Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

I Programmed A Plotter Bot To Draw With A Pen
User submission
95
15.9K

I Programmed A Plotter Bot To Draw With A Pen

ADVERTISEMENT

In my free time, I program my plotter bot, Karel, to draw with a pen. Because the plotter uses a simple pen all I can use are simple black lines, not too much to play with. But I came to love the simplicity and elegance of a simple line and started to utilize it in my drawings. In contrast to most photo editing algorithms I do not transform the photo pixel by pixel but really create a set of strokes that only make sense altogether.

This style was inspired by Van Gogh. I wanted to use simple lines to create an expressive drawing. Some of the drawings are made of over 35.000 individual lines. It takes the plotter a little bit more than 2 hours to finish the drawing.

This and more styles can be found on my Etsy shop or on Kickstarter.

More info: Etsy | kickstarter.com

You May Also Like:

A miniature drawing of Dali

To test the limits of the plotter I like to make the drawings as small as possible. Here is a miniature drawing of Dali. It was drawn with the same pen as shown in the photo.

Dali drawing close up

The algorithm in work

ADVERTISEMENT

Drawing on A4 aquarelle paper

ADVERTISEMENT

Errors made by the code

When I finished the drawing with the plotter. I found out that my algorithm got confused in completely black areas and did not produce lines in those. Luckily this was easy to fix.

Here is a close up on the eye. I use Italian aquarelle paper for the drawings

The corrected algorithm in work

ADVERTISEMENT

A drawing on A3 aqarelle paper

I scanned this drawing for better quality.

Digital girl portrait

ADVERTISEMENT

Digital Alcia Vikander portrait

Comparison of my first algorithm with the newest version

A simulation of the drawing

ADVERTISEMENT

16Kviews

Share on Facebook
Sergej Stoppel

Sergej Stoppel

Author, Community member

Read more »

I am the founder of LinesLab an experimental design studio that explores algorithmic art and robotics.

Read less »
Sergej Stoppel

Sergej Stoppel

Author, Community member

I am the founder of LinesLab an experimental design studio that explores algorithmic art and robotics.

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
DaveTheBraveWarrior
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great job! I would be interested in your code any chance you will opensource it?

Chris Coudron
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is wonderful! It would be amazing to see the code!? Or at least can you describe the algorithm?

Angie Jones
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not impressed. Charles Csuri, a pioneer in Computer Art, did this in the 60's.

Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somehow I can not reply to your last comment. Thank you for the links! It was interesting reading up on Charles Csuri.

Load More Replies...
DaveTheBraveWarrior
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great job! I would be interested in your code any chance you will opensource it?

Chris Coudron
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is wonderful! It would be amazing to see the code!? Or at least can you describe the algorithm?

Angie Jones
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not impressed. Charles Csuri, a pioneer in Computer Art, did this in the 60's.

Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somehow I can not reply to your last comment. Thank you for the links! It was interesting reading up on Charles Csuri.

Load More Replies...
You May Like
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda