Dispray: The Design of an AR-Augmented Airbrush for Electroluminescent Display Fabrication

Recent advances in material-centric personal fabrication have enabled the use of custom inks and paints with functional properties to create free-form displays. However, working with these materials, such as through airbrushing, remains a skill-intensive process that limits non-specialist access, adoption, and further development. To address these challenges, we developed Dispray, an AR-augmented airbrush tool for fabricating electroluminescent displays. The tool was shaped by insights from a study with artists and engineers and refined through iterative prototyping. We evaluated Dispray by re-engaging with the original artists and engineers and conducting a follow-up study with novice users, demonstrating its effectiveness in supporting both skill acquisition and functional fabrication. This work contributes a novel approach to connecting emerging material fabrication with accessible, user-centered tools, advancing the democratisation of interactive device creation.