The penplotter, a revolutionary technology of the 1970s and 1980s, transformed the way businesses and engineers created technical drawings and designs. Developed to automate the intricate process of drawing, these devices allowed for greater efficiency and accuracy than manual drafting methods. These machines, with their precise, ink-based plotting capabilities, became the backbone of many industries, enabling the production of detailed blueprints, circuit diagrams, and architectural plans. Their ability to reproduce complex designs with minimal human intervention was hailed as a major advancement in engineering and art. The penplotter’s impact was felt across a wide range of fields, from aerospace and automotive engineering to graphic design and computer-aided design (CAD). They also fostered a new era of collaboration, as designs could easily be shared and modified among various stakeholders in a project. As the technology evolved, penplotters paved the way for the digital design tools we rely on today, leaving an indelible mark on the history of technical illustration and design..
* AI rendering of a ‘pen plotter’ …
Enough of this AI generated artificial rubbish! We like to do things with our body and mind.
It’s true that Pen Plotters revolutionised business. But the laserprinter and inkjet plotters probably really nailed it. Pen Plotters were short lived and quickly replaced by their successors, which were faster, cheaper and a lot easier to maintain. No more fiddling with refilling stuttering pens.
The bright side is that the 2D pen technology was kept alive with Vinyl/Sticker cutters, which created a new booming business on it’s own.. And 3D printing is only one axis away from a vintage pen plotter.
We sincerely hope that Pen Plotters that are rescued from the scrapyard are here to stay forever and keep bringing joy and inspiration to all of us enthusiasts. Amen.
We have welcomed another big pen plotter to the fleet. The notorious HP 7596A DraftMaster II. In this post I’ll cover the whole process from buying an in unknown working state vintage plotter, hauling it back home, to getting it ready for some serious production work.
The iconic cover of Joy Division’s legendary debut album “Unknown Pleasures” (1979) features a striking image of a pulsar’s radio waves. I always liked Joy Division (and New Order) and thought it would be a fun project to recreate the Ridgeline plot on a period(-ish) correct pen plotter. In this post the approach will be outlined without getting too much into details.
While browsing through the book ‘Colour’ I noticed a fascinating drawing in black ink on white paper that changes colour right before your eyes.
This and more about recreating this artwork from the artist and teacher Arthur Hoener (1933-1987) after the jump.
We use a lot of paper in our plotting endeavours. Here’s an insight in one of the cool plotter products of the era.
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