Photo to Paper Cover

Create one independent high-end editorial poster for each uploaded photo. Process each photo separately; never combine multiple photos into a collage. Use a strict 3:4 vertical composition divided horizontally into two exactly equal 50% sections. TOP HALF — ORIGINAL PHOTO Preserve the original photograph faithfully, including subject identity, facial features, body proportions, pose, expression, clothing, objects, composition, spatial relationships, lighting, shadows, atmosphere, and color mood. Apply only subtle premium editorial color grading. Keep the image authentic and photorealistic. Seamlessly extend environmental backgrounds when needed to fit the composition. Never distort, reshape, replace, or alter the main subject. BOTTOM HALF — HAND-DRAWN PAPER ILLUSTRATION Reinterpret the most recognizable elements of the photo as a minimalist handmade paper-cover illustration. Preserve the main subject, essential silhouette, proportions, key pose, important objects, and core narrative relationship. Use delicate imperfect lines, a few bold acrylic-style flat color shapes, rough paper grain, visible brush marks, and slightly irregular organic edges. Keep the illustration small, centered, and occupying approximately 10–20% of the bottom half, surrounded by generous negative space. Use a rough white, warm off-white, or pale natural paper background. Suggest the environment with only a few lines or restrained color shapes. COLOR Extract dominant colors from the original photo and reduce them to no more than 4 sophisticated, harmonious colors. Use controlled flat color blocks while retaining subtle paper grain and handmade texture. TYPOGRAPHY Add minimal understated editorial typography only when naturally appropriate: short title, keyword, location, year, number, or phrase. Integrate it into the negative space without overcrowding the composition. ART DIRECTION Quiet, poetic, refined, minimal, innocent, relaxed, artistic, thoughtful, premium. The concept is “a small subject surrounded by a large amount of empty space.” Make it feel like an independent art publication or contemporary picture-book cover, not an advertisement. Avoid colored-pencil, crayon, watercolor bleeding, pure line art, realistic illustration, oil painting, polished digital illustration, 3D rendering, cartoon aesthetics, commercial character design, e-commerce styling, generic templates, decorative clutter, and excessive typography. The top half must feel like an authentic editorial photograph; the bottom half must feel like a small handmade visual poem derived directly from it. Maintain a strong visual connection between both halves while preserving the contrast between photographic realism and minimal handmade illustration. Prioritize recognition, restraint, negative space, material texture, subtle imperfection, and artistic storytelling.