As mentioned before, you can easily digitize your drawing or painting into another file format with certain software that has this feature. There are many different types of software that have this feature, so it is important to know what features matter most to you.
You do not need special software to digitize your artwork! There are several free and low cost softwares out there that can accomplish this task quickly and effectively. Most of these apps have you create an account using their service, but you can usually still use the app without one for some amount of time.
This article will go over some easy ways to digitize a picture in both popular image editing platforms like Photoshop and Gimp as well as less commonly used ones such as Krita. We will also discuss other alternatives such as scanning printed materials and creating digital copies via online sources.
Disclaimer: The following advice cannot be translated into wrongness unless something has been officially ruled illegal by a governing body. Use caution when altering copyrighted material.
Test your scanner
The next step in digitizing your drawing is to test out your scanner! This will depend on what kind of scanner you have, so make sure to do that first!
Some scanners can scan directly off an image file or source material, which is much faster than having to use the computer as a middle man.
Make a plan for your digitization project
If you are starting to feel overwhelmed by all of the different ways that you can digitize a drawing, first make sure to take a break! Breaking down the process into smaller steps will help prevent stress in the midst of a busy day.
It is very common to get stressed out when working with drawings. There are many types of drawings that need to be scanned or digitized, so it may be helpful to group them according to similar procedures. This way, you can work through one set of settings before moving onto the next.
There are several free software programs such as Google Sketchup that can easily be used to manage most basic scanning projects. By using these tools, you give yourself more freedom to do other things while your image gets worked on.
Take your drawing to the scanner
If you have an electronic version of your drawing, you can scan it into a computer or use a software program that does this for you.
You will then need to choose where to save the scanned copy. There are many ways to do this, so feel free to explore!
Some easy ways to do this is by creating a folder called ‘Art’ or something similar, and putting the scanned file in there. You can also create another folder titled with your username, and put the file in there.
Scan your drawing
The next step in digitizing your drawing is to scan it into an app or software program that can read the document as well as convert the image into another format, such as computer graphics (CG) or vector files.
There are many apps and softwares you can use to scan documents, pictures, and drawings. Some of the most popular include Adobe Photoshop, Gimp, Inkscape, and LibreOffice Draw.
Most of these have free and paid versions. The paid ones usually offer more features but may cost quite a bit to purchase. It all depends on how much you want to invest in your art!
We will be using both the Apple iPad and Google Pixel 2 for this article so make sure to note those tips.
Edit your scan
The first step in digitizing an old drawing is to edit it. This includes changing colors, adding or taking away layers, and even altering the dimensions of the piece!
You can use any software you have that has good quality image editing tools. Many apps now have settings where you can turn on pixelation (or soft-focus) which helps make the scanned image seem more antique.
By using these editing features, you can treat the picture like new again! Sometimes people will go back and edit something years after they originally made it so there are no rules about how early or late it is time to do this.
There are many ways to take pictures of things, and most depend on your computer’s camera feature set.
Combine scans
One of the most important things to do when digitizing an old drawing is to combine different sources into one cohesive image. A lot of times, people will scan a part of the drawing in isolation, but you really need to include all parts of the painting in order to get a full representation.
Scanning a small portion might not be so bad if there’s only one or two details that are obscured, but if half the picture has disappeared, it won’t help you very much! Luckily, scanning professionals use software that can stitch together multiple images, making it possible to re-create lost portions of paintings.
There are several ways to achieve this, with some being better than others depending on the material being scanned. Wood and paper drawings can usually be photographed directly without having to break down the layers first, while oil and watercolor paintings require special care because the surface texture could become visible once repeated layers have been applied.
By using a scanner that includes automatic depth sensing features, it becomes easy to layer photographs onto each other and produce high quality results. Technology like this allows your computer to recognize where each new layer ends and how far back those layers go, automatically blending them together into a complete depiction.
Save your file
When you digitize an image, you are converting it into another format. You can then open or edit this new file in any software, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign.
You do not need special software to convert drawings. Most major desktop operating systems have free applications that can be used for editing and saving files.
Some people may suggest using more expensive apps like Adobe Photoshop or Corel Draw, but these functions can usually be done with less expensive ones. For example, most Photoshop users start off using GIMP before moving up.
There is no wrong way to do this! Just make sure you test out your file in both basic and advanced settings to see if it works for you.
Compile your file
It is very important to compile your drawing before you begin digitizing it. This includes making sure that you have enough space for all of the layers, that everything has an appropriate layer, and that nothing is out of place or misplaced.
When compilig your drawing, make sure to save it as a PDF first so that you do not lose any quality due to compression. After this, you can choose either Photoshop’s native “Compress Files” feature or another third-party software package such as InDesign, Illustrator, or Sketch.
These features offer more control over how much quality is lost during the process which is helpful if you want to preserve the original look and feel of the artwork.
