The affordability of flatbed color scanners in the 1990s significantly impacted scanography, which is the practice of using scanned images as art. With the introduction of more accessible and cost-effective scanning technology, artists and photographers began to experiment with digital images and manipulation techniques, allowing them to create works that blended traditional photography with digital aesthetics.

1. Increased Accessibility: The reduction in price made flatbed color scanners widely available to both amateur and professional artists. This democratization of technology meant that more individuals could explore scanographic techniques, leading to a surge in creativity.

2. New Artistic Techniques: Artists began to utilize scanners not just to digitize images but as a medium for creating art. They experimented with the physical placement of objects on the scanner bed, resulting in unique compositions that often challenged traditional notions of photography and art.

3. Integration with Digital Media: The use of scanners paved the way for integrating scanned images with other digital media. This fusion allowed for innovative approaches to graphic design, digital collaging, and multimedia art, significantly expanding the boundaries of visual art.

4. Cultural Impact: The rise of scanography coincided with the growth of the internet and digital culture in the 1990s. Artists could share their work online, leading to broader exposure and the formation of communities that embraced digital art forms.

Overall, the affordability of flatbed color scanners in the 1990s was a catalyst for a new wave of artistic expression, fundamentally changing how images were created and perceived.