The Best Scanners For Preserving Line Drawings: 2023 List
Brandon Forder Sep 25, 2023 5:18 PM
Preserving line drawings is crucial, especially for artists, and an art scanner should perform the job well.
Some artists who paint on paper may wish to photograph artwork and save it in digital formats for record-keeping, selling, or personal interest. Now, there are numerous sorts of scanners on the market, like document, handheld, flatbed, etc. For some, scan times are affected by the quality of the images being scanned.
In addition, there is a wide range of art scanner sizes to consider. We've compiled this buyer's guide to the top scanners for archiving line drawings to assist you make an informed purchase.
So, read on to know it all!
Compare Products
- SCORE9.2
- BrandEpson
- Prime
- SCORE8.8
- BrandBrother
- Prime
- SCORE8.8
- BrandEpson
- Prime
- SCORE8.0
- BrandVisioneer
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API
High-Quality Scanning
The greatest scanner for artwork will always offer superb image quality with the maximum resolution possible. The scanned image, in this scenario, has to be clean from dust and dirt particles. Also, a large format scanner would be required to scan paintings or other artworks of that size.
So, bear that in mind while shopping. If you're looking for a flatbed scanner, keep in mind that most of them won't be quite that huge. Further, some scanners include an extension arm, which expands the scanning area making sure you can hold and scan larger books and pages.
Scan Resolution
Only the most advanced scanners will never compromise image quality. High resolution is always required for artists to bring out the color, texture, tones, and hues.
For the best image quality, a scan resolution of around 600 x 600 dpi is recommended. It's possible that this is the highest resolution that may be safely avoided while printing text. Scan resolution is often overlooked, but it has a significant impact on the final product for creative professionals.
Supported Scanning Media
Multiple media types can be scanned through a variety of scan gateway sizes. It's possible, for instance, that a document scanner can only accommodate a limited range of paper sizes.
The most common paper sizes in the United States are letter and legal, so a scanner that can scan both of these is preferable.
Here, we'll focus on scanners that can handle common office paper sizes, including letterhead, legal, ID, and business card.
Scanning Speed
The speed at which a scanner can scan an item of paper or other media is known as its scanning speed. In most cases, a faster scanning speed is preferable for business use, as companies value efficient document processing.
PPM is the standard for calculating scanning speeds (Pages Per Minute). You should aim for a scanning speed of at least 30 pages per minute (PPM). However, scanning times may vary because scanning at a similar resolution from a higher resolution document takes more time.
In this article, we'll look at scanners with rates ranging from 10 to 40 pages per minute (PPM).
Connection Interfaces
The term "connection interface" describes the ports on a scanner that allow it to communicate with additional hardware. Having a connection interface available is crucial, as it may occasionally be necessary to import files from a wide range of devices.
A USB port is the preferred interface for connecting scanners because it is used by the vast majority of modern devices. Wireless communication is offered by certain scanners but is both expensive and usually not essential. Consequently, the bare minimum for a scanner is support for the USB connection format.
Scanners with many types of connection interfaces, including USB 2.0, USB 3, and wireless, will be discussed in this article.
Instructions And Customer Service
If this is your first time operating a scanner, you may benefit from reading the manual to familiarize yourself with the controls and features. An instruction manual should be nearby; reading it will make your work easier.
In addition, please contact customer service for guidance if you cannot locate a manual. A digital version of the manual should be available from them.
Is it better to scan or photograph artwork?
Scanning is favored over taking photos for this purpose. A photograph is only a picture, and it can be too dark or too bright or out of focus as it pleases.
Today's scanners have sophisticated sensors and editing software, allowing you to improve your photographs in a number of ways, including resolution (up to and above 300 ppi), color depth, and even minor tweaks.
If you're interested in honing your photographic abilities, you should check out Robyn's Photography Academy.
How do professionals scan artwork?
Professional artists today often scan their work using cutting-edge scanners to guarantee the finest quality. This way, you can rest assured that your artwork will be saved in the best possible condition and easily share it with others.
How do I scan a large piece of artwork?
A huge piece of artwork can be scanned on a large-scale flatbed scanner; if the artwork is really vast, it can be scanned in chunks and then stitched together using digital editing tools. You can reliably stitch your image together with the scanner's included software.
Are Art Scanners Portable ?
On the market today are portable scanners that are not overly large and feature small designs. Despite their diminutive stature, several of these models feature an extending arm for printing everything from business cards to posters.
However, some scanners, notably big format scanners, are somewhat cumbersome. These are not supposed to be moved very frequently.
What Is The Ideal Bit Depth ?
When we talk about "bit depth," we're referring to the number of bits that make up a single pixel and thus the depth of its colors. A higher depth would mean that the scanner will have more data to work with. A reduced color depth will also result in a loss of detail.
The standard these days is 32 bits, although you can still get away with 16 if you really need to. However, a higher bit depth is recommended when scanning artwork.
These days, we can't imagine our lives without art. It can take various shapes and is always changing into something new. To preserve them for posterity, we employ art scanners to photograph each piece.
We have mentioned the aspects that you should look for when selecting the finest art scanner. The following are included in this category:
Some of the most well regarded art scanners on the market may be found on this list. Additionally, there is a large selection from which to pick, making it easy to find what you're looking for.
Enjoy yourself while you scan those art pieces!
