Personal Image Tutorial
Digital Scanners

This section will help you to learn the general steps in using a scanner to digitize images into your computer. To make things simple we're going to be fairly linear in this tutorial and provide screen snapshots along the way. While there are countless scanners on the market today, we'll use the software provided by Hewlett Packard as an example, as well as Adobe PhotoShop and Photo Deluxe. Once you learn the general protocols, it won't matter which software kit your using, you'll be able to scan away at your heart's content.

Oh yea, later in this module, we'll talk about the difference between image types and when each type should be used. Now, onto to the basics of using a scanner! 

Here are the 6 simple steps in linear fashion.

1. Make sure your scanner is connected properly to your computer. If your using SCSI, make sure you turned your scanner on before you start your computer. If your using a USB or FireWire (IEEE 1394) scanner you should be able to hook up and turn on your scanner even after the computer has started.
   
   
2. If using the scanning software supplied with your machine, like Hewlett Packard's DeskScan II, select File-Acquire, or File-Import after placing your image on the scanner glass. If using an image editing software package like Adobe Photoshop, go under File menu and select Import, then select TWAIN Acquire from the drop down menu. Twain is a standardized generic driver that allows programs like Adobe Photoshop to use the scanner to bring images directly into the image editing program.

   Special Note: If you're using the scanner for the first time, then Adobe Photoshop must first be told which twain source to use when using Twain Acquire.

   To do this you would just go to the File menu, select Import, then choose Twain Select... from the drop down menu (see the image to the left). A new window will open and you just select the scanner icon. Now every time you go to Photoshop and choose Twain Acquire... Adobe will import from your scanner.
   
   

3. No matter which way you initiate the scan in step 2 above, the scanner software that was included with your scanner will then launch and begin the scanning process. For our example, we'll we using Hewlett Packard's DeskScan II (see image below). Should you image not appear in the preview window when the scanner software is launched,  select the preview button to obtain a quick scan of your image in the preview window (see button and preview image below). Once the image to be scanned is visible in the Preview Window  you may then use your mouse to crop the image to your liking.  Notice how the image to the right has been cropped by adjusting the dotted lines around the skydivers.

   
   

4. You next need to set the resolution of your image to be scanned. Notice the Path choice that has been selected in the DeskScan II interface. We plan on using the image for display only on the computer screen, so Screen has been selected from the dropdown menu for the Path function.
   
   
5. Now you must select the Scan Type of image you have, i.e. black and white drawing, color photograph, black and white photograph, color drawing, halftone, etc (see image below). You can also specify if you want 256 (8 bit color) or millions of colors (24 bit), as well as if you want a sharper image (higher in contrast). Be sure to experiment with these selections to note the different effects obtained from each unique setting. Photographs are different beasts compared to color or black and white drawings and illustrations.

   Notice that we can see the size our file will be when scanned. Can you find it? Yep, the skydiver image will be 474 kilobytes in size. This would be much too large an image to display on a web page by the way, but we'll get to that next section. One quick suggestion would be to decrease the Scale of the image. Notice now that at 100% scale it will be 6.76 inches wide and 4.61 inches tall. The DeskScan II software from Hewlett Packard will resemble software interfaces and functions for UMAX, CANNON, and EPSON scanners as well. Here's where learning how one interface works will help you in using others as you come across them.

   
   
   

6. Your almost there! Now that you've launched the scanner software either directly or via Adobe Photoshop, and selected your final Path, image Type, and cropped and scaled your image, you simply press the Final button at the bottom of the software interface. The software will now appear in your image editing program (Photo Deluxe or PhotoShop).

Take some time and practice the real thing using your scanner to acquire various images into your system. Get use to the software interface your scanner is using. Depending on your software manufacturer, its usually a good idea to take a quick stop off at their Internet site for additional help as needed. Also don't forget to check out any peripheral manuals that are available, or local help files that are accessible from the software itself.. These my friend are the basic steps to acquiring images via your scanner.

Additional Scanning Tips and Tricks

DeskScan II: An In-depth Look at the Tools - If you're interested you may also get a more in-depth look at DeskScan II image editing controls, this is the place for you, and you don't even have to leave this site. If you want to see how NOT to scan properly, a great non-example is provided here as well. The following tools will be addressed: Highlight and Shadow, Color Adjustment, Emphasis, Sharpening, Information, Brightness/Contrast.

ScanTips.com - This site is in my opinion of of the primers on scanning. There's a ton of info on this site that will provide more than you ever wanted to know about scanning. Happy reading!

Scanning Handbook-Learn from a Scanning Expert - This site offers selected information from Jerry Day's book, Color Scanning Handbook—Your Guide to Hewlett-Packard ScanJet Color Scanners. Just select the left hand link titled: Image types for Hewlett Packard referenced tips.