Computer Graphics with Photoshop - Cleaning up stained B&W text documents?

Author

Cleaning up stained B&W text documents?

AES/newspost

2004-12-27, 7:14 am

Novice user seeking advice:

Have several letter-size b&w documents with printed text (9 point or 10
point font size, I'd guess) plus a few symbols (arrows and stuff), on
stained or water-marked paper, that I've scanned in using Grayscale mode
at 300 dpi (approx 3.5 MB/page).

Would like to clean up the background a bit (push the stains down a ways
toward white), keep text reasonably sharp on screen or when printed on
hp LaserJet laser printer, and reduce file size (and printing time).

What tools and steps should I pursue in Photoshop Elements?
Inparticular, can I end up with a b&w rather than grayscale file and
still keep reasonable sharpness on the text? JPEG or Gif (or PNG) for
final file type?

Any advice (and email copy of reply) appreciated -- thanks.

David C.

2004-12-27, 7:14 am

AES/newspost <siegman@stanford.edu> writes:
>
> Have several letter-size b&w documents with printed text (9 point or
> 10 point font size, I'd guess) plus a few symbols (arrows and
> stuff), on stained or water-marked paper, that I've scanned in using
> Grayscale mode at 300 dpi (approx 3.5 MB/page).

Can you re-scan in color mode?

Assuming your stains are not black/gray, the colors will give
Photoshop something it can autmatically remove. The "replace color"
facility often works in situations like this.

-- David

V1nc3nt

2004-12-27, 11:14 pm

Peadge wrote:
> "V1nc3nt" <something@somewhere.com> wrote in message
> news:b7ed5$41cf3c6a$3e3be867$25061@news1.zonnet.nl...
>
>
>
>
> I actually like some of the other posts suggesting rescanning in RGB. I
> originally suggested using a combination of Levels and Brightness/Contrast.

You're totally right. Sorry, I just read it too fast I guess.

(snip)

> A cool
> thing about Photoshop is that multiple paths and techniques can achieve
> virtually the same end result.

Photoshop is cool. Period. 8)

> Have a Happy New Year!

You have a good one too, but I'm afaid well meet again before this one's
over. :)