Look Storage System Documentation

Learn how to create, manage, and apply brand looks for consistent, professional PDF generation. Master colors, typography, layouts, and more.

Getting Started

The Look Storage System allows you to create and save brand presets ("Looks") that ensure consistent styling across all your PDF documents. Think of it as your brand kit for PDF generation.

1
Create a Look

Define colors, fonts, and layout preferences for your brand.

2
Upload Assets

Add logos, extract colors from websites, choose fonts.

3
Generate PDFs

Select your Look when generating PDFs for consistent branding.

Pro Tip: Set one Look as "Default" to automatically use it when generating new PDFs. You can always override this for individual documents.

Look Storage System

A "Look" is a comprehensive design preset that includes colors, typography, layout settings, and decorative elements. Creating looks ensures brand consistency and saves time when generating multiple documents.

What's Included in a Look

11 Color Options
  • Primary & Secondary colors
  • Accent for highlights
  • Background & Text colors
  • Link, Border, Success, Warning, Error
Typography Settings
  • Heading & Body font families
  • Base font size & heading scale
  • Line height & letter spacing
Layout Options
  • Page size (A4, Letter, Legal)
  • Portrait or Landscape orientation
  • Custom margins
  • Header & Footer styles
Decorative Elements
  • Divider styles (line, dots, gradient)
  • Border & corner styling
  • Shadow effects
  • Watermarks & Logo placement

Style Presets

Choose from 8 professionally designed style presets as starting points:

Modern
Contemporary design with bold accents
📜
Classic
Timeless elegance with traditional elements
◻️
Minimal
Clean and distraction-free
💪
Bold
Strong colors and impactful typography
👑
Elegant
Sophisticated with refined details
🎨
Creative
Artistic and expressive design
💼
Corporate
Professional business styling
📚
Academic
Scholarly and research-focused

Uploading Assets

Upload logos and brand assets to include in your PDFs. We support modern upload patterns with drag-and-drop, progress tracking, and cloud storage.

Supported Formats

Logos & Images
  • • PNG (recommended for transparency)
  • • JPG/JPEG (photos)
  • • SVG (scalable graphics)
  • • WebP (modern format)
Size Limits
  • • Max file size: 10MB
  • • Recommended: <2MB
  • • Logo ideal: 500x200px
  • • Min resolution: 150 DPI
Best Practices
  • • Use transparent backgrounds
  • • Provide light & dark versions
  • • High resolution for print
  • • Simple designs work best

Upload Workflow

1
Drag & Drop or Click

Drag files into the upload zone or click to browse. Multi-file upload supported.

2
Automatic Validation

Files are validated for type, size, and format. Clear error messages guide corrections.

3
Progress Tracking

Real-time progress bar shows upload status. Large files use chunked upload for reliability.

4
Cloud Storage

Files are securely stored in cloud storage with automatic optimization.

5
Preview & Adjust

Preview uploaded assets, adjust placement, and choose sizing options.

Security: All uploads use encrypted connections (HTTPS) and are scanned for security. Files are stored with randomized names for privacy.

Color Extraction from Websites

Extract brand colors directly from any website using our AI-powered color extraction tool. Simply enter a URL and we'll analyze the site's color palette.

How It Works

Enter URL
Paste any website address
AI Analysis
We analyze the site's design
Extract Colors
Primary, secondary, accent
Apply to Look
Review and customize

Extracted Colors

The extraction process identifies these key colors:

Primary Color

The dominant brand color, used for headers and key elements.

Secondary Color

Supporting color for subheadings and secondary elements.

Accent Color

Eye-catching color for buttons, links, and highlights.

Background & Text

Page background and default text colors for readability.

Pro Tip: After extraction, you can fine-tune each color individually. The extracted colors are starting points, not final values.

Typography Guide

Typography is crucial for readability and brand identity. We support 18+ open-source Google Fonts optimized for both screen and print.

Recommended Font Families

Inter
Sans-serif
Body text, headings, UI

Modern, highly readable. Perfect for digital and print.

400500600700
Roboto
Sans-serif
Body text, technical documents

Google's signature font. Clean and versatile.

300400500700
Open Sans
Sans-serif
Body text, newsletters

Friendly and highly legible at all sizes.

300400600700
Lato
Sans-serif
Body text, corporate

Warm and stable. Great for professional documents.

300400700900
Montserrat
Sans-serif
Headings, branding

Geometric and elegant. Perfect for headings.

300400500600700
Playfair Display
Serif
Headings, certificates

Elegant and sophisticated. Ideal for luxury brands.

400500600700
Merriweather
Serif
Body text, books, articles

Designed for readability on screens and print.

300400700900
Lora
Serif
Body text, editorial

Contemporary serif with calligraphic roots.

400500600700

Typography Settings Explained

Base Font Size

Default text size. 10-12pt for print, 14-16pt for screens.

Range: 8-24 points
Recommended: 12pt
Heading Scale

Multiplier for heading sizes relative to body text.

Range: 1.125 - 1.618
Recommended: 1.25 (Minor Third)
Line Height

Vertical space between lines. Higher values improve readability.

Range: 1.0 - 2.0
Recommended: 1.5-1.6
Letter Spacing

Horizontal space between characters.

Range: -0.05 - 0.1 em
Recommended: 0 (normal)
Font Pairing: Pair a serif heading font with a sans-serif body font, or vice versa, for visual contrast. Example: Playfair Display + Inter.

PDF Types & Standards

Different PDF types serve different purposes. Choose the right format based on your document's intended use.

Common PDF Types

📊
Business Report

Professional reports with headers, sections, and data visualization.

Executive summaryCharts & tablesPage numbers
💰
Invoice

Financial documents with line items, totals, and payment details.

Company brandingLine itemsTax calculations
📝
Proposal

Business proposals with sections for overview, pricing, and terms.

Cover pageScope of workPricing table
📃
Contract

Legal agreements with signature blocks and clause formatting.

Legal formattingSignature blocksClause numbering
👤
Resume/CV

Professional resume with contact info, experience, and skills.

Contact headerExperience timelineSkills section
🏆
Certificate

Award certificates, diplomas, and recognition documents.

Ornate bordersSignature linesSeal placement
📰
Brochure

Marketing materials with images, sections, and call-to-actions.

Multi-column layoutImage galleriesCTA buttons
📽️
Presentation

Slide-based documents for sharing presentation content.

Slide layoutSpeaker notesVisual hierarchy
📚
eBook

Long-form content with chapters, navigation, and reading features.

Chapter navigationBookmarksTable of contents

PDF Standards

📄
Standard PDF

Universal PDF format for general use. Works everywhere.

General documentsOnline sharingEmail attachments
🗄️
PDF/A (Archival)

Long-term preservation format. Embeds all content for future access.

Legal contractsGovernment recordsHistorical documentsCompliance archives
🖨️
PDF/X (Print)

Print-ready format with embedded colors and fonts for accurate reproduction.

Marketing materialsBrochuresPostersProfessional printing
⚙️
PDF/E (Engineering)

Technical documents with support for 3D, animations, and large formats.

CAD drawingsTechnical manualsEngineering specsBlueprints
PDF/UA (Accessible)

Universal accessibility standard for screen readers and assistive technology.

Public documentsGovernment sitesEducational materialsADA compliance

Security & Copy Protection

Protect your PDF documents from unauthorized access, copying, and distribution with multiple layers of security.

Security Levels

🔓
No Security

Document is fully open with no restrictions.

  • Anyone can view
  • Copy & print allowed
  • Editing allowed
🔒
Basic Protection

Prevent casual copying while allowing printing.

  • Copying disabled
  • Printing allowed
  • No password required
🛡️
Standard Protection

Balanced security for most business documents.

  • Copy & edit disabled
  • Print allowed
  • Form filling restricted
🔐
High Security

Maximum protection for sensitive documents.

  • Password required
  • All copying disabled
  • Print restricted

Protection Options

Printing

Control whether users can print the document.

Text Copying

Prevent text from being copied and pasted elsewhere.

Editing

Block modifications to the document content.

Form Filling

Control access to fillable form fields.

Annotations

Allow or block comments and highlights.

Password Protection

Require a password to open the document.

Important: PDF security is not foolproof. Determined users with specialized tools may bypass restrictions. Security measures are deterrents, not guarantees.

Accessibility (ADA/WCAG)

Create accessible PDFs that work with screen readers and assistive technology. Compliance with accessibility standards is required for many organizations.

Accessibility Levels

Basic Accessibility
Minimal compliance

Essential tags and language settings for basic screen reader support.

🅰️
WCAG Level A
Minimum legal requirement

Meets minimum Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 Level A).

🅰️🅰️
WCAG Level AA
Recommended for public docs

Recommended accessibility level for most organizations.

PDF/UA Compliant
ADA & Section 508

Full ISO 14289 compliance for universal accessibility.

Key Accessibility Features

Structure Tags

Semantic tags (headings, lists, tables) help screen readers understand document structure.

Reading Order

Defines the logical sequence content should be read, especially important for multi-column layouts.

Alternative Text

Text descriptions of images allow visually impaired users to understand visual content.

Document Language

Specifies the language for correct pronunciation by text-to-speech software.

Bookmarks

Navigation aids generated from headings help users jump to sections.

Color Contrast

Ensures text has sufficient contrast (4.5:1 minimum) for readability.

Legal Requirements: ADA (US), Section 508 (federal agencies), and the European Accessibility Act require accessible digital documents for public-facing content.

Best Practices

Follow these best practices to create professional, consistent, and accessible PDFs.

Start with a Style Preset

Choose a preset that matches your brand personality, then customize. This ensures all settings work well together.

  • Modern/Minimal for tech companies
  • Classic/Elegant for law firms and luxury brands
  • Corporate for traditional businesses
  • Creative for design and marketing
Use Consistent Colors

Stick to your brand colors across all documents. Limit accent colors for impact.

  • Primary color for headings and key elements
  • Use accent sparingly for CTAs
  • Ensure sufficient contrast for accessibility
  • Test colors in print if printing is expected
Choose Readable Fonts

Prioritize readability over style. Sans-serif fonts work best for screens.

  • 12pt minimum for body text
  • Pair fonts with contrast (serif + sans-serif)
  • Limit to 2 font families per document
  • Use font weight for hierarchy, not just size
Mind Your Margins

Proper margins improve readability and ensure content isn't cut off when printing.

  • 1 inch (2.54cm) margins are standard
  • Wider margins look more elegant
  • Account for binding if printing booklets
  • Leave space for headers and footers
Always Include Alt Text

Every image should have descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO.

  • Describe the image content, not "image of"
  • Keep it concise but informative
  • Include relevant data for charts
  • Mark decorative images as such
Test Before Publishing

Always preview your PDF in different viewers and test with accessibility tools.

  • Check on both Windows and Mac
  • Test with a screen reader if possible
  • Print a test page to verify colors
  • Click all links to verify they work