Successful Desktop Scanning and Image Enhancement

Objectives

This course is intended for those who need a full understanding of the scanning process, of how to determine correct scan settings, of file format differences and of resolution and image size calculations. In short, the knowledge needed to achieve the best possible origination for both line art and continuous tone. The course is process and procedure based using the latest version of Photoshop.


Pre-requisites:

None other than a working knowledge of Windows or the Macintosh or previous attendance on the Introduction to Windows/Macintosh course. Some idea of the print process is useful.


Course Includes:

A comprehensive set of reference notes covering course topics, follow-up telephone support and, for training on Transmedia premises, lunch and refreshments.


Course Outline


Principles and basics


· How scanning works
· The RGB and CMYK colour spaces
· The scanning process
· Photoshop plug-ins and TWAIN modules


Image and file format attributes


· Bitmap versus vector file types
· The relationship between bit-depth, dimensions and resolution
· Characteristics of EPS, PICT, TIFF, GIF and JPEG files
· LZW and JPEG compression algorithms


Scanning images


· Monitor/memory requirements and "scratch disks"
· Optical and interpolated resolutions
· Resolution determinants
· Reflective and transmissive scanning
· Scanning considerations and strategies
· Scanning line art, monochrome, and colour subjects
· Re-cropping, resizing and amending the resolution of scans






Enhancing images


· Attributes of good image
· Image deficiencies
· Colour correction strategy
· Adjustment controls and filters in Adobe Photoshop: basic and intermediate
· Avoiding moiré patterns, removing noise and sharpening images
· Setting the white and black points, improving tonal brightness and contrast
· The hue, saturation and brightness colour space
· Checking for over-saturation
· Balancing colours, removing casts and altering saturation


Colour calibration


· Calibration principles
· Monitor calibration
· CMYK conversion calibration (as time permits)
· Calibrating Photoshop to match a printed result (as time permits)