Scanning Real Objects
From Chapter 11 of "Start with a Scan", by Janet Ashford and John Odam.
Bypassing the Camera
"Found Art": Scanning Real Objects
Sometimes the source of an original illustration is as close as that cluttered catchall drawer in your kitchen. Any object that's small and light enough to be placed on the glass of your scanner can become an instant photo image-to be used on its own or as the starting point for an illustration. By changing colors, applying filters, creating montages, or converting scanned images to line art or posterizations, you can create a variety of illustrations that are original, cheap, and readily available.
Of course, flatbed scanners were designed for scanning flat pieces of paper. But that restriction never stopped curious people from photocopying objects and body parts on the first office copiers, and inventive designers were quick to see the potential for scanning objects when the first desktop scanners hit the market. Experimentation and an inventive mind can produce unique images that break away from the "period" look of the 19th Century clip art or the prepackaged look of more contemporary clip art offerings.