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1) What kind of scanner should I use? |
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Naturally, a better quality scanner (and often the most costly) will produce the best results. A flatbed scanner with a resolution of at least 600dpi (dots per inch) in millions of colors (bit depth) would be preferable. |
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| 2) What settings should I use when scanning? |
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If possible, use the following settings:
- sharp millions of colors / sharp color photo,
- sharp black and white photo, and
- sharp black and white drawing.
This will allow for a broader spectrum of possibilities in working with the scanned sticker images.
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| 3) How should the scanned image be saved? |
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Save the scanned image in either of the following formats:
Saving in .jpg (JPEG) format will produce an image that has lost clarity and workability, and should only be considered if no option is given to save as TIFF or PNG.
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| 4) What size should the scanned image be saved as? |
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Save the scanned image in its original size. |
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| 5) How can the scanned image be improved? |
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Use of a graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop or Paintshop Pro will allow for modifications to the scanned image. Color correction is probably the most important aspect of improving the scanned image, as is deleting rogue pixels (noise). However, take care because not everyone has their monitor calibrated to view colors and images in the same way. The colors may appear perfect to you, but in actuality the image's color values are not truly reflective of the original stickers that were scanned (unless you have a very, very expensive scanner). It would be nice to know the color values of the proper LEGO® colors.
Basically, don't go overboard when adjusting the colors. And do remember to always save the original scanned image separately, just in case...
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| 6) How should scanned stickers be submitted for archiving? |
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Save each scanned sticker in the above mentioned three settings (if possible) as a .tif (TIFF) or .png (PNG) file. Then, compress the files into a .zip (ZIP) file.
It would be preferable that no modifications be made to the scanned image in a graphics program unless you are proficient with such corrections.
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| 7) Is it possible to print on similar material as the real LEGO® stickers are? |
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The stickers should be printed with a laser printer capable of printing in either black and white or color (depending on the stickers and your use for them). The stickers can be printed on either a white label sheet or a clear label sheet. It is imperative these label sheets are for use with laser printers and not inkjet or inferior qualities not usable by laser printers. Inferior quality label sheets will cause the laser printing to easily be scraped off, and therefore be useless for all intents and purposes. Avery produces high-quality label sheets in a variety of colors including the clear labels. Unfortunately, the largest label size Avery carries in the clear is 3-1/3" x 4-1/8" and is also quite expensive. However, Avery recently introduced glossy photo quality labels in a 2" x 4" size, which is also cheaper by the box than the aforementioned clear label. Avery also makes 8-1/2" x 11" label sheets, but these are only available commercially (some print shops may carry these). Virtually any computer software program (from Adobe PageMaker to Microsoft Word) will have templates to match all Avery labels, or at least the capacity to easily match the layout of the label you plan on using to the computer layout. Once the scanned image is cleaned up to the best of your ability in a program such as Adobe Photoshop, continue to save the file in .tif format. It is then a simple matter of placing the desired .tif graphic into your software program of choice and printing out the label. Unfortunately, not all of us have high-end color laser printers. Additionally, many of us do not wish to purchase a box of clear labels for $50 for the sake of a few labels. If you belong to a LEGO® club, you may wish to share the cost amongst those interested and divide the box of labels equally. The other option is to have a local print shop print the labels you wish. It is best to telephone as many print shops as possible to find out which ones have a high-end color laser printer to suit your needs, and also to obtain the best price. Questions to ask are:
- Do you have a color laser copier capable of printing on clear and white labels?
- What size labels do you carry?
- Can I supply my own labels?
- What does it cost to process a .tif graphic for printing? Do not be alarmed if the cost to print out a .tif graphic is at least $10. This does not include the actual printing costs, just the layout of taking your .tif file and importing it into their computer software which will be used with their color laser printer. This also includes the cost for them to layout the graphic on the appropriate size laser sheet. You might be able to decrease this price by giving them a computer file of the precise layout using the same computer software layout program with their target printer.
- What does it cost per copy to print out a black and white or color laser copy on printer or customer supplied label stock? This does not include the manipulation of a .tif graphic -- this is for the actual printing only.
TIP: If you are going to pay around $15 for the layout and then an additional $1.50 per page for printing, you may wish to organize with other individuals who desire such labels, and split the cost of printing multiple pages. For instance, given the previous price example, for 10 people to acquire one sheet of labels it would cost $30 total, and consequently $3 each. Much cheaper than if each person proceeded on their own and paid $16.50.
One other option is to make use of a do-it-yourself computer print shop (a location where you can make use of their computer, printer and in some cases paper and labels). You may then wish to layout the graphics on your own computer using the same computer program available at the do-it-yourself computer print shop (alternately, take in the graphics on a disk and use their computer layout software program). You can then bring in your own laser labels or use theirs, if they have what you are looking for. Once again, you may wish to telephone as many of these shops as possible to find one that will suit your needs as well as finding the best price. Questions to ask include:
- What type of computers do you offer?
- Do you have a high-end color laser printer?
- What layout software programs do you offer?
- Do you have available for customers white and clear label stock (size etc.)?
- What are your rates per hour and printing per page on your black and white or color laser printers?
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Any suggestions, additions, and/or modifications are very much welcome and can be sent using our Contact form.
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