Make Graph Paper Lines Almost Invisable
What to do with those blue graph paper lines in order to save your referance line drawing.
2-3D Graphics > Tutorials List

I am using Photoshop 7 but this should be relevent to verious other paintware. Also this is an intermediate tutorial and assumes that you should know your way around Photoshop.

First import and open your hires scanned image, for me 600 dpi is the norm. Save As .psd with whatever name or the same name your scan image doc had.

Create a duplicate layer so you are not dealing with a locked layer. Delete the locked layer.

Create a new layer. Fill the new layer with white using the paint bucket.

Make sure the white layer is on the bottom of the stack, to position it as the new background layer. We will use this latter so click on the eye to make it invisable.

Now we are ready to start working our primary image. You will notice that the scanner has averaged the blue graph lines and given the background a light blue color.

To make our background white first of all go to: Image> Adjustments> Replace Color. When the Replace Color dialog box comes up use the eye dropper to sample an open area of the light blue background. Leave the Hue at 0; move the Saturation slider to -100; and the Lightness slider to +100; click OK to save the new settings. Your overall background will now be white.

Next go to: Image> Adjustments> Auto Levels. This will brighten the white and make the pencil lines dark.
Now select the Magic Eraser.
It is easy to work the blue graph lines at a magnification of 100% to 200%. Click repeadedly on the blue lines until they are all but gone. If you do a good job the faint lines left over will be almost invisable.
Go to: Image> Adjustments> Desaturate. This makes the image easyer to darken a few steps from now.
Now the Lasso Tool. Draw a circle around your drawing and select: Layer> New> New Layer via Cut.
Then delete the previous layer. Make you white background layer visable. Now you should have only your background and image layers. Select your image layer to continue working.
Clean up around the edges of your image with the Eraser Tool to get rid of any overly dark graph lines that may still be lingering.
Then select the Burn Tool; set to Shadows and 100%. Darken the lines of your drawing as much as possible.
That should do it. Now there is a clean beautiful drawing from the chaos.
This set of Blueprints is available Here>>.
© Copyright 2006 Pat Fizgerald - This document is available for personal use only. If you would like to put this on your web site Email me. If you would like to use this in a book or CD compilation Email me.