TRAVERSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
© Kansas City Artists Coalition
Creating a digital file of your artwork. Goal: A high quality digital file of your artwork that can then be converted into additional formats for a variety of uses. You will create a 5 x 5”, 300ppi, TIFF file in both RGB and CMYK color space.
1. Document your original artwork using either a tradition film or digital camera.
a. If you are using a digital camera be sure to create a RAW or a TIFF file.
*Any type of compressed file, such as the popular JPEG, is not recommended for this purpose. If your digital camera only creates JPEG files, we recommend that you take the largest image you can and resave it as a TIFF when you import it to your computer.
2. Transfer your image to your computer
a. Have the film processor give you a CD at the time of processing.
*make sure digital files are 300ppi, at least 5 x 5” in print size, and in RGB color space.
(Custom Color, Crick Camera, and Wolf Camera will do this; however some photo finishing retailers put imaging software on the cds they make. KCAC will not open cds that require a software download to view images. If you can not get a TIFF or a RAW file, go somewhere else.)
b. OR have your slide scanned.
*make sure digital files are 300ppi, at least 5 x 5” in print size, and in RGB color space. (Custom Color, Crick Camera, and Wolf Camera will do this; however some photo finishing retailers put imaging software on the cds they make. If you can not get a TIFF or a RAW file, go somewhere else.)
c. OR scan a pre-existing slide:
i. Consult the manual to ensure you are using the correct settings for slides
ii. Select the transparency, color positive option
iii. Changing the scale of your image during scanning:
1. You can change the output size of an image during the scanning process, but it is
usually easier to do so after the image has been scanned. A slide scanner will typically
allow you to scan at resolutions as high as 2700 dpi. If your scanner will not allow you to
scan at this resolution, skip to the next step. Otherwise, select 2700 dpi on your scanner
and keep your image at your slide’s 1 x 1.5” size. You will rescale your image later in
Photoshop or other photo editing software. Scan your picture as a TIFF in RGB color space.
2. Set your resolution to 300ppi or greater. Select the size of your output to be 5 x 5” or
greater. Scan your picture as a TIFF in RGB color space.
3. Now you should have a high resolution TIFF or RAW file in RGB color space.
a. All digital input should use the RGB color space.
4. Name your file with the title of the artwork or other appropriate name for organization purposes. Put this and other original files into a folder titled “originals”, or “unaltered files”, etc. You should store your TIFF or RAW file as carefully as you would a master slide. Leave this file unaltered. You will save any changes with a different name in a different folder
5. Check the resolution of your image
a. Open your unaltered file in Photoshop or other imaging software. Before making any
changes,
save your file as a different name so that you do not inadvertently alter the
original.
b. Open the image size dialog box in Photoshop (found under the image heading in the top
bar).
If you are not using Photoshop, you will need to try and find similar options in your
software to complete
this exercise.
c. Under the document size heading in the image size dialog box check that the resolution
setting
(this is your ppi) is at the appropriate size. You will need your file to be at least
300ppi for publication
and 72ppi for screen or internet viewing.
6. To change the resolution/ppi of your image
a. Open your file in Photoshop or other imaging software.
b. Open the image size dialog box. Under the document size, there are three checkboxes:
scale styles,
constrain proportions, and resample image. These are very important!
c. Make sure your resolution is at 300ppi. You can make it smaller later for screen and web
use. If your
resolution is not at 300ppi, make sure that only the constrain proportions box is
checked. This will insure
that you don’t oversize your image and pixilate it...not good.
d. Type in 300 in the resolution field. Notice that your print size has changed. This is
because Photoshop is
maintaining the pixel proportions of your image.
e. Now your print size should be at 5 x 5” or larger. (If it isn’t, this is because your image
wasn’t large enough
to begin with and you’ll need a bigger file...back to section 1 & 2)
f. Now that your resolution is 300 and your print size is 5 x 5” or larger, you’re good to go!
g. Save your file. If you didn’t change your file name earlier and you are still using your
original digital file,
save it as a new file now!
7. To change the document/print size of your image
a. Open your file in Photoshop or other imaging software.
b. Open the image size dialog box. Under the document size, there are those three
important checkboxes:
scale styles, constrain proportions, and resample image.
c. Make sure the resolution is at 300ppi. You can format it later for screen and web use.
d. Make sure that the constrain proportions and the resample image boxes are checked.
*note, if you type in a larger print size with the resample box checked you will distort or pixilate your image. You should only size your image down when both these boxes are checked.
e. Now when you type something in your height or width text fields, the image will size
down to that size.
f. Now your print size should be at 5 x 5” or larger. (If it isn’t, this is because your image
wasn’t large enough
to begin with and you’ll need a bigger file... back to section 1. & 2.)
g. Now that your resolution is 300 and your print size is 5 x 5” or larger, you’re good to go!
h. Save your file. If you didn’t change your file name earlier and you are still using your
original digital file,
save it as a new file now!
8. Preparing images for screen or web viewing
a. Click on the image heading in the top bar. Under the mode option there are several color
spaces to
choose from. For screen or web viewing, make sure your image is still in the
RGB color space. If your file is
not in RGB, you will need to import an image captured in
RGB color space.
i. Once you convert your file to CMYK, you will not be able to go back to RGB. The
software
will let you select RGB but the file has
already lost the colors included in the
RGB space when it was saved in CMYK. That’s why it’s good to keep all your original
files in a separate folder, and save files
as a new name when making changes.
b. For screen or web viewing, you will need your image to be 72ppi. If it isn’t, follow the
previous instructions
on how to change your resolution.
c. Save your file as a new name.
9. Preparing images for print or publication
a. For publication, you will need your image to be at least 300ppi. If it isn’t, follow the
previous instructions
on how to change your resolution.
b. Open your 300ppi file from before. Click on the image heading in the top bar.
c. Under the mode option there are several color spaces to choose from. For print and
publication,
check the CMYK mode. Once you convert your file to CMYK, you will not be
able to go back to RGB.
If you are using Photoshop Elements, CMYK is not available.
i. If you are preparing this file for publication please note that some printers would
rather
convert the file from RGB to CMYK themselves. When in doubt, ask the printer
of the publication.
d. Save your file as a new name.
10. From these files you can create smaller tiff, jpeg and gif files as needed.