Priya Kapoor
Artists can now share and sell their work to a wider audience online, and digitising artwork is a key skill to learn to do this. There are two main ways to turn a painting into a digital print: scanning and photographing. Scanning your artwork requires a high-quality scanner, preferably with a flip-top lid, and an image resolution of 300 DPI for optimal print quality. You can also use software such as Photoshop to edit your scanned image and enhance the brightness and colour. Photographing your artwork is another option, especially for larger prints or shiny surfaces, and it is best to use a decent camera and a tripod.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Methods | Scanning, Photographing |
| Scanning Resolution | 300 DPI for printing on paper, 72 DPI for web |
| Scanners | Epson Perfection V370, Canon |
| File Types | JPEG, TIFF, PDF |
| Colour Modes | RGB, CMYK |
| Software | Adobe Photoshop |
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What You'll Learn
Scanning vs. photographing
There are two main ways to digitize your artwork: scanning and photographing. Both methods have their pros and cons, and the best option for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements.
Scanning your artwork allows for more control over the resolution of the final output. You can adjust the DPI on your scanner settings to determine how large you will be able to print your artwork. The industry standard for printing on paper is 300 DPI, while the standard for web is 72 DPI. Scanning is also more convenient if you don't have access to bulky camera equipment and may be easier for achieving the desired colour balance. However, if your painting is larger than your scanner bed, you will need to scan it in sections and piece the parts together using software like Photoshop. Additionally, glare may be an issue when scanning shiny surfaces, such as acrylic or oil paintings.
On the other hand, photographing your artwork is a better option for large paintings as it is easier to capture the entire piece in one shot. Photographing also allows for better colour balance and the capture of subtle layers and varying tones, especially in oil paintings with textured surfaces. However, photographing requires appropriate camera equipment, such as a tripod, camera, sharp lens, and lighting setup. It also demands some level of skill behind the camera to ensure proper lighting, focus, and sharpness.
It's important to consider why you need a digitized image of your artwork and what you will use it for. If you plan to sell your artwork online or create reproductions, scanning may be a more convenient and affordable option. However, if you want to capture the intricate details and textures of a 3D artwork or oil painting, photographing might be the better choice, preferably done by a professional artwork reproduction photographer.
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Adjusting DPI for scaling
Adjusting DPI is crucial for scaling your digital prints, ensuring they are clear, sharp, and the desired size. DPI stands for "dots per inch" and refers to the number of ink droplets a printer will produce per inch when printing an image. The higher the DPI, the more detailed the print will be, allowing for larger prints without sacrificing quality.
The industry standard for printing on paper is 300 DPI, which is considered high resolution. This means that a printer will output 300 dots of ink to fill every inch of the print, resulting in a sharp and clear image. If you want to print a large image, you will need a higher DPI to maintain quality. For example, if you have a 2400-pixel wide image, printing it at 300 DPI will result in an eight-inch-wide print. However, printing the same image at 180 DPI will yield a larger 13.3-inch-wide print.
On the other hand, if you are creating digital files intended only for viewing on screens, such as websites or Instagram, a lower DPI of 72 DPI is sufficient. Increasing the DPI for digital files will not enhance the image quality but will increase the file size, potentially slowing down websites or applications.
When preparing your painting for printing, you can adjust the DPI on your scanner settings to give you more flexibility with scaling. If your painting is larger than your scanner bed, you can scan it in sections and then piece them together using software like Photoshop. Once you have scanned your painting, you can adjust the DPI by changing the resolution, image size, and dimensions. However, be cautious when using the "Resample" tool, as it can artificially add pixels, degrading the image quality.
To find the right DPI for your project, consider its purpose, viewing distance, and final size. For example, if you are creating a poster, a minimum DPI of 100 is required, depending on its size and how far viewers will stand from it. Additionally, ensure your image is in CMYK colour mode for accurate colour results in printing.
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Photoshop editing
To turn a painting into a digital print, you will need to digitise your artwork by scanning or photographing it, and then editing it in Photoshop.
Scanning Your Artwork
Firstly, ensure your scanning bed is clean and free of dust or debris. If your artwork is larger than your scanner, you will need to scan it in sections. You can then fuse these scans together into one cohesive image in Photoshop. When scanning, ensure your image resolution is set to at least 300 DPI (dots per inch), which is the standard resolution for printing.
Photographing Your Artwork
If you don't have a scanner, you can take a picture of your artwork. Ensure your painting is well-lit with natural light and take the photo from a direct angle.
Once you have scanned or photographed your artwork, you can open it in Photoshop to make edits. First, crop the image so that only the painting and white paper background are visible. Then, unlock the background layer and move the artwork to an editable layer.
Next, adjust the levels of the image to make it easier to remove the background. Open the levels menu by going to 'Image -> Adjustments -> Levels' or using the cmd + L shortcut. Use the white dropper in the levels menu to define the white of the paper.
You can then play around with the brightness and colour in Photoshop. Scanners may wash out colours and affect brightness, so you may need to adjust these. Change your image to CMYK to get the most accurate colour results for printing.
Finally, you can save your digital painting by going to the 'File' menu and choosing 'Save As'. Choose the file format you want to save your painting in, such as TIFF, which is best for saving CMYK colour data.
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CMYK for printing
To turn a painting into a digital print, you must first digitise your artwork. This can be done through scanning or photographing the painting. If you are using a scanner, you will need to adjust the DPI settings to determine how large you can scale the digital file. The industry standard for printing on paper is 300 DPI.
Once you have your digital file, you will need to edit it to ensure the colours are accurate. This can be done in Photoshop. If you are printing your artwork, it should be in CMYK to get the most accurate colour results. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. These four inks are used to make all the colours in colour printing. It is a subtractive colour spectrum, meaning that these inks mask colours on a lighter background, such as white paper.
RGB, on the other hand, stands for Red, Green and Blue. These are the primary colours used to make all the colours for screen viewing. While RGB colours may look great on screen, they will need to be converted to CMYK before printing. This is because CMYK colours are preferred for use on printed materials as they help achieve a true colour.
CMYK colour charts can be used to help achieve accurate and consistent colour reproduction in your printed designs. For example, pinks in CMYK printing are all about the magenta. For standout pink colours, the magenta levels should be high, and the yellow, cyan, and black low. If you add too much yellow, you will get more red hues, but with too much cyan, it will turn purple.
CMYK is the industry standard for printing because of its ability to produce a wide range of colours and shades, ensuring that printed materials come to life with richness and vibrancy.
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Print-ready formats
Once you have digitised your artwork, you will need to save it in a print-ready format. The most commonly used formats are TIFF, JPEG, and PDF.
JPEG is best for RGB colour data, which is the colour mode that all digital formats use. However, if you are printing your artwork, you will need to use CMYK to create the colours. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. These four inks are used to make all the colours in colour printing. Therefore, when preparing your artwork for printing, always use CMYK.
TIFF compresses image data without changing it. Unlike JPEG, TIFF retains the integrity of the artwork's image data when working with it in different applications. TIFF can also support transparency, like a PNG.
PDF usually works best for printing. When saving your artwork as a PDF, add a bleed area of 2mm to 4mm. This is essential for any printing method and will reduce misprints and provide a margin for error. Embed all fonts or convert them to vector paths.
If you are using image editing software, such as Photoshop, to edit your artwork, you will need to save your final image in a different format.
The resolution of your artwork is also important. The industry standard for printing on paper is 300 DPI. If you scan your artwork at 300 DPI, you will be able to print it out on anything up to that size without losing resolution. If you want to scale your artwork up, you can adjust your scanner settings. Scanning your artwork at 600 DPI, for example, will allow you to print it at twice the size of the original without losing resolution.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step is to digitize your artwork. This can be done by scanning or photographing the artwork.
It is important to scan your artwork at a high resolution, preferably 300 DPI for fine prints. You may need to scan your artwork in sections and piece it together using software like Photoshop.
Once you have a digital file, you can edit it for colour accuracy and resolution. Then, you can upload it to a print-on-demand service or a professional printing company to produce prints.
