Awesome Plotters
A curated list of code and resources for computer-controlled drawing machines and other visual art robots.
Contents
- Getting Started
- Hardware
- Plotters
- Motor Controllers
- Accessories and Adapters
- Pens
- Software
- HPGL
- G-code
- Plotter Control
- Vector Creation
- Vector Utilities
- Fonts
- Inspiration, Instruction, and Research
- Manuals, Ephemera, Papers, and Patents
- Manuals
- Ephemera
- Papers
- Patents
- Courses
- Community
- Plotter Art For Sale
- Other Awesomes
Getting Started
A short selection of resources to help you get started with pen plotters.
- What is a pen plotter 2022? - Nice video introduction to modern plotters in 2022.
- An Intro to Pen Plotters - Good info on getting started with old HPGL plotters.
- An Introduction to Pen Plotting - Another getting started article with modern pen plotters.
- Pen Plotter Programming: The Basics - Some basics of programming vector paths, including sorting, joining, and simplifying.
- Pen Plotter Art & Algorithms - A two-part intro to creating generative graphics for plotting.
- How to Draw Generative Art with an Axidraw Pen Plotter - Lots of nice tips, not all specific to the Axidraw, plus some pen reviews and handy 3d-printed tools.
Hardware
Plotters
Pen plotters available to build or purchase, historical information, and restoration projects.
- AxiDraw - Pen plotter from Evil Mad Scientist.
- NextDraw - The new AxiDraw, now from Bantam Tools.
- ArtFrame - Beefy flatbed pen plotters from Bantam Tools.
- Line-us - A cute little kickstarted robotic drawing arm.
- Drawing Robot - 3d-Printable AxiDraw clone w/ Arduino CNC Shield controller running grbl firmware.
- 4xiDraw - Yet another 3d-printable AxiDraw clone w/ Arduino CNC Shield controller running grbl firmware.
- WaterColorBot - XY art robot and software to plot with watercolor paints.
- EggBot - Pen plotter for egg-shaped and spherical objects.
- HP Pen Plotters - Vintage desktop and floor-standing pen plotters from the creator of the HPGL standard. Model 7475A is very common and can usually be found on eBay.
- Roland Pen Plotters - Vintage flatbed HPGL pen plotters. Search eBay for "roland dxy".
- Blot - An open-source DIY pen plotter from Hack Club with a browser-based editor for generative art.
- BrachioGraph - A cheap and simple plotter made from sticks, servos, and a Raspberry Pi running Python. Here's video of a BrachioGraph talk at PyCon UK from the creator.
- Arduino CNC Drawing Machine - A fairly simple 3d-printed AxiDraw-style plotter with good video documentation.
- PlotterXY - A coreXY plotter made from extrusion, 3d-printed parts, and an inexpensive 3d-printer control board.
- NextDraw - The Bantam Tools successor to the popular AxiDraw pen plotter.
- openBrushograph - Open source 3d-printable XY gantry and Z-stage designed for automated brush and pen painting.
- Lego-Pen-Plotter - Pen plotter built entirely of LEGO and programmed with PyBricks and Python.
- Makelangelo 5 - Polargraph robot that draws on a wall, window, or easel.
- Reviving the Apple 410 Color Plotter
- Apple-410 - Apple 410 Color Plotter documentation, drivers, and ROM dumps.