Lesson 1 Part 5: Scanner Tutorial Part 2

Lesson 1

Scanner Tutorial Part 2
Congratualtions you just completed the first tutorial and practice session on scanning images in general. How did you do? 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. Dependending on your software manufacturer, its usually a good idea to take a quick stop off at thier Internet site for additional help as needed. Also don't forget to check out any periphial manuals that are availalbe, or any local help files that are accessible from your hard drive. image of UMAX scanner Remember these basic steps to acquiring images via your scanner:

If using an image editing software package like Adobe Photoshop, go under File-Import, then select TWAIN acquire from the submeu (remember this is the generic standardized driver that allows your software to communicate with your scanner).
If using the scanning software supplied with your machine, select File-Acquire, or File-Import after placing your image on the scanner glass (remember users of brand new scanners, must also "select source" the first time they attempt to scan with it).
Next select the preview button to obtain a quick scan of your image in the preview window. This will allow you to then use your mouse to adjust or crop the image to be scanned by adjusting the rectangle square that surrounds your preview image.
You next need to set the resolution of your image to be scanned. For default sake we can say that for "screen use only images", this will fall somewhere between 72 and 150 dpi depending on the final size of the image you want and the size of the original image scanned. You'll learn about this in great detail in the next tutorial at ScanTips.com
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. You can also specify if you want 256 (8bit color) or millions of colors (24 bit), as well as if you want a sharp image (higher in contrast). Here too is the opportunity to select your final path or output option, which for our purposes should be screen use only. Be sure to experiment with these selections to note the different effects obtained from each unique setting.
Finally, you should select the Image Type for your final image prior to it being scanned into your desktop for further use. These types vary, based off their compression schemes, which we'll discuss in Lesson 2 of this module Presentation Graphics. For now saving your file as either a PICT (macintosh) or (BMP) PC will allow input into most presentation software. You may also save these images as GIF or JPEG, should you also desire to use these images over the Internet at some later point.

The time has now come for us to take the next step in your scanner tutorial. I'll soon direct you back to ScanTips.com where you should complete the review of the following modules:

Introduction: The First Fundamental Concept
Video Resolution- How much to scan? (be sure to check out the two sub links under Video Resoultion bulleted below)

more elaboration elsewhere
some sample scans at differing resolutions

This information will empower you to be able to correctly control the size or dpi of the image your importing for use in your PowerPoint or Clarisworks presentation. It will additionally allow you to understand and control the pixel dimensions of the image your scanning (remember we want to use images that are approximately no larger than 25 percent of our total screen presentation space). Depending on your output monitor size or LCD resolution output, there's an excellent chart listed under "more elaboration elsewhere" that provides maximum ballpark resolution settings for any given output. Here's the bottom line, if your output source is limited to say 75 dpi on a 15 inch screen, then it makes no sense to scan an image in at say 300 dpi. You only waste memory and make it more difficult (RAM hungary) to edit this image with software. This should give you a good idea of what's expected from you for you next tutorial. Remember to return here once you've completed this tutorial to get that much needed practice!

First, read the link titled: Introduction: The First Fundamental Concept found in the right hand column under the header- Scanning 101: The basics at ScanTips.Com . Continue reading lesson 1 Video Resolution-How much to scan immediately following the introduction. When you've completed studying this information continue on to Lesson 1 Part 5: Scanner Tutorial Part 2 -practice activity.

Proceed on to Lesson1 Part 5: Scanner Tutorial Part 2-practice activity