Scanning and Digital Images

Course Description:

This course has been designed for anyone who needs to efficiently scan, manipulate, export or print digital images.

During the course you will learn how to scan, re-size, re-touch and export pictures for different media.

You will look at resolution theory, how to accurately adjust colours on-screen, exporting from Photoshop to QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign and how to ensure trouble-free printing.

This course includes the following modules:

Introduction

• Understanding file formats
• Understanding resolution theory
• Dots per inch/lines per inch
• Understanding colour theory

Scanning techniques

• Scanning into Photoshop
• The scanning options
• Making selections in Photoshop
• Feathering a selection
• Using the Path tool
• Creating clipping paths in Photoshop
• Cropping an image
• Using the magic eraser
• Retouching the edges of pasted objects so that they blend into the background

Manipulating an image

• Flipping, rotating, skewing and re-sizing
• What you should be aware of before re-sizing an image

Enhancing and retouching an image

• Lightening and darkening images
• Using levels and curves
• The Healing Brush tools
• The Histogram how to read it
• Adjusting localised areas of an image

Working with filters

• Using unsharp mask
• Using Gaussian and motion blur
• Adding noise

Adjusting colours

• Using the Info panel
• Selecting colours in an image
• Using hue and saturation to match colours and alter tones

Printing an image

• Exporting an image to QuarkXPress or InDesign
• When to use different file formats
• Before you print: a print checklist

Practical exercises

Questions and answers