Broken Printer

It's 2025. Why do printers still suck?

In Broken Printer, Robak artfully blends the nuances of traditional printing with the boundless scope of generative art, inspired by the evolution of printing technology. This series pays homage to graphic design and desktop publishing, focusing on the unique aesthetics of faulty prints juxtaposed against the perfection promised by advertising.

Beginning as a project to generate printer calibration pages, it evolved into a comprehensive emulation of Photoshop's early functionalities in code — layer styles, masking, filters, and more — with the unlocked infinite possibilities of procedural generation. Through this exploration, Robak challenges viewers to find beauty in technological imperfections, urging a reevaluation of the quest for perfection.

2024 · ~2,000 Generative NFTs · Custom Software

The Engine

Generative layer engine meets print nostalgia.

Every output is unique — procedurally assembled from hundreds of graphic primitives, blend modes, and simulated print artifacts. The custom software emulates Photoshop's early functionalities: layer styles, masking, filters, color separations, and halftone patterns.

Procedural Assembly

Each piece is built from layered primitives — shapes, textures, typography fragments — composed through code that mirrors the desktop publishing workflows of the 1990s.