>A young scientist friend is putting together a guide book, and reusing black
>and white line drawings from an earlier text. He is scanning them into his
>computer, and they will be reduced by 50%. Does anyone have any hints on how
>to get the best possible results from an acknowledged second hand source?
>This is Dick Rauh asking- I can't figure out how to rid myself of New User.
>(Will gladly accept advice on that issue ,too)

Dick,

Are the drawings line art or grayscale or color? If they are line art,
scanning is not so problematic. You can try simply scanning the artwork as
line. I suggest scanning at or close to the final size, at as high a
resolution as feasible. For line work 1200 dpi is optimum, but in actuality
600-800 dpi can produce nice results. Line work may also be scanned as
grayscale if you wish to hold fine detail. 300 dpi should be adequate
resolution for grayscale images.\

If the work is grayscale already, then it has already been screened. Look
for a descreening filter in your scanning software. This will alleviate the
dread moire pattern that often results from scanning work already printed.
If the scanning software does not have a descreening filter, then scan the
work at 200% and turn the artwork at a slight angle on the scanner. Then
resize and rotate in Photoshop... this usually helps decrease any moire
pattern.

An excellent source for scanning is the book REAL WORLD SCANNING AND
HALFTONES or something to that effect.

Hope that helps.


Karen Ackoff
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts
Indiana University South Bend
1700 Mishawaka Avenue
South Bend, IN 46616
Ph: 219 237-4124
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://oit.iusb.edu/~kackoff/NightFlight2.html