Generative Algorithm Meets Physical Mark
The Terrapen plotter was chosen for its precision and for the character of the line it produces. Ballpoint on paper at plotter speed has a specific visual quality that sits between drawing and printing, which is exactly where we wanted the piece to sit. The path optimisation was tuned specifically for the plotter context, taking into account pen lift cost, travel speed and the visual quality of the line at different drawing velocities. A fast-drawn line looks different to a slow one even at the same pen pressure, and the algorithm accounts for that in the sections of the portrait that require more visual weight. The output is a unique, signed artwork that the subject takes away.
