</span>
        <p class="font-light text-xs">{TAGLINE}</p>
      </div>
      <div>
        <h4 class="font-bold tracking-tight text-lg md:text-xl">{COLUMN_TITLE}</h4>
        <ul class="font-light text-xs">
          {FOOTER_LINKS}
        </ul>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</footer>
```

---

## [CHECKLIST] Monochrome post-generation self check

**Before returning code, verify every token and rule below. Fix any violation before delivering:**

### Token check
- [ ] Button includes: `rounded-sm transition-colors font-medium`
- [ ] Card includes: `rounded-sm border`
- [ ] Input includes: `border-b focus:outline-none bg-transparent`

### Forbidden check
- [ ] Not using `bg-blue-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-red-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-green-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-pink-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-purple-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-yellow-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-orange-500`
- [ ] Not using `bg-cyan-500`

### Style rule check
- [ ] Use pure grayscale backgrounds bg-[#fafafa] or bg-white
- [ ] Primary text uses dark gray text-[#111111], secondary text text-[#666666]
- [ ] Build hierarchy through font-light and font-bold weight contrast
- [ ] Generous negative space whitespace py-24 px-8
- [ ] Ultra-thin border dividers border-[#e5e5e5]

### Style drift check
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use any color with hue (no blue/red/green/pink, etc.)
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use rounded-full circular corners
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use heavy shadows shadow-lg shadow-xl shadow-2xl
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use gradients bg-gradient-to-*

### Delivery check
- [ ] Responsive layout holds on phone, tablet and desktop with no horizontal overflow
- [ ] Every interactive element has a visible focus state, an accessible name and a reduced-motion path
- [ ] Text contrast meets WCAG AA and colour alone never carries state
- [ ] The result is still recognizable at a glance as Monochrome

## Absolute Bans (Match and Refuse)

If any of the following patterns appear, it is a style violation — rewrite without exception.

- use any color with hue (no blue/red/green/pink, etc.)
- use rounded-full circular corners
- use heavy shadows shadow-lg shadow-xl shadow-2xl
- use gradients bg-gradient-to-*

## Self-Check (Verify Before Shipping)

If any item fails, the style has drifted — fix before shipping.

- [ ] No purple-to-blue gradients
- [ ] No overused fonts (Inter, Roboto, Geist, Fraunces, Plus Jakarta Sans)
- [ ] No nested cards (cards inside cards)
- [ ] No gray text on colored backgrounds
- [ ] Body text contrast meets WCAG AA (>= 4.5:1)
- [ ] No bounce or elastic easing curves
- [ ] Animations have a prefers-reduced-motion fallback
- [ ] Body text line length capped at 65-75 characters
- [ ] No side-stripe accent borders (border-left/right > 1px)
- [ ] No gradient text (background-clip: text)
- [ ] No glassmorphism used as the default surface treatment
- [ ] No tiny uppercase tracked eyebrow labels above every section heading
- [ ] do not use any color with hue (no blue/red/green/pink, etc.)
- [ ] do not use rounded-full circular corners
- [ ] do not use heavy shadows shadow-lg shadow-xl shadow-2xl
- [ ] do not use gradients bg-gradient-to-*