By Kathyanne White

Beverage cans have been one of my favorite surfaces since I created my process to digitally print the cans.  I use other metals, but still love the beverage can surface.  Although the process is somewhat lengthy and the surface small I always love the results.  Recently I have been taking my ideas further on assemblages with printed cans.  Below is the start of a new piece using printed cans.  After preparing the cans and using a pre coat of iridescent Gold from inkAID, I attached all my cans to a carrier sheet shown below.

Original 30 x 40 image.

Printed Cans

Single sheet of cans. This is part of an image that is actually 30″ x 40″ painted in Corel Painter 12.  The can print is 13″ x 22″.

Detail of can print

Once the prints dry for 2 days they will be sprayed with print shield to preserve the print and then varnished with Golden’s MSA Satin Varnish to preserve the print.  This makes the printed metal more durable to preserve it from scraping and scratching although it could still be scratched if not taken care of correctly.

Once the cans are ready to assemble, I will follow these studies I have been doing with shape and form of the beverage cans.  The pieces become diminutional and the surface has a frosted look from the varnish.  I am still experimenting with the small assembled pieces below.  They are the first of some of my new ideas or textural and dimensional pieces with the printed cans.

Once the cans are cut, holes are punched on each end of the strips.  They are strung and crocheted from behind to hold the strips in place.

It’s all about the printed surface with me and I love exploring the possibilities!