How to scan artwork so that colors display true to original artwork ?

by Connie McKenney
(Coopersville MI, USA)

Mixed Media Art Question by Connie
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..."I am finding that when I scan artwork to upload to the art community site, the scan comes out with colors unlike the original.

I am wondering if there is some setting in my photo editing program that results in more realistic photos.

For instance, the scan I am uploading with this inquiry shows more blue in an area that turned greyish when I tried to change something.

The greyishness was the result of trying to correct an area that had been done with a non-waterproof black ink (sigh... we learn by our mistakes).


thank you for submitting your Mixed Media Art Question

Milliande's Answer
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~ Hi Connie,
displaying true colours on a computer is a bit of a science in and of itself

~ First point of call is calibrating your computer monitor so that it displays colours in truest form to the original artwork or photograoph etc... each monitor reacts differently ..so even though you may see an image online in one colour on my monitor it may display completely different ..

~ You can change your monitor settings to calibrate it to show true colours...check your software manual on how to ..it various from PC to MAC ..and laptop to desktop ..

~ Once your monitor is calibrated .. the scanning software and scanner you use to capture your artwork also behave differently ... I find that my artwork if it is flat scans well but mixed media artwork have different light reflections depending on the amount of light filling in through the gaps .. Often it is easier to photograph artwork in sunny daylight if you would like to reproduce it for selling prints of your artwork etc ...

~ Finally , my artwork often scans somehwat paler than the original , so in my photoediting software ( I use Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate
) I can adjust the brightness and contrast of my artwork until I am happy it represents the closes I can get it to my original artwork

~ I hope this helps
♥ milliande