X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: fbb9d,e824103282cb5417 X-Google-Attributes: gidfbb9d,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 1994-11-05 06:41:05 PST Path: bga.com!news.sprintlink.net!sashimi.wwa.com!not-for-mail From: boba@wwa.com (Bob Allison) Newsgroups: rec.arts.ascii Subject: Answer: How do I make ASCII art with a scanner? Date: 2 Nov 1994 22:57:46 -0600 Organization: WorldWide Access - Chicago Area Internet Services 312-282-8605 708-367-1871 Lines: 88 Approved: boba@wwa.com Message-ID: <399qka$9ja@gagme.wwa.com> References: <399pln$91v@gagme.wwa.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: gagme.wwa.com The tabloids say that Lani Mitchel wrote: > > Hi! My name is Lani Mitchel, I'm new to this newsgroup, >and I need help! I don't mean to boast, but I can draw well, better >than anyone in my class, and I need to know how to make ascii art >with a scanner. I don't have a clue on how you use a scanner, let >alone how to make ascii art, but my room is full of masterpieces of >cartoon charactors I've drawn, and I need to know how to make ascii >art for all my penpals and the Fanimaniacs on alt.tv.animaniacs! >So could someone please e-mail me step-by-step >directions on how to use a scanner, what programs I'll need on my >computer (I use a Macintosh) for ascii art, what kind of scanner >I'll need, and EVERYTHING I'll need to know about making ascii art! > >I would be so grateful if you would, that I'll even do requests on >Animaniacs Ascii Art. > >Thank you! First, for the scanner route, I would say to find a scanner somewhere to use on another machine (at school, or a walk-in rent the computer by the hour place). Unless you want to buy a scanner for your computer anyway. If you want to get a scanner anyway, don't bother with a hand held type, get a flat bed scanner. It should come with software to interface with the scanner. Whether you use your own, or use somebody elses, what you want to do is scan the artwork and save it as a GIF format picture. If the scanner software doesn't save as a GIF, then save it to some other format, and convert it to a GIF with software meant to convert pics (like Graphic Converter for the Mac). Then you'll need a GIF -> ASCII converter. There are versions of Gifscii for several systems, including the Mac. I have used the Mac version to make many nice conversions (see my GIF Gallery). Converting GIFs can be frustrating. They sometimes require a bit of touch-up. See one of the long versions of the FAQ for info. An alternative to scanning is to photocopy your artwork onto plastic. Place the plastic over the screen, using it as a guide to typing the characters you want. Starting with a file full of spaces also helps. For more info, see one of the versions of the FAQ. If you are an artist, and you try your hand at touching up conversions, and using the tracing technique, you might want to try making art from scratch. There are a number of info files at my FTP and Gopher site, in the Info folder. There are how-to files by Row, Normand and Susie (three of our best artists). If you are interested in ASCII art, you should take a few minutes and read one of the versions of the FAQ. The short text version, which is posted is OK, but the longer text version is better. The best is the Web version. It has info, illustrations, links to examples, and all the ASCII art sites I know. For more info, look into: ASCII ART FAQ finger: asciifaq@wwa.com ASCII ART FTP: ftp.wwa.com/pub/Scarecrow ASCII ART GOPHER: gopher.wwa.com (select #3) ASCII ART WWW: http://gagme.wwa.com/~boba/scarecrow.html ASCII ART FAQ, Web version: http://gagme.wwa.com/~boba/faq.html -- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::'' ''::' ':::::: `:::::::::::::'.:::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::' :. : :. :::::: .::::::::::.:::':::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::: : :::. :::::::::::::..::::' '::: : :::::::::::: :::::::::::::::' :': "::' '"::::::::::::: :' '' ':::::::::::: ::::::::' : ' : :: .::::::::' ' .:::::: :::::::: : .:: .::. ::::' :::::::: ::::::::. .,. ::: ':::::::::::.: ' .:...::::::::: :::::::##### ::#### #### ::##### ::##### #### ##### #### ## :## :## : :::::## :::::## ## :## :## :## :## ## ## :## ## ## ## :## :## :: :::::#### ::## :: ###### :##### ::#### ## ##### : ## :## :## :## :## ::: :::::::## :## ::::## :## :## ## ::## : ## ## ## : ## :## :## :## :## :::: ::##### :::#### :## :## :## :## :##### #### ## :## : #### ::######## :::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::. 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