Art Scanning - How to Use a Flatbed Scanner to Reproduce a Print

Artists, publishers and others have several methods available to perform art scanning to preserve their work, including photographing artwork or having it scanned with a drum scanner. However, a flatbed scanner also provides a suitable method for art scanning. From a business perspective, it's very important to scan your artwork to preserve it to reference for future projects or to market your work..
Following are some tips you can use for art scanning prints. Of course, you will need to have a flatbed scanner connected to your personal computer.

1. Make sure the scanner glass is free of smudges and fingerprints. Avoid using liquids, such as glass cleaner. Clean the scanner glass with a lens cloth or similar product.
2. Place the print face down as flat as possible on the scanner glass. Make sure the print is straight and lies parallel to the edges of the scanner to ensure scanning the entire print.
3. Start the scanner software. Depending on the type of scanner you have, it may have a scan button. Some devices have an import function on the image processing software. In some cases, you may have to initiate a separate scanning program.
4. Conduct a preview before beginning the scan. Some software will do this automatically and then proceed.
5. Evaluate the preview to ensure you do not have a skewed image. Make any necessary adjustments and preview again.
6. Outline the scanning area of the print you desire with the mouse.
7. When you use Photoshop or another image manipulation software to reproduce prints, scan images in the "millions of colors" mode. If you are using some other method, employ this mode or other color option. Scan the print at 300 pixels per inch or the desired print size. When scanning a print for use on the Web, scan at 72 pixels per inch.
8. Start the art scanning process with the auto exposure feature if available on the software. Make manual adjustments for contrast and brightness as required. On some flatbed scanners, set the exposure to the factor defaults. For color prints, reset the color controls to the default settings.

Take advantage of settings on your scanner that allows the user to enhance shadow separation. When art scanning prints, save them as.BMF,.PCX or.TIFF. Do not save the scanned print as.JPEG.
Remember, when scanning your print, set the software size measurement to pixels except when scanning to a printer. Also, consider using third-party software versus the scanning software.