Visit the Landscape and Marine Painting Blog by Alistair Butt ARSMA For up to date Watercolour/Watercolor and Oil paintings, Watercolour/Watercolor and Oil step-by-step demonstrations, tips, exhibitions, news, reference material trips, etc Click here (opens in new window) |
 |
REPRODUCING A WATERCOLOUR/WATERCOLOR PAINTING - PAGE 3 OF 3
This page (page three) getting the file ready for printing. Page one gives an overview of equipment and materials needed to produce a reproduction of a watercolor/watercolor painting. On page two are details of how to scan the painting.
Printing the Painting as a print
Having scanned the painting the final section is to get the scanned file/s ready for printing and print a reproduction of the painting.
The first objective is to combine all the scans (on the right are the two scan files that need to be combined, it may be more if the original painting is large) into one file. This is a simple process in Adobe Photoshop.
Using the file that contains the top left corner of the painting as the 'main' file the first thing to be done is change the canvas size to fit the other scans of the painting (i.e. slightly larger than the painting size. This is done by first making a layer (so that others can be added) from the Background.
Go to Layer > New > Layer from Background, rename layer and click OK.
Next go to Image > Canvas Size and a window comes up. Adjust the dimensions to slightly bigger than the painting size and move the Anchor Square to the Left Centre (if two scans done side by side) or Top Left Corner (if two scans or more scan - for height and depth). Click OK.
The light grey check pattern created from the increase in canvas size (see right) is the blank (transparent) space into which the other scan/s will go. With the other scans (one or more) open and in front/right of the main file use the Move Tool to drag the other scans onto the main file - as each of these files is dragged across they create a new Layer so that they can be moved/repositioned later. Position is not important at present. When all the scans are on the main file it is a good time to Save (File > Save As...) the main file. Either delete or save (if useful) the other files.
Now all the sections are combined onto one file the next stage is to position each layer correctly. This is where the crop/trim marks are useful, first enlarge (Zoom Tool) to 100% at the top left hand corner and drag a guideline in (from the side measurement scale) to line up with the vertical line, and then another guideline from the top to line up with the horizontal line.
Scroll down to the bottom of the image to see if the guideline lines up with the bottom crop/trim mark (as show left).
Next add the bottom horizontal guide line (as shown by the black line as it was selected at the time).
Using the bottom scroll bar move to the right until the join of the two original scans is met. Using the edge of the top layer as a guide position the top layer (with the Move Tool or arrow keys on keyboard). On the Layers click a number of times on the 'eye' to show the layer below and notice how the image shifts.
Working on the top layer, not the bottom, use the Move Tool or arrow keys on the keyboard to reposition if required. 100% correct positioning is not always possible without some time spent on getting the correct position either by positioning (left, right, up down) or rotation (if not scanned in square). If needed hide the join line using the Eraser Tool (with a hard edge). The right hand guideline can now be placed.
Once the layers are correctly positioned, all the layers can be Merged (either merge down or merge visible).
Before moving on now is the time to check for dust, hairs and remove them. Enlarge the image to 100% and check over the whole image, if any marks are found, use the Clone Stamp Tool - pick an area close to the mark (hold down Alt Key - circle changes to a circle with cross inside) as the source and click then over mark to remove.
If the image requires sharpening this can be done now using Unsharp Masking (Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Masking). Some photographers/artists only sharpen the image just before printing and then don't save, so that the original file is not changed.
If profiles are available for the paper being used Proof Setup can now be turned on (View > Proof Set > select paper profile). The screen (if correctly profiled) shows as a 'soft proof' how the image will print.
Check and if required adjust Levels (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels). This adds a new layer which can be adjusted later and/or removed without effecting the original scan.
Next is any colour/color adjustment via curves (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves). Again this adds a new layer which can be adjusted later, removed etc. Alternatively colour/color can be adjusted via or in combination with Curves by Adjusting with selective colour/color (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color). If scanner/monitor/printer are calibrated correctly not much adjustment will be required and adjustment are best kept to minimum.
So that the printed image has a clean edge first select the bottom layer (the main image) and using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, the area inside the guidelines (use Snap to guides - View > Snap To > Guides) is selected - as per dotted line (left).
Next a mask is applied (Layer > Add Layer Mask > Reveal Selection) which hides the area outside the final image/painting. This can be adjusted or removed at a later time if required.
Save the file as a Photoshop (.psd) file. The area covered by mask can be seen - the light grey check pattern around the painting. The mask can be remove or hidden at a later date without effecting the image.
The saved files ready for printing. Select the required file and click open.
This 9" x 13" size painting produced a scan file (at 300dpi with two adjustment layers) of 67.2M.
(File > Print with Preview > Page Setup > Printer > Properties) Here you first select the paper (media type) to be used (Matte Paper Heavyweight in my case), followed by clicking on the 'custom' radio button for custom settings and then click the 'Advanced' button.
Click on the 'No Color Adjustment' radio button, change print quality to 'Photo - 1440dpi' and click off 'High Speed'.
Click OK and OK on the properties box below. On the 'page setup' box change paper size if required and orientation (landscape or portrait) then click OK.
The 'Print with Preview' window show the placement of the image on the paper and can be moved via the 'position' measurements. Check 'Source space' is the same as what your working in (Adobe RGB for RGB or US Coated (SWOP) if CMYK). Under Options in print preview for Color Handling select 'Let Photoshop Determine Colors', for Printer Profile select the one for your paper or the profile you made using ProfilerPLUS/Doctor Pro, for Rendering Intent select 'Relative Colormetric and click on Black Point Compensation.
Adjust the position on the paper then press the print button when you are happy with the position.
Do any colour/color adjustments on the 'adjustment layers' but only after the print has had time to dry (a few hours is best) before doing a reprint. I keep notes of what I'm doing (all settings) should anything go wrong and I need to backtrack.
