Knowledge Centre • Artwork & Visual Materials

What Is Fine Art Scanning?

Fine art digitisation creates detailed digital representations of paintings, drawings, prints and other artworks for archives, artists, estates, galleries and collections.

Fine art capture needs consistent colour, detail and tonal reproduction. The digital master can then be used to create access files, cataloguing images or reproduction derivatives.

Standards context: FADGI's visual/pictorial category includes prints, drawings and paintings where colour reproduction may be required. citeturn0search2

Fine art scanning

The capture method should be selected around the original object, its condition and the purpose of the digital master. Suitable material may be captured with a WideTEK 36 ART, reprographic camera system or flatbed solution, while delicate, oversized or surface-sensitive work may require a non-contact approach.

Materials and considerations

Paintings

Considered as part of the specialist capture and quality-control workflow for this material.

Works on paper

Considered as part of the specialist capture and quality-control workflow for this material.

Prints

Considered as part of the specialist capture and quality-control workflow for this material.

Artist archives

Considered as part of the specialist capture and quality-control workflow for this material.

Gallery collections

Considered as part of the specialist capture and quality-control workflow for this material.

Estate collections

Considered as part of the specialist capture and quality-control workflow for this material.

Key considerations

  • Paintings
  • Works on paper
  • Prints
  • Artist archives
  • Gallery collections
  • Estate collections

Need an artwork scanning specification?

We can assess the size, material, condition and intended use of your artwork or visual collection and recommend an appropriate capture method and digital output.