Why keep all of your child’s artwork to yourself? Scanning your children's creations lets you show them off in a variety of ways. It's also a
great way to archive these priceless works of art so that they can be enjoyed for years.
Here are easy tips on how to capture, share, and preserve the works of the pint-sized Picasso in your life.
The benefits of scanning
Transferring your child’s artwork into digital files releases countless creative possibilities while freeing up wall space.
Scanning your child’s artistic work preserves and protects it from damage and aging.
Preserving artwork is also an excellent way to reduce clutter, while archiving and storing the originals for safekeeping. Plus, just think of how many friends
and family members you can share these mini-masterpieces with, either as prints, cards, calendars, or a host of other gift options!
If your little artist has a substantial body of work, you'll want to narrow the collection down before scanning.
Have your children help you sort the stacks of art piling up in your home. It's not only a great way to avoid throwing out favorites,
but it also provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about your child's artistic interests and process.
Be sure to write down as much information as you can about each piece, such as:
the title
date of completion
school grade
what your child was thinking when creating his or her art
You can use these nuggets later when archiving or gifting your art photographs and projects.
Photographs documenting the creation of your child's latest painting, drawing, or sculpture are also a good way to show the artistic process at work.
Scanning crafts is simple with a little know-how. It’s an easy way to share one-of-a-kind creations.
Scanning your child's artwork not only opens up a world of options in terms of sharing and preserving the pieces; it also means that—if need be—you can box away the originals.
Not only will this free up more space in your home, it will ensure the original won’t be worn and torn after show and tell, and that both sets of grandparents can get their own prints!
You can even preserve and share arts and crafts that aren’t perfectly flat by scanning
3-D art pieces.
Your HP photo scanner or All-in-One has different settings optimized for
photographs—perfect for capturing every little detail. After you scan an image, you can save it in several different file formats. Choosing the right format
depends on how you'll use your image. Learn the tips and techniques you need to scan like a pro.
And, whenever possible, try taking photographs of the artist with his or her work—or, better yet, creating the work—to help you remember
exactly how old your child was when the masterpiece was created.
A fun, colorful frame can make an adorable painting even more so.
A bound collection of your child's art in an HP photo book makes for a great keepsake or gift.
Now that you have your child's artwork lovingly preserved, it's time to share these creative visions with the world! Your child's
art can fuel a number of precious gifts and keepsakes. Here are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
Download and print beautiful frames
to set off your child’s creations, or create a scrapbook
of art and drawings mixed with photographs, awards, and even report cards.
To beautifully capture a year of your child’s artistic output, an HP photo book
is a simple, affordable gift for friends and family, or to keep yourself!
Snapfish is another way to take drawings, fingerpaintings, and collages and turn them into
professional-looking gifts such as photo cards, mugs, and more.
Customized gifts utilizing children’s artwork become instant treasures. Why not:
Turn a great drawing into a photo iron-on
for t-shirts and sweatshirts, something that family members can wear with pride?
Or add artistic flair to greetings or invites, using your child’s masterpieces as the focus of a
custom photo invitation
or thank you note.
They’re the perfect way to share your child's creative life with friends and family.
LightScribe direct disc labeling technology is a simple, unique way to label CDs or DVDs of your child’s artwork. Using one of
the drawings as the label itself can turn the collection into an instant keepsake or gift.
Once you've digitized your child's artwork, organize it into folders (by date) and burn them to CD. Make two discs: one for archival purposes, and one to share with
Grandma or other important people. Learn more about organizing
and storing your digital files.
To help keep track of your discs, or to turn them into eye-catching gifts,
create CD/DVD photo labels
that feature some of the artwork found within, or a portrait of the artist that also helps to date the files. The
HP Photosmart C8180
All-in-One can not only scan and print artwork and photos, but can also burn discs and label them using LightScribe direct-to-disc labeling technology.
Because the labels are laser-etched—not printed—there's no ink, no smudging, and no peeling.
Digital files or prints of your children's art pieces last longer than the pieces themselves. Print copies using
Premium Plus Photo Paper
for extra longevity. It's the best way to ensure that these examples of your child's artistic flair can be enjoyed by many generations. Printing multiple copies is also a great way to share!
Take a free online class
in digital photography! Explore the many features of your digital camera, find tips for cropping and editing your
images, and discover new ideas for sharing your photos in creative ways.
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