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Dan Kainen, Artist and Inventor

Dan Kainen’s home town was Washington, D.C. His father was the curator of prints at the Smithsonian, and also a renowned D.C. artist. Dan graduated Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 1972 with a BA in painting, but started inventing things even while he was there; he built a unique cardboard couch, complete with a machine to make it, and had conceptual plans for a 3D printer long before they were known of. Dan feels his love of invention comes from his grandfather, who invented a cost-saving system of traffic lights for New York city, and the “Dead Man’s” break for trains among other things. When he left Pratt he moved to Manhattan, where he has lived ever since. His eclectic resume includes silk-screening tee shirts, doing laser light shows, working as an aerospace optical applications engineer, and creating artisanal lighting fixtures for restaurants. He studied holography in the 80’s and then started working with lenticular imaging in the 90’s and created the concept that led to “Photicular” books shortly thereafter, and started the Motion Picture Card Co, LLC in 2008. Dan holds 5 patents, both US and International, with more to be released shortly. Dan continues to do art and also writes songs.