CS3162 Introduction To Computer Graphics
Assignment 2
Semester B, 2000-2001
Digitization and Re-touching of Newspaper Articles
Objectives
This assignment aims at practicing your knowledge on images, coloring, and image files. You will
capture a newspaper article from a scanner and save it in a selected file format. Then you'll apply
intensity tuning functions provided by a graphics software to enhance the quality of the image. You
should also try out some color modifying tools and some image filters in order to convert the image into
another style which is different from the original.
Tasks
1. Select a graphics software for doing this assignment. Eg. Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc..
2. Select a newspaper article. Its size should be within 400 cm2 to 600 cm2 (hints: the size of an A4
paper is about 600 cm 2). The contents of the article should involve text and image(s) or graphics.
3. Scan the article and save it as an image file. The scanning resolution should be high enough to
capture fine text details. However, the saved image file should be under 1.44MB. In order to do
this, firstly the scanning resolution must not be too high; secondly the file format may have certain
image compression capability.
4. Reopen the image file. Tune the colors (intensity) so that the text appears very sharp and clear.
5. Use the color modifying tools and image filters provided by the software to add some variations to
the article. Note that the majority of the text should remain sharp and clear.
6. Save the resultant image with another file name, into a 1.44MB floppy disk.
7. Print the resultant image (using a black and white printer is also acceptable) to demonstrate the
sharpness of text.
Grading Criteria
Except for the requirements listed in the task list, the followings will also contribute to the grading:
A. Selection of appropriate scanning resolution.
B. Appropriate image file formats for saving the images into floppy disks.
C. The sharpness of majority of the text in the resultant image file.
D. At least 4 different color modifying tools and image filters applied.
E. The image files should contain correct information so that they can be printed in original scale of
size. (Hints: do not use scaling during scanning, and do not resize the image afterwards.)
F. Your report should be able to present the work clearly, step by step.
Submission
Please submit the followings into your lecturer's mailbox, on or before 6 Apr 2001. Late submissions
before 9 Apr 2001 (Mon) 5:00pm are also accepted, with a deduction of 30% of marks. No submission
will be accepted after 9 Apr 2001 (Mon) 5:00pm.
I.
Report: This report should include the details of each step which you have done in this assignment,
eg. The parameters of scanning, the software used, file formats used, the steps of color and
intensity tuning, as well as the image filters application(s).
II. The original newspaper should be adhered onto an A4 paper and submit together with the report.
III. The resultant image printed on an A4 paper, in step 7.
IV. 2 floppy diskettes: one storing the image files obtained from step 3, another one storing the image
file obtained from step 6.
Warning: No emailed submission will be marked!
Hints to using a scanning software (HP Deskscan)
Fig 1. The scanning software
Fig 2. Setting the image type
Fig 3. The Print Path Customization dialog
Fig 4. The Saving function does not allow JPEG format (But you can save it in one format first, then open the file
with, eg. Adobe Photoshop, then “Save as” JPEG using Adobe Photoshop)
Hints to using Adobe Photoshop
Fig 1. If you “Save As” JPEG format, an options
dialog will be displayed.
Fig 2. The Brighness/Contrast command in
Adobe Photoshop
Fig 3. An image and the tools (Note the
rectangular selection tool. You may select
an area and apply some specific functions,
eg. the Image -> Adjust -> Hue/Saturation
command or the Image -> Adjust -> Invert
command)
Figure 4. A number of filters are available. Eg. Filter->
Pixelate -> Mosaic, Filter-> Stylize -> Emboss