New Chinese Ink
Ink on rice paper with one vermilion seal — the red block is pressed, not printed, and it is the only loud thing.
Construction · Letterpress
Every element is pressed into the page rather than placed on it: an inner shade at the top of the dent, a light line at the bottom, and no outer shadow at all.
Every style renders this same screen, so the only thing changing between two of them is the style. The component above is the file below, running.
Prompt
Design this interface in the New Chinese Ink style. Ink on rice paper with a single vermilion seal. Unhurried grey-black serif over warm paper grain, thin rules dividing sections the way a mounted scroll does, and one red block — pressed into the sheet — as the only place the eye is sent. Build every surface the Letterpress way: Every element is pressed into the page rather than placed on it: an inner shade at the top of the dent, a light line at the bottom, and no outer shadow at all. Use exactly these values: background #f7f3e8, surfaces #fdfaf1, text #2b2722, secondary text #655d4f, accent #a92c1e with #fdf6ec on it; corner radius 0/2/4px; 1px solid borders; no shadows of any kind; Palatino Linotype for body at 15px, line height 1.65; 4px spacing grid, generous breathing room. Never: gradients of any kind; more than one red element in view; saturated color outside the seal; dense compact rows; gloss, glass or drop shadows. Dark mode uses background #17140f, surfaces #201c15, text #ece5d3, accent #d8543f — the same style, not an inverted one.
The numbers in this prompt are printed from the tokens below, so it cannot drift from what the specimen renders.
What carries the look
- rice paper grain
- vermilion seal block
- mounted-scroll rules
- unhurried oldstyle serif
What this style refuses
- gradients of any kind
- more than one red element in view
- saturated color outside the seal
- dense compact rows
- gloss, glass or drop shadows
The refusals are the half that keeps generated interfaces from converging — a prompt that only says what to add gets the default look.
Tokens
Palette
#f7f3e8#17140f#fdfaf1#201c15#cfc7b2#3a342a#2b2722#ece5d3#655d4f#a89e8b#a92c1e#d8543f#fdf6ec#2a0a04Shape and type
Measured contrast — body 13.38:1 light, 14.62:1 dark; secondary text 5.86:1 and 6.93:1. Every pair clears WCAG AA in both themes, checked on each build.
Specimen · Specimen.tsx
import type { CSSProperties } from "react";
/**
* Vibary · New Chinese Ink
*
* Ink on rice paper with one vermilion seal — the red block is pressed, not printed, and it is the only loud thing.
*
* One complete product screen, rendered from the token object below —
* the same screen every other Vibary specimen renders, so the style
* is the only variable. Self-contained: React only, no CSS file, no
* assets, no chart library.
*
* `theme` defaults to following the system setting; pass "light" or
* "dark" to pin one.
*/
export const TOKENS = {
"material": "letterpress",
"color": {
"light": {
"bg": "#f7f3e8",
"surface": "#fdfaf1",
"border": "#cfc7b2",
"text": "#2b2722",
"muted": "#655d4f",
"accent": "#a92c1e",
"accentText": "#fdf6ec"
},
"dark": {
"bg": "#17140f",
"surface": "#201c15",
"border": "#3a342a",
"text": "#ece5d3",
"muted": "#a89e8b",
"accent": "#d8543f",
"accentText": "#2a0a04"
}
},
"radius": {
"sm": 0,
"md": 2,
"lg": 4,
"pill": 999
},
"border": {
"width": 1,
"style": "solid"
},
"shadow": {
"level": "none",
"value": "none"
},
"type": {
"family": {
"display": "\"Palatino Linotype\", Palatino, \"Book Antiqua\", Georgia, serif",
"body": "\"Palatino Linotype\", Palatino, \"Book Antiqua\", Georgia, serif",
"mono": "\"Courier New\", Courier, \"Nimbus Mono PS\", monospace"
},
"scale": [
11,
13,
15,
17,
24,
34
],
"weight": {
"body": 400,
"strong": 600,
"display": 700
},
"lineHeight": 1.65,
"tracking": 0.01
},
"space": {
"unit": 4,
"density": "roomy"
},
"effects": {
"surface": "grain",
"accentStyle": "block",
"separator": "rule",
"labelCase": "none",
"blur": 0
}
};
type Palette = typeof TOKENS.color.light;
export type NewChineseInkSpecimenProps = {
theme?: "system" | "light" | "dark";
/** Scopes the custom properties; only matters if you render two. */
scope?: string;
};
function vars(palette: Palette): string {
return [
`--sp-bg: ${palette.bg}`,
`--sp-surface: ${palette.surface}`,
`--sp-border: ${palette.border}`,
`--sp-text: ${palette.text}`,
`--sp-muted: ${palette.muted}`,
`--sp-accent: ${palette.accent}`,
`--sp-accent-text: ${palette.accentText}`,
].join("; ");
}
/** Fixed content: identical in every specimen, on purpose. */
const NAV: readonly { label: string; path: string }[] = [
{ label: "Overview", path: "M3 9.5 9 4.5l6 5V15a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-2.5v-4h-5v4H4a1 1 0 0 1-1-1z" },
{ label: "Orders", path: "M4 5h10l-1 9H5zM7 5V3.5h4V5" },
{ label: "Customers", path: "M9 9a2.6 2.6 0 1 0 0-5.2A2.6 2.6 0 0 0 9 9M3.6 15.4c0-2.4 2.4-3.8 5.4-3.8s5.4 1.4 5.4 3.8" },
{ label: "Reports", path: "M4.5 15V8M9 15V4.5M13.5 15v-4.5" },
{ label: "Settings", path: "M9 11.4A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 9 6.6a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 0 4.8M9 2.6v1.4M9 14v1.4M15.4 9H14M4 9H2.6M13.5 4.5l-1 1M5.5 12.5l-1 1M13.5 13.5l-1-1M5.5 5.5l-1-1" },
];
const STATS: readonly { label: string; value: string; delta: string; up: boolean }[] = [
{ label: "Revenue", value: "$48,290", delta: "+12.4%", up: true },
{ label: "Orders", value: "1,284", delta: "+3.1%", up: true },
{ label: "Refunds", value: "42", delta: "-1.8%", up: false },
];
const BARS: readonly { day: string; value: number }[] = [
{ day: "M", value: 0.42 },
{ day: "T", value: 0.61 },
{ day: "W", value: 0.38 },
{ day: "T", value: 0.74 },
{ day: "F", value: 0.93 },
{ day: "S", value: 0.55 },
{ day: "S", value: 0.29 },
];
const ROWS: readonly { name: string; meta: string; state: string; amount: string }[] = [
{ name: "Kyoto Print Co.", meta: "Invoice 2841", state: "Paid", amount: "420.00" },
{ name: "Aurora Supply", meta: "Invoice 2839", state: "Pending", amount: "186.50" },
{ name: "Northwind Studio", meta: "Invoice 2836", state: "Overdue", amount: "678.00" },
];
const SWITCHES: readonly { label: string; on: boolean }[] = [
{ label: "Auto-pay invoices", on: true },
{ label: "Email receipts", on: false },
];
/**
* The material: how this style paints an element, as opposed to what
* color it paints it. This is the part that makes Letterpress
* a different design language rather than a different theme —
* Every element is pressed into the page rather than placed on it: an inner shade at the top of the dent, a light line at the bottom, and no outer shadow at all.
*/
const MATERIAL = {
"surface": {
"background": "var(--sp-surface)",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 2px 3px color-mix(in srgb, #000000 16%, transparent), inset 0 -1px 0 color-mix(in srgb, #ffffff 70%, transparent)",
"border": "1px solid color-mix(in srgb, #000000 12%, transparent)"
},
"button": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent)",
"color": "var(--sp-accent-text)",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 2px 3px color-mix(in srgb, #000000 30%, transparent), inset 0 -1px 0 color-mix(in srgb, #ffffff 40%, transparent)",
"border": "1px solid color-mix(in srgb, #000000 25%, transparent)"
},
"switchOn": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent)",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 2px 3px color-mix(in srgb, #000000 35%, transparent)",
"border": "1px solid color-mix(in srgb, #000000 22%, transparent)"
},
"switchOff": {
"background": "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 10%, var(--sp-surface))",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 2px 3px color-mix(in srgb, #000000 22%, transparent)",
"border": "1px solid color-mix(in srgb, #000000 15%, transparent)"
},
"knob": {
"background": "var(--sp-surface)",
"boxShadow": "0 1px 0 color-mix(in srgb, #ffffff 70%, transparent), inset 0 1px 0 color-mix(in srgb, #ffffff 80%, transparent)"
},
"navActive": {
"background": "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-accent) 16%, var(--sp-surface))",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 2px 3px color-mix(in srgb, #000000 14%, transparent), inset 0 -1px 0 color-mix(in srgb, #ffffff 60%, transparent)"
},
"bar": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent)",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 2px 3px color-mix(in srgb, #000000 25%, transparent)",
"border": "1px solid color-mix(in srgb, #000000 18%, transparent)"
}
};
const SURFACE_BORDER = `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`;
const ROW_SEPARATOR = "2px solid var(--sp-text)";
const RING = 0.68;
export function NewChineseInkSpecimen({ theme = "system", scope = "sp-new-chinese-ink" }: NewChineseInkSpecimenProps) {
const css =
theme === "light"
? `.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.light)}}`
: theme === "dark"
? `.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.dark)}}`
: `.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.light)}}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.dark)}}}`;
const label: CSSProperties = {
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
letterSpacing: `${TOKENS.type.tracking}em`,
textTransform: "none",
color: "var(--sp-muted)",
};
const meta: CSSProperties = {
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
color: "var(--sp-muted)",
};
const card: CSSProperties = {
...MATERIAL.surface,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.md,
padding: 19,
};
const heading: CSSProperties = {
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
};
const primary: CSSProperties = { ...MATERIAL.button, borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm };
const pill = (active: boolean): CSSProperties => ({
padding: "2px 8px",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: active
? "var(--sp-accent)"
: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 10%, transparent)",
color: active ? "var(--sp-accent-text)" : "var(--sp-muted)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
});
return (
<div
className={scope}
style={{
width: 760,
display: "flex",
background: "radial-gradient(color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 10%, transparent) 0.5px, transparent 0.5px) 0 0 / 3px 3px, radial-gradient(color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 7%, transparent) 0.5px, transparent 0.5px) 1.5px 1.5px / 4px 4px, var(--sp-bg)",
color: "var(--sp-text)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px/${TOKENS.type.lineHeight} ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
letterSpacing: `${TOKENS.type.tracking}em`,
overflow: "hidden",
position: "relative",
}}
>
<style>{css}</style>
{/* Sidebar */}
<div
style={{
width: 176,
flex: "none",
display: "flex",
flexDirection: "column",
gap: 4,
padding: 24,
borderRight: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-surface) 70%, transparent)",
}}
>
<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 8, marginBottom: 18 }}>
<span
style={{
width: 22,
height: 22,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
background: "var(--sp-accent)",
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
color: "var(--sp-accent-text)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
}}
>
N
</span>
<span
style={{
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
}}
>
Northwind
</span>
</div>
{NAV.map((item, index) => (
<span
key={item.label}
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
gap: 9,
height: 40,
padding: "0 9px",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
...(index === 0 ? MATERIAL.navActive : null),
color: index === 0 ? "var(--sp-accent)" : "var(--sp-muted)",
font: `${index === 0 ? TOKENS.type.weight.strong : TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
}}
>
<svg width="17" height="17" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" aria-hidden="true">
<path
d={item.path}
stroke="currentColor"
strokeWidth={index === 0 ? 1.7 : 1.3}
strokeLinecap="round"
strokeLinejoin="round"
/>
</svg>
{item.label}
</span>
))}
<span style={{ flex: 1 }} />
<span
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
gap: 8,
paddingTop: 18,
borderTop: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
}}
>
<span
style={{
width: 26,
height: 26,
flex: "none",
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 12%, transparent)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
}}
>
MK
</span>
<span style={{ minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ display: "block", font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
Mika Ito
</span>
<span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>Finance</span>
</span>
</span>
</div>
{/* Main */}
<div
style={{
flex: 1,
minWidth: 0,
display: "flex",
flexDirection: "column",
gap: 18,
padding: 24,
}}
>
{/* Header */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 10 }}>
<span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ ...label, display: "block" }}>March 2026</span>
<span
style={{
display: "block",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[4]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: `${TOKENS.type.tracking}em`,
}}
>
Overview
</span>
</span>
<span
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
gap: 7,
padding: "7px 11px",
background: "var(--sp-surface)",
border: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
color: "var(--sp-muted)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
}}
>
<svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" aria-hidden="true">
<circle cx="8" cy="8" r="5.4" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" />
<path d="M12.4 12.4 16 16" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" strokeLinecap="round" />
</svg>
Search
</span>
<span
style={{
...primary,
padding: "8px 13px",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
}}
>
New report
</span>
</div>
{/* Stats */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 18 }}>
{STATS.map((stat) => (
<div key={stat.label} style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ ...label, display: "block" }}>{stat.label}</span>
<span
style={{
display: "block",
marginTop: 3,
fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[4]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
}}
>
{stat.value}
</span>
<span style={{ display: "inline-flex", marginTop: 6, ...pill(stat.up) }}>
{stat.delta}
</span>
</div>
))}
</div>
{/* Chart + ring */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 18 }}>
<div style={{ ...card, flex: 1.6, minWidth: 0 }}>
<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "baseline", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
<span style={heading}>Revenue by day</span>
<span style={meta}>7 days</span>
</div>
<div
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "flex-end",
gap: 7,
height: 104,
marginTop: 10,
}}
>
{BARS.map((bar, index) => (
<span key={index} style={{ flex: 1, display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", alignItems: "center", gap: 5 }}>
<span
style={{
width: "100%",
height: bar.value * 86,
borderRadius: `${TOKENS.radius.sm}px ${TOKENS.radius.sm}px 0 0`,
...(index === 4
? MATERIAL.bar
: {
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-accent) 32%, var(--sp-surface))",
border: SURFACE_BORDER,
}),
}}
/>
<span style={meta}>{bar.day}</span>
</span>
))}
</div>
</div>
<div style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0, display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 12 }}>
<span
style={{
width: 74,
height: 74,
flex: "none",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
background: `conic-gradient(var(--sp-accent) 0turn ${RING}turn, color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 12%, transparent) ${RING}turn 1turn)`,
}}
>
<span
style={{
width: 52,
height: 52,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: "var(--sp-surface)",
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.mono}`,
}}
>
68%
</span>
</span>
<span style={{ minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ ...heading, display: "block" }}>Budget</span>
<span style={{ ...meta, display: "block", marginTop: 4 }}>Spent $34,120</span>
<span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>Left $16,170</span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
{/* Table + controls */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 18 }}>
<div style={{ ...card, flex: 1.6, minWidth: 0, padding: 0, overflow: "hidden" }}>
<div
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
justifyContent: "space-between",
padding: `${19}px ${19}px 8px`,
}}
>
<span style={heading}>Recent orders</span>
<span style={{ color: "var(--sp-accent)", font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
View all
</span>
</div>
{ROWS.map((row, index) => (
<div
key={row.name}
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
gap: 10,
height: 52,
padding: `0 ${19}px`,
borderTop: ROW_SEPARATOR,
}}
>
<span
style={{
width: 24,
height: 24,
flex: "none",
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 9%, transparent)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.mono}`,
}}
>
{row.name.slice(0, 1)}
</span>
<span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ display: "block", font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
{row.name}
</span>
<span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>{row.meta}</span>
</span>
<span style={pill(index === 0)}>{row.state}</span>
<span
style={{
width: 66,
textAlign: "right",
fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.mono}`,
}}
>
{row.amount}
</span>
</div>
))}
</div>
<div style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0, display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: 10 }}>
<span style={heading}>Preferences</span>
{SWITCHES.map((item) => (
<span key={item.label} style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 10 }}>
<span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0, font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
{item.label}
</span>
<span
style={{
width: 34,
height: 20,
flex: "none",
position: "relative",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
...(item.on ? MATERIAL.switchOn : MATERIAL.switchOff),
}}
>
<span
style={{
position: "absolute",
top: 3,
left: item.on ? 17 : 3,
width: 14,
height: 14,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
...MATERIAL.knob,
}}
/>
</span>
</span>
))}
<span style={{ marginTop: 2 }}>
<span style={{ display: "flex", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
<span style={meta}>Alert threshold</span>
<span style={{ ...meta, fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums" }}>62%</span>
</span>
<span
style={{
display: "block",
position: "relative",
height: 5,
marginTop: 7,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 14%, transparent)",
}}
>
<span
style={{
position: "absolute",
inset: "0 38% 0 0",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: "var(--sp-accent)",
}}
/>
<span
style={{
position: "absolute",
top: -5,
left: "62%",
width: 15,
height: 15,
marginLeft: -7,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: "var(--sp-surface)",
border: `2px solid var(--sp-accent)`,
}}
/>
</span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
);
}
export default NewChineseInkSpecimen;