Digital Painting

How To Digitize A Painting: Step-By-Step Guide 2026

Photograph or scan in even light, capture RAW, color-calibrate, and export archival TIFF.

If you want a clean, faithful copy of your art, you are in the right place. I have spent years helping artists and studios learn how to digitize a painting the right way. In this guide, I show you simple steps, pro checks, and smart tools that work at home or in a studio. Follow along to learn how to digitize a painting with confidence and get results you can print, share, and sell.

What “digitizing a painting” means and your best path

Digitizing a painting means turning your physical art into a high quality image file. You can do this with a camera or a scanner. Your goal is true color, sharp detail, and a clean master file for print and web.

Choose a camera when the piece is large, framed, glossy, or textured. Choose a scanner when the piece is small, flat, and unvarnished. If you need to know how to digitize a painting for prints, both can work if done well.

Gear you need for accurate results

You do not need the most expensive gear. You do need the right basics. Here is what I use and why.

Camera: A DSLR or mirrorless that shoots RAW. 24 MP or more is great.
Lens: A 50 mm prime or a 60–100 mm macro for flat, sharp frames.
Tripod or copy stand: Keeps the camera square and steady.
Lights: Two identical lights at 45 degrees to the art. Daylight bulbs help.
Polarizing filters: One on each light and one on the lens for glare control.
Color target: A gray card and a color checker for white balance and profiles.
Remote trigger: Or use the timer to avoid shake.
Scanner: A flatbed with true optical 600–1200 DPI for small works.

If you learn how to digitize a painting well, these tools will last for years.

Step-by-step: how to digitize a painting with a camera

This is my go-to method for most oil and acrylic works. It is fast, safe, and very accurate.

Prepare the art: Dust the surface with a soft brush. Remove glass if safe.
Set the scene: Use a neutral wall. Place the painting flat and level.
Mount the camera: Put it on a tripod. Center the lens to the painting.
Align the shot: The sensor must be parallel to the art. Use a bubble level.
Light the art: Place two lights at 45 degrees, equal distance, equal power.
Kill glare: Add polarizers to the lights and lens for cross-polarization.
Control spill: Darken the room. Turn off other lights. Block reflections.
Set camera: Shoot RAW. ISO 100. Aperture f/5.6–f/8. Shutter as needed.
White balance: Use a gray card under the same light. Set WB from that shot.
Color check: Include a color checker in one frame for a custom profile.
Focus and expose: Use live view at 100% to nail focus. Expose to protect highlights.
Capture: Take 3–5 frames. Slightly vary exposure if the paint is glossy.
Stitch if needed: For very large works, shoot a grid with 30% overlap.

When you want to know how to digitize a painting with perfect edges, use grid lines and the camera’s level tool. In my studio, this one fix cut my skew errors to near zero.

Step-by-step: how to digitize a painting with a scanner

Scanning shines for small watercolors, drawings, and prints. It gives even light and sharp detail.

Protect the art: Make sure the surface is dry and flat. No loose media.
Clean glass: Use microfiber and a non-ammonia cleaner. Dust kills sharpness.
DPI choice: Use 300 PPI for same-size prints. Use 600–1200 PPI for archiving or cropping.
Format: Scan to 16-bit TIFF if the software allows. Avoid auto contrast.
Sections: For larger works, scan in tiles with overlap. Keep the art in the same spot.
Stitch: Use software to merge. Check seams at 100% view.
Color: Include a gray card in one tile if space allows. Disable aggressive color correction.

If you must learn how to digitize a painting with a scanner, test settings on a small area first. It saves time and avoids rescans.

Color management and file formats that last

Good color is not luck. It is a simple, repeatable process.

Calibrate your monitor: Use a hardware calibrator once a month.
Set a working space: Use Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB for edit. Use sRGB for web.
Build a profile: Create a custom profile from your color checker shot.
Bit depth: Edit in 16-bit when you can to avoid banding.
Master file: Save a layered 16-bit TIFF. Keep a clean, flattened copy too.
Delivery files: Export JPEG sRGB for web. Export TIFF or PDF/X for print as requested.

Industry standards recommend 300 PPI at print size. If you plan to sell prints, this is key when you learn how to digitize a painting for buyers.

Retouching, stitching, and preparing for web and print

Edit with a light hand. Keep the art true.

Clean-up: Remove dust spots and sensor specks with a spot tool.
Geometry: Fix minor tilt and bow with perspective correction.
Tone: Match white and black points with care. Do not clip detail.
Color: Use the color checker to match neutrals and skin-like tones if present.
Texture: Do not over-sharpen. Paint texture should look real, not crunchy.
Stitching: Use a panorama tool. Check overlaps at 100% for seams.
Metadata: Add title, artist, year, medium, size, and copyright info.
Exports: Make a print-ready file and a web file. Name them clearly.

When I first learned how to digitize a painting for a gallery, I lost time due to messy file names. A clear naming scheme fixed rework. Use Artist_Title_Year_Version.tif.

Special cases: varnish, heavy texture, metals, and watercolor

Some paintings are hard to shoot. Here is how to handle them.

Glossy varnish: Use cross-polarization. Rotate the lens polarizer to kill glare. Watch for color shifts.
Heavy texture: Use very even light. For a texture study, add a second set of lights for gentle raking.
Metallics and iridescent: Try bracketed exposures. Blend for a balanced look that keeps highlights.
Watercolor on paper: Use a scanner if flat. If curled, press under a clean, non-glare acrylic sheet.

If you are still learning how to digitize a painting with sparkle or gloss, plan extra test shots. It pays off with fewer edits.

Quality control checklist and common mistakes

A fast check saves rework. Run this list before you archive the file.

Alignment: Edges are square and parallel. No keystone.
Focus: Sharp at 100% view across the frame.
Exposure: No clipped highlights. Shadows hold texture.
Color: Gray card reads neutral. Skin tones or neutrals look natural.
Dust and seams: No spots. No stitch lines.
File data: Correct color space, bit depth, and embedded profile.

Common mistakes when you learn how to digitize a painting include mixed lighting, auto white balance, and shooting JPEG only. Avoid all three.

DIY vs professional lab: cost, time, and when to outsource

You can do this at home with care. A pro shop can help when the stakes are high.

DIY costs: A decent setup can be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Time: Expect 30–60 minutes per piece once you have a workflow.
Outsourcing: Use a lab for very large pieces, tight deadlines, or museum-grade needs.
What to ask a lab: Resolution at print size, color management process, and deliverables.

If your show date is near and you are still learning how to digitize a painting, hire out the capture, then do your own edits.

Archiving, metadata, and copyright

Treat your master files like rare books. Store, track, and back them up.

3-2-1 backup: Three copies, two media types, one off-site or in the cloud.
Master vs access: Keep a 16-bit TIFF master. Make JPEGs for share and web.
Metadata: Add IPTC fields for title, credit, rights, and contact.
Copyright: The artist holds the copyright. Set clear license terms for clients and printers.

If you plan how to digitize a painting for a long career, a clean archive is gold. It saves you from lost files and guesswork.

Frequently Asked Questions of how to digitize a painting

What resolution do I need for prints?

Aim for 300 PPI at the final print size. If you need large prints, capture more pixels or shoot in tiles.

Is a smartphone good enough to digitize a painting?

Yes for web and social, if you use even light and a phone tripod. For fine prints, a camera or scanner is better.

Should I shoot in RAW or JPEG?

Use RAW for the most data and better edits. Convert to TIFF for your master and JPEG for web.

How do I avoid glare on varnished paintings?

Use cross-polarized lighting with polarizers on the lights and lens. Keep lights at 45 degrees and block stray reflections.

What file format is best for archiving?

A 16-bit TIFF with an embedded color profile is ideal. Keep a separate flattened copy and a layered working file.

How do I color match the original painting?

Use a gray card for white balance and a color checker for profiling. Edit under a calibrated monitor in controlled light.

Can I scan a textured oil painting?

Not safely on most flatbeds since texture can touch the glass. Use a camera with even light and polarizers instead.

Conclusion

You now have a clear plan for faithful art capture. Use even light, solid alignment, RAW files, and sound color steps. Store a clean master file and keep exports simple and clear. If you follow this, you will know how to digitize a painting that looks true and prints well.

Start with one piece this week and build your workflow. Share your questions, subscribe for more guides, and tell me what you want to master next.