1. A method of displaying an image of an object placed on a surface computer, the surface computer comprising a surface, surface computer capable receiving multi-touch input through the surface and rendering display output on the surface, the surface computer including a scanner, the method comprising: detecting, by the surface computer, an object placed on the surface; identifying, by the surface computer, a region of the surface upon which the object is placed; scanning, by the surface computer using the scanner, the identified region of the surface to create an object image of the object; and rendering, by the surface computer, the object image within the identified region without modifying portions of any other images rendered on the surface outside the identified region.