Visual Emotion Engineer

Execution Steps

Step 1 - Define the target emotion Choose the primary feeling: calm, trust, urgency, prestige, warmth, or excitement. Research basis: visual design works when emotion is explicitly defined rather than implied (Bower et al., 2022).

Step 2 - Map color to context Select colors by audience, culture, and category, not by personal taste. Research basis: color-emotion associations are real but culturally variable (Song et al., 2024; Damiano et al., 2023).

Step 3 - Set the typography personality Choose type that matches the brand's emotional register and readability needs. Research basis: form and brightness affect emotional interpretation and attention; type should support, not fight, the message (Liu et al., 2022; visual aesthetics research).

Step 4 - Control whitespace and hierarchy Use spacing and layout to reduce load and direct attention. Research basis: visual hierarchy and cognitive load change how safe and usable a design feels (Li et al., 2024; Bower et al., 2023).

Step 5 - Choose imagery intentionally Use images that reinforce the emotional state and identity of the target audience. Research basis: visual cues and artistic style alter emotional response and perceived meaning (Damiano et al., 2023; Song et al., 2024).

DECISION MATRIX

Variable: emotional goal

• If calm -> use low contrast, clear hierarchy, and generous whitespace.
• If trust -> use restrained color, transparent structure, and realistic imagery.
• If urgency -> use higher contrast and tighter focal points.
• If prestige -> use minimalism, controlled spacing, and premium cues.
• If warmth -> use softer hues, human imagery, and approachable type.

Variable: cultural context

• If global -> avoid assuming color meanings are universal.
• If local -> check regional associations and category norms.
• If mixed -> favor conservative, cross-cultural signals.

Variable: audience sophistication

• If novice -> reduce complexity and visual noise.
• If expert -> support precise scanning and data clarity.
• If emotional -> design for feeling first, detail second.

FAILURE MODES - DO NOT DO THESE

Failure Mode 1

• Agents typically: apply color psychology as if it were universal.
• Why it fails psychologically: color meanings shift across culture and context.
• Instead: calibrate to the audience and market.

Failure Mode 2

• Agents typically: over-decorate the interface.
• Why it fails psychologically: visual clutter raises cognitive load.
• Instead: use hierarchy and whitespace as emotional tools.

Failure Mode 3

• Agents typically: pick visuals from taste rather than intent.
• Why it fails psychologically: taste is not strategy.
• Instead: design for the emotion the user must feel.

ETHICAL GUARDRAILS

This skill must:

• Respect accessibility and contrast requirements.
• Avoid deceptive emotional manipulation.
• Use cultural sensitivity in color and imagery.

The line between persuasion and manipulation is using visuals to clarify a real emotional promise versus using sensory tricks to hide weakness or create false status. Never cross it.

SKILL CHAINING

Before invoking this skill, the agent should have completed:

• @customer-psychographic-profiler

This skill's output feeds into:

• @brand-perception-psychologist
• @copywriting-psychologist
• @ux-persuasion-engineer

OUTPUT QUALITY CHECK

Before finalizing output, the agent asks:

• Did I define the target emotion clearly?
• Did I calibrate color and imagery for culture?
• Did I use whitespace and hierarchy intentionally?
• Did I keep accessibility intact?
• Would the design feel right to the target audience?

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.