The WaterColorBot is a friendly art robot that moves a paint brush to paint your digital artwork onto paper, using a set of watercolor paints.

WaterColorBot is a collaborative project from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories and Super Awesome Sylvia.

Starting with vector artwork on your computer — or following along as you sketch in real time — the WaterColorBot dips its brush in water, goes and gets the right color of paint, and paints before your eyes. The WaterColorBot works with standard and common watercolor paints, pens, and paper, so that you never need to purchase expensive or proprietary supplies. It is made in the USA with a tough and sturdy wooden frame built to last for years of use.

The WaterColorBot is a specialized pen plotter (a drawbot!) that can draw with pens, pencils, or a set of watercolor paints.

To move the paint brush, there are two motors built into the frame of the robot. Each motor drives a little winch that moves a length of cord attached to a rod that controls either the X or Y position of the brush.

This same mechanism (right down to the winches and cords) can be found inside many vintage plotters and chart recorders. It is also the same mechanism that an Etch-a-Sketch uses, except that instead of a stylus, we have a carriage that moves the brush up and down.

Kit includes:

• Assembled WaterColorBot
• The lower deck "spoilboard" of the WaterColorBot with a clip for paper
• USB Cable
• Universal input plug-in power supply (with a US-style plug)
• A set of Crayola water colors with brush
• Five sheets of 9x12" watercolor paper
• Three polypropylene water dishes
• Polypropylene beaker and dropper
• Printed quick start guide
• Hex wrench (should one be needed for future maintenance)
• Extra binder clip

A computer with USB is required. Mac, Windows, and Linux (Ubuntu) are all supported.

Check out the Evil Mad Scientist product page for more information including a helpful FAQ

Note: Shipping weight reflects UPS' new dimensional weight regulations.