Scannography

What is scannography? 

Scannography is a technique creating an image by scanning an object on a scanner. There are various different methods that achieve slightly different outcomes. For example the artist    uses the scanner alone to create his final images, with no cropping in post editing he has to ensure the composition of his images are just right when scanning on the bed. For examples of his amazing work see here..

Maggie Taylor uses scannography as part of her own acquired technique in image making. She collects an endless amount of objects including daguerreotype images, dried flowers, stuffed birds, insects, crumpled papers and so on, she then scans these objects to add to her images, the backgrounds such as the clouds, trees and lakes photographed by herself with a compact camera. She creates composite layers and builds them up on top of each other to create a final image. Her work cannot really be catagorised, she is a photographer, artist, scannographer, digital image maker....click on this link to see an excellent video of Maggie explaining her technique. http://vimeo.com/72831294

                

The image above evolved from just one daguerreotype. Taylor then builds the image from there almost letting itself narrate and tell it's own story as she goes along. So I'm assuming that the model as mentioned above was from a scanned daguerreotype, adding colour through Photoshop using various techniques such a layer masks and blend modes and adjustment layers. With her own landscape photographs Maggie has carefully placed one for the background, added maybe another adjusts layer of a photographe tree, placed scanned butterflies and other various objects. The texture again created by scanning materials and using an overlay layer? I will be using similar methods for my final piece for unit 32. 

Another artist who is known for their scannography is Bruno Levy. After experimenting with various objects in his kitchen Bruno decided to give cling film a go, scanning in whatever composition, usually scrunched up a tad he moved the film in mid scan. This created a movement in the image and also ensured that each image was its own, impossible to replicate. 

I will be giving this a try, it would be rude not to, I have a scanner and cling film so why not. Below are a few of Bruno images, I will be attaching some of my own later on in the week.

                   

My last example of artists specialising in scannography is Krista Kreeger-Bowen. 

Krista specialises in macro photography. The scanner artist usually accompanies her images with a descriptive poem. Unlike taking a macro photo with a traditional camera, this form of macrophotography utilises a flatbed scanner which captures an image by slowly moving both the light and the lens across the chosen art subject.

Artist Statement by Scanner Artist Christa Kreeger Bowden

" Scanner Obscura is an exploration, both in its technical creation and in its content....
Limited to the small space of the scanner surface, I work quietly, naked, and in the dark… scanning pieces of myself and exploring the relationship of these pieces to each other and to objects. Although the darkness is technically required for the black background of my imagery, it allows for introspection and thought about each piece. I see the black background of my images like water, my body rising through.

Through my scanner, I have recorded the journey through some of the milestones of a woman’s life: youth, relationships, marriage, pregnancy, and motherhood. These universal experiences, and the emotions associated with them, are explored over and over in my work, through the personal space of my body, and the metaphors that I find in particular objects. ..."

                        

                                        

Below are my collection of experimental scans, take a guess at what they are and then scroll down to see if you were right!

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1.Hair, hand and autumn leaf
2. Cling Film
3. Foil
4. Foil
5. Foil
6. Golden Lionhead flower (my fave aussie native flower)

7. As above
8. As above
9. Milk Snake- My pet Ang
10. As above
11. As above
12. As above
13. As above
14. Snake skin
15.Snake skin
16. Orchidaceae
17.Autumn Leaf
18. One Autumn leaf
19. Aliens hand, ha only kidding, mine!
20. Orchid

Evaluation:

I love scanning! Experimenting with the depth of field and various different textures and movement of the scanned subject no two images are the same. I like using the black background and I think to perfect the technique I need to scan in a completely darkened room to allow the light fall off, or maybe use a dark cloth over the scanned area.
A little digital editing to clean up any dust and speckles wouldn't go a miss either. The images I have added are totally untouched.

Useful links 

www.scannography.org