How To Scan Watercolor Illustrations + Make Them Print Ready

[@Pozervations]

Taking a photo for color reference to compare to the scanned image is just like the smartest thing ever that I wish I thought of and now I'll be doing it for the rest of my life, lol. Great video and THANK YOU!

[@coffeewithmia7498]

That was really helpful!

[@allyssa333]

This video has helped me so much! Thank you!

[@aricar325]

Incredibly helpful, and exactly the information I was looking for. That Photoshop "match color" tip really was magic! :) I went from not believing I could ever get good results scanning a watercolor painting for a print to knowing I could now. Thank you so much! Just subscribed and rang the bell. Going to find your IG page and follow you next. Cheers!

[@jtgirl7]

This is incredible! Thank you for sharing ❤

[@scandrive5562]

Professional scan with time save for every one is our target !

[@salauddinck9883]

Looking nice & advice very helpful thanu very much❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@garyrowe58]

I use lightroom to process the scans, with a preset i use first to give the sharpness / saturation etc. that i know is needed due to the scanner's idiosyncrasies. That includes a hue shift for reds, which need to be shifted towards orange. That covers almost all of the technical changes needed. Also, i scan in Prophoto, to capture the largest gamut of colours ... (looks really pale onscreen when viewing the final result in Vuescan!) I use a couple of books to hold the painting flat, as a real threat is areas of the painting (especially edges) not being sharp due to the buckles in the paper.

[@coffeewithmia7498]

Thank you!!

[@tradehut2782]

What is that touch screen computer that you are using?

[@bebeto85yo]

Very helpful! Great video.

[@ellenyoung9223]

Thanks so much for this! You saved me so much grief over a multi illustration project I’m doing after years of barely touching photoshop. I redid everything from the scans up after watching your video. So much better.

[@ugtitto2654]

3:58 the science behind it is that the cyan and green colors are lost when scanned in sRGB output or converted to sRGB mode in Photoshop.

[@violettaschmieder2096]

why is that? can you even scan in cmyk?

[@chaychay15]

very helpful i guess i was using the wrong type of editing. i'm new to all this and wanting to sell my work but with a little clean up help to present then beautifully. thank u so much !!

[@TaylorArdoin]

This was so so helpful - thank you so much for sharing this!!

[@trbooks]

like that photo 😍

[@FunnyWisdomShorts]

Awesome

[@sheilaparker9903]

Thank you so much for the valuable information! Do you still recommend this scanner?

[@cpnoboat7659]

Thank you for this video, it's very helpful. I didn't see that you started working the image in Photoshop on a CMYK canvas. Is it not necessary if you're going to print them? I'm struggling with that part 😢 I can't find helpful information on that part of the process. Thanks again!

[@MusingsFromTheDen]

This is very helpful, thank you! I got the same scanner to scan watercolours for product reviews on my blog. 😊 I've just subscribed to Photoshop after a break from using it, and it's come a long way since CS3, so I didn't know about the 'match colour' tool. Definitely lots to discover and play with. 😊

[@HeatherDeweyPettet]

Same here, I haven't used Photoshop since I'd taken a desktop publishing college class many years ago covering CS3!

[@sharmilachakraverty6439]

Naomi, do you also have watercolor videos? Love the one you used on this tutorial. Thanks.

[@naomivandoren]

I have a series available on ArtStation Learn for watercolor specifically techniques and more on cleaning up and scanning as well.

[@luciavelasco4037]

Hi Naomi! Thank you for your video. Thinking about getting V600 scanner but Ive been reading that it has issues with Mac iOS. Did you experience something like that?

[@imsosmart942]

Your hair color is gorgeous!

[@anitagreen919]

What type of paper do you print onto and what printer do you recommend

[@ugtitto2654]

Multiple Amazon reviews of Epson Scanner V600 say it's not compatible with Mac and Windows 10 because Epson just won't update their driver for Window 10. Another complaint was an auto-trim setting that can only be switched off while in Preview and in the Professional Mode only. Did you have similar issues with this scanner? Thank you

[@nataliasalvadorart]

Thanks for the video! From it I guess you use fairly smooth paper, don’t you? Have you ever had the problem of paper texture showing too much?

[@anateixeira9006]

I was thinking about this. Naomi, do you have any tips for scanning more rough WC paper? thank you for sharing this process ^_^

[@MrDvneil]

@@anateixeira9006 the only way is using more expensive scanners that light the sensor from both sides, reducing the shadows that produce the texture. i get too much texture too with v550 epson, because light of the scanner comes from 1 side.

[@Kellerkind80]

Man, I wanted a tutorial on how to draw a scanner with water colours!

[@taylorMFilms]

great stuff. thanks

[@mirrormirror444]

Just curious how much do I need to spend to get started equipment wise? Do I need a iMac, and scanner and the laptop? you are correcting with? Which would you say is the most important and what equipment is necessary to sell art?

[@naomivandoren]

MoonKat It really depends on your specific needs, what kind of art you're making and how you want to release it into the world. I would say no equipment is necessary to sell art (unless it's digital and an iPad is the most basic to actually create artwork) since most things can be outsourced and shouldn't get in the way of your creative process. You will know what tools you need as you begin the process of actually making art for you personally... I can't really answer that question for you because as you work you personally will have different needs or issues you come across that perhaps a different set of equipment would solve... But don’t let equipment stall that process. :) I didn't have a scanner/camera/printer/lighting etc when I started painting and selling watercolors, and before that when I started doing digital art I only had a basic $40 tablet (iPads weren't a thing then). Also outsourcing when you're starting out is the wisest way to go (using your local print shop vs buying your own printer or scanner, renting a camera vs buying one etc) because it allows you to simply start selling your work without a lot of upfront costs. Sinking money into equipment without knowing what your needs are entirely is risky. Make the art you want to create, outsource or using what you already have until you've decided what you need equipment wise to finish that process of painting to print.

[@mirrormirror444]

Naomi VanDoren Thank you! This gives me so much hope. I originally started with oils and recently took up watercolors for fun. I have to admit I enjoy them a lot more than I thought I would and people have been really receptive to my art. Many have suggested I sell it, so I thought about doing so but didn’t know where to start and what I’d need. I think your advice about outsourcing prints in the beginning is the best way to go and if successful then buy as you progress. I think if I do start with any equipment an iPad is a good place to start and you helped affirm that. Again thank you for your in depth reply, I feel way more confident about going forward. -Naomi (name sisters!) 😊

[@naomivandoren]

@@mirrormirror444 Wonderful! Nice to meet you, Naomi. I'm glad this helped. Making prints of your paintings and also selling your original paintings sounds awesome! A great example of how outsourcing will help you personally is whether you end up preferring to have your art scanned vs photographed for reproduction. Your local printer guy can probably help you decide which is best and I know a lot of artists that honestly never even want to do this themselves even after making art for a long time. Try it all out, see how it feels and how you enjoy it and go from there. And of course, have fun!

[@iantojones648]

Hi, What graphic palet are you using? I am about to buy one but I feel lost in the choice. many thanks

[@marymcandrew7667]

Hi, can you tell me what kind of screen that is you're editing on? I'm just learning about them and would really like to invest in something like this.

[@carinaschlawina]

I have Illustrations who are larger than A4, so how do you scan pictures in A3 with your scanner?😊

[@butterflyk7978]

What touch screen monitor are you using , and the pen?

[@naomivandoren]

I use a Wacom Cintiq with a stylus

[@teaspoontree]

Are you able to detach the lid on the Epson V600?

[@lilleemmamor]

This was very useful! Have you ever printed the painting at home? I tried and the colour of the home printed version just won’t match the original painting. Do you have any tips?:) thanks!

[@Annie-wf2kg]

I've been learning Adobe illustrator in order to pursue surface design. I've brought my watercolors into Ai but really do not like the finished look once they are vector iced and then printed. The paintings tend to lose that watercolor look. Does Photoshop render the painting differently?

[@owleyes71]

Can you do that with photoshop elements?

[@callie8848]

Question-- (photoshop newbie here :P ) How do you paste the iphone photo into the scan without it being transparent/automatically merging with the scan??

[@mahrukhnaseem1806]

file- place- and then place any picture u want

[@ay.ca.design]

Thanks a lot!!

[@michi93chan]

Do you sign your works? By hand or digitaly? I did by hand and scan it that way.. what do you think?

[@naomivandoren]

For originals I sign them by hand and scan them (though sometimes I forget! Ah!), prints I do have a digital signature but often sign a print if it's in-person at a show.

[@pochacanal]

Thanks a lot!! 🤗

[@emilymeyer6985]

Do you ever do any freelance work?

[@angrybeing4921]

Hi I just stumbled here. So when I scan, the texture always appear..and when i reduce brightness to lessen the texture the picture looks washed. Is it my scanner or I have to change my watercolor paper?

[@MrDvneil]

it is your scanner / 95% of the scanners. there is not solution but to buy an epson v800/850 it is because the light of the scanner is angled, producing shadows in the texture valleys, with a bit more flat paper doesnt happen, i tried with different watercolor papers.

[@jonisolis9645]

How many dots per inch are you scanning the artwork for printing? And what is the name of the scanning program? Could you add this info to the video description? Thanks.

[@anapaola8373]

What's the name of the tool you used to create more saturation in the clouds / the adjustment layer for that portion of an image to make de vibrance layer?

[@nancye7520]

Looking for a scanner and printer combination -it’s tough. But in your video you say your scanner was “not very expensive,” but when I looked on Amazon, it’s $595! I guess it’s possible the model has been enhanced/improved...?

[@Sky.Lukewalker]

I just bought a new one at office depot for $200

[@goblinwisdom]

The v600 has much better scanning sensors than most scanners. It can scan film from camera rolls, scan in very high quality ( so great for reproduction) and also if you work in acrylic and oil, so mediums that have depth it will help with not bluring the depth while you digitise you work.

[@hyungkipark]

Will this scanner be good for oil painting ?

[@ashleydoss1427]

Have you noticed any problems with your scanner working with your iMac? I’ve read a lot of reviews about the compatibility.

[@herbanexplorer]

Thank you for this! Question - What tablet are you using for this? Is it a Wacom?

[@naomivandoren]

Yup, I'm using a Wacom Cintiq!

[@dan.dexlion]

Hi! Have you ever used holographic watercolour and then scanned your work after? Are you able to capture it? If not, is there a way to make it so in photoshop or illustrator? Thanks :)

[@span24]

Unfortunately metallics don't really 'read' well in scans/photographs :( What people often do is replace those sections with a metallic/ holographic layer, to make it still looks sparkly. By a metallic layer, I mean an image that has been specifically prepared so that it still looks like metallic paint/foil etc. Like this: www.shutterstock.com/search/gold+foil

[@CherryLolotv]

Thank you! This is very helpful :) may I ask what the next step is? I mean, do you print your art yourself? Or do you get it done by some company/ website? :)

[@naomivandoren]

Cherry Lolo, that's entirely up to you and your business model. I always suggest outsourcing to figure out a system for yourself before buying and investing in equipment yourself. Printing yourself will probably be the most cost effective but upfront costs for equipment is prohibative for some, also maintenance and do you want to print yourself vs outsource too. Some things to think about.

[@brittanyleemarsden2581]

What kind of screen are you using?

[@gloriadelarosa6422]

If I scan at 1200 pixels per inch or highest resolution for Printing will that give me the best quality and resolution print?

[@MrDvneil]

no, epson printers just recognize internally 360dpi but improves a bit with 720, and cannon ones i think was 300dpi /600dpi

[@emilyfaulkner3768]

Hi Naomi! Have you found any way to bring cyan and turquoise colours back into a digitized piece of artwork after scanning? I'm seriously considering buying this scanner however I quite like those warmer, stunning shades of green-blue!

[@hyungkipark]

Can lid of this scanner be detached ?

[@ReginaCordoba]

New subbie!

[@kimberleyspurrier2783]

What software are you using to edit your scans? I have a Mac

[@naomivandoren]

I edit everything in Photoshop. Happy editing!

[@kimberleyspurrier2783]

@@naomivandoren brilliant, I got photoshop and trying to follow your video as I try to color match my scanned art but I'm struggling to select the color match option. any tips?

[@lesleydewey9589]

Same for black and white?

[@stephenb7533]

There used to be photoshop and easy to use, photoshop essential. What do you advise. Well out of touch nowadays. Recommend easy to use. Thanks

[@VshnsAudio]

what colors tend to not show up when scanned?

[@kaelumsalem4889]

The more light/trasparent/watery ones :(

[@spindleblood]

What if your scanner is too small for the painting? My painting is 30" x 22"... I guess you just do it in sections?

[@denahe4334]

Would you still recommend the the Epson V 600 scanner? What do you think about the Epson 850 is it not necessary for scanning water colors?

[@MrDvneil]

never put a non flat paper in the scanner, will pick up the wobbles that scanner doesn't pick more detail beyond 800 dpi, you can test it, just the file have more pixels but not more detail.

[@maep6422]

lol, me coming in here to figure out why my turquoise/aqua colored painting isn't scanning well...

[@yasmeenalrumaidh339]

You're so adorable :)

[@UmmulKhairi]

Banyak ngomongnya ya kak 🥲

[@jana_lee]

why the most basic/poor skilled artists have the most expensive and extra equipment? lol

[@johnandert1611]

You kind'a lose me at several junctures.

[@etffox]

Thank you very much!!!