Scanography

David Newton is a man who knows how to scan. You'll find the proof at www.davidnewton.com, where you can view an array of sharpedged graphic images that resemble photographs more than illustrations - all created using a scanner and a copy of Photoshop. Scanography describes images that possess elements of both photography and illustration, and yet do not sit easily in either category.

Most people who own a copy of Photoshop and a scanner have, out of curiosity, progressed beyond scanning pieces of paper and transparencies. Who hasn't placed their hand on the glass to see what happened, or used any object that happened to be nearby? Well if you haven't, you should have! By using your imagination, it's possible to produce images from your scanner that go far beyond what the machine was originally intended to do.

In this case, we want to create a hyper-real image of a bird of paradise flower, with hard edges and luminous colours. It will look photographic in that it's a representation of the 'real' world, but with digital manipulation - exaggerated shapes, colours and edges - to create an almost heightened sense of reality, this snapshot of everyday life will possess elements of illustration.

Photoshop is a vital tool here, but the type of scanner isn't that important. You can achieve great results from even the most basic equipment - it's not what you've got but the way that you use it€¦

Click here to download the tutorial for free