Scanography: Maria T. Ason (Exhibition)

Gallery Six

In the digital age, a new medium is discovered -- Scanography, capturing images using a color scanner. On view through December 31, 2025.

In 2009, playing with a color scanner opened my eyes to the world of scanography.  The amount of images created surpasses the number of paintings created in one day.  The images can then be printed into any object/surface which further expands the possibilities.  The work presented was printed into acrylic, canvas and metal.  

Scanography forms

Purist format: straightforward image captured by the scanner.

Progressive format: image captured by the scanner is modified digitally to enhance colors and textures.  

ARTIST STATEMENT:

In the digital world of art, the medium used in my artwork is scanography. The images are captured by
an 8” x 10” color Canon scanner. The process of scanning organic matter in combination of my face or
hands and other material is experimental resultingin a multidimensional image. Digitally the image is
modified to enhance the coloring and texture.

According to my research of artists who use this medium, I have noticed that many simply scan objects
with no further manipulation of the image. I consider them “purists”. In contrast, my work is a
combination of purist and progressive. A progressive image is a scanned image that has gone through
many changes via digital augmentation. These multiple changes I refer to them as “takes”. Some have
more than 7 takes to obtain the desired effect.

Since I majored in printmaking, it made me think a little deeper of how new technology can be applied
as part of creation of these images. Scanography allows me to think as a printmaker electronically, but
also applying what I know as a painter and photographer: COLOR.

Scanography has helped me create unique images that help explore the small world of detail. We
never pay attention to the little things, a wonderful creation that we take for granted.

In perspective, it made me look up close as an artist the qualities of every leave, flower or object that
was scanned in every piece I made. I digitally would enhance the image by pushing the colors, texture
and depth of the image.

In the end, I discovered that nature can be a micro cosmos filled with intrinsic details when seen through
the lens of imagination. It is a window to God’s limitless creation. Man without nature is an incomplete
work of art.

In the course of creating my digital artwork, I incorporated my face and/or hands brought a different
dynamic that can further express why would God would create man and it significance in the world of
nature. The incorporation of the face or hands provides a more personal custom touch to the image
since it is a personal signature to the art piece.

Some images include small objects that are part of my daily experience, which brings nostalgia and
relives certain childhood memories. These real world objects become part of us as if they were a selfportrait
with clues into our own personality and life journey.

The range of color and different layers of tones sets the tone to the art piece. It also serves the purpose
of coloring the world as a fantasy or your inner self. In addition, the use of color is used as a means to
allude to the sense of taste and smell and sound. In other words, you can see how color can be music
to the image in a poetic way. An ode to God.

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