Context Slice Emoji Style System
Custom emojis are generated through three orthogonal style dimensions: platform aesthetic, art style, and color palette. Each dimension is independent—combine them freely, though some combinations work better than others.
Style Dimensions
Platform Style
Platform style defines the "character" of the emoji—its shapes, proportions, and personality. These are inspired by major emoji implementations but are not exact copies.
| Value | Prompt Language |
|---|---|
apple |
"Apple-style emoji aesthetic: rounded forms, subtle 3D depth with soft gradients, friendly expression, warm shadows, polished and premium feel, iOS emoji inspiration" |
google |
"Google Noto-style emoji: flat design, blob-like organic shapes, playful and approachable, bold colors, circular face proportions, Android emoji inspiration" |
microsoft |
"Microsoft Fluent-style emoji: flat geometric design, clean edges, modern minimalist aesthetic, 3D elements with soft lighting, Windows emoji inspiration" |
twitter |
"Twitter/X Twemoji-style: flat vector design, circular faces, clean outlines, simple geometric shapes, consistent stroke weights, open-source emoji aesthetic" |
samsung |
"Samsung-style emoji: glossy 3D rendering, high contrast, exaggerated expressions, shiny reflective surfaces, vibrant saturated colors" |
whatsapp |
"WhatsApp-style emoji: 3D rendered, soft gradients, friendly rounded shapes, warm yellow tones for faces, approachable expressions" |
Art Style
Art style defines the rendering technique, independent of platform character.
| Value | Prompt Language |
|---|---|
3d_glossy |
"3D rendered with glossy finish, specular highlights, lit from above-left, subtle shadows, dimensional depth, shiny reflective surfaces" |
3d_matte |
"3D rendered with matte finish, soft diffuse lighting, no harsh reflections, subtle ambient occlusion, clay-like surface quality" |
flat |
"Flat 2D design, no gradients, solid color fills, clean vector edges, no shadows or depth, modern minimalist rendering" |
soft_gradient |
"Soft gradient shading, subtle color transitions, gentle shadows, smooth blended edges, polished but not glossy" |
pixel |
"Pixel art style, grid-aligned forms, limited color palette, retro 16-bit aesthetic, visible individual pixels, no anti-aliasing" |
sketch |
"Hand-drawn sketch style, visible brush strokes, imperfect organic lines, charming wobble, illustration feel, slightly rough edges" |
watercolor |
"Watercolor painting style, soft color bleeds, organic texture, artistic imperfection, translucent layered colors" |
Color Palette
Color palette controls the overall color treatment.
| Value | Prompt Language |
|---|---|
standard |
"Standard vibrant emoji colors: bright saturated yellow for faces (#FFCC00), vivid reds (#FF3B30), classic emoji color conventions" |
pastel |
"Pastel color palette: soft muted tones, reduced saturation, Instagram-aesthetic colors, gentle and calming, light values" |
vivid |
"Extra vivid colors: maximum saturation, punchy contrast, eye-catching brightness, bold color choices" |
monochrome |
"Monochrome palette: single hue with value variations, grayscale option, limited color expression, elegant simplicity" |
neon |
"Neon color palette: electric bright colors, high contrast, glowing appearance, cyberpunk aesthetic, bold against dark" |
earth |
"Earth tone palette: natural colors, browns, greens, warm oranges, organic and grounded feel, muted naturals" |
custom |
User specifies exact colors to use—incorporate their color values into the prompt |
Prompt Construction
Base Template
Every emoji prompt follows this structure:
[Platform description] emoji of [subject with expression/pose]. [Art style rendering].
[Color palette]. Single emoji character, centered composition on transparent background,
designed for messaging apps, high detail, clean edges.Subject Guidelines
The subject should be specific about:
- What it is (object, face, animal, symbol)
- Expression for faces (happy, sad, thinking, surprised, winking)
- Pose/action if relevant (waving, dancing, sleeping)
- Key details that define it (chef hat on cat, sunglasses on sun)
Good subjects: "smiling cat wearing a tiny chef hat", "thinking face with raised eyebrow", "sparkly pink heart with stars around it"
Vague subjects: "cat", "face", "heart" (ask for clarification)
Combining Dimensions
Most combinations work well. Flag these potentially contradictory pairs:
| Combination | Issue | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
pixel + 3d_glossy |
Pixel art is inherently flat | Suggest pixel + flat or drop pixel for 3D |
sketch + samsung |
Samsung style is highly polished | Use sketch art style but reduce Samsung glossiness |
flat + 3d_glossy |
Direct contradiction | Ask user which they prefer |
watercolor + any platform |
Platform styles assume digital rendering | Watercolor overrides platform, note artistic interpretation |
When user requests contradictory styles, explain the conflict and suggest the closest viable alternative.
Complete Prompt Examples
Apple + 3D Glossy + Standard:
"Apple-style emoji aesthetic: rounded forms, subtle 3D depth with soft gradients, friendly expression, warm shadows, polished and premium feel. Emoji of a smiling cat wearing a tiny chef hat. 3D rendered with glossy finish, specular highlights, lit from above-left, subtle shadows, dimensional depth. Standard vibrant emoji colors. Single emoji character, centered composition on transparent background, designed for messaging apps, high detail, clean edges."
Google + Flat + Pastel:
"Google Noto-style emoji: flat design, blob-like organic shapes, playful and approachable, bold colors, circular face proportions. Emoji of a sleeping moon face with closed eyes and peaceful expression. Flat 2D design, no gradients, solid color fills, clean vector edges. Pastel color palette: soft muted tones, reduced saturation, gentle colors. Single emoji character, centered composition on transparent background, designed for messaging apps, high detail, clean edges."
Twitter + Pixel + Neon:
"Twitter/X Twemoji-style: flat vector design, circular faces, clean outlines. Emoji of a lightning bolt with electric sparks. Pixel art style, grid-aligned forms, limited color palette, retro 16-bit aesthetic, visible pixels. Neon color palette: electric bright colors, high contrast, glowing appearance. Single emoji character, centered composition on transparent background, designed for messaging apps."
Default Style
When no style is configured and user doesn't specify preferences, use these sensible defaults:
- Platform:
apple(most widely recognized) - Art style:
soft_gradient(versatile, professional) - Palette:
standard(familiar emoji colors)
Style Guide Storage
User preferences are stored in 
Domain Preferences with domain emoji_generation:
emoji_generation:
platform: apple
art_style: soft_gradient
palette: standard
custom_colors: null # or ["#FF5733", "#3366FF"] if palette is customTasks read this state, merge with any per-request overrides, then construct the prompt.