COMING SOON: Fabula Mechanica

HOW WE MAKE THE FABULA MECHANICA

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Fabula Mechanica is a story told through blueprints. Blueprints have one intended meaning and generally speaking not subjectively interpreted. This distinguishes them from visual arts because they are not considered expressive drawings. We wanted to change that by adding a narrative to a blueprint. All our Fabula Mechanica are born as an engineering blueprint. They are painstakingly hand-drawn using old-world methods, and digitized. When drawing, we use only the primitives codified in ISO 128. The principle is poetry with geometry. We produce professional, OEM accurate, fabrication grade engineering drawings. We then take it a step beyond a blueprint by adding our artistic flair. We use axonometric projection, and sometimes combine multiple blueprints, creating the narrative of a fabula mechanica. Finally we have our pen plotter draw it for you.

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IT IS NOT A PRINT

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We do not use a printer to make these. They are all pen (or pencil, if you wish) drawn. You can see and feel the pen ink when you touch them. You can also feel the pen indentations left on the paper.

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IT IS NOT AI

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These days it is difficult to distinguish reality from AI slop. And since our Fabula Mechanica look so pretty, we find it inevitable some people might think it is AI generated. This is not the case. We take pride in all our Fabula Mechanica are result of 100% human imagination. They are designed by humans (ok - by nerds, but same difference), drawn by human hands, put to paper with real Sakura ink. They are 100% hand made. There is no AI involvement in any part of this artwork. The results are one of a kind, and when you touch the paper you will feel it: this is something impossible for an AI system to replicate.

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OUR PEN PLOTTER

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Exclusive to Katya Ironworks (custom made for us), our pen plotter uses Sakura Pigma Micron drafting pens. It has four-axis movement, 64-bit resolution, pressure sensitive pen holders, and a massive 500 kg alloy frame. With that it can handle ARCH-E paper (36"x44") where you can fit a life-size automobile engine and still have room to draw the transmission. It can draw lines from 0.1mm to 0.9mm thick. When you hold the luxurious paper afterwards, you can feel every nuance, even the minute physical indentations left by the tip of the pen are perceptible. ​

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OUR PAPER

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Our paper is made by Carson in France. The finest art paper you can find, our incredibly durable 98 lb sheets are made from 50% cotton linen, specifically designed to provide a supreme surface for masterpieces. Their are archival grade acid-free surface is recommended for displaying finished artwork in galleries. Buffered, acid-free, pulp-dyed, light-resistant, it has excellent protection against aging. Exceptional pigment adhesion, unlimited layering, designed to withstand layers of wet strokes and maintain fine lines for decades to come. Our paper has two surfaces and we can draw for you on either one of your choice. One side has a honeycomb grain, contributing to its personality, that easily retains the pigment and has a bold look. The other side has a fine grain, ideal for finest lines of fine ink. We decide which side to draw based on the unique artwork, but you can make requests.

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OUR INK

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​​Our drafting pens, as well as their fine inks, are made by Sakura in Japan. This is the same grade ink used in blueprints (duh), tattoos, calligraphy, and comics. As opposed to the common inks which are transparent and require white paper to work, our ink is opaque, creamy, colorful, and the pigment is legendary for its vivid color. It is archival grade, waterproof, fade resistant, chemical proof, lightfast, vibrant, permanent, odorless, acid-free, and pH neutral. Not only it is never coming off, it will also not ghost, smear, nor bleed through your drawing. ​​

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HOW TO ORDER YOUR DRAWINGS

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If you share our blueprint passion and enjoy our Fabula Mechanica, this is your chance to have your very own drawn! Choose from our extensive database of machines. There are over 2000 in aircraft alone to choose from. We also have iconic cars, motorcycles, guitars, and everything in between. As a machine shop, we have a library of thousands of factory specs. Combine it with decades of experience making technical drawings. If you cannot find what you are looking for you can simply imagine your own favorite machine and we will draw it for you. We can customize it with your license plate, nose art, tail number, or other identifying features.

 

PAPER SIZES

 

• 8.5x11

• 12x18

• 19.5x25.5

• 25x30 (white paper only)

• 36x40 (white paper only)

• Cut to Custom Size

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GET IT FRAMED

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Optionally, you can order your Fabula Mechanica with one of our premium quality cast-acrylic frames. These are machine-shop grade acrylics, not sold in stores. They are made in Japan. The same acrylic we use to make precision machine parts with. They are very heavy, thick, with a brilliant crystal clarity, military grade strength, and will not yellow or dim even outdoors. We can machine or engrave the frame also, to add even more depth to the artwork.

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WHERE TO ORDER YOURS

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They are not available yet but coming very soon! When they are here please navigate to our store page and purchase a Fabula Mechanica of the size you wish. Then send us an email with the artwork title and/or number you wish us to draw for you. We will, after your approval of the design and revisions, draw it for you and mail it to you. If you like, you can also have a video of your drawing being made for free.