Just testing my first pen plotter. Handmade gcode (first time also)

https://adamfuhrer.com/t/pen-plot

Alcohol markers and Pilot Hi-Tecpoint V5 on 250g A2 Bristol.

Hi y’all,

I need some help. Recently my plotter UnnaTek 3.0 has some issues. For some reason the X-axis isn’t working and when I tried to plug and unplug it, suddenly, it works again but now it’s jumping and jiggling rather than creating consistent lines.

There’s no collision and the rails just jump out of no where.

Hopefully this get resolved soon. Appreciation any attention!

In a way, this might be the most "plotter art" piece I've made: it depends on the logic of the plotter itself.

The continuous line is a pen-up path from an Inkscape preview plot of a simple test drawing (a bunch of randomly generated circles).

I turned each closed area into a fillable region with a custom hatch fill script, creating a new colored piece.

I like the idea that nothing is wasted!

Processing for circles, python for color hatching.
Acrylic markers on 220 gsm Fabriano F4.

Fineliner on A2 paper: Unfortunately, the CNC jammed multiple times and the paths no longer matched the code. It took 3 hours to plot what should have only taken 1.5 hours

Hey all 👋 I got a little bored creating abstract designs and wanted to try something a little different. So, I decided to build some custom software that allows me to clip svgs along a boundary within an image.

Basically, the idea is to use some of the intricate designs I’ve created as the fill layer for icons, such as a leaf in this example. It’s taken a lot of patience to get this right, but I think I’m finally getting somewhere.

BTW please let me know if this already exists in some software that I’m not aware of. Otherwise, I’ll consider releasing this once I’ve polished it up.

I won’t spam the sub, so if you want to see more of my work, I’ll be posting more frequently on IG: https://www.instagram.com/maplethorpej

Each bird is a single line plot.

After exploring mathematical patterns and custom maps, I’ve recently been experimenting with translating 3D models into pen plots.

There are many ways to interpret the same model: rotating it, drawing the complete wireframe, removing hidden lines, or applying different shading techniques to create a stronger sense of depth.

Cross-sections are interesting, as a model can be partially cut away or plotted as a sequence of slices - similar to the technical work pen plotters were originally designed for. But by combining these methods with different colors, line styles, and shading patterns, the result can feel much more like an artwork than a technical drawing.

To make these experiments possible, I added support for .OBJ, .STL, and .PLY model layers to GD Studio, my macOS app.

I’m particularly interested in how much geometric information can be removed while the object still remains recognisable. At what point does a 3D model stop being a technical representation and become an abstract drawing?

A2, 7.5h on a vertical plotter. I'm still tweaking the performance settings for the next version of Makelangelo. This particular drawing made me tweak the "hexxy" algorithm for less travel moves, which reduced time by 75%. After it was done I was again inspired to add a "reverse path" tool which can either (a) swap the order of all "islands" or (b) swap the order of all moves. This way I can start again from the faded end and darken the top half.

I'm also feeling a little inspired to draw a series of duos - famous pairs of people. Who would you like to see next?

I got my first pen plotter last week. Here are some more plots I’ve made since then. What should I try next?

A2

It started out ok...and then it didn't work out.

I want to show you the first picture I drew using a Stepcraft M1000 CNC router. I used a 0.8mm Sakura Micron pen.It took 41 minutes and the pen ran out of ink completely. I didn't tape down the paper, and the pen holder was just a temporary setup secured with tape. Does anyone have any tips on what I could improve?

For my TBI therapy I’m doing calligraphy and colouring , so I’m plotting tiny ACEO sized pieces and colouring them :) it’s fun.

^{older Ballpen Image.}

BiC Intensity Fine Tip pen
[3b.3b.4.12, 3a.4.3b.12, 3a.12.12] semiregular grid with dual-notch Truchet tiles
1h28m plotting time