Scanning with SilverFast: A Guide to AI 6 Versions: Photoshop CS2 SilverFast AI 6 Julia Simic University of Oregon VRC 2006

Goals: Establish standards for scanning Become familiar with the Art History workstation and the Epson Flatbed scanner in the VRC Use SilverFast AI 6 software to edit and scan reflective images Use Photoshop CS2 to edit and save images

Establishing scanning standards for personal use Acquiring images for personal collections is essentially the same as the process used by VRC staff to build an institutional collection. The mechanics are similar, the archival standards will likely be different. Ask yourself these questions: How will you use your images? If you are projecting them, they will need to be large and free of defects. If they are for use on a computer monitor, smaller images will suffice. Will you be archiving the images you scan? A great deal of disc space is needed to archive a collection of tiff images. A fraction of that space is needed for the same collection saved as jpgs. How much time are you willing to spend? Scanning originals at a low resolution is faster than at a high resolution.

This document makes the following assumptions: You will be scanning for use in the classroom or printing You have limited disc space to archive You are willing to put a moderate amount of time towards acquiring the images Scan at 300 dpi Save as jpg files Recommendations:

The Scanner The Art History Scanning Workstation is located on the south wall of the VRC computing lab. When it is first turned on the scanner will do a self check. When the ready light has stopped flashing, you can scan. Power button, at lower edge

Orienting the original Place the original material along the left and upper edges of the scanning bed. Books with thick or tight spines may require weight to hold them flat

Acquiring an image with Silverfast 1) Open Photoshop 2) File > Import > SilverFast The SilverFast software will open

SilverFast Controls Color Correction Tools Zoom Several presets are available under the Setting pull-down menu. Most commercially printed materials need some descreening. If you are tempted to change the descreen settings (under Filter), don’t. There is a bug in the SilverFast software that will only allow descreen equal to the dpi without messing up other settings. 3) Choose a Setting 4) Prescan

Framing the Image 5) Drag or resize the marquee around the area to scan 6) Click the zoom button to enlarge 7) Correct the framing if necessary

Color Correction 8) Use the Color Correction tools Histogram Autocolor Gradation Global Color Correction Selective Color Correction Expert Mode White/Black points Tips: Don’t use Autocolor, White/Black points or Expert Mode Set the Histogram white arrow at the first upward spike, then set the black arrow about halfway between the end of the graph and the first black point Use either or both Color Correction tools if necessary

9) Scan When it is through, SilverFast will close and the image will open in Photoshop.

Working in Photoshop 1) Crop the image if necessary Crop tool Select the crop tool, draw a box around the area you wish to save then double-click within the box. The handles can be used to adjust the box before cropping Heal tool Stamp tool 2) Enlarge the image

3) Remove Dust and Scratches Crop tool Heal tool Stamp tool Use the Heal tool to erase blemishes in areas with subtle color gradations, such as flesh. Select the tool, adjust the brush size and click on what needs to be removed. Use the Stamp tool to duplicate part of the image and place it elsewhere. Select the tool, adjust the brush size and Option+Click on the area you wish to duplicate. Place the brush over what needs to be removed and click to cover.

4) Use more Filters if necessary Because of SilverFast’s quirks, you may need to add other filters to the image to remove the moire (printing) pattern. Use a combination of Gausian Blur and Unsharp Mask. Adjust until you just can’t see the pattern Adjust until sharp, but pattern is gone

Saving the Image Go to File > Save As… and save the image as a JPEG at maximum quality (12) with a standard baseline