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Lines: Vectors

Print
Spring, 1995 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Mark Wilson (b. 1943) studied at Pomona College and Yale Art School, where he received his MFA in 1967. His early paintings and drawings were concerned with geometrical imaging. Following his purchase of a microcomputer in 1980, Wilson began using new technology in his artistic practice, writing algorithms to produce plotter drawings with the computer.

The following is a statement by the artist about the portfolio work 'Lines : Vectors':

This portfolio of 24 prints attempts to summarize a number of visual concerns. First, it is a digest of my work for the past five years. During that time, I have been mostly working with monochromatic images.
These black and white prints also represent a pragmatic approach to the unending technical limitations of computer graphic hardcopy. Old fashioned ink on paper, or paint on canvas has enormous economic and practical advantages for the artist. Computer graphic technologies have made great strides, but still suffer limitations of scale, availability, cost, and practicality. The modern laser printer, while restricted in terms of scale, represents an extremely attractive prospect for making my images

This portfolio is divided into four parts consisting of six prints each.
4VG1 through 4VG6 are a bit sentimental. Using very simple algorithms, the goal was to create engaging images with absolutely minimal programs.
Images 4VH1 through 4VH6 are based on polar coordinates. A rectangular section of a screen image is plotted, pixel by pixel, onto a polar mapping. The pixel mapping scheme is used to represent colours from the screen by various geometric elements in the final image -- such as box outlines, bars, circles, and so forth. Further variations are introduced by mapping sine waves onto polar and helical surfaces.
Cylindrical and conical surfaces are represented by drawings 4VC1 through 4VC6. These surfaces vary from being very palpable rendering of abstract surface, to highly abstract images.
Finally the last section 4VP1 through 4VP6 are planar surfaces exhibiting an obsessive texturing. The resulting complexity obviously has references to my abiding interest in technological imagery.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLines: Vectors (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Laser print printed on Strathmore Writing rag paper with a Hewlett-Packard 4V laser printer
Brief description
Laser print, '4VP3', from 'Lines: Vectors', a portfolio of 24 laser prints, by Mark Wilson, Connecticut, United States, Spring 1995
Physical description
Black and white laser print printed on Strathmore Writing rag paper with a Hewlett-Packard 4V laser printer. Signed by artist at bottom right (AP Wilson). Inscription at bottom right (Lines:Vectors Mark Wilson (C) 1995 4VP3).
Dimensions
  • Length: 43.1cm
  • Width: 28cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'AP Wilson' (Signature by artist at bottom right.)
  • 'Lines:Vectors Mark Wilson (C) 1995 4VP3' (Inscription printed at bottom right.)
Credit line
Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Patric Prince
Historical context
This portfolio of 24 prints attempts to summarize a number of visual concerns. First, it is a digest of my work for the past five years. During that time, I have been mostly working with monochromatic images. While computer graphic imagery is often clamoring about the availability of at least 16.4 million hues, somehow the focus of only a single colour sharpens the concerns of design and composition. A good analogy is the great resilience of black and white photography amidst the universality of colour photography. Colour is terrifically important, but monochromatic images somehow isolate the elemental qualities of composition and texture.
These black and white prints also represent a pragmatic approach to the unending technical limitations of computer graphic hardcopy. Old fashioned ink on paper, or paint on canvas has enormous economic and practical advantages for the artist. Computer graphic technologies have made great strides, but still suffer limitations of scale, availability, cost, and practicality. The modern laser printer, while restricted in terms of scale, represents an extremely attractive prospect for making my images. My previous computer-generated imagery - which was strongly influenced by the technical possibilities of pen plotters - was very easily transported to the medium of the laser printer.
Beyond the technical issues, my visual interests are well served by this technology. I have always been fascinated by visual complexity. It is [a] natural and direct process to generate these intricate images with my software and the laser printer. Indeed, I would hope that these images serve to explore new visual and textural possibilities, that would have been unimaginable before the advent of these technologies.
The portfolio is divided into four parts consisting of six prints. 4VG1 through 4VG6 are a bit sentimental. They are amplifications of images that were originally created from my 1986 "how to" book, 'Drawing with Computers'. Using very simple algorithms, the goal was to create engaging images with absolutely minimal programs. almost ten years later, I think that interesting results are obtainable with these ideas.
Images 4VH1 through 4VH6 are based on polar coordinates. A rectangular section of a screen image is plotted, pixel by pixel, onto a polar mapping. The pixel mapping scheme is used to represent colours from the screen by various geometric elements in the final image -- such as box outlines, bars, circles, and so forth. Further variations are introduced by mapping sine waves onto polar and helical surfaces.
Cylindrical and conical surfaces are represented by drawings 4VC1 through 4VC6. These surfaces vary from being very palpable rendering of abstract surface, to highly abstract images.
Finally the last section 4VP1 through 4VP6 are planar surfaces exhibiting an obsessive texturing. The resulting complexity obviously has references to my abiding interest in technological imagery.
Production
West Cornwall, Connecticut, United States
Summary
Mark Wilson (b. 1943) studied at Pomona College and Yale Art School, where he received his MFA in 1967. His early paintings and drawings were concerned with geometrical imaging. Following his purchase of a microcomputer in 1980, Wilson began using new technology in his artistic practice, writing algorithms to produce plotter drawings with the computer.

The following is a statement by the artist about the portfolio work 'Lines : Vectors':

This portfolio of 24 prints attempts to summarize a number of visual concerns. First, it is a digest of my work for the past five years. During that time, I have been mostly working with monochromatic images.
These black and white prints also represent a pragmatic approach to the unending technical limitations of computer graphic hardcopy. Old fashioned ink on paper, or paint on canvas has enormous economic and practical advantages for the artist. Computer graphic technologies have made great strides, but still suffer limitations of scale, availability, cost, and practicality. The modern laser printer, while restricted in terms of scale, represents an extremely attractive prospect for making my images

This portfolio is divided into four parts consisting of six prints each.
4VG1 through 4VG6 are a bit sentimental. Using very simple algorithms, the goal was to create engaging images with absolutely minimal programs.
Images 4VH1 through 4VH6 are based on polar coordinates. A rectangular section of a screen image is plotted, pixel by pixel, onto a polar mapping. The pixel mapping scheme is used to represent colours from the screen by various geometric elements in the final image -- such as box outlines, bars, circles, and so forth. Further variations are introduced by mapping sine waves onto polar and helical surfaces.
Cylindrical and conical surfaces are represented by drawings 4VC1 through 4VC6. These surfaces vary from being very palpable rendering of abstract surface, to highly abstract images.
Finally the last section 4VP1 through 4VP6 are planar surfaces exhibiting an obsessive texturing. The resulting complexity obviously has references to my abiding interest in technological imagery.
Collection
Accession number
E.1064:23-2008

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Record createdJune 8, 2009
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