Knowledge Centre • Artwork & Visual Materials
Artwork Scanning & Digitisation Knowledge Centre
Specialist guides to digitising paintings, drawings, prints, maps, plans, posters, parchment, manuscripts and other artwork using wide-format, camera and flatbed capture.
This Knowledge Centre explains how different artwork and visual materials can be captured using WideTEK 36 ART, reprographic camera systems and suitable flatbed solutions, with workflows informed by FADGI and National Archives guidance.
Standards context: FADGI's current still-image guidelines cover cultural heritage materials including textual content, maps, photographic prints and pictorial materials, while National Archives guidance covers maps, plans, photographs and oversized items with quality assurance requirements. citeturn0search0turn0search3
Artwork scanning and digitisation
The capture method should be selected around the original object, its condition and the purpose of the digital master. Suitable material may be captured with a WideTEK 36 ART, reprographic camera system or flatbed solution, while delicate, oversized or surface-sensitive work may require a non-contact approach.
Materials and considerations
What Is Artwork Scanning?Artwork scanning creates high-quality digital images of paintings, drawings, prints, maps, posters and other two-dimensional works for preservation, research, reproduction and access.WideTEK 36 ART Artwork ScanningThe WideTEK 36 ART is used as one of the specialist capture options for large-format flat artwork and other suitable originals.What Is Reprographic Camera Artwork Scanning?A reprographic camera system captures artwork photographically using controlled lighting, a camera and a stable copy setup.What Is Flatbed Artwork Scanning?Flatbed scanning can be an excellent solution for suitable flat originals where the material can safely be placed on the scanner bed.How Do You Choose the Right Artwork Scanning Method?The correct capture method depends on size, condition, surface, rigidity, reflectivity, framing and the required digital output.What Is Fine Art Scanning?Fine art digitisation creates detailed digital representations of paintings, drawings, prints and other artworks for archives, artists, estates, galleries and collections.Painting Digitisation & ScanningPaintings can be digitised using a method selected around their size, surface, framing and physical condition.Oil Painting ScanningOil paintings can contain raised brushwork, varnish and complex surface reflectance, making non-contact capture an important option.Watercolour ScanningWatercolours require careful colour and tonal reproduction because subtle washes and paper tone can carry significant visual information.Drawing ScanningDrawings can include pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel and mixed-media marks that require different levels of tonal and colour capture.Pencil Drawing ScanningPencil drawings often contain very fine tonal variations that benefit from careful capture and controlled exposure.Charcoal & Pastel Artwork ScanningCharcoal and pastel works can be delicate and surface-sensitive, requiring careful non-contact handling and suitable lighting.Print Scanning & DigitisationPrints can include lithographs, engravings, etchings, screenprints, woodcuts and other processes where line, tone and paper are important.Engraving ScanningEngravings contain fine incised lines and tonal structures that need high-quality image capture.Etching ScanningEtchings combine fine line work with paper and often subtle tonal variation, making careful capture important.Lithograph ScanningLithographs can contain fine line, continuous tone and colour, requiring careful capture of both image and paper.Poster Scanning & DigitisationPosters can be large, fragile and richly coloured, making them an ideal application for specialist wide-format or camera capture.Map Scanning & DigitisationMaps require capture that preserves fine line work, text, colour, annotations, scale and the complete sheet.Plan Scanning & DigitisationPlans and technical drawings require high-resolution capture of fine lines, dimensions, annotations and symbols.Architectural Drawing ScanningArchitectural drawings can include plans, elevations, sections, details, tracing paper and coloured presentation drawings.Technical Drawing ScanningTechnical drawings contain precise lines, dimensions, annotations and symbols where small capture errors can affect interpretation.Blueprint Scanning & DigitisationHistoric blueprints can contain white or pale lines on coloured backgrounds and may require specialist colour or tonal capture.Parchment & Artwork ScanningParchment can be uneven, curled, translucent and highly sensitive to handling, making non-contact imaging particularly useful.Illuminated Manuscript ScanningIlluminated manuscripts combine text, artwork, pigments, gilding and fragile historical materials.Textile Artwork DigitisationFlat textiles, embroidery, fabric artwork and other textile pieces can require non-contact photographic capture rather than conventional scanning.Framed Artwork DigitisationFramed artwork may require imaging without removing the work from its frame, particularly where the frame or glazing is delicate or significant.Oversized Artwork ScanningOversized artwork, maps, plans and posters require a capture system capable of recording the entire object without unsafe handling.Fragile Artwork ScanningFragile artwork requires a capture method that minimises contact, bending, pressure and unnecessary handling.Colour-Managed Artwork ScanningColour management is central to artwork digitisation when the digital file is intended to represent the appearance of the original accurately.What Resolution Should Artwork Be Scanned At?Artwork resolution should be selected according to the physical size, smallest significant detail, imaging method and intended use.Artwork TIFF Preservation MastersTIFF is widely used for high-quality still-image masters because it can preserve image data without lossy compression.Artwork Digitisation Quality ControlArtwork QA checks image completeness, focus, colour, exposure, geometry, resolution, file integrity and conformity with the agreed specification.Artwork Digitisation WorkflowA professional artwork workflow moves from assessment and capture-method selection through imaging, colour management, quality control and secure delivery.Artwork Scanning to Archival & FADGI-Aligned WorkflowsA guide to professional artwork digitisation using wide-format scanning, reprographic camera capture and flatbed systems within a documented archival imaging workflow.
Professional artwork digitisation in Oxfordshire
Oxford Duplication Centre can advise on the most appropriate imaging route for artwork, maps, plans, prints, posters, manuscripts and other visual collections.