diff --git a/src/App.css b/src/App.css
index 41a67ac..b4e1c36 100644
--- a/src/App.css
+++ b/src/App.css
@@ -3998,106 +3998,55 @@ body.has-player .fab-new {
 
 /* ── Journal masonry grid ── */
 
+/* ══ Journal — editorial mosaic ══════════════════════════════════════
+   A composed scrapbook: one hero feature plus an asymmetric mix of
+   banners, portraits, squares and pull-quotes. Footprints are set by the
+   layout composer; how a card paints (image / quote / text) follows its
+   content. Dense auto-flow backfills the gaps the varied spans leave. */
 .journal-grid {
   list-style: none;
-  margin: 0;
-  padding: 1rem 1.25rem 0;
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  padding: 1.25rem;
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);
+  grid-auto-rows: 9rem;
   grid-auto-flow: dense;
-  gap: 0.875rem;
-  max-width: 1100px;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  max-width: 1180px;
   width: 100%;
   box-sizing: border-box;
-  align-self: center;
 }
 
+/* ── Footprints ── */
+.journal-card--feature {
+  grid-column: span 2;
+  grid-row: span 2;
+}
+.journal-card--wide {
+  grid-column: span 2;
+}
+.journal-card--tall {
+  grid-row: span 2;
+}
+
+/* ── Shared shell ── */
 .journal-card {
+  position: relative;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
   border: 2px solid var(--color-border);
-  border-radius: 10px;
+  border-radius: 12px;
   background: var(--color-surface);
   overflow: hidden;
   cursor: pointer;
-  transition: border-color 0.15s, opacity 0.15s;
   min-width: 0;
+  transition: border-color 0.15s, transform 0.15s, box-shadow 0.15s;
 }
 
 .journal-card:hover {
   border-color: var(--color-accent);
-}
-
-/* Large: spans 2 columns, media header + body */
-.journal-card--large {
-  grid-column: span 2;
-}
-
-.journal-card--large .journal-card-media {
-  width: 100%;
-  aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  background: var(--color-bg);
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  position: relative;
-}
-
-.journal-card--large .journal-card-media .rich-content-play-overlay {
-  font-size: 2rem;
-}
-
-.journal-card--large .journal-card-media:hover .rich-content-play-overlay {
-  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
-}
-
-.journal-card--large .journal-card-media img {
-  width: 100%;
-  height: 100%;
-  object-fit: cover;
-  display: block;
-}
-
-/* Medium: icon left + content right */
-.journal-card--medium .journal-card-inner {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: flex-start;
-  gap: 0.75rem;
-  padding: 0.75rem;
-}
-
-.journal-card-icon {
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-  width: 44px;
-  height: 44px;
-  border-radius: 6px;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  background: var(--color-bg);
-  border: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  font-size: 1.4rem;
-}
-
-.journal-card-icon img {
-  width: 100%;
-  height: 100%;
-  object-fit: cover;
-  display: block;
-}
-
-/* Shared body */
-.journal-card-body {
-  padding: 0.75rem;
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 0.3rem;
-  min-width: 0;
-  flex: 1;
-}
-
-.journal-card--medium .journal-card-body {
-  padding: 0;
+  transform: translateY(-2px);
+  box-shadow: 0 6px 18px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);
 }
 
 .journal-card-title {
@@ -4105,66 +4054,191 @@ body.has-player .fab-new {
   font-size: 0.95rem;
   color: var(--color-text);
   text-decoration: none;
-  line-height: 1.35;
+  line-height: 1.3;
   word-break: break-word;
+  display: -webkit-box;
+  -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+  line-clamp: 2;
+  overflow: hidden;
 }
 
 .journal-card-title:hover {
   color: var(--color-accent);
 }
 
-.journal-card-comment {
-  font-size: 0.82rem;
-  opacity: 0.65;
-  display: -webkit-box;
-  -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  margin: 0;
-  line-height: 1.4;
-}
-
-.journal-card--large .journal-card-comment {
-  -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
-  line-clamp: 3;
-}
-
-.journal-card--medium .journal-card-comment {
-  -webkit-line-clamp: 1;
-  line-clamp: 1;
-}
-
 .journal-card-footer {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: space-between;
   gap: 0.5rem;
-  margin-top: 0.2rem;
 }
 
 .journal-card-meta {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.5rem;
-  font-size: 0.78rem;
+  font-size: 0.74rem;
   color: var(--color-text-secondary);
   flex-wrap: wrap;
+  min-width: 0;
 }
 
-/* Small: single compact row */
-.journal-card--small {
+.journal-card-vote {
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+/* ── Image cards — full-bleed thumbnail, text laid over a scrim ── */
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-image {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
+  background: var(--color-bg);
+}
+
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-image img {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  object-fit: cover;
+  display: block;
+}
+
+/* The play affordance is decorative — clicks fall through to the card, which
+   plays the embed. This keeps the hit target from being covered by the text
+   overlay on smaller card sizes. */
+.journal-card--image .rich-content-play-overlay {
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.journal-card--image:hover .rich-content-play-overlay {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-overlay {
+  position: relative;
+  margin-top: auto;
   display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-  gap: 0.5rem;
-  padding: 0.55rem 0.875rem;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.3rem;
+  padding: 1.4rem 0.8rem 0.65rem;
+  background: linear-gradient(
+    to top,
+    rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85) 0%,
+    rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.55) 55%,
+    rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 100%
+  );
 }
 
-.journal-card--small .journal-card-title {
-  flex: 1;
-  white-space: nowrap;
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-title {
+  color: #fff;
+}
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-title:hover {
+  color: var(--color-accent);
+}
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-meta {
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.78);
+}
+
+.journal-card--image .journal-card-comment {
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+  line-height: 1.4;
+  margin: 0;
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85);
+  display: -webkit-box;
+  -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+  line-clamp: 2;
   overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
-  font-size: 0.87rem;
+}
+
+.journal-card--feature .journal-card-title {
+  font-size: 1.25rem;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
+  line-clamp: 3;
+}
+
+.journal-card--square.journal-card--image .journal-card-title {
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+}
+
+/* ── Quote cards — the note is the subject, on an accent wash ── */
+.journal-card--quote {
+  padding: 0.9rem;
+  gap: 0.4rem;
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-accent) 12%, var(--color-surface));
+}
+
+.journal-card-quotemark {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: -0.5rem;
+  right: 0.4rem;
+  font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;
+  font-size: 4.5rem;
+  line-height: 1;
+  color: var(--color-accent);
+  opacity: 0.22;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.journal-card-quote-body {
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 1;
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: 0.92rem;
+  line-height: 1.45;
+  color: var(--color-text);
+  display: -webkit-box;
+  -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
+  line-clamp: 3;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.journal-card--wide.journal-card--quote .journal-card-quote-body,
+.journal-card--feature.journal-card--quote .journal-card-quote-body {
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+  line-clamp: 2;
+}
+
+.journal-card-attribution {
+  margin-top: auto;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.3rem;
+  padding-top: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.journal-card--quote .journal-card-title {
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--color-text-secondary);
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 1;
+  line-clamp: 1;
+}
+
+.journal-card--quote .journal-card-title::before {
+  content: "— ";
+}
+
+/* ── Text cards — typographic fallback for note-less, image-less dumps ── */
+.journal-card--text {
+  padding: 0.85rem;
+  gap: 0.4rem;
+}
+
+.journal-card-glyph {
+  font-size: 1.5rem;
+  line-height: 1;
+}
+
+.journal-card--text .journal-card-title {
+  font-size: 0.92rem;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
+  line-clamp: 3;
+}
+
+.journal-card--text .journal-card-footer {
+  margin-top: auto;
 }
 
 /* feed-end message */
@@ -4176,20 +4250,37 @@ body.has-player .fab-new {
   opacity: 0.55;
 }
 
-@media (max-width: 860px) {
+@media (max-width: 980px) {
+  .journal-grid {
+    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
+  }
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 680px) {
   .journal-grid {
     grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
   }
 }
 
-@media (max-width: 540px) {
+@media (max-width: 460px) {
   .journal-grid {
     grid-template-columns: 1fr;
-    padding: 0.75rem 1rem 0;
+    grid-auto-rows: auto;
+    padding: 0.85rem 1rem;
   }
 
-  .journal-card--large {
-    grid-column: span 1;
+  /* Collapse the mosaic into a single readable column. */
+  .journal-card {
+    grid-column: auto;
+    grid-row: auto;
+  }
+
+  .journal-card--image {
+    aspect-ratio: 16 / 10;
+  }
+
+  .journal-card--feature.journal-card--image {
+    aspect-ratio: 4 / 3;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/JournalCard.tsx b/src/components/JournalCard.tsx
index 02bdea1..c4c10a8 100644
--- a/src/components/JournalCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/JournalCard.tsx
@@ -7,16 +7,17 @@ import { relativeTime } from "../utils/relativeTime.ts";
 import { dumpFileUrl, dumpUrl } from "../utils/urls.ts";
 import { useAuth } from "../hooks/useAuth.ts";
 import { isDumpVisited, isRecent, markDumpVisited } from "../utils/visited.ts";
+import { hasQuote, hasThumbnail, type JournalShape } from "../utils/journalLayout.ts";
 import { VoteButton } from "./VoteButton.tsx";
 import { Markdown } from "./Markdown.tsx";
 import { Tooltip } from "./Tooltip.tsx";
 import { PlayerContext } from "../contexts/PlayerContext.ts";
 
-export type JournalTier = "large" | "medium" | "small";
+export type { JournalShape };
 
 interface JournalCardProps {
   dump: Dump;
-  tier: JournalTier;
+  shape: JournalShape;
   voteCount: number;
   voted: boolean;
   canVote: boolean;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ interface JournalCardProps {
 }
 
 export function JournalCard(
-  { dump, tier, voteCount, voted, canVote, castVote, removeVote, isOwner }:
+  { dump, shape, voteCount, voted, canVote, castVote, removeVote, isOwner }:
     JournalCardProps,
 ) {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -63,6 +64,15 @@ export function JournalCard(
     return rawThumbnail;
   })();
 
+  // Content mode is independent of grid footprint: a thumbnailed dump reads as
+  // an image card, a thumbnail-less dump with a note becomes a pull-quote, and
+  // everything else falls back to a typographic text card.
+  const mode: "image" | "quote" | "text" = hasThumbnail(dump) && thumbnailUrl
+    ? "image"
+    : hasQuote(dump)
+    ? "quote"
+    : "text";
+
   const fallbackIcon = dump.kind === "file"
     ? (() => {
       const m = dump.fileMime ?? "";
@@ -72,6 +82,8 @@ export function JournalCard(
     })()
     : "🔗";
 
+  const embedUrl = dump.richContent?.embedUrl;
+
   const titleLink = (
     <Link
       to={dumpUrl(dump)}
@@ -111,7 +123,7 @@ export function JournalCard(
   );
 
   const vote = (
-    <div onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
+    <div className="journal-card-vote" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
       <VoteButton
         dumpId={dump.id}
         count={voteCount}
@@ -123,96 +135,85 @@ export function JournalCard(
     </div>
   );
 
-  const embedUrl = dump.richContent?.embedUrl;
+  const footer = (
+    <div className="journal-card-footer">
+      {meta}
+      {vote}
+    </div>
+  );
 
-  if (tier === "large") {
-    return (
-      <li className="journal-card journal-card--large" onClick={handleNavigate}>
-        {thumbnailUrl && (
-          <div
-            className="journal-card-media"
-            onClick={embedUrl
-              ? (e) => {
-                e.stopPropagation();
-                play({
-                  kind: "embed",
-                  embedUrl,
-                  title: dump.richContent?.title,
-                  type: dump.richContent?.type ?? "unknown",
-                });
-              }
-              : undefined}
-          >
-            <img
-              src={thumbnailUrl}
-              alt={dump.title}
-              onError={(e) => {
-                (e.target as HTMLImageElement).style.display = "none";
-              }}
-            />
-            {embedUrl && (
-              <span className="rich-content-play-overlay" aria-hidden="true">
-                ▶
-              </span>
-            )}
-          </div>
-        )}
-        <div className="journal-card-body">
-          {titleLink}
-          {dump.comment && (
-            <Markdown className="journal-card-comment">{dump.comment}</Markdown>
-          )}
-          <div className="journal-card-footer">
-            {meta}
-            {vote}
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </li>
-    );
-  }
+  const className =
+    `journal-card journal-card--${shape} journal-card--${mode}`;
 
-  if (tier === "medium") {
+  if (mode === "image") {
+    // feature shows its note; tall/wide/square keep the image as the subject.
+    const showComment = shape === "feature" && !!dump.comment;
+    // For playable media the whole card plays; the title link still navigates.
+    // Keeping the handler on the <li> means the text overlay can't cover it.
     return (
       <li
-        className="journal-card journal-card--medium"
-        onClick={handleNavigate}
+        className={className}
+        onClick={embedUrl
+          ? () =>
+            play({
+              kind: "embed",
+              embedUrl,
+              title: dump.richContent?.title,
+              type: dump.richContent?.type ?? "unknown",
+            })
+          : handleNavigate}
       >
-        <div className="journal-card-inner">
-          <div className="journal-card-icon">
-            {thumbnailUrl
-              ? (
-                <img
-                  src={thumbnailUrl}
-                  alt=""
-                  onError={(e) => {
-                    (e.target as HTMLImageElement).style.display = "none";
-                  }}
-                />
-              )
-              : <span>{fallbackIcon}</span>}
-          </div>
-          <div className="journal-card-body">
-            {titleLink}
-            {dump.comment && (
-              <Markdown className="journal-card-comment">
-                {dump.comment}
-              </Markdown>
-            )}
-            <div className="journal-card-footer">
-              {meta}
-              {vote}
-            </div>
-          </div>
+        <div className="journal-card-image">
+          <img
+            src={thumbnailUrl ?? undefined}
+            alt=""
+            loading="lazy"
+            onError={(e) => {
+              (e.target as HTMLImageElement).style.visibility = "hidden";
+            }}
+          />
+          {embedUrl && (
+            <span className="rich-content-play-overlay" aria-hidden="true">
+              ▶
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </div>
+        <div className="journal-card-overlay">
+          {titleLink}
+          {showComment && (
+            <Markdown className="journal-card-comment" inline>
+              {dump.comment!}
+            </Markdown>
+          )}
+          {footer}
         </div>
       </li>
     );
   }
 
-  // small
+  if (mode === "quote") {
+    return (
+      <li className={className} onClick={handleNavigate}>
+        <span className="journal-card-quotemark" aria-hidden="true">“</span>
+        <Markdown className="journal-card-quote-body" inline>
+          {dump.comment!}
+        </Markdown>
+        <div className="journal-card-attribution">
+          {titleLink}
+          {footer}
+        </div>
+      </li>
+    );
+  }
+
+  // text
   return (
-    <li className="journal-card journal-card--small" onClick={handleNavigate}>
+    <li className={className} onClick={handleNavigate}>
+      <span className="journal-card-glyph" aria-hidden="true">
+        {fallbackIcon}
+      </span>
       {titleLink}
-      {vote}
+      {footer}
     </li>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/locales/en.po b/src/locales/en.po
index 338db72..5816c5b 100644
--- a/src/locales/en.po
+++ b/src/locales/en.po
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ msgstr "[deleted]"
 
 #. placeholder {0}: dump.commentCount
 #: src/components/DumpCard.tsx:105
-#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:98
+#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:110
 msgid "{0, plural, one {# comment} other {# comments}}"
 msgstr "{0, plural, one {# comment} other {# comments}}"
 
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ msgstr "Failed to generate invite"
 
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:82
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:36
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:48
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:33
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:36
 #: src/pages/Notifications.tsx:367
 #: src/pages/UserPublicProfile.tsx:984
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ msgstr "Loading dump…"
 
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:110
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:64
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:77
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:62
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:64
 #: src/pages/Search.tsx:242
 #: src/pages/UserDumps.tsx:93
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ msgstr "Loading profile…"
 #: src/components/UserListPopover.tsx:230
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:77
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:32
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:44
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:29
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:32
 #: src/pages/Notifications.tsx:363
 #: src/pages/Notifications.tsx:439
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ msgid "No dumps match \"{q}\"."
 msgstr "No dumps match \"{q}\"."
 
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:40
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:52
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:37
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:40
 msgid "No dumps yet. Be the first!"
 msgstr "No dumps yet. Be the first!"
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ msgid "Posting…"
 msgstr "Posting…"
 
 #: src/components/DumpCard.tsx:114
-#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:107
+#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:119
 #: src/components/PlaylistCard.tsx:73
 #: src/components/PlaylistMembershipPanel.tsx:55
 #: src/pages/Dump.tsx:416
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ msgstr "You'll be notified when someone follows your playlists, upvotes your dum
 
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:115
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:69
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:82
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:67
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:69
 #: src/pages/Search.tsx:247
 #: src/pages/UserDumps.tsx:98
diff --git a/src/locales/fr.po b/src/locales/fr.po
index 53ec6df..75b5f81 100644
--- a/src/locales/fr.po
+++ b/src/locales/fr.po
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ msgstr "[supprimé]"
 
 #. placeholder {0}: dump.commentCount
 #: src/components/DumpCard.tsx:105
-#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:98
+#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:110
 msgid "{0, plural, one {# comment} other {# comments}}"
 msgstr "{0, plural, one {# commentaire} other {# commentaires}}"
 
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ msgstr "Impossible de générer une invitation"
 
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:82
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:36
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:48
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:33
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:36
 #: src/pages/Notifications.tsx:367
 #: src/pages/UserPublicProfile.tsx:984
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ msgstr "Chargement de la reco…"
 
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:110
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:64
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:77
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:62
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:64
 #: src/pages/Search.tsx:242
 #: src/pages/UserDumps.tsx:93
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ msgstr "Chargement du profil…"
 #: src/components/UserListPopover.tsx:230
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:77
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:32
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:44
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:29
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:32
 #: src/pages/Notifications.tsx:363
 #: src/pages/Notifications.tsx:439
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ msgid "No dumps match \"{q}\"."
 msgstr "Aucune reco ne correspond à « {q} »."
 
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:40
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:52
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:37
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:40
 msgid "No dumps yet. Be the first!"
 msgstr "Pas encore de recos. Soyez le premier !"
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ msgid "Posting…"
 msgstr "Publication…"
 
 #: src/components/DumpCard.tsx:114
-#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:107
+#: src/components/JournalCard.tsx:119
 #: src/components/PlaylistCard.tsx:73
 #: src/components/PlaylistMembershipPanel.tsx:55
 #: src/pages/Dump.tsx:416
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ msgstr "Vous serez notifié lorsque quelqu'un suit vos collections, vote pour vo
 
 #: src/pages/index/FollowedFeed.tsx:115
 #: src/pages/index/HotFeed.tsx:69
-#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:82
+#: src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx:67
 #: src/pages/index/NewFeed.tsx:69
 #: src/pages/Search.tsx:247
 #: src/pages/UserDumps.tsx:98
diff --git a/src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx b/src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx
index 95af50d..db648af 100644
--- a/src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/index/JournalFeed.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@ import { useMemo } from "react";
 import { t } from "@lingui/core/macro";
 import { Trans } from "@lingui/react/macro";
 import { ErrorCard } from "../../components/ErrorCard.tsx";
-import {
-  JournalCard,
-  type JournalTier,
-} from "../../components/JournalCard.tsx";
-import { hotScore } from "../../utils/hotScore.ts";
+import { JournalCard } from "../../components/JournalCard.tsx";
+import { composeJournal } from "../../utils/journalLayout.ts";
 import type { MainFeedProps } from "./types.ts";
 
 export function JournalFeed(
@@ -24,19 +21,7 @@ export function JournalFeed(
     removeVote,
   }: MainFeedProps,
 ) {
-  const tiered = useMemo(() => {
-    const sorted = [...dumps].sort((a, b) => hotScore(b) - hotScore(a));
-    const n = sorted.length;
-    return sorted.map((dump, i) => {
-      const rank = i / n;
-      const tier: JournalTier = rank < 0.2
-        ? "large"
-        : rank < 0.5
-        ? "medium"
-        : "small";
-      return { dump, tier };
-    });
-  }, [dumps]);
+  const entries = useMemo(() => composeJournal(dumps), [dumps]);
 
   if (loading) {
     return (
@@ -46,7 +31,7 @@ export function JournalFeed(
     );
   }
   if (error) return <ErrorCard title={t`Failed to load`} message={error} />;
-  if (tiered.length === 0) {
+  if (entries.length === 0) {
     return (
       <p className="index-status">
         <Trans>No dumps yet. Be the first!</Trans>
@@ -57,11 +42,11 @@ export function JournalFeed(
   return (
     <>
       <ul className="journal-grid">
-        {tiered.map(({ dump, tier }) => (
+        {entries.map(({ dump, shape }) => (
           <JournalCard
             key={dump.id}
             dump={dump}
-            tier={tier}
+            shape={shape}
             voteCount={voteCounts[dump.id] ?? dump.voteCount}
             voted={myVotes.has(dump.id)}
             canVote={!!user}
@@ -77,7 +62,7 @@ export function JournalFeed(
           <Trans>Loading more…</Trans>
         </p>
       )}
-      {!hasMore && tiered.length > 0 && (
+      {!hasMore && entries.length > 0 && (
         <p className="feed-end">
           <Trans>You've reached the end.</Trans>
         </p>
diff --git a/src/utils/journalLayout.ts b/src/utils/journalLayout.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3016e86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/journalLayout.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import type { Dump } from "../model.ts";
+import { hotScore } from "./hotScore.ts";
+
+/**
+ * Grid footprint of a journal entry in the editorial mosaic.
+ *   feature — 2×2 hero          tall — 1×2 portrait
+ *   wide    — 2×1 banner        square — 1×1 unit
+ * The footprint only describes the grid span; how a card is *rendered*
+ * (image / quote / text) is derived separately from its content.
+ */
+export type JournalShape = "feature" | "wide" | "tall" | "square";
+
+export interface JournalEntry {
+  dump: Dump;
+  shape: JournalShape;
+}
+
+/** A dump that can carry a real preview image (file image or rich thumbnail). */
+export function hasThumbnail(dump: Dump): boolean {
+  if (dump.kind === "file" && dump.fileMime?.startsWith("image/")) return true;
+  return !!dump.richContent?.thumbnailUrl;
+}
+
+/** A dump whose comment is substantial enough to feature as a pull-quote. */
+export function hasQuote(dump: Dump): boolean {
+  return !!dump.comment && dump.comment.trim().length > 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Pick a grid footprint for a single entry.
+ *
+ * Variety is composed, not tiered: a repeating 11-step rhythm spreads tall and
+ * wide accents through the feed instead of bucketing every card by score. The
+ * rhythm is content-aware — only dumps with a thumbnail are allowed to claim the
+ * image-forward `tall`/`wide`/`feature` footprints; everything else stays a
+ * compact `square` so quote and text cards never stretch awkwardly.
+ */
+function pickShape(dump: Dump, index: number): JournalShape {
+  const thumb = hasThumbnail(dump);
+  if (index === 0) return thumb ? "feature" : "wide";
+
+  const beat = index % 11;
+  if (thumb) {
+    if (beat === 2 || beat === 7) return "tall";
+    if (beat === 0 || beat === 5) return "wide";
+    return "square";
+  }
+  // No thumbnail: an occasional wide quote keeps the rhythm from flattening.
+  if (beat === 3) return "wide";
+  return "square";
+}
+
+/**
+ * Sort dumps by hotness, then lay them out as an editorial mosaic: one hero
+ * feature followed by an asymmetric mix of banners, portraits, squares and
+ * pull-quotes. Dense grid auto-flow backfills the gaps these spans create.
+ */
+export function composeJournal(dumps: Dump[]): JournalEntry[] {
+  const sorted = [...dumps].sort((a, b) => hotScore(b) - hotScore(a));
+  return sorted.map((dump, index) => ({ dump, shape: pickShape(dump, index) }));
+}