Visual Design
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Canvas Design

ByAnthropic·45.5k

Create beautiful visual art, posters, and static designs using design philosophy. Generates museum-quality work with a two-step process: philosophy creation, then visual expression.

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How to Install

Using npx (recommended):

npx skills add github.com/anthropics/skills/tree/main/skills/canvas-design --skill canvas-design

This will automatically download and install the skill in your .cursor/skills/ directory.

Or install manually:

  1. Copy the skill content below
  2. Create folder: .cursor/skills/canvas-design/ in your project
  3. Save as SKILL.md
  4. Cursor auto-discovers skills when you start a chat

Or install globally to ~/.cursor/skills/canvas-design/SKILL.md

Official Cursor Skills Docs

SKILL.md

---
name: canvas-design
description: Create beautiful visual art in .png and .pdf documents using design philosophy. Use this skill when the user asks to create a poster, piece of art, design, or other static piece.
---

These are instructions for creating design philosophies - aesthetic movements that are then EXPRESSED VISUALLY. Output only .md files, .pdf files, and .png files.

Complete this in two steps:
1. Design Philosophy Creation (.md file)
2. Express by creating it on a canvas (.pdf file or .png file)

## DESIGN PHILOSOPHY CREATION

Create a VISUAL PHILOSOPHY (not layouts or templates) that will be interpreted through:
- Form, space, color, composition
- Images, graphics, shapes, patterns
- Minimal text as visual accent

**Name the movement** (1-2 words): "Brutalist Joy" / "Chromatic Silence" / "Metabolist Dreams"

**Articulate the philosophy** (4-6 paragraphs):
- Space and form
- Color and material
- Scale and rhythm
- Composition and balance
- Visual hierarchy

**CRITICAL GUIDELINES:**
- Avoid redundancy: Each design aspect should be mentioned once
- Emphasize craftsmanship REPEATEDLY: The philosophy MUST stress that the final work should appear as though it took countless hours to create
- Leave creative space: Remain specific about the aesthetic direction, but concise enough for interpretive choices

### PHILOSOPHY EXAMPLES

**"Concrete Poetry"**
Philosophy: Communication through monumental form and bold geometry.
Visual expression: Massive color blocks, sculptural typography, Brutalist spatial divisions, Polish poster energy meets Le Corbusier.

**"Chromatic Language"**
Philosophy: Color as the primary information system.
Visual expression: Geometric precision where color zones create meaning. Think Josef Albers' interaction meets data visualization.

**"Analog Meditation"**
Philosophy: Quiet visual contemplation through texture and breathing room.
Visual expression: Paper grain, ink bleeds, vast negative space. Japanese photobook aesthetic.

## CANVAS CREATION

Use the design philosophy to craft a masterpiece. Create museum or magazine quality work:
- Generally use repeating patterns and perfect shapes
- Treat the abstract philosophical design as if it were a scientific bible
- Add sparse, clinical typography and systematic reference markers
- Anchor with simple phrase(s) positioned subtly
- Use a limited color palette that feels intentional and cohesive

**CRITICAL**: Create work that looks like it took countless hours. Make it appear as though someone at the absolute top of their field labored over every detail with painstaking care.

Best For

visual designersgraphic designersbrand designers

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