Session 8 [Wed 291008] - Digital Imaging Process Outlined/ Image Source - Line Art Examples, Scanning, Correcting

Don't Forget
Please don't forget to attend the make-up class this Fri [311008] 2:00 - 4:00pm. Thankyou.

Homework
Prepare for next scheduled session, without fail, the following -

• Since the Keyword:Iconic project began you have been -
• thinking about your chosen audio
• researching existing music graphics
• gathering associated imagery to construct your initial photomontage


• This week, you have been -
• creating word association maps - both lateral and rational [see links at right]
• making visual notes and sketches too no doubt


• Finally, you have started -
• your second montage compositing Line Art and Scanography

The next session is the time to bring all of the above to class for group discussion in order to begin finalising the three clear concepts required for your first deadline [November 10]. Please bring your music to the Session 9 as well.

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There follows a round up of Session 8 content -

Digital Imaging Process Outlined
Six key imaging moments in the production of a digital montage were defined.

• sourcing images
• making corrections
• masking areas/ selections
• compositing
• styling/ effects
• proofing and fine-tuning

Scanning — General Rules
First CLEAN THE GLASS! And centre objects or images on the platen for optimum scanning area.

When intending to enlarge a scanned image in the final montage remember that any post-scan scaling will effect the final quality of the image.

Today you learnt a formula for ascertaining the correct scan resolution:
Final Artwork Resolution x Scaling Factor = Scan Resolution

It pays to make actual size roughs — whether in analogue or digital format — to assess the destination scale of your montage component. Accurate rough are a great help to the Art Director too.

Remember to turn off any scanner features that will compromise your raw scan — Autotone/ Sharpening
Only use the Descreen option on Halftone Images [Books, magazines, and other printed matter].

Save your scan in PSD format, and set up project folders at the same time, if you have not already done so.

Quick But Effective Image Corrections
As a first, quick correction method, a few sessions back, it was suggested that any drop in tonal or color quality may be addressed by duplicating the background layer in the Layers Panel and applying a blend mode of either Multiply, Screen, or Overlay, the three key Modes upon which most others take their cue. Here a traditional compositing tool is used for correction work to good effect. Alternatively excursions to Levels, and various Auto features in the Adjustment menu can be made for more involved correction.

Avoid the use of the Brightness/Contrast command prior to CS3. Any excessive use of adjustment/corrction tools can downgrade your image. Always apply adjustments to duplicate layers [or Adjustment Layers if you know how to use those] as via the Opacity Slider and Blend Modes you can reduce a heavy-handed tonal correction.

If using multiple layers to correct an image, remember to use the Copy Merge command or shortcut [Apple Shift C] rather than the basic Copy command, to create a Stamp Visible version of the improvements you have made prior to pasting in the new location.

Setting Up New Canvas
Again today you saw initial compositing move of setting up a final artwork canvas, much as you would use a clean sheet of paper/ board to paste cut-out elements onto for a traditional montage. Unlike traditional montage Color Mode and Resolution must be set as well as final artwork dimensions.

It makes a digital imaging life so much easier if you remember not to use any of your raw scans as a final artwork canvas. By keeping these in their originally digitized state and setting up a new canvas to the resolution, dimensions, and colour mode specifications given in the brief, you can save yourself a lot of math and heart ache.

Remember, everything you import into a new canvas becomes the same Resolution and Color Mode — a single canvas simply cannot contain multiple resolutions or colour modes. [In fact, some colour modes disallow you from moving one image or selection into an image in another mode. Alter your mode through the Image Mode menu if you find yourself in this situation.]

Drag your scanned image to the new canvas. If it is bigger than you intended that's good. Smaller and you must scan again especially if it is a detailed photographic image.

Incidentally, it is worth future-proofing your project by scanning all your images at the highest resolution available ensuring the image will be suitable for most purpose to which we might put it.


Line Art - Examples, Scanning and Correcting
Today you were shown the steps to preparing and implementing [pseudo] line art in Photoshop -

1. Scanning Line Art- always scan line art in Greyscale [NOT Black and White!]
   
2. Once scanned save your file into your carefully planned Folder hierarchy for the Keyword Iconic project. Save as a PSD formatted file.


3. To convert the greyscale artwork into a line art appearance, use Threshold command [Adjustments > Threshold] and move the slider to achieve the required balance of light and dark pixels. Your art now has the look of a Bitmap image but is still in Greyscale mode [hence pseudo line art].


4. Save your treated file as a separate document to your original scan but be sure to describe what you have done in the files name [eg Line Art Corrected.psd]


5. Set up a canvas or open an existing canvas [Keyword:Iconic stage 1 requires A3 at 200ppi for print files or 1024x768pixels at 72ppi for screen display].


6. Drag and drop your line art to the newly opened canvas. Use the blending modes to merge the line art with other images on other layers. Use the Edit > Transform [Apple-T] to Scale Rotate and Skew the line art to your needs.


7. To be continued next time…