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Best Scanners To Scan Your Art Work Of 2024: Completed List

Brandon Forder
  Mar 29, 2024 9:06 AM

Artists, in particular, have a strong interest in maintaining the integrity of historical works of art, and a good art scanner should help with this.

Some painters like to photograph their finished works on paper and store them in digital formats for future reference, potential sale, or personal enjoyment. Document, portable, flatbed, etc. scanners are just some of the options available today. Depending on the quality of the image, some scanners have a different maximum scan speed.

Furthermore, art scanners come in a variety of sizes. This article was written to serve as a resource for anybody looking to purchase a scanner specifically for artwork.

If you want to find out more, keep reading!


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Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API


Buying Guide

High-Quality Scanning 

The highest resolution possible is always a requirement for the best art scanner. Specifically, the scanned image must not contain any specks of dirt or dust. To scan larger artworks, a large format scanner is required.

To sum up, remember that before making any purchases. Check the dimensions of the flatbed scanner you're considering purchasing to be sure it's not too huge. In addition, the scanning area of some scanners may be expanded with an extension arm, allowing you to preserve and scan even thicker volumes and pages.

Scan Speed 

The scanning rate is something to keep in mind if you intend to scan several photographs or documents. How many pages can be scanned in one minute is one way to measure a scanner's speed.

The typical scanning program can process 30 pages per minute while scanning documents. However, this is not always the case when scanning high-resolution artworks. To get the best results when scanning classic works of art, you need to focus on regions with rich color detail and shading. The system may need more time to process these, but that's fine. After all, you should only ever use the most perfect replicas of the first photos.

Keep in mind that due to the sheer volume of papers, professional scanners will require a scanning speed of 30 pages or more. A slower pace may be preferable if you're looking for a product for commercial scanning purposes, but it's not essential for personal use.

Scan Resolution 

Only the most advanced scanners will never compromise image quality. High resolution is always necessary for artists because it enhances details such as color, texture, tones, and hues.

As a rule of thumb, a resolution of 600 pixels per inch (dpi) or higher is recommended for scanning. When printing text, this can be the highest resolution you require. The scan resolution is crucial for artists since it determines the final image quality.

Bit Depth

The amount of bits used to represent a single color in a pixel is known as its "Bit Depth," which is also known as its "Color Depth." A greater number of bits means more information and options for the user after scanning the page.

In terms of bit depth, you can choose between 8 bits, 16 bits, and 32 bits. You should aim for 32 bits in your scanner's resolution, but 16 bits is acceptable.

Scanners with bit depths from 24 bits to 32 bits are the focus of today's article.

Supported Scanning Media

Scan portal sizes and supported media types vary between scanner models. A common document scanner, for instance, might only support a limited range of paper sizes.

Since letter and legal are the most common paper sizes in the United States, you should prioritize finding a scanner that can handle both of these.

Today, we'll be discussing scanners that can handle a variety of paper sizes, including envelopes, letters, Legal, ID cards, and business cards.

Connection Interfaces

What is meant by "connection interface" is the means through which a scanner can be linked to additional hardware. It's important to have connection interfaces available, as importing files from a variety of devices is a common demand.

For this reason, scanners often only require a USB connector for connection, as almost all modern devices offer USB connectivity. It's true that some scanners offer wireless communication, but that feature is usually expensive and not necessary. As such, the bare minimum for a scanner is support for USB connections.

Scanners with various interfaces, including USB 2.0, USB 3, and wireless, will be discussed in this article.

Usage

If you won't be working in an industry that often scans artwork, you should invest in a quick and simple scanner. When searching for the best a3 scanner for artwork, compatibility should be your top priority.

Almost any scanner will work, however some can be more resource-intensive than others. The main problem with such a scanner is how long it takes to complete each scan. Times of more than 30 seconds are possible. It's a long wait if you have a lot of big artworks to scan.

The best settings for your scanner will typically be supplied by the manufacturer. Ensure that the PC you're using can handle the task. During our benchmarking, we discovered that PCs equipped with dedicated graphics cards outperformed those with an integrated graphics processor.

Another factor that slows down the utilization is the ergonomics. Even though most models have straightforward controls, a few have buttons so small that they require a thorough search each time they're used.

No items found. features one of the nicest user interfaces out there. Their button is large, and once you get used to the button, you can run the scanner without even looking at the buttons.

Storage

Having enough space to store your artwork digitally is going to be crucial when deciding on a scanner. Though you could keep them on your hard drive, cloud storage is currently the most reliable and hassle-free option. Some scanners provide the ability to upload scans straight to cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, and others.

There are benefits to using cloud storage for one's data. Files can be accessed and sent to anyone, regardless of location.

Nonetheless, given the data capacity of scanned artwork is huge, we advise upgrading your internet speed before attempting to upload files to cloud services. When a file has a higher resolution, it is more useful.

Some scanners can even read files from a USB drive or an SD card. But we were unable to locate a high-quality scanner that provides these options. However, if you're interested in such additions, you can always do a web search.


FAQS

Are Art Scanners Portable ? 

There are lightweight, tiny scanners available for portability. These are typically more compact, but their telescoping arm means they can print anything from business cards to posters.

Aside from big format scanners, there are other types of scanners that are somewhat cumbersome. These should not be relocated regularly.

What Is The Process Of Scanning Original Artwork ? 

The best way of scanning original artwork pieces is with the help of a flatbed scanner. They offer a level surface that allows for equal lighting and clear, undistorted images. You should get high-quality images, making this a reliable choice.

Why Choose A Flatbed Scanner Over A Camera For Artworks ? 

If you want to digitize artworks, then you should know that it can be done by two methods. Either a camera or a flatbed scanner will do the trick. Now, capturing an image in its exact hues and tones might be challenging using a camera. Uneven illumination can generate this effect.

If you opt for a flatbed scanner, though, you should be able to obtain an image that is both flat and undistorted. Consequently, the images would be identical, and you'd be thrilled with the outcome.

Is it better to scan or photograph the artwork?

Scanning artwork rather than photographing it is the best approach to preserve it. Since scanning is the most accurate method of capturing the final elements of a piece of art. Scanners can accurately capture even the most nuanced of colors.

Can the scanner scan acrylic paintings?

Certainly, acrylic paintings can be scanned using it. Still, you may need to make some changes if there are an excessive number of glossy textures. If not, the end result will be too reflective. On the other hand, we found that scanning a photo taken at a high quality was a viable solution during our testing.


Conclusion

Artists share a common desire for their work to endure for generations. Digitizing artworks is the greatest way to ensure their preservation. However, even a minute variation from the original could completely alter the intended meaning of the picture. Consequently, it is crucial to select a scanner that produces an identical replica of the original.

The type of artwork you plan on scanning is another consideration before making a purchase. Scanning artwork of different mediums and styles each calls for a unique set of capabilities. The best scanner for you is the one that costs the least money.


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