126 Scan a Picture into Draw

If you want to insert a picture into your drawing but the picture resides on paper, or perhaps in a magazine or book, you can scan the image directly into your drawing. As long as you use a TWAIN-compliant scanner, as most are, Draw can accept your scanned image. (See 27 Insert Graphics in a Document for information on TWAIN devices.)

Before You Begin

116 About Manipulating Objects

118 Align Objects

When your scanner is TWAIN compliant, your scanner will often scan using its own scanning routines. So the exact steps for scanning images into Draw varies depending on the scanner and its supplied driver software. Nevertheless, the general step-by-step procedure for inserting scanned images remains the same no matter what kind of scanner you use.

NOTE

You can scan a picture and save it as a graphic image and then insert that image into your drawing. By scanning directly into your drawing, you save the extra step.

1. Prepare the Document for a Scanned Image
   
   Create a new drawing and add any elements that might help you better position your scan.
   
   
2. Request the Scan
   
   Select Insert, Scan, Select Source .
   
   

   TIP

   

   Scanned images can be huge. Decrease your scanned image size if possible from within your scanner's software if you want to send your drawing to others over email.

3. Control the Scan
   
   Depending on your scanner's software, you will be given the chance to scan a preview first, adjust resolution and colors, and modify other aspects of the scan. When your software allows it, accept the scanned preview (if you requested a preview), and Draw inserts the scanned image into your drawing.
   
   
4. Adjust the Image
   
   Your scanned image will rarely come into your drawing at the exact placement and size you wish to see. Once your scanned image appears inside your drawing, you'll need to adjust the image's placement and size by dragging the resizing handles and moving the image to where you want it to go.