Scanner Art

by dreamberry

4.7K2111

Intro: Scanner Art

If you are as easily amused as I am you will get a lot of mileage out of this. I don't know if this has a name, I call it "goobing".  I will post a slideshow of some of these, if anyone shows any interest. I didn't see this posted yet, it might be old news. (I have been told that I am still living in the 70's)

STEP 1: How to Do It:

Take something recognizable, a photo, a playing card, a dollar and scan it, but as the scanner head travels, drag and slowly spin the piece, always keeping the piece above the light, but flat on the scanner. The resultant distorted image is a "goob". A dollar works great, I think because of its immediate recognizability, the beauty of the thing, also the unusual rainbow moire effects that are sometimes created. I don't think the secret service has a problem with this as long as you're not printing out dollar bills. Here are some examples. Boredom ends now!  

STEP 2: Experimentation Is Key!

Try many different things, use you fingers to twist items, I put the dollar on a piece of cardboard and tape that to a pencil to allow faster twisting and turning. You could mount that assembly in a drill if you want to spin fast. 

STEP 3: Or Don't Twist

I think you get the idea, but Instructables said I should put more images on, so even though the actual instructions only took one sentence, I will continue to expound. This is a no twist example, just a shifting back and forth. 

10 Comments

Delete_ 10 years ago

I made a collage out of scanner art I made

ThomasM17 8 years ago

your art looks great I want to try this any suggestions?

geckotui 11 years ago

Thanks heaps for this cool idea - will keep us amused for hours !! I have tried it with some of my artwork and now have a stack more ideas to try out with my own art!

krumsjr 12 years ago

does anybody know how to do this with a video like this:
http://www.bumpworthy.com/bumps/3783

dreamberry 12 years ago

I think they are used a "photo morphing" software.

dreamberry 13 years ago

ooh... just discovered that this works GREAT with sheet music !!! COOL BEANS !!

unclethomas 13 years ago

the 70's ain't such a bad place to be!

while you contemplate the "do not remove the document cover" warning, get some more inspiration at http://scannography.org/.

When you've checked that out, look around you and think of what other devices might have warranties that are begging to be voided. ... that's when the real fun begins :)

dreamberry 13 years ago

Do not remove document cover - appeared on a little booklet about the printing of money - a booklet I got out of a gum machine at Kmart when I was 10 - the cover was a photocopied 20 dollar bill - it said inside not to remove the document cover- is this what you are referring to? Or was that just random 70's talk?
Muchas gracias for the link! I had no idea I had inadvertantly joined the ranks of scannographers. At least I know now there is a better name for it.

unclethomas 13 years ago

Actually, I was referring to a warning that appears in several different scanning programs as the scanner warms up. However, I think I like your source better. Do you still have the Booklet?

My other favorite phrase from the world of scanners comes from the Epson Support Team. I knew I was on the right track when I heard ," the scanner wasn't designed to do that, sir." . . . (they try so hard...)

p.s. love the pants

unclethomas 13 years ago

Actually, I was referring to a warning that appears in several different scanning programs as the scanner warms up. However, I think I like your source better. Do you still have the Booklet?

My other favorite phrase from the world of scanners comes from the Epson Support Team. I knew I was on the right track when I heard ," the scanner wasn't designed to do that, sir." . . . (they try so hard...)