Algorithmic Plotter Art, 1974-1981

Algorithmic Plotter Art, 1974-1981

I've been involved in many aspects of computer art/computer graphics. First as a student and pioneer of the medium at Michigan State University (MSU). Followed by several years of professing engineering graphics, computer graphics and computer art at The Ohio State University (OSU). Followed by being called upon to start a program at Northern Illinois University (NIU), College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Art, Department of Design called Electronic Media, where I was an Associate Professor of Design.

This collection presents the original plotter drawings (pen on paper) programmed in FORTRAN, executed on a CDC6500 mainframe computer and an offline Calcomp 936 drum plotter. Done at Michigan State University during my MFA/PhD era, 1974-1981.

Each NFT comes with an original print of that era, of which only very few remain.

Available

Kolofunc-2

Hard to believe these to images have survived so long. The printer was one of the first computer output devices. When you ran a program on a computer in the early 1970’s you always got the output on printer paper. The was cheap and plentiful Hard to believe these to images have survived so long. The printer was one of the first computer output devices. When you ran a program on a computer in the early 1970’s you always got the output on printer paper. The was cheap and plentiful. Historically, some of first computer graphics were printer output made by arranging alphanumeric characters on printer pages. Computer nerds would figure out which characters to print to make Snoopy or Star Trek characters. They also figured out how to produce gray scales by overstriking characters. It was crude but effective. I was majoring in Graphic Design in the early 1970’s and with the help of my friend Chris Scussel, a math/computer science major. We tried to seriously push this medium to produce algorithmic art. He developed a kind of gray scale and we experimented with some functions. The result of which were these two drawings. Historically, some of first computer graphics were printer output made by arranging alphanumeric characters on printer pages. Computer nerds would figure out which characters to print to make Snoopy or Star Trek characters. They also figured out how to produce gray scales by overstriking characters. It was crude but effective. I was majoring in Graphic Design in the early 1970’s and with the help of my friend Chris Scussel, a math/computer science major. We tried to seriously push this medium to produce algorithmic art. He developed a kind of gray scale and we experimented with some functions. The result of which were these two drawings.

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