I'm on my second scanner, sixth year of computer use (or obsession) and am just now really learning to scan. Recently I was surprised at how quick and easy it was to print color checking charts that look just like the colors I see on my monitor. (I use an Epson C82 printer and a Gateway FPD1810 LCD flat panel monitor.) Piece of cake!
Not so with scanning images in so that the colors I see on the monitor looks like the original image. My second scanner is the relatively new Epson Perfection 3200 Photo. I've really been putting off using it because it intimidates me. It was expensive, for me, so I think partly I'm just afraid to find out I wasted my money.
My computer coaching clients often mention that they're afraid they'll do something that hurts their computers. I felt the same way when I bought my first digital camera, again a fairly big expense, about $700 for a Nikon 900s, probably back in 1998. I was practically afraid to touch it. Now I feel almost that way about the new scanner.
Now I've gotten my feet wet though. I got up my nerve, scanned in my eight new paintings. I'd made them 8x10 on purpose so they'd fit on the scanner glass. I know you can scan larger paintings by doing it in sections and then putting the pieces back together, but right now I need it to be simple.
Adjusting the scan images was challenging. Finally I realized I needed to learn about histograms and curves and color channels. Yes, I've been intending to do this - for a long time. Yes, I have books. But...I guess I didn't want to bother. Now I've started to learn. The scantips site walked me through starting to use the scanner tools, once I finally located them. There was a scroll bar I missed. (My computer coaching clients have now all broken into gales of laughter.)
Learning to scan paintings and photos well is going to be a big help. It's like a gate opening. Who knows, maybe I'll get off the dime and make my "real" art website.
10:05:01 PM 
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