diff --git a/docs/executable-plugins.md b/docs/executable-plugins.md
index 8cac122d4..0e4d3e585 100644
--- a/docs/executable-plugins.md
+++ b/docs/executable-plugins.md
@@ -8,18 +8,18 @@ MyST is able to invoke plugins written in different languages through standard I
 ## Defining a new directive
 
 :::{note}
-There are many different ways to create an executable plugin. Here we'll use Python to implement an `unsplash-py` directive, but any programming language that can read and write from stdin, stdout, and stderr, and define a command line interface would work.
+There are many different ways to create an executable plugin. Here we'll use Python to implement an `picsum-py` directive, but any programming language that can read and write from stdin, stdout, and stderr, and define a command line interface would work.
 :::
 
-First, we'll declare the plugin _specification_ that allows MyST to discover the directives, transforms, and/or roles that the plugin implements. This specification looks very similar to [the definition of a JavaScript plugin](javascript-plugins.md#unsplash-js-source), except the implementation logic (e.g. the directive `run` method) is not defined.
+First, we'll declare the plugin _specification_ that allows MyST to discover the directives, transforms, and/or roles that the plugin implements. This specification looks very similar to [the definition of a JavaScript plugin](javascript-plugins.md#picsum-js-source), except the implementation logic (e.g. the directive `run` method) is not defined.
 
-:::{literalinclude} unsplash.py
-:caption: a plugin to add an `unsplash-py` directive that includes a beautiful, random picture based on a query string.
+:::{literalinclude} picsum.py
+:caption: A plugin to add an `picsum-py` directive that includes a beautiful, random picture based on a size and optional ID string.
 :::
 this file should be executable, e.g.
 
 ```{code} shell
-chmod +x ./unsplash.py
+chmod +x ./picsum.py
 ```
 
 and should be referenced from your `myst.yml` under the `projects.plugins`:
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ and should be referenced from your `myst.yml` under the `projects.plugins`:
 project:
   plugins:
     - type: executable
-      path: unsplash.py
+      path: picsum.py
 ```
 
 then start or build your document using `myst start` or `myst build`, and you will see that the plugin is loaded.
@@ -37,18 +37,19 @@ then start or build your document using `myst start` or `myst build`, and you wi
 ```text
 myst start
 ...
-🔌 unsplash images (unsplash.py) loaded: 1 directive
+🔌 Lorem Picsum Images (picsum.py) loaded: 1 directive
 ...
 ```
 
 you can now use the directive, for example:
 
 ```markdown
-:::{unsplash-py} misty,mountains
+:::{picsum-py}
+:size: 600x250
 :::
 ```
 
-:::{unsplash-py} misty,mountains
+:::{picsum-py}
 :size: 600x250
 :::
 
diff --git a/docs/javascript-plugins.md b/docs/javascript-plugins.md
index b82e54a8f..7127e0822 100644
--- a/docs/javascript-plugins.md
+++ b/docs/javascript-plugins.md
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ JavaScript plugins are native MyST plugins, which are loaded as modules into the
 
 ## Defining a new directive
 
-To create a plugin, you will need a single Javascript file[^esm] that exports one or more of the objects above. For example, a simple directive that pulls a random image from [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/) can be created with a single file that exports an `unsplash` directive.
+To create a plugin, you will need a single Javascript file[^esm] that exports one or more of the objects above. For example, a simple directive that pulls a random image from [Unsplash](https://picsum.photos/) can be created with a single file that exports an `picsum` directive.
 
 [^esm]: The format of the Javascript should be an ECMAScript modules, not CommonJS. This means it uses `import` statements rather than `require()` and is the most modern style of Javascript.
 
-:::{literalinclude} unsplash.mjs
-:label: unsplash-js-source
-:caption: A plugin to add an `unsplash` directive that includes a beautiful, random picture based on a query string.
+:::{literalinclude} picsum.mjs
+:label: picsum-js-source
+:caption: A plugin to add an `picsum` directive that includes a beautiful, random picture based on a size and optional ID string.
 :::
 
 This code should be referenced from your `myst.yml` under the `projects.plugins`:
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ This code should be referenced from your `myst.yml` under the `projects.plugins`
 :filename: myst.yml
 project:
   plugins:
-    - unsplash.mjs
+    - picsum.mjs
 ```
 
 Then start or build your document using `myst start` or `myst build`, and you will see that the plugin is loaded.
@@ -30,18 +30,19 @@ Then start or build your document using `myst start` or `myst build`, and you wi
 ```text
 myst start
 ...
-🔌 Unsplash Images (unsplash.mjs) loaded: 1 directive
+🔌 Lorem Picsum Images (picsum.mjs) loaded: 1 directive
 ...
 ```
 
 You can now use the directive, for example:
 
 ```markdown
-:::{unsplash} misty,mountains
+:::{picsum}
+:size: 600x250
 :::
 ```
 
-:::{unsplash} misty,mountains
+:::{picsum}
 :size: 600x250
 :::
 
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ Below is the contents of each file for reference.
 
 ::::{dropdown} Plugin: Display an image
 
-```{literalinclude} unsplash.mjs
+```{literalinclude} picsum.mjs
 
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/myst.yml b/docs/myst.yml
index 6b14e0140..467678052 100644
--- a/docs/myst.yml
+++ b/docs/myst.yml
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ project:
     TOC: table of contents
   plugins:
     - directives.mjs
-    - unsplash.mjs
+    - picsum.mjs
     - latex.mjs
     - templates.mjs
     - type: executable
-      path: unsplash.py
+      path: picsum.py
     - type: executable
       path: markup.py
     - type: javascript
diff --git a/docs/picsum.mjs b/docs/picsum.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02e9aba8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/picsum.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+const picsumDirective = {
+  name: 'picsum',
+  doc: 'An example directive for showing a nice random image at a custom size.',
+  alias: ['random-pic'],
+  arg: {
+    type: String,
+    doc: 'The ID of the image to use, e.g. 1',
+  },
+  options: {
+    size: { type: String, doc: 'Size of the image, for example, `500x200`.' },
+  },
+  run(data) {
+    // Parse size
+    const match = (data.options?.size ?? '').match(/^(\d+)(?:x(\d+))?$/);
+    let sizeQuery = '200/200';
+    if (match) {
+      const first = match[1];
+      const second = match[2];
+      sizeQuery = second ? `${first}/${second}` : first;
+    }
+
+    const idQuery = data.arg ? `id/${data.arg}/` : '';
+    const url = `https://picsum.photos/${idQuery}${sizeQuery}`;
+    const img = { type: 'image', url };
+    return [img];
+  },
+};
+
+const plugin = { name: 'Lorem Picsum Images', directives: [picsumDirective] };
+
+export default plugin;
diff --git a/docs/unsplash.py b/docs/picsum.py
similarity index 76%
rename from docs/unsplash.py
rename to docs/picsum.py
index 9240c9a4f..7833fa03f 100755
--- a/docs/unsplash.py
+++ b/docs/picsum.py
@@ -2,18 +2,19 @@
 import argparse
 import json
 import sys
+import re
 
 
 plugin = {
     "name": "Unsplash Images",
     "directives": [
         {
-            "name": "unsplash-py",
+            "name": "picsum-py",
             "doc": "An example directive for showing a nice random image at a custom size.",
             "alias": ["random-pic-py"],
             "arg": {
                 "type": "string",
-                "doc": "The kinds of images to search for, e.g., `fruit`",
+                "doc": "The ID of the image to use, e.g. 1",
             },
             "options": {
                 "size": {
@@ -44,11 +45,19 @@ def run_directive(name, data):
     :param name: name of the directive to run
     :param data: data of the directive to run
     """
-    assert name == "unsplash-py"
+    assert name == "picsum-py"
 
-    query = data["arg"]
-    size = data["options"].get("size", "500x200")
-    url = f"https://source.unsplash.com/random/{size}/?{query}"
+    raw_id = data.get("arg")
+    raw_size = data["options"].get("size", "500x200")
+    match = re.match("^(\d+)(?:x(\d+))?$", raw_size)
+    if not match:
+        size_query = "200/200"
+    else:
+        size_query = f"{match[1]}/{match[2]}" if match[2] else match[1]
+
+    id_query = f"/id/{raw_id}/" if raw_id else ""
+
+    url = f"https://picsum.photos/{id_query}{size_query}"
     # Insert an image of a landscape
     img = {
         "type": "image",
diff --git a/docs/unsplash.mjs b/docs/unsplash.mjs
deleted file mode 100644
index 7a55dbe15..000000000
--- a/docs/unsplash.mjs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-const unsplashDirective = {
-  name: 'unsplash',
-  doc: 'An example directive for showing a nice random image at a custom size.',
-  alias: ['random-pic'],
-  arg: { type: String, doc: 'The kinds of images to search for, e.g., `fruit`' },
-  options: {
-    size: { type: String, doc: 'Size of the image, for example, `500x200`.' },
-  },
-  run(data) {
-    const query = data.arg;
-    const size = data.options.size || '500x200';
-    const url = `https://source.unsplash.com/random/${size}/?${query}`;
-    const img = { type: 'image', url };
-    return [img];
-  },
-};
-
-const plugin = { name: 'Unsplash Images', directives: [unsplashDirective] };
-
-export default plugin;