Message-Id: <mailto:199412231232.GAA17961@library.wustl.edu> Date: Fri, 23 Dec 1994 07:09:09 -0500 From: mailto:MikeMAPS@AOL.COM> Subject: Re: scanning pencil writing 2 To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
> >I'm attempting to scan parts of an 1860s diary written in pencil. One
> >volume is written on blue paper, the others on yellowed paper. I've
> >tried adjusting the brightness and contrast a bit, but haven't had
> >great results. Does anyone have a suggestion on a combination of
> >settings to improve readability but maintain archival quality (trace
> >edges helps, but it destroys the original image!) I am using
> >ImagePals 2 and an HP flatbed scanner with Deskscan software.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Susan
I use Adobe's Photoshop software for really difficult enhancements. It has a wide variety of selection tools which can help to isolate an area which can then be enhanced without affecting other parts of the image.
Does your software have a "magic wand" type tool which will select all of the pixels in the image which are within a definable range on one side or the other of a pixel on which you click. With this kind of tool, you could click on one of the pencil markings, and the tool would select them all. Then you could adjust the levels for that selection alone, leaving the rest of the image unaltered.