diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6568afd..408273d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,13 +13,22 @@ Harbor palette to Ash.
 
 ## Variants
 
+### Ash Dark
+
+![Ash Dark palette](images/ash-dark-palette.png)
+
+### Ash Light
+
+![Ash Light palette](images/ash-light-palette.png)
+
 | Theme dir  | Style | Base surfaces                    | Accent |
 |------------|-------|----------------------------------|--------|
 | `ash-dark` | dark  | void `#100f12`, panel `#1c1b1f`, raised `#29282c`, bone `#e6dfd1` | ember `#e0914f` |
-| `ash-light`| light | paper `#e9e3d5`, raised `#f2ecdf`, deep `#dcd5c3`, ink `#2a2822` | ember `#a85f1d` |
+| `ash-light`| light | paper `#e9e3d5` / ink `#2a2822` · raised `#f2ecdf`, deep `#dcd5c3` | ember `#a85f1d` |
 
 Accents: ember, gold, blood, rot, moss, steel, violet, rust (see
 `tools/recolor.py` for the exact terminal 16-colour mapping).
+Regenerate the swatch images above with `python3 tools/make_palette_images.py .`.
 
 ## Install (local)
 
diff --git a/images/ash-dark-palette.png b/images/ash-dark-palette.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee760db
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/ash-dark-palette.png differ
diff --git a/images/ash-light-palette.png b/images/ash-light-palette.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..911cc0e
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/ash-light-palette.png differ
diff --git a/tools/make_palette_images.py b/tools/make_palette_images.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52f1d60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/make_palette_images.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Render the Ash palette swatch images used in the README (blog-style strips).
+
+Usage: python3 tools/make_palette_images.py <repo-root>
+Requires: ImageMagick (convert).
+"""
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+SW = 120          # swatch width
+SH = 80           # swatch height
+GAP = 14          # horizontal gap
+COLS = 8
+PAD = 24          # outer padding
+LABEL_H = 40      # two text lines under a swatch
+ROW_H = SH + LABEL_H
+
+VARIANTS = {
+    "light": {
+        "bg": "#e9e3d5", "fg": "#2a2822", "stroke": "#c9c1ad",
+        "rows": [
+            [("paper", "#e9e3d5"), ("raised", "#f2ecdf"), ("deep", "#dcd5c3"),
+             ("border", "#c9c1ad"), ("muted", "#6f685c"), ("icon", "#5b5449"),
+             ("ink", "#2a2822"), ("ink dark", "#141310")],
+            [("ember", "#a85f1d"), ("gold", "#8a6a24"), ("blood", "#96392a"),
+             ("rot", "#7c4a66"), ("moss", "#5c6631"), ("steel", "#3d6b72"),
+             ("violet", "#6a4c72"), ("rust", "#7d4a2c")],
+        ],
+    },
+    "dark": {
+        "bg": "#100f12", "fg": "#e6dfd1", "stroke": "#3a383d",
+        "rows": [
+            [("void", "#100f12"), ("panel", "#1c1b1f"), ("raised", "#29282c"),
+             ("border", "#3a383d"), ("ash", "#6d6a63"), ("stone", "#999187"),
+             ("bone", "#e6dfd1"), ("chalk", "#f3ede1")],
+            [("ember", "#e0914f"), ("gold", "#d6b46a"), ("blood", "#c15c46"),
+             ("rot", "#b47e99"), ("moss", "#8f9a5c"), ("steel", "#7c9aa1"),
+             ("violet", "#a585ac"), ("rust", "#a86a48")],
+        ],
+    },
+}
+
+
+def render(variant, cfg, out):
+    width = PAD * 2 + COLS * SW + (COLS - 1) * GAP
+    height = PAD * 2 + len(cfg["rows"]) * ROW_H
+    args = ["convert", "-size", f"{width}x{height}", f"xc:{cfg['bg']}",
+            "-font", "DejaVu-Sans"]
+    for r, row in enumerate(cfg["rows"]):
+        for c, (name, color) in enumerate(row):
+            x = PAD + c * (SW + GAP)
+            y = PAD + r * ROW_H
+            args += ["-fill", color, "-stroke", cfg["stroke"], "-strokewidth", "1",
+                     "-draw", f"rectangle {x},{y} {x + SW},{y + SH}"]
+            cx = x + SW // 2 - width // 2  # gravity North anchors at top-center
+            args += ["-stroke", "none", "-fill", cfg["fg"],
+                     "-pointsize", "14", "-gravity", "North",
+                     "-annotate", f"+{cx}+{y + SH + 6}", name]
+            args += ["-pointsize", "13", "-fill", cfg["fg"], "-stroke", "none",
+                     "-gravity", "North",
+                     "-annotate", f"+{cx}+{y + SH + 24}", color]
+    args.append(str(out))
+    subprocess.run(args, check=True)
+
+
+def main():
+    root = Path(sys.argv[1]).resolve()
+    img_dir = root / "images"
+    img_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    for variant, cfg in VARIANTS.items():
+        out = img_dir / f"ash-{variant}-palette.png"
+        render(variant, cfg, out)
+        print(f"wrote {out.relative_to(root)}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()