Data in Motion: Creating Sound Art with a Pen Plotter

This past Christmas, I treated myself to a pen plotter, and let’s just say -I’m a little obsessed. This thing is huuuuge (A1-sized, to be exact), and the creative possibilities feel endless. At first, I stuck to the basics, using pens and pencils. But that didn’t last long. Before I knew it, I was experimenting with paint, and believe it or not, potatoes. That’s how the "potato plotter" was born. Turns out, testing unconventional materials with the machine leads to some pretty wild results.

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One thing I quickly realized, though, is that pen plotter programming isn’t exactly beginner-friendly. There’s not a ton of accessible info out there, which was daunting at first. Thankfully, I stumbled upon a few incredibly generous folks online who shared their knowledge, and that made all the difference. Learning the ins and outs of this machine has been just as rewarding as the art itself.

One of my favorite projects so far has been a series of sound circles. The idea started with me recording my voice, then running the sound data through Cinema 4D’s particle system to generate visual patterns. The results? Abstract, hypnotic designs that feel weirdly personal. One in particular, with intricate, moody lines, gives me serious Joy Division vibes—so much so that I’m already thinking of turning it into a t-shirt design.

Beyond the coding and design process, I’ve also been fascinated by how different mediums completely change the final look. Fine-tip pens, thick markers, paint—each one brings its own texture and personality to the artwork. Experimenting with materials has become just as exciting as the plotting itself.

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