DRAWING MACHINE
Time Period: March 2017-April 2017
Course: Prototyping and Fabrication
Skills Developed: Prototyping, Iteration, Laser Cutting, Soldering, Implementation of Basic Electronics and Switches, Problem Solving
Software Used: Adobe Illustrator, Arduino IDE, iMovie
Project Background
The task for this project was to brainstorm, design, prototype, test, and iterate to produce a drawing machine with a partner. It was a four week project with one prototype due each week, each more advanced than the previous one. There were no restrictions regarding the design other than that the final product had to operate using a switch to turn it on/off and that you must be able to interchange drawing utensils. My partner and I wanted to create something unique, so we decided on a horizontal drawing machine that gives off a magical aesthetic. We encountered many complications along the way but I believe we created something amazing.
WEEK 1
Individual Proof of Concept
The first task was to individually come up with a concept and create a very basic prototype as a proof of concept:
My primary design for the drawing machine sketch involved a simple stand that a cylindrical stick could fit through and be controlled to move a sharpie. My partner wanted to make sure that the viewer could see the machine drawing on the paper without extra pieces blocking the lines that were forming and so had gears turning at the top of the machine with the paper farther below.
WEEK 2
Rough Prototype
For week 2’s iteration, we got together and brainstormed several ideas of different drawing machines that we could make from pendulums, vertical machines, machines where the paper platform moves, etc. We decided to go with a horizontal drawing machine making our own spin on the typical drawing machines we usually see.
We wanted to incorporate multiple gears so we experimented and tested gears of all different sizes and decided on five gears: one large, two medium, and two slightly smaller. The gears were attached to circles that held the drawing utensils. These circles had multiple holes to move these utensils to allow for different sized drawings of circles. In order to use multiple drawing utensils, we created clamps that were interchangeable and corresponded to particular utensils such as crayons, pencils, and Sharpie markers. These were added on both sides of the circle to hold the utensil in place. However, it was not steady and secure, wobbling a bit as the machine moved. We then decided to come up with a support system for these circles which ended up being a combination of a surrounding board with an outer casing on both faces to keep them in line.
We encountered an issue with the circles catching and not moving very smoothly and decided to wax them which helped the movement a lot. We were surprised when we realized that the reason our machine was not working well was because the clamps on the middle board were too tight, so once they were removed, the machine worked flawlessly.
WEEK 3
Refined Machine
We kept the idea of our design from the previous week. However, to improve it, we implemented many changes to address the feedback we received.
First, we shifted our gears around so that the smallest gear would be the one attached to the servo motor, which would power the other gears better and increased the size of a few gears to create more distinction between sizes of gears, contributing to the creativity of our design. Next, we added pieces of a plastic folder behind each gear to reduce the effects of friction where the plywood was contacting other pieces of plywood. This really helped our gears to turn more smoothly. We decided to add extra supports for the drawing utensils to sit on creating a V-shape that would sit in the circles in the middle of the machine, holding down the utensil with rubber bands allowing for adjustability of drawing utensil size. We also changed the cluster of three boards in the middle that hold the circles in place to acrylic so it is easier to see what the machine actually draws since the vertically standing boards are all extremely close to each other, which made the drawings difficult to see. We also decided to make the drawing board out of acrylic as well so it can be drawn on directly by dry erase markers. There are still clips that allow us to attach paper for drawing with other utensils. The biggest change was making everything completely removable. In previous iterations, most of the project was glued together to make sure it all stayed where it was supposed to. However, this time, every component is completely removable, but also secure when the machine is working. The final change was adding a switch to the project. Neither of us had experience with electronics so we had a difficult time learning and understanding how the electronics work and what needed to be done to set them up. But, after a lot of research and questions we were able to put it together.
WEEK 4
Final Product
We were happy with the product from Week 3, so during Week 4, we made minor adjustments:
We changed the rubber bands to small elastics so they did not have to be wrapped around multiple times. We attempted to straighten out some of the gears because we noticed they were not rotating flush on the plane. We also adjusted the spacing between the center boards with the circles because the biggest one started catching and jerking around in the circle after running it for a while. We diagnosed the issue and found that the major issue was friction between the circles so we sanded them down which helped a lot. Finally, we rotated the switch so it was facing a more ergonomic direction: moving from side to side to turn the machine off and on.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT:
Our goal for this piece was to make the whiteboard markers move like magic. We changed the last two (of the three) panels to acrylic to highlight the separation between the gears and the moving markers. This contrast between the wood and acrylic makes the eye choose which side to look at, allowing the markers to appear as if they are moving without any mechanical input. The acrylic also serves the purpose of making the markers appear as if they are floating. Additionally, we wanted to try something a little different to your classic drawing machines, and we went horizontal, so the pens actually seem to be moving in mid-air.
Another element of our piece is the ability to change the writing surface from paper to acrylic. The acrylic surface allows a whiteboard marker to be used for its intended purpose, to create impermanent designs. The “whiteboard” acrylic piece can easily be taken out of the frame, which means that any marks made by a whiteboard marker can be wiped away. We also created small clips to hold other mediums, like paper, so that other drawing utensils can be used.
The middle portion of the drawing machine is the most “magical” of all. Four circles appear to be spinning in mid-air and even though there are three layers of acrylic in this one portion, they blend together to create one wall. We created small combs out of the acrylic to delicately partition the pieces to their appropriate positions.
As for the feet of each layer, they are identical, giving the piece a sense of continuity as the eye travels from layer to layer. They connect each element in a polished way. The entire machine should be viewed at different angles for the full experience. Each side reveals a new element or view, whether it be the gears, the markers moving, or the actual drawing being created.
REFLECTION
From this project, I learned a lot about design: from ideation to prototyping to testing, it was all a huge learning process that I really enjoyed. It was the first time I was able to evaluate my project and iterate on it to improve the design and function. I can really see how it helped us to establish an idea and a concept and build on it once we were confident that it worked.
Since week one of this project, we took our idea of drawing on a vertical surface and developed it into a working model which is extremely satisfying. Beginning with a simple concept of drawing with two gears, by the end we complicated the idea to contain five gears and four floating markers that drew circles on a transparent surface. Following this evolution was fascinating because at the beginning I had no idea what direction to go in or where to begin, yet we ended up with a product that I am very proud of.
If I were to do this again, I would probably do something completely different, but this does not mean that I am unhappy with the design, only that there are so many options that it is impossible to choose a “better” idea. I would like to explore making shapes other than circles, or having a more direct way to move the markers. Overall, the whole process taught me that producing a fully thought out design takes many hours and many iterations, that all lead somewhere more interesting and unexpected.