**Read [pptxgenjs.md](pptxgenjs.md) for full details.**
Use when no template or reference presentation is available.
---
## Design Ideas
**Don't create boring slides.** Plain bullets on a white background won't impress anyone. Consider ideas from this list for each slide.
### Before Starting
- **Pick a bold, content-informed color palette**: The palette should feel designed for THIS topic. If swapping your colors into a completely different presentation would still "work," you haven't made specific enough choices.
- **Dominance over equality**: One color should dominate (60-70% visual weight), with 1-2 supporting tones and one sharp accent. Never give all colors equal weight.
- **Dark/light contrast**: Dark backgrounds for title + conclusion slides, light for content ("sandwich" structure). Or commit to dark throughout for a premium feel.
- **Commit to a visual motif**: Pick ONE distinctive element and repeat it — rounded image frames, icons in colored circles, thick single-side borders. Carry it across every slide.
### Color Palettes
Choose colors that match your topic — don't default to generic blue. Use these palettes as inspiration:
- Timeline or process flow (numbered steps, arrows)
**Visual polish:**
- Icons in small colored circles next to section headers
- Italic accent text for key stats or taglines
### Typography
**Choose an interesting font pairing** — don't default to Arial. Pick a header font with personality and pair it with a clean body font.
| Header Font | Body Font |
|-------------|-----------|
| Georgia | Calibri |
| Arial Black | Arial |
| Calibri | Calibri Light |
| Cambria | Calibri |
| Trebuchet MS | Calibri |
| Impact | Arial |
| Palatino | Garamond |
| Consolas | Calibri |
| Element | Size |
|---------|------|
| Slide title | 36-44pt bold |
| Section header | 20-24pt bold |
| Body text | 14-16pt |
| Captions | 10-12pt muted |
### Spacing
- 0.5" minimum margins
- 0.3-0.5" between content blocks
- Leave breathing room—don't fill every inch
### Avoid (Common Mistakes)
- **Don't repeat the same layout** — vary columns, cards, and callouts across slides
- **Don't center body text** — left-align paragraphs and lists; center only titles
- **Don't skimp on size contrast** — titles need 36pt+ to stand out from 14-16pt body
- **Don't default to blue** — pick colors that reflect the specific topic
- **Don't mix spacing randomly** — choose 0.3" or 0.5" gaps and use consistently
- **Don't style one slide and leave the rest plain** — commit fully or keep it simple throughout
- **Don't create text-only slides** — add images, icons, charts, or visual elements; avoid plain title + bullets
- **Don't forget text box padding** — when aligning lines or shapes with text edges, set `margin: 0` on the text box or offset the shape to account for padding
- **Don't use low-contrast elements** — icons AND text need strong contrast against the background; avoid light text on light backgrounds or dark text on dark backgrounds
- **NEVER use accent lines under titles** — these are a hallmark of AI-generated slides; use whitespace or background color instead
---
## QA (Required)
**Assume there are problems. Your job is to find them.**
Your first render is almost never correct. Approach QA as a bug hunt, not a confirmation step. If you found zero issues on first inspection, you weren't looking hard enough.
### Content QA
```bash
python -m markitdown output.pptx
```
Check for missing content, typos, wrong order.
**When using templates, check for leftover placeholder text:**
