Explained:

Using an actuator based reel system, artist Harvey Moon is able to draw complex images with this machine.

Chosen:

Like the first piece I chose, I loved how this drawing machine uses simple motion to create dynamic results. The pen is controlled by two motors, but through careful calculation, the paper becomes a grid that is then used to precisely place each pen stroke.

Critiqued:

Like all drawing machines, the performance is initially captivating to the viewer, challenging them to speculate what the image is before it is completed. Something I dislike, however, is the simplicity of the performance. The motion very directly correlates to what is being drawn. Unlike the sand drawing piece where the viewer is left to wonder how the pendulum motion is able to create a pattern, the viewer very plainly sees what is happening as it occurs.

Also, since the final drawing can be completely removed from the method used to create, I can’t help but wonder if the work is a performance or simply a stylized printer.

Related:

The cable mechanism in this piece is similar to the “Four Cable Drawing Machine.” In which artist, David Bynoe is able to move an object across a bed of sand to create simple patterns.

http://dbynoe.blogspot.ca/2013/12/four-cable-drawing-machine.html

Project Video:

The Drawing Machine: Harvey Moon from Make: on Vimeo.