Drawing Machines, devices and prosthetics

Peter Maloney, Drawing Machine 2012. Toy Robot and pen prosthetics


In this session we will observe share and discuss drawing machine experiments you have made.

The above movie shows a drawing device I made very quickly, adapted from  a childrens toy. It clearly demonstrates our definition of drawing adopted from Professor Farthing, that it is " a two dimensional record of a multi-dimensional event". What it also does is break down the idea that the sketch is produced directly by the hand holding a utensil as directly manipulated by the brain. 



Devices can range from complex weather mapping systems to hacked toys. Devices can be stand alone automated objects they can attach themsleves to architecture or other objects like parasites to record activity or function as part of or body as a prostheses.

Here are some further examples of good work done elsewhere:


Tim Knowles "Tree Drawing - Acer Olivaceum #1," 2011 from bitforms gallery on Vimeo.

MKIII Postal Project, Tim Knowles in 2006.  

Tim Knowles sent this device through the post and this is the drawing he got back. It is just one of the many inspiring works on his site, -Tim Knowles

Olafur Eliasson 2013 from DesignBoom

ADA BOBINSKI: analog interactive installation / kinetic sculpture / post-digital drawing machine, check out the magical video of this in action on her site. -Ada Bobinski

see also:


Mcqueen Robot Fashion

-Sam Van Doorn
-Vimeo Drawing Machine Page
-From Machines for War to Machines for art: Desmond Paul Henry
-Durers Drawing Devices 
-Rebecca Horn
- Strava Maps are the new Gibreth


Strava Map