20240603141753

Name: Ragnar Digital, LLC
Price range: $

Paul Rickards

2023

Plotter Drawing

11" x 15"

Description

Truchet tiles are squares decorated with identical but asymmetrical patterns that produce a dynamic effect through their cumulative rotation. Paul Rickards’s “Truchet Tiles Series” explores this system’s capacity to create a complex patterned field from minimal forms and rules. From monochromatic density to multicolor complexity, the series reveals variation as its defining feature.

Rickards used Python code to generate hundreds of possible Truchet tile arrangements, each built from quarter arcs that are rotated and distributed across a grid. From various iterations, he selected which design to plot. _Plot 20240603141753 _was created with a combination of vintage and modern plotters, using pigmented acrylic inks on 140-lb. cold-press watercolor paper.

Plot 20240603141753 is a vivid composition where reds and purples dominate. The work resembles a Persian rug, with intricate pattern formed from shapes that reference mechanical parts arranged closely together. The layering of hues creates depth, making the clustered forms appear to rise from the surface. Along the edges, fine linear elements extend outward like fringe. The work carries a dual character, evoking the tactile nature of textiles while bearing the mark of machine precision.