Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case CAS, Shelf 3

Plotter Drawing

ca. 1970 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of many plotter drawings created by the artist Charles Mattox (1910-1996), at the University of New Mexico in the early 1970s. He used DART1, one of the first computer programs designed to be used by non-programmers for artistic purposes.

Mattox began his career as a painter, working on a series of large mural installations in New York in the 1930s. Later, he moved to Los Angeles and began building sets and designing animation equipment for Hollywood studios. In 1949 Mattox moved to San Francisco, where he taught at the California School of Fine Arts and UC Berkeley. An interest in technology, sound and motion led him to produce a range of kinetic sculptures, plus a pendulum drawing machine. He returned to Los Angeles in the early 1960s and gained increasing recognition as a sculptor.

In 1968 Mattox moved to the University of New Mexico, where he continued to develop his interest in the connections between art and science. The University owned an IBM 360 mainframe computer and an IBM 1403 line printer, so Mattox encouraged a colleague, Richard Williams, to develop a computer program called ART1. The new program produced impact prints on continuous printer paper, and was subsequently used by artists such as Frederick Hammersley and Katherine Nash.

Mattox also commissioned David Caulkins to create DART1, which worked with a CalComp drum plotter rather than a line printer. Mattox's plotter drawings were all created in the early 1970s, using the DART1 program and the CalComp plotter. The computer paper had sprocket holes on both edges, so it could move up or down as the pen travelled left or right across the surface.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Plotter drawing on paper
Brief description
Plotter drawing in black ink on prepared paper, by Charles Mattox, ca. 1970.
Physical description
Plotter drawing in black ink on computer paper with sprockets, depicting a series of diagonal lines woven together to create a three-dimensional diamond-shaped form.
Dimensions
  • Height: 43.1cm
  • Width: 48.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Mattox' (Artist's signature in pen, in lower right side.)
Credit line
Given by the Computer Arts Society, supported by System Simulation Ltd, London
Summary
This is one of many plotter drawings created by the artist Charles Mattox (1910-1996), at the University of New Mexico in the early 1970s. He used DART1, one of the first computer programs designed to be used by non-programmers for artistic purposes.

Mattox began his career as a painter, working on a series of large mural installations in New York in the 1930s. Later, he moved to Los Angeles and began building sets and designing animation equipment for Hollywood studios. In 1949 Mattox moved to San Francisco, where he taught at the California School of Fine Arts and UC Berkeley. An interest in technology, sound and motion led him to produce a range of kinetic sculptures, plus a pendulum drawing machine. He returned to Los Angeles in the early 1960s and gained increasing recognition as a sculptor.

In 1968 Mattox moved to the University of New Mexico, where he continued to develop his interest in the connections between art and science. The University owned an IBM 360 mainframe computer and an IBM 1403 line printer, so Mattox encouraged a colleague, Richard Williams, to develop a computer program called ART1. The new program produced impact prints on continuous printer paper, and was subsequently used by artists such as Frederick Hammersley and Katherine Nash.

Mattox also commissioned David Caulkins to create DART1, which worked with a CalComp drum plotter rather than a line printer. Mattox's plotter drawings were all created in the early 1970s, using the DART1 program and the CalComp plotter. The computer paper had sprocket holes on both edges, so it could move up or down as the pen travelled left or right across the surface.
Other number
CAS/A/0132 - Previous owner's number
Collection
Accession number
E.159-2008

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdApril 9, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON