Teddy Warner's GPenT Project Reinvents Wall Art with AI-Driven Polargraph

A hardware innovator bridges generative AI and mechanical art with an open-source wall plotter that could democratize dynamic interior design.

San Francisco-based maker Teddy Warner has resurrected his high school-era Generative Pen-trained Transformer (GPenT) project, creating a wall-mounted polargraph that merges mechanical engineering with modern AI capabilities. While currently a personal project, the system demonstrates how accessible hardware could disrupt the $1.3B generative art market.

The Machine Behind the Magic

Warner's design uses two NEMA 17 steppers mounted on a custom maple plywood frame ( Generative Pen-trained Transformer - Teddy Warner ) to control a gondola holding Sakura Pigma Micron pens. The 48"x60" device employs:

Titanium-weighted counterbalances for precise movement
A servo-actuated pen lift mechanism
French cleat mounting for easy installation

The open-source firmware adapts Marlin for polar coordinates, while a Raspberry Pi 5 hosts Warner's custom web interface (plotter.onethreenine.net) that converts AI-generated patterns into plottable G-code.

Generative Pen-trained Transformer - Teddy Warner

From Sonakinatography to Stable Diffusion

What makes GPenT noteworthy is its three-tiered generative approach:

Algorithmic patterns: Implements Channa Horwitz's 1960s Sonakinatography notation system
LLM orchestration: Uses Google's Gemini API to coordinate drawing parameters
Experimental diffusion: Trains a 200M parameter model to convert Stable Diffusion latents directly to G-code

While the diffusion model currently produces abstract outputs ( Generative Pen-trained Transformer - Teddy Warner ), the Gemini integration already enables natural language prompts like "midnight forest" to generate coordinated drawing sequences.

Market Potential

Though not yet commercialized, Warner's $595 BOM (full parts list) suggests viability for:

Art studios seeking dynamic installations
Architects prototyping decorative elements
Educators teaching computational art

Several generative art startups have attracted significant funding recently:

Artomatix raised $4.5M for AI-assisted creative tools
Articulated secured $2.1M for algorithmically-generated murals
Plotify (YC W24) is commercializing desktop pen plotters

Warner's fusion of accessible hardware ( Generative Pen-trained Transformer - Teddy Warner ) with AI interfaces could position GPenT as an intriguing open-source alternative in this space. The project demonstrates how personal fabrication tools might follow the trajectory of 3D printers - starting as hobbyist devices before finding commercial applications.

For makers interested in replicating the build, Warner provides complete assembly instructions and a live demo interface. The next evolution might involve integrating real-time camera feedback or developing a subscription model for AI-generated art sequences.