MEDIAART 2B06

Flatbed Scanners

This walkthrough introduces flatbed scanning as a method for digitizing photographs, drawings, printed materials, textures, collage elements, and other physical materials.

Goal

Understand when to use a flatbed scanner instead of a phone camera, choose an appropriate scan resolution, place materials safely on the scanner bed, and create a digital image using a Mac or Windows computer.

What is a flatbed scanner?

A flatbed scanner is a device used to convert physical materials into digital images.

The material is placed on a transparent glass surface called the scanner bed or platen. A scanning unit moves underneath the glass and records the material using a sensor and controlled light.

Because the material stays in a fixed position, a scanner can capture an image at a consistent scale without the perspective distortion that can occur when photographing something with a camera.

Flatbed scanners are useful for digitizing:

• photographs;
• drawings and sketches;
• printed images;
• typography and printed matter;
• collage materials;
• paper and fabric textures; and
• relatively flat objects and surfaces.

Scanner vs. phone

A phone is useful for quickly documenting physical work. It is portable and can photograph objects that are too large, thick, or dimensional to place on a scanner.

However, photographing or “scanning” an image with a phone is not the same as using a flatbed scanner.

A phone photograph can be affected by:

• the angle of the phone;
• the distance between the camera and the material;
• uneven lighting;
• shadows and reflections;
• lens distortion; and
• automatic processing performed by the phone.

A flatbed scanner creates a more controlled capture. The material remains at a fixed distance from the scanning sensor, the scanner provides its own light, and you can select the resolution before creating the file.

Understanding scan resolution

Scan resolution determines how much detail the scanner records from the original material.

Resolution is commonly measured in DPI — dots per inch.

A higher DPI records more information from each inch of the original. This creates more pixels in the resulting image and usually produces a larger file.

300 dpi

Use 300 dpi for general-purpose scanning when the material will remain close to its original size.

This is often suitable for:

• documents;
• printed material;
• sketches;
• reference images; and
• images that will not be enlarged significantly.

600 dpi

Use 600 dpi when you want to preserve more detail or plan to edit, crop, or enlarge the scan.

This is often useful for:

• photographs;
• detailed drawings;
• collage materials;
• textures; and
• artwork that will become part of a digital composition.

Choose the resolution according to what you plan to do with the image, rather than automatically selecting the highest available setting.

Placing materials on the scanner

Place the image side against the glass

Place the side you want to scan face down on the scanner glass.

Align the material with the edge or alignment mark when you want to preserve its orientation and scale.

Keep the glass clean

Dust, hair, fingerprints, and small particles on the glass can appear in the scanned image.

Check the scanner bed before beginning. If the glass needs cleaning, follow the equipment-care instructions or ask the instructor.

Keep materials as flat as possible

Flat materials usually produce the sharpest and most even scan because the surface remains close to the scanner glass.

Do not press hard on the scanner lid or glass to flatten an object.

Scanning materials with relief or texture

A flatbed scanner has a limited depth of field. This means that only a relatively small distance from the scanner glass will appear sharply focused.

The surface touching, or closest to, the scanner glass will usually appear sharpest.

If an object has relief — raised, folded, layered, embossed, or textured areas — parts that sit farther away from the glass may appear:

• softer or out of focus;
• darker;
• less detailed; or
• different from how they appear when viewed normally.

For example, if you scan layered paper, the sheet touching the glass may appear sharp while an element raised several millimetres above it may become softer.

This can be a limitation, but it can also become an intentional visual effect when experimenting with physical materials.

Do not force a dimensional object against the glass to make it sharper. If an object cannot rest safely on the scanner bed, photograph it instead.

Be careful with thick materials

Books, notebooks, and some thicker materials may be scanned if the scanner lid can accommodate them.

Do not force the lid closed.

The lid can remain partially open when necessary, but surrounding light may affect areas of the scan that are not covered by the material.

Create a scan

The scanners connect to the computer through USB. For this walkthrough, you do not need to install the manufacturer’s scanning software.

Connect the scanner to the computer first. If the computer does not recognize the scanner, do not install additional software or drivers. Ask the instructor for assistance.

Mac

First:

1. Connect the scanner using the USB cable.
2. Open System Settings.
3. Go to Printers & Scanners.
4. Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
5. Select the scanner, then click Add.

After adding the scanner:

1. Make sure the scanner is connected to the computer.
2. In Printers & Scanners, click the scanner’s name to open its settings.
3. Click Open Scanner.
4. In the scanner window, select the folder where you want to save the file.
5. Select the scan size. For now, use A4 (this will scan the whole flatbed)
6. Click Show Details.
7. A preview of the material on the scanner bed will appear.
8. Review the available settings:
   • Kind: Black & White or Colour
   • Resolution: Select the resolution appropriate for your scan.
   • Size: Confirm the scan dimensions.
   • Rotation Angle: Rotate the scan if needed.
   • Auto Selection: Leave this set to None.
   • Name: Enter a clear filename.
   • Format: Select TIFF.
   • Image Correction: Leave this set to None.
9. Click Scan.
10. Open the saved file and check the scan before removing your material from the scanner.

Windows

First, connect and add the scanner:

1. Connect the scanner to the computer using the USB cable.
2. Open Settings.
3. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
4. Select Printers & scanners.
5. Windows may detect and add the scanner automatically.
6. If it does not appear, click Add device next to Add a printer or scanner.
7. Wait for Windows to search for connected devices.
8. When the scanner appears, click Add device.

After adding the scanner:

1. Make sure the scanner is connected to the computer.
2. Open the Start menu and search for Scan.
3. Open the Windows Scan app.
4. Select the scanner under Scanner.
5. Select Flatbed as the source, if this option appears.
6. Select the file type and scan settings:
   • Colour mode: Colour, Grayscale, or Black and White
   • Resolution: Select the resolution appropriate for your scan.
   • File type: Select TIFF, if available.
   • Save file to: Select the folder where you want to save the scan.
7. Click Preview to check the material on the scanner bed.
8. Adjust the scan area if needed.
9. Click Scan.
10. Open the saved file and check the scan before removing your material from the scanner.

Credits: Jessica A. Rodríguez