Printers are often experienced as obstacles and nuisances, even in the creative process. They “break” often and run out of ink constantly without an apparent reason. Modern technology often relies on the black box effect to prevent any sort of relationship or understanding between consumers and the tools they use.

We assembled a DIY Arduino Printer Kit as a way to more deeply understand the mechanisms that allow for printing. When we build and tear down, it gives us a chance to see the wires and understand the code. It’s a vital step in shifting who possesses what knowledge, and it offers a space to fully celebrate what is happening with each print, to embrace the printer as a bridge between digital and physical, to see the printer as a collaborator in the creative process.