diff --git a/web/static/app.css b/web/static/app.css
index ad82384..efecc21 100644
--- a/web/static/app.css
+++ b/web/static/app.css
@@ -1,62 +1,137 @@
+/* ===============================
+   Illustrations DB — app.css
+   =============================== */
+
 :root{
-  --bg:#f7f9fc;
-  --card:#ffffff;
-  --ink:#1f2937;
-  --ink-muted:#6b7280;
-  --border:#e5e7eb;
-  --brand:#2f6cab;   /* JW-like blue vibe */
-  --brand-800:#1f4c7a;
-  --danger:#b91c1c;
+  /* palette (JW-ish, soft blues / neutrals) */
+  --bg: #f7f9fc;
+  --card: #ffffff;
+  --ink: #1f2937;
+  --ink-muted: #6b7280;
+  --border: #e5e7eb;
+
+  --brand: #2f6cab;
+  --brand-800: #1f4c7a;
+
+  --danger: #b91c1c;
+
+  --btn-bg: #ffffff;
+  --btn-border: #d1d5db;
+  --btn-hover: #eef2f7;
 }
 
+/* ----- base ----- */
 *{box-sizing:border-box}
-body{margin:0;background:var(--bg);color:var(--ink);font:16px/1.5 system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial}
-.container{max-width:1000px;margin:24px auto;padding:0 16px}
+html,body{height:100%}
+body{
+  margin:0;
+  background:var(--bg);
+  color:var(--ink);
+  font:16px/1.5 system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial;
+}
+a{color:var(--brand);text-decoration:none}
+a:hover{text-decoration:underline}
+code,kbd{font-family:ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Consolas,"Liberation Mono",monospace}
 
-.page-title{font-size:28px;margin:4px 0 6px}
-.page-subtitle{color:var(--ink-muted);margin:0 0 16px}
+/* page container */
+.page{max-width:1100px;margin:18px auto;padding:0 16px}
 
-.toolbar{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;margin-bottom:12px}
-.toolbar-left{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px}
-.toolbar-right{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px}
-.toolbar-count{color:var(--ink-muted);font-size:14px}
+/* ----- buttons ----- */
+.btn{
+  appearance:none;
+  border:1px solid var(--btn-border);
+  background:var(--btn-bg);
+  padding:8px 12px;
+  border-radius:10px;
+  cursor:pointer;
+  color:var(--ink);
+  line-height:1;
+  transition:background .12s ease,border-color .12s ease,box-shadow .12s ease,filter .12s ease;
+}
+.btn:hover{background:var(--btn-hover)}
+.btn:disabled{opacity:.55;cursor:not-allowed}
+.btn-lg{padding:10px 16px;font-size:16px}
 
-.btn{appearance:none;border:1px solid var(--border);background:#fff;padding:8px 12px;border-radius:10px;cursor:pointer}
-.btn:hover{background:#f3f4f6}
-.btn:disabled{opacity:.5;cursor:not-allowed}
-.btn-wide{min-width:120px;justify-content:center}
 .btn-primary{background:var(--brand);border-color:var(--brand);color:#fff}
 .btn-primary:hover{background:var(--brand-800);border-color:var(--brand-800)}
 .btn-secondary{background:#fff;border-color:var(--border)}
+.btn-outline{background:#fff;border-color:#cbd5e1}
 .btn-danger{background:var(--danger);border-color:var(--danger);color:#fff}
-.btn-danger:hover{filter:brightness(.95)}
+.btn-danger:hover{filter:brightness(.97)}
+
+/* small utility */
 .inline{display:inline}
+.small{font-size:13px}
+.muted{color:var(--ink-muted)}
 
-.card{background:var(--card);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:16px;box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.04)}
-.card-header{padding:16px 20px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)}
-.card-title{margin:0;font-size:22px}
-.meta{margin-top:8px;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:6px}
-.card-body{padding:16px 20px}
-.grid-2{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:16px}
-.col-span-2{grid-column:1 / -1}
-
-.field .label{font-size:12px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.06em;color:var(--ink-muted);margin-bottom:4px}
-.field .value{font-size:16px}
-.prose{white-space:pre-wrap}
-
-.chip{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:999px;padding:4px 10px;background:#f8fafc;font-size:13px}
-.chip-muted{background:#f6f7f9;color:var(--ink-muted)}
+/* chips */
+.chip{
+  display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:6px;
+  padding:4px 10px;border-radius:999px;
+  border:1px solid var(--border);background:#f8fafc;font-size:13px;
+}
+.chip-muted{background:#f6f7f9;color:#64748b}
 .chip-link{background:#eef5fc;border-color:#d7e6f7}
 
-.pager{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;margin-top:16px}
-.pager-spacer{color:var(--ink-muted)}
+/* cards */
+.card{
+  background:var(--card);
+  border:1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius:16px;
+  box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.04);
+}
 
-.search-form{background:var(--card);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:16px;padding:16px 16px;margin-bottom:16px}
+/* ===============================
+   Top Navigation (keeps your look)
+   =============================== */
+.topbar-wrap{
+  border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);
+  background:#f8fafc;
+}
+.topbar{
+  max-width:1100px;margin:0 auto;padding:14px 16px; /* thicker */
+  display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;justify-content:space-between;
+  font-size:17px; /* slightly larger */
+}
+.brand{
+  display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;color:#111827;
+  text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.2px;
+}
+.brand .tagline{color:var(--ink-muted);font-weight:500;font-size:15px}
+.nav-right{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;flex-wrap:wrap}
+.user-chip{
+  padding:6px 10px;border-radius:999px;border:1px solid var(--border);
+  background:#fff;color:var(--ink-muted);font-size:14px;
+}
+
+/* Messages (Django messages) */
+.messages{margin:12px 0;display:grid;gap:8px}
+.msg{padding:10px 12px;border-radius:10px;border:1px solid #e5e7eb;background:#fff}
+.msg.info{border-color:#dbeafe;background:#eff6ff}
+.msg.success{border-color:#bbf7d0;background:#ecfdf5}
+.msg.warning{border-color:#fde68a;background:#fffbeb}
+.msg.error{border-color:#fecaca;background:#fef2f2}
+
+/* ===============================
+   Search page
+   =============================== */
+.container{max-width:1100px;margin:24px auto;padding:0 16px}
+.page-title{font-size:28px;margin:4px 0 6px}
+.page-subtitle{color:var(--ink-muted);margin:0 0 16px}
+
+.search-form{
+  background:var(--card);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:16px;
+  padding:16px;margin-bottom:16px;
+}
 .search-row{display:flex;gap:8px}
-.search-input{flex:1;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:10px 12px;font-size:16px}
+.search-input{
+  flex:1;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:10px 12px;font-size:16px;
+}
 .filter-row{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;margin-top:10px}
-
-.check-pill{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:999px;background:#fff;padding:6px 10px;cursor:pointer;gap:8px}
+.check-pill{
+  display:inline-flex;align-items:center;border:1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius:999px;background:#fff;padding:6px 10px;cursor:pointer;gap:8px;
+}
 .check-pill input{accent-color:var(--brand)}
 .check-pill:hover{background:#f9fafb}
 
@@ -64,11 +139,61 @@ body{margin:0;background:var(--bg);color:var(--ink);font:16px/1.5 system-ui, -ap
 .empty-title{font-weight:600;margin-bottom:6px}
 .empty-subtitle{color:var(--ink-muted)}
 
-.muted{color:var(--ink-muted)}
-.small{font-size:13px}
+/* ===============================
+   Result view (search results page)
+   =============================== */
+.result-wrap{max-width:1100px;margin:18px auto;padding:0 16px}
 
-@media (max-width: 780px){
-  .grid-2{grid-template-columns:1fr}
-  .toolbar{flex-direction:column;align-items:stretch}
-  .toolbar-right{justify-content:space-between}
+.result-toolbar{
+  display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:12px;
+  margin-bottom:14px;
+}
+.rt-left{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px}
+.rt-right{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px}
+.rt-count{color:#64748b;font-size:14px}
+
+/* main card */
+.result-card{
+  background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:16px;
+  box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.04);padding:18px 20px;
+}
+
+/* subject at the top, bold */
+.subject-title{
+  margin:0 0 10px;font-size:28px;line-height:1.25;font-weight:700;color:#0f172a;
+}
+
+/* illustration + application */
+.section{margin-top:10px}
+.section-label{
+  text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.06em;font-size:12px;color:#64748b;margin-bottom:4px;
+}
+.section-body{font-size:17px}
+.lead-text{font-size:18px;line-height:1.6;white-space:pre-wrap}
+
+/* meta area (smaller info below) */
+.meta-grid{
+  display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));gap:14px;
+  margin-top:16px;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid var(--border);
+}
+.meta-label{font-size:12px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.06em;color:#64748b;margin-bottom:4px}
+.meta-value{font-size:15px}
+.meta-value.small{font-size:14px;color:#475569}
+
+/* ===============================
+   Responsive
+   =============================== */
+@media (max-width:780px){
+  .topbar{gap:10px;padding:12px 12px}
+  .nav-right{gap:8px}
+  .btn{padding:8px 10px}
+  .btn-lg{padding:10px 14px}
+
+  .container,.page,.result-wrap{padding:0 12px}
+  .result-toolbar{flex-direction:column;align-items:stretch}
+  .rt-right{justify-content:space-between}
+
+  .meta-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr}
+  .subject-title{font-size:24px}
+  .lead-text{font-size:17px}
 }
\ No newline at end of file