Claude algorithmic-art skill

Generative art is drawn by an algorithm: flow fields, particle systems, tilings that grow from random points. Anthropic's algorithmic-art skill turns a request like "a flow field in autumn colors" into a working p5.js sketch you can explore and export. Its description asks Claude to make original work and not copy existing artists. It is an open-source example skill under the Apache 2.0 license. New to skills? Read how Claude Skills work.

What the skill does

It follows the same two steps as canvas-design. Claude first writes an "algorithmic philosophy" of four to six paragraphs describing the movement, noise, forces and variation it wants. Then it writes the code. The result is one self-contained HTML file, built from a template that ships with the skill:

• Seed controls: previous, next, random and jump to a number. The same seed always draws the same image.
• Parameter sliders for the values that shape the piece, such as particle count or noise scale.
• Actions: regenerate, reset and download PNG.

The file loads p5.js from a CDN and needs no setup, so it runs in a Claude.ai artifact or any browser. Ask for many variations and Claude can produce, for example, seeds 1 to 100 for you to browse.

When to use it

• Backgrounds, covers or prints with a generative look.
• Learning how flow fields or particle systems work by changing sliders on live code.
• Producing a series of related images from one algorithm by stepping through seeds.

For a single static poster, use canvas-design. For an interactive app rather than art, see web-artifacts-builder. Our art prompts and coding prompts work without the skill.

How to install it

Claude.ai: the anthropics/skills README says its example skills are already available on paid plans. Turn on code execution and check Customize > Skills.

Claude Code:

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills
/plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skills

Example request

Use the algorithmic-art skill. Make a generative piece about [idea, e.g. tides, city traffic, growth] using [flow fields / particles / tiling]. Palette: [colors]. Give me sliders for [two or three things to vary] and start on seed [number].

Limits

• The template carries Anthropic's own look in its header and sidebar, with Poppins and Lora fonts. The skill tells Claude to keep that frame unchanged, so say plainly in your request if you want it restyled.
• The page loads p5.js from a CDN, so it needs an internet connection to run.
• The PNG is a browser canvas export. For large prints, set the canvas size in your request.
• Anthropic labels its example skills as demonstrations and advises testing before you rely on them.