Plotter

I find the flow of information utterly fascinating. From its source to its final destination, information is channelled through many media and keeps being transformed along the way. The simplest example is speech: an idea is transformed into a sound wave that travels through the air and reaches a human ear. The eardrum vibrates and produces an electrical signal, which the brain finally decodes.

This plotter was a personal exploration of the digital and mechanical flow of information. To plot a simple drawing from the computer, the geometry has to become coordinates. These coordinates become electrical signals that drive motors, which create mechanical movements that draw the once-digital image. I find it beautiful to imagine how information changes form (digital, electrical, mechanical) and still remains intact.

What makes this plotter stand out is the way the mechanical force is transmitted. The “head” that holds the pen is magnetic, so the whole mechanism can be hidden behind a dark piece of glass that acts as the drawing surface. All we see is the paper and the head, which magically dances and creates the image. The machine also differs from traditional printers in the slight imperfections in how it transmits movement. These make every print unique and give it a natural touch, almost as if the plotter had a character of its own.