Studio Artist user Ellen Horovitz has recently been blogging about different approaches to working with or subverting various kinds of digital printer media to achieve different analog style artistic effects. One recent post discusses a low cost approach to generating digitally printed transfers onto substrates that emulates the look of old Polaroid 669 film at a much lower cost. Another post describes using Sheer Heaven ink jet paper with color laser printing to achieve the look of Fuji analog film.
There’s a long history of experimentation with different printer inks, papers, transparency materials, subverting their normal prescribed uses to achieve different artistic effects. A willing nature to experiment is the key for this kind of work, trying out different combinations of materials and printing techniques and noting what combinations work or not for your particular stylistic interests. Ellen likes the look of analog film, but the price is prohibitive for her students and some of her experimental techniques can achieve the same kind of analog print aesthetic looks at a fraction of the cost of more traditional approaches to generating the print.
Dr Horovitz is the Director of Graduate Art Therapy at Nazareth College in Rochester. She’s also finishing up a new book that will feature some of her recent experiments working with Studio Artist.
