Drawing Machines/Plotters

These drawing machines remind me a lot of the Tony Orrico drawings. Just like his drawings, these pre-programmed machines work mechanically to accurately sketch anything. In response, I will try and recreate the same arced lines that I made with my own arm and engine oil, but with my 3D printer, having modified it to allow a pen to be attached to it.

Ceol Floyer: Etching (at 45rpm)

The process behind Floyer’s piece is what intrigued me most. She drew by hand irregular circles, mimicking the circular motion of a record playing. Not only did she mimic the motion, but also the time in which it occurred, completing the drawing by drawing 45 circles in one minute, reflecting the 45 rpm at which a traditional record player spins at. I will respond to this by comparing the speed accuracy of my drawing machine (computer) and my own hand (human). I will recreate the reciprocal motion of the lawnmower’s engine in this way compare and contrast the two processes, one precise and mechanised, the other delayed and inaccurate.

Using Inkscape, I applied the same process as seen above but to a circle. After modifying manually the GCODE, I succeeded in being able to get the plotter to draw at different RPMs. The boxes below show comparative videos of the printer drawing circles at certain RPMs with a pen and a oil and then myself trying to replicate it by hand with the same materials at the corresponding RPMs…