I first learned about the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami in 2007 when researching who had created the colorful and surreal cover artwork for Kayne West’s Graduation album. Since then I’ve been continually in awe of his work.

I had the privilege of attending his exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 2018. Experiencing his incredibly imaginative works in person for the first time helped me understand why I had become such a fan: his work simply inspires me to be creative.

His most recognizable creation is the smiling flower. If you browse his work you’ll surely come across a canvas or two filled with dozens of these flowers which vary in color, size, and location.

I decided to build a method for recreating these colorful, flower-filled canvases using JavaScript. The final version of my project can be found below. To create a Murakami print look-alike, click the ‘Generate’ button. Enjoy!