Preparing Show Entries

FROM FRAMED ARTWORK TO CD revised January 2012
Preparing Digital Entries for Shows Using Photoshop Elements 9

PAINTING/CAMERA SETUP:
1. Painting flat against a wall.
2. No glass between painting & camera.
3. Digital camera on tripod.
4. Position camera pointed straight at center of painting. The line of “sight” of the camera should be a perpendicular to the canvas.
5. Lighting should be uniform on the surface of the painting and should not contribute a color. Indirect, but broad spectrum if possible. Camera flash is usually not a good idea because it is a point source. (I use my studio ceiling lights which are 5000K florescent tubes evenly distributed in the room. Available at Lowe’s.)

DIGITAL CAMERA SETTING:
1. Quality setting at highest value.
2. Use white balance if you have it. (This is usually set with a white sheet of paper in the same position and lighting as the painting you are going to photograph.)
3. Automatic settings best for light, focus, etc.
4. Use timer to take the picture. (To avoid camera vibration from pushing shutter release.)

TRANSFER FROM CAMERA TO COMPUTER:
This is an individual process that will depend on what kind of camera, what “media” your camera saves the images on, what computer you have. Sometimes done with direct cable from camera to computer. At Office Depot can find card readers that will read most camera media cards and plug into the USB ports on computers. (Make sure your computer has an available USB port before you purchase such a reader.) More recent computers have built-in media card readers.
ADJUSTMENT OF PICTURE FILE ON THE COMPUTER IF YOU ALREADY HAVE SOFTWARE:
If you already have software that will adjust pixels and resolution, and know how to use it, this is the best approach.  Adjust your image file to be 900 pixels on the longest side with a resolution of 300 dpi, or whatever pixel dimensions the  show prospectus  requests. (Software that you may already have: Photoshop; Photoshop Elements; two programs that may have come with Windows XP on your computer are Microsoft Photo Editor and Photo Impression 4.)  Some good sites that have information about ppi/dpi adjustment:
www.georgiawatercolorsociety.com Click on FAQ and select “I want to submit a digital image for an exhibition.”
www.iprintfromhome.com Click on “Resources,” then “Understanding Resolution and DPI.”

ADJUSTMENT OF PICTURE FILE ON THE COMPUTER IF YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE SOFTWARE:
Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 is a relatively inexpensive software that will allow you to straighten, crop, and adjust dpi and pixels.  It is available for about $70 from www.amazon.com It will work on a PC or a Mac. You can download a copy over the internet or have them mail you a CD of the program. Either way, there will be instructions given that you can follow to accomplish the installation.  When the program has installed, you are ready to use the following “Directions for Preparing Digital Images with Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.”

PREPARING DIGITAL IMAGES FOR SHOW ENTRY USING ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9
(All of these instructions use the left mouse button.)
These instructions lead you specifically through directions for editing your image and putting it on a CD. (Elements 9 does more than this, but other functions will not be discussed here.)
OPEN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9
Click (or double-click) the icon on your desktop.
OPEN THE EDIT WORKSPACE
On the Welcome screen, single click the “EDIT” button on the left.
RETRIEVE THE IMAGE OF YOUR PAINTING FROM THE FOLDER IN YOUR COMPUTER
Click “FILE” (upper left), and then click “OPEN” on the drop-down menu.
This brings up a window that allows you to browse your computer files for your photo.
1. Click the down arrow at the end of the box labeled “Look in:”
2. From the list that drops down, choose the area, and then the folder where you stored your image…with double clicks.
3. Double click the picture file you wish to work with.
4. If a window appears that says “Missing Profile,” choose “Optimize colors for Print output (use Adobe RGB)” and click “OK.”
5. Your picture will appear in the editing workspace.
STRAIGHTEN THE IMAGE (…if it is not straight)
Click “GUIDED” tab on the right near the top. A list of guided functions will appear below the tab.
Under “BASIC PHOTO EDITS” click “ROTATE AND/OR STRAIGHTEN PHOTO”
1. If you need to rotate your picture a full 45 degrees to the right or left, click the icon indicated for rotation.
2. For interim adjustment, click the “STRAIGHTEN TOOL” icon.
A. Move your mouse over the image. The mouse will appear as a small plus sign.
B. “Draw” a straight line that represents the horizontal on your photo…click and hold the left mouse button while pulling across the image as a line forms. [Use a mat edge or paper edge for allignment.]
C. Release the mouse button only when you are satisfied with the endpoint.
D. The image will immediately adjust to be horizontal.
E. If not satisfied, click the “RESET” button and start again.
F. Be sure the “MAINTAIN IMAGE SIZE” button is chosen when straightening.
G. When satisfied, click “DONE” at the bottom of the screen.
CROP THE PHOTO (remove all mat and frame…only the painting should show)
Under “BASIC PHOTO EDITS,” click “CROP PHOTO”
Your photo will now have a selected area already highlighted with moving dashed lines.
1. MOVE THE SIDES of the crop box until your painting is the only thing within the dashed lines.
A. Place your mouse over one of the small squares mid-way on a side.
B. When properly placed, the arrow will be a double arrow with points in opposite directions.
C. Click and hold the left mouse button while you move the side to the right or left.
D. Release the mouse button when the side is where you want it.
E. Do the same with the other three sides.
F. When happy with the crop box, click the GREEN CHECK at the bottom of the crop box.
G. If you want to change what you have just done, click the “RESET” button on the right.
H. When finished, click “DONE” at the bottom right.

SETTING THE DPI AND THE PIXEL LENGTH OF THE SIDES
The show prospectus will usually specify the dpi (dots per square inch, or resolution) and the length in pixels of the longest side of the image.  Click the “IMAGE” tab in the upper left, position the mouse over “RESIZE” in the drop-down menu, and then click on
“IMAGE SIZE” in the sub-menu. The “IMAGE SIZE WINDOW” will appear.  All three boxes at the bottom of this window should be checked.
1. FIRST change the RESOLUTION
A. Make sure the scale on this box says pixels/inch.
B. DELETE the number in the text box “RESOLUTION”
C. TYPE the desired resolution. (Most shows are going to request 300 dpi.)
2. SECOND change the HEIGHT OR WIDTH
A. Make sure the scale for the heigh and width at the top of this window is in pixels.
B. DELETE the number in either the height or width text box.
C. TYPE the desired pixel length as specified in the prospectus.
D. Change only one…the other will change automatically to maintain the proportion.
E. Most shows request 900 pixels on the longest side.
F. Click “OK” top right in this window.

SAVING THE ADJUSTED IMAGE
IMPORTANT…use the “SAVE AS” command to rename the file. (Don’t click “SAVE” or you will lose your original image file.  The show prospectus will specify how the file should be named. The IAPS recommendation is to name the file with the

Last nameFirst initial_Title_HxW (unframed image dimensions in inches). The file type should be jpeg.
Click “FILE” tab upper left of screen and click “SAVE AS…” from drop-down menu.
The “SAVE AS” window will appear.
1. Choose the FOLDER where you wish to save your image file (and remember where you put it!)
A. Click the DOWN ARROW at the right of the “Save in” text box at the top.
B. Choose the area and folder by double clicking the folder.
2. DELETE the name currently in the “FILE NAME” text box and type the file name required by the show.
3. Make sure the format is JPEG
4. The “Color” box checked should be, “ICC Profile: sRBC”
5. Click “SAVE” … The image is ready for the show!

BURNING A CD
If you have software on your computer that you know how to use to burn your image file onto a CD, use that. If you wish to use Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 to burn the CD, continue with these directions.
BURNING A CD USING ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9
OPEN ELEMENTS software…
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIGITAL CAMERA OR A COMPUTER
Digital cameras are available for less than $100.00 – at least one is available for $49.99. If you purchase a digital camera, copying services will not only download your images to a CD but will also size them to your specifications. These services are found in your phonebook under Copying Services. Most camera shops also have this capability. If you prefer to not purchase a digital camera, these same businesses can prepare digital images from slides.

This guide was revised in January 2012, for the Appalachian Pastel Society by Kay Gordon (kgordon@main.nc.us ,
828.649.3363). Some of it was copied, with permission, from a guide written by Sallie Atkins for the Southeastern
Pastel Society. Deepest gratitude to Sallie for her generosity in sharing the fruits of her labors.