Converting Images from scans

Talk about Pixelmator Pro, share tips & tricks, tutorials, and other resources.
User avatar

2018-06-18 18:09:41

Hello,
I'm new to Pixelmator Pro.

I have scanned an equipment manual, that is composed of line drawings,
and text descriptions.

I would like to pluck out the text to a layer, and convert it to Pixelmator text.

And the same with the lines that make up the parts of the machine, on a layer.

Assuming this can be done, what is the best way to go about this? Maybe
starting with the text first. I know how to create a new layer. But I only really
know how to use the repair tool and the paint brush.

Only looking for some suggestions to get me started.

Thanks.
User avatar

2018-06-18 19:29:55

Hi.

If I understand correctly, you've got a scan of an old manual and you're trying to make a new neat version of part or all of it? if it's not too sensitive, can you post an image?

I'm guessing it's something like this (only blurrier and with more fingerprints):
Image
(I just pulled that off a web search.)

First, as much as I like Pixelmator Pro, I'd first question your choice of tool. Pixelmator Pro is an image processing app, not a word processor or page layout program and so won't do the following:
1. Support multiple pages.
2. Support flow from one text box to another, or multi-column text, as in the above image.
3. Support the automatic generation of headers, footers, page numbering or tables of contents.

If these are important to you then you might want do do the heavy lifting in something like Pages (or some such) and draw the images in Pixelmator Pro. Then again, if you're as stubborn as I am and want to see what you can do in Pixelmator Pro, or if you only have a few pages to do, you might be happy doing everything in Pixelmator Pro .

To replicate the text boxes, select the text tool and drag a box on the canvas. Type some words in there and do your best to match font and point size. If you have an app that can OCR the text then you can just paste it in the text boxes. Otherwise it's a case or retyping the text.

Hope this gets you started.

- Stef.
User avatar

2018-06-18 20:14:45

About the text, first. There is no way to 'fix' the text, correct?

The text is pixelated around the edges when you zoom in on it.
So, for the text, you must re-enter it over the original, on a new layer, correct?

This is fine, I understand this.

But I thought I'd ask before I get
too far along. After all, the repair tool is very amazing. So it seems
possible that a tool that swipes over pixelated text and fixes it
doesn't seem so impossible to me. Just asking.

I'll post an image of the sort I want to clean up and perhaps add color.
Thanks.
User avatar

2018-06-18 20:32:16

There is no way to 'fix' the text, correct?
Depends how bad the image is and how good you need the result. I'll wait for you to post the image while I try to remember that trick with a gaussian blur with levels over the top. :smiley:
User avatar

2018-06-18 20:38:26

Here's an image of the sort I want to work on.
Inside the red circle, there is some sort of hatching,
or the item was on a mat when the photo was taken.

Can this entire 'hatching' be selected and replaced with
empty white? Or what's the best way to get rid of it?

And for the diagram on the right, I'd just like to have
crisp vector lines that scale and zoom nice, instead of
pixelated zoomed lines.

Thanks.
edit: I made this image a little too small. The real image is not at all blurry.
edit2 - new image

Image
User avatar

2018-06-18 21:16:12

I can't really see what's going on in that image. It's a bit small. :mag:

But I do know that, if you scan a printed photograph, you can end up with a moiré pattern over the image (google for more info). There are many opinions as to how to remove it. Almost all involve applying a gaussian blur to it.

The best solution I know (if you have access to the original and a hi-res scanner) is to scan it at higher resolution than you need it, apply the smallest amount of gaussian blur that will remove the moiré fringing, then downsize the image.
User avatar

2018-06-18 21:57:03

This is a scan from the original. Or I own a paper version of this manual.
And the images are not color. It seems like they're black and white with a tint.

I think the scan is 600x600, and I think this is the best image selection.
But anyway the actual manual has lower quality images.

A lot of parts manuals and service manuals are like this.

Thanks for your responses.

If you know of a link to a tutorial on selection tools. That would
be helpful. I think I was using the color fill tool and it seemed to
have a smart select feature to it, but I couldn't figure out how
to adjust the irregular selection. Or if this is possible.

edit: I found a tutorial. I had been using the color selection tool,
but I didn't know about using the shift and option key. I did say
I was new to PM Pro.