Another old pen plotter reactivated
23/05/2025
We got some new gear. Really nice old sturdy gear from 1988. We were having a blast with it while testing and fixing problems.
This old super smooth original HP plotter paper is still relatively easy to find on eBay. We use these sheets when we need a really nice smooth surface to plot on without excessive bleed. They are available in A and B sizes/US Ledger and we recently acquired A3 size. This size came in a larger box containing 250 sheets, instead of the 50 sheets bundled in B-size (11 x 17″) that we already had.
The box also includes a nicely designed instruction sheet with best practices. Here is a scan for you fellow enthusiasts to enjoy as well.
Also in PDF here.
We got some new gear. Really nice old sturdy gear from 1988. We were having a blast with it while testing and fixing problems.
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.
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.
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.
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