This system defaults to a 12-unit grid: 3 Columns wide by 4 Rows tall. This gives you clean halves, thirds, and quarters. The grid can change (a page might use 3×3 or 4×6), but when it does, the dimensions are declared once at the top of the script (e.g. GRID 3x3). Every shortcode on that page is then read against those declared dimensions, not the default.
The grid is proportional, not pixel-based. The same shortcodes work identically whether your page is A5, A4, A3, A2, or any custom trim size. Just scale the page; the ratios never change.
[Width × Height @ Col,Row]
Columns run 1→3 left to right. Rows run 1→4 top to bottom. These are the defaults. A non-standard grid must be declared at the top of the script.
All examples below assume the default 3×4 grid. On a different grid, the same shortcode covers a different proportion of the page.
A cinematic establishing shot claims the top half, then six small reaction or detail panels fill the bottom. Great for action reveals or environmental intros.
Three essential techniques for non-standard panel arrangements, where tension lives between the beats.
With 3 columns, a perfect 50/50 vertical split is impossible. Instead, choose an intentional tension:
Bookend a large center action panel with two wide establishing strips (top and bottom) for a widescreen film feel.
A large [2×2 @2,2] block anchors the right side, leaving Column 1 and Row 1 open for an irregular "L-shaped" arrangement of small panels around it. Creates visual weight and asymmetry.
Use Height 2. A [3×2] panel takes up exactly half the page vertically.
Use Width 1 or Width 2. Columns divide the page into thirds horizontally.
Use Height 1. A [3×1] panel is exactly one quarter of the page height.
Always list Rows 1–4 top to bottom. Row 1 is always the topmost.
Always list Columns 1–3 left to right. Column 1 is always the leftmost.
3 columns means no even vertical split. Choose [1×4] + [2×4] for intentional asymmetry.
All ratios are proportional. A5, A4, A3, A2: same shortcodes, same splits. Scale the page, never the system.
Non-default grid? Declare it once at the top: GRID 3x3. All shortcodes on that page use those dimensions.
Set your grid dimensions, then draw panels by clicking and dragging. Or switch to lookup mode to paste a shortcode and see where it lands.
This guide was conceived, developed, and authored by Julian Maiz under the banner of Mandatory Pictures.
The shortcode notation system described here, including the grid format, layout scenarios, and naming conventions, was developed by Julian Maiz with the assistance of Claude, a chatbot by Anthropic, which helped structure, illustrate, and build the interactive components of this guide.
This is a personal working system, not an established industry standard. While every effort has been made to ensure originality, some conceptual material may have been influenced by sources encountered during research without full attribution being possible. If you recognise ideas here as originating from your work, please reach out.
The framework in this guide was developed with the assistance of LLM-based chatbot tools, which may have drawn on a wide range of sources during generation. No specific originating source for the shortcode system could be identified or verified. This guide represents a developed, expanded, and credited version of that work.