Which is the preferable way to get art work on to the computer. Scanning or digital photography. Thanks
It depends on the requirements. If you are designing a website you can't put scanned images because usually they are not high quality and not very clear. But if you have a website where you want to show a picture of a product then you can just scan the product and put that picture on site.
I prefer pictures. These days you can get a 7 mega-pixel camera for under $200 and the photo quality will be great for most peoples needs. I also prefer the camera because you can take multiple shots of the same object/item so if one is slightly blurry you dont have to retake a roll of film and rescan. Also, I think scanning takes a lot longer to do than a USB transfer from the camera. Hope this helps ya. If you would like more suggestions please explain specifically the type of photography you need on your computer / web page.
If you're talking about canvas/framed/mounted art work, then take a photo. If you're talking about sketches on a scrap piece of paper, then scan it.
If you just need to "digitalize" your art of some sort: I do not see your location, but in large enough towns you may use a camera-rental service - you may get really professional equipment for a few tens of $ a day usually..
Digital photography is the best option. digital photography - unmodified quality scanned images - its like taking a picture of a picture , loosing the real quality twice
OH MY GOODNESS! How can so many people be so wrong on this forum! Okay, the advantages of scanning. Scanning does not distort your images, like the curvature of a lens inherently does when you photograph. Scanning can capture tiny details in your image, like paper texture or right down to individual drops of oil from a fingerprint in a way that only a macro lens on the most expensive setup of cameras could do (and even then, only one small area at a time) If this is artwork, and it's too big to be scanned, you scan it in sections and sew them together using the GIMP or Photoshop if you have it. The right time to photograph artwork is only when it is bigger than you are, or if it is a 3D object like sculpture or modelling or something that cannot be placed on a scanner bed. Scanners offer such high quality results, and I can certainly vouch that as a graphic designer who makes portfolios of work, and has seen dozens of other such portfolios it is unprofessional and highly obvious to anybody with a half-decent eye which people photograph their work and which people do it the right way. My older sisters both have their Bachelors of Fine Arts degrees in different focuses and they also both required scanning and photography simply because of the nature of their work. One designed installation pieces that you could walk inside, the other built tables and chairs by hand. But, when it came time for a flat piece, they used the right tool for the job: a scanner. Also! remember that when you are printing 300DPI is a minimum, if you can pull off 600DPI or higher you're doing well. From a 7 megapixel camera the biggest you can print your image before suffering too much quality loss to be acceptable is 7in x 10.5in With a scanner you could scan the image at 1200DPI or some even scan at 2600 DPI which would mean you could enlarge your image 4 or maybe even 8 times larger than it's actual size at full print resolution. Please, please don't listen to the untrained amateurs in the forum and go get yourself a good scanner - and for the pieces you need photographed please go to a photographer. More than having a 200$ camera which won't do a good job, it'd be better to get a photographer to take higher quality images with proper portfolio lighting. Far better use of your money.
I'm sorry, but what exactly is web 2.0. as far as im concerned its takeing the same produc and wrapping it in a new package. Calling it something else. lets be honest Web 2.0=Shiny Objects. I VOTE SCANNER!
Preach It brother! Seriously, some people.... Unless your displaying a huge canvas picuter that you cant fit on a scanner (and in that case find a cannon or a niccon d 90) and take a pic.