Learn how to scan 3D objects

Scan mementos from a day at the beach to put in scrapbook pages or other creative projects.

Scan your child's artwork to use for birthday invites, newsletters, a personalized calendar, and more.

Ordinary 3D objects take on new value when you have a scanner. Everything from coins to a wedding dress can be scanned for use in a myriad of ways. Here are some possibilities:

Customize scrapbook pages
Scan souvenirs and mementos that relate to your theme:

• Use embellishments such as a hospital bracelet or rattle to add meaning to a baby book.
• Scans of seashells from your last beach vacation will remind you of the good times your kids had combing the shoreline.
• Design your own backgrounds by scanning items such as fall leaves for a back-to-school page or flowers from your bridal bouquet for a wedding page.

Create unique crafts and gifts
Scanned artwork or objects can be used to make cards, calendars, wrapping paper, and more.

• Scan your favorite print to make one-of-a-kind wrapping paper or note cards.
• Scan your child's artwork and use it for birth announcements, a personalized calendar, or simply archive it for posterity.
• Scanned flowers from the garden can easily be framed as an art piece or gift.

There's also a wide range of fun and easy scanning projects that you can create using your own photos. Find creative photo scanning ideas and tips now!

For high-quality scans, remember to choose a resolution of 300 ppi or higher using your scanning software.

To scan your 3D objects*:

1. Place object(s) on the scanner glass.
2. On your computer, open your scanning software.
3. Choose the resolution of your image (most scanners use ppi—pixels per inch—to refer to image quality). A scanning resolution of 300 ppi works well for most images.
4. Scan your objects. (Most software will open a preview of the scan in a new window on your computer.)
5. Save the image to your computer as a source file in TIFF format to retain the most detail. You can then make a copy of this file and save as a JPEG for printing. Learn more about file formats.

*These are general scanning instructions. Steps will differ depending on your scanner or all-in-one model and scanning software. Refer to your product's manual for specific details.

When scanning bulky items, pull a black cloth over your scanner to prevent shadows.

Keep these tips in mind for great 3D scans every time:

• Before you begin, clean the scanner glass with a bit of glass cleaner sprayed onto a lint-free cloth.
• Layer items by placing the ones you want in the foreground down first.
• When scanning bulky items, pull a black cloth over your scanner to prevent shadows.
• Some HP Scanjet scanners allow you to reduce the appearance of dust and scratches on your scans. Learn more about removing dust and scratches when scanning.

Find more scanning quick tips.

Jewelry and other charms can be scanned and enlarged to show detail.

Scanning items is the perfect way to capture the detail needed to sell them online. Here are some ways scanning may help sales:

• Jewelry and other charms can be scanned and enlarged to show detail.
• Scan signatures on autographed items.
• Highlight rare books by scanning covers and title pages.
• Fossils and agates can be scanned with familiar objects to show scale.
• Authenticate designer clothing and accessories by scanning labels and details.