Algorithmic Sketchbook: Busy

Busy: An Algorithmic Sketchbook is a limited series of 20 sketchbooks, each containing 35 meticulously drawn illustrations made with the same robotic processes as the BUSY body of work. This process, which uses fountain pens with custom fabricated precision guides, allowed the series of 20 books to exhibit the common imperfections of ink drawings, thus turning it from a printed book to a sketchbook, much like you'd find in an artists' studio.

The sketchbook illustrates the hidden world within BUSY, the generative algorithms and components that exist within the work. These primitives are isolated and re-contextualized within the pages of the book, allowing viewers to see the body of work from new perspectives.

Many rules of book making were respectfully broken. Each sketchbook is a real sketchbook, and each page has imperfections that make each book unique. In some pages, the artist has manually added ink swatches. Other pages may vary in ink color from other editions.

Each book was numbered and signed. A custom wooden box was also included for each book, also created by James.