scientific-figure-polish

Scientific Figure Polish

Apply the user's FEAST-derived figure style: compact, organized, readable, and scientifically faithful. Current user instructions override these defaults. Read style-reference.md for visual conventions and examples. For direct PDF edits, also read pdf-editing.md and use the available PDF skill for its format-specific requirements.

Priorities

1. Preserve scientific meaning and the author's current edits.
2. Retain the original figure's compact density and organize the content on a clear grid.
3. Match the size and alignment of comparable units.
4. Make equivalent text levels consistent and readable.

Tighten internal gaps before extending the artwork; cropping outside margins alone does not fix a loose composition. Preserve compactness jointly with readability.

Compactness and readability are joint constraints. If larger text does not fit, first share repeated annotations, repair wrapping, reduce gaps, or rebalance groups. Do not force the old footprint with unreadable text or overlaps. Use the smallest necessary geometry adjustment and explain a material expansion; changing scientific content requires separate justification.

Establish the current baseline

• Inspect the actual current artwork before editing. The author also modifies files manually. When replacing shared or manually edited artwork, retain a recoverable baseline and check for intervening author edits; hashes can help identify the exact source. A read-only review does not need a backup workflow.
• Treat the latest author-approved artwork as authoritative. Plotting sources or retained component figures may predate manual changes. Rebuild only when their scientific content and author adjustments can be preserved.
• For density comparisons, “original” defaults to the current supplied figure before this edit. If the author identifies an earlier version as the compactness reference, use that version's organization while preserving the current scientific content and manual edits.
• Review every unit in the requested scope. An all-figure scan includes main and supplementary figures; a named-figure request stays within that scope.
• Render the whole figure and inspect dense details. Identify panel roles, comparable families, annotation levels, and the original density before changing geometry.
• Optionally use scripts/figure_inventory.py for a read-only PDF inventory and review previews. Its measurements support inspection; they do not prove correct alignment or scientific fidelity.