4 Scanographs Series

 Series 1: A Cat-Scan

Series 2: Material Memories 

I loved creating these scanographs. As a printmaking major in college, the unpredictability of the final outcomes reminded me of working with traditional print processes. I was especially drawn to how found, three-dimensional objects could be quickly arranged into a kind of digital collage, while still retaining a sense of depth and physicality.

I began by scanning my beloved cat, Edward. He was not a very patient subject, so I left his yellow blanket on the scanner as well for a sense of security. I loved that his movement was captured in the scans in a visually compelling way. As I watched the scans come together, I decided to add my favorite flower—a ranunculus—from a vase, choosing it because it matched the same shade of yellow as the blanket.Moving from real Edward to a photograph of Edward, I continued the next series while still incorporating the ranunculus and some dried flowers. I experimented with moving objects as they were being scanned, and then gathered various found objects from around my house to further explore and play with the process. Each object symbolized something I am passionate about (I had to incorporate horses somehow). I concluded the series by scanning a photo of my cat who passed away, along with her paw and nose prints.

As someone who previously claimed not to be a fan of digital art, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed both the process and the outcomes. I can easily imagine my future students, regardless of age, sharing in this enthusiasm. This could become a powerful project in which students manipulate and experiment with objects that symbolize something meaningful in their own lives. The results felt deeply personal and emotionally resonant.