# The loop (Russell, 2026-10-08)

1. A reference arrives from anywhere: a generator (ChatGPT, MJ, FLUX), a museum API, an authored plan, a drawing.
2. The critic reads it (critic/read.py packet + the engine passes) and checks the previous handoff's predictions.
3. If it is not what the critic asked for, or not at Hold, the artist makes the next visual reference with the native tools (compose, Hands, eraser, intentions), not by tracing: every change answers a line of the handoff.
4. The critique and the reference go back out (to a generator, or to the next sitting), and the loop repeats.
5. Hold is a recorded step (hand/step.py --tool hold) with the reason.
Every move is a ledger line (hand/step.py): tool, platform, hashed inputs/outputs, prompt verbatim, who.