Final Project: Drawing Machine

Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12UfQ8NYWdu8lXzaBfoubkTqgD9dctlm7/view?usp=sharing

Materials: box, cork, wire, stepper motor, wire, pencil, usb cord, arduino, breadboard, 20 wires, battery, tape, one resistor 330 ohms, button.

Steps:

1. Attach wires correctly to breadboard and arduino. Add button to breadboard, connect wires.
2. Tape battery on top of button so that the total height reaches the top of the box.
3. place breadboard and arduino inside of box.
4. cut hole out on top to fit the motor, and cut hole to fit usb adapter.
5. tape motor so just the rotator is showing outside of the box.
6. close box neatly.
7. wrap wire around the cork and cut a hole in the shape of the rotator into one end of the cork. attach other end of wire to pencil.
8. upload code and hook arduino up to power source (computer in this case).
9. watch it draw clockwise, then hold down button on box to make the rotation counterclockwise.

Final Project: Drawing Machine

This project was fun to work on because we were able to fully experiment with all the content we learned the whole semester. I decided to create a drawing machine because I was interested in the development of an unknown outcome with something I could physically build. I wrote the code for my arduino and set everything up on the breadboard. I used one of the rotating motors so that I could attach a drawing utensil to the rotating piece enabling my pencil or pen to move. I then decided it was a little too easy so I added in a button so when the button is held down, the rotation spins clockwise however when the button is not pressed, the rotation spins counter-clockwise. This adds an element of interaction with the piece; without the button, it would be an autonomous machine. One thing I do enjoy about my project is that it looks much cleaner than it did at the beginning with numerous wires out and about. I find it interesting when a piece of art itself creates something and it is even more exciting when the artist doesn’t even know how the outcome will look. It gives the project a performance art quality which sometimes can make the project more fun to watch or witness. I added a box to conceal all of the unfinished looking parts and cut out holes for where things needed to come out of the box. I suppose it would look better if it were painted or one solid color box.

If I had to do the project over and improve it somehow, I would want to figure out how to eliminate the disruption the blue usb cord creates. Because there is an interruption in the circular movement the pencil makes, the project seems less impressive somehow. Then again, the disruption adds to the unknown outcome of what will happen when the pencil is blocked. Another element I would like to add is a different angle rotation. Instead of having it stay stagnant I would enjoy figuring out how I could alter the movement even further and add a vertical spin along with the circular revolution. Going even further, I wonder if eventually I could figure out to create a drawing machine that could actually draw a specific image, word, pattern, etc. I think what I have is a good basis to start at but I could turn it into so much more. I think I would also like to change the button. If I didn’t have to hold down the button, then my finger would not get in the way of the rotating pencil. If I could change it now I would press it once and it would rotate in one direction until I press the button again and It switches directions and so on. I might also consider changing the box it is in and attempt to make it more compact than it looks now.

My original idea for the final project was to sculpt an anthropomorphic figure in two different positions and have two different colored LEDs lining the person in the two separate positions. My idea was that I would turn a knob one way and it would light the sculpture up in one position with one color of lights, and then I would turn the knob the other direction and the sculpture would light up in the other color of lights and it would be in the second position I had arranged them in. This seemed more difficult because I would have to get more LEDs as well as figuring out if I wanted the sculpture three dimensional or two dimensional on paper or something.

I imagine that I could make a combination of my two ideas somehow. I could sculpt a figure and then have them hold the drawing utensil and they would be revolving and creating the unknown outcome. That however eliminates the interactive quality which may be my favorite element. I think the greatest part about this project in general is having the limitless ability to create with the arduino. I’m so grateful to have been introduced to the arduino because the arts are only growing with technology, expanding beyond what we know now. There are so many things you can make with the arduino and there are already so many projects online to use it for. It was also fun to hook up the wires in the correct places to the breadboard and arduino for this project because I realized I now know what goes where and feel confident in how electrical circuits work.

 

 

Code for Processing:

Created 11 Mar. 2007
Modified 30 Nov. 2009
by Tom Igoe

*/

#include <Stepper.h>
const int buttonPin = 2; // the number of the pushbutton pin
const int stepsPerRevolution = 200; // change this to fit the number of steps per revolution
// for your motor
int buttonState = 0;

// initialize the stepper library on pins 8 through 11:
Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 8, 9, 10, 11);

void setup() {

// initialize the pushbutton pin as an input:
pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT);

// set the speed at 60 rpm:
myStepper.setSpeed(180);
// initialize the serial port:
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {

// read the state of the pushbutton value:
buttonState = digitalRead(buttonPin);

if (buttonState == HIGH) {

// step one revolution in one direction:
Serial.println(“clockwise”);
myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution);
//delay(500);
} else {
// step one revolution in the other direction:
Serial.println(“counterclockwise”);
myStepper.step(-stepsPerRevolution);
//delay(500);
}
}