When I scan a sketch it comes out pale blue. I have a HP scanner I gave a hundred dollars for about four years ago. So the lamp may be getting weak.

So, what I do is load it in Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7. Then I grayshade the drawing. It is always still paler than my original sketch. So I "Lighten" the contrast once. This darkens some areas and lightens some areas. Some sketches come out with a little more contrast than my original and some come out about like my original sketch. I don't know how to fine tune the contrast, or even if there is a way to fine tune the contrast. It seems to be preset. There is a "Lighter" setting, a "Normal" setting and a "Darker" setting.

So if anyone knows more than I do about Paint Shop Pro 7, you are welcomed to let me know how to get my scans closer to my original sketches.

I have some other paint programs but I know more about Jasc's than any other. Suggestions appreciated.

Its a question that has been asked for as long as art and scanners have been in conflict. Its really down to experimentation and finding out works best for your machines. I'm still trying to figure it out!

Try reading this link to see if it helps any. http://www.allfreelance.com/scanning.html

Thanks, I put that one in my favorites. ;-)

I'll have to check my scanner manual and the scanning program also.

Wouldn't it be better to go into exposure and use tone adjustment instead of contrast? My scans usually come out very light too but generally a slight adjustment of the mid tones does the trick.

When dealing with colour I might also go into tone balance adjusting the hues (like more red or more blue and so on) until they are the closest I can get to the original.

I went into my scanner settings and adjusted the contrast, etc. I made a mess. Lol. My results were worse than the default settings. So I reset the settings to default.

In my PSP 7 I do the grayscale to take care of the blue. I can make it warm or cool, but I want it to look like graphite. The grayscale causes it to look like graphite. But, when I print the drawing the printer puts the blue tint back in.

I guess the way I've been doing it is about as good as I will get it.

Hmm. I think I might be more lost than you are.