Can a scanned pencil drawing be used?

[BJenkins]

I would like to scan a pencil drawing into a 2D CAD program. Can this be done? I'm brand new to CAD and I would like to start off using my drawing if possible.

I have not purchased any software yet and I'm considering the Romaxx desktop CNC Router for prototyping and hobby use.

Thanks,
Bill J.
Knoxville, TN

[Stepper Monkey]

Yes it is very possible. Many programs can take an image straight to a model or a g-code. It is much, much easier if you import the scan into a photo program like Adobe or Corel and drop it to 1-bit mode (B&W only, no shading) first. It is just way easier to clean up first in a program meant for it than trying to mess with the chaos of a raw scan straight to CAM software. Otherwise you will get the darker pencil streaks deeper than the lighter ones - everything will be a wildly textured and uneven gradient if you don't do that first with scans, especially pencil.)
This is of course assuming you are not going for a true 3D artistic textured look, but a more of a standard 2.5D path. As an aside, if you ever get bored and want to try something new, pencil sketches reduced to 4-bit or 8-bit images can make some neat intaglio-style hand-engraved looking output if you play around with it and cut with a very narrow, small included angle bit.
I help my friend cheat and cut his woodblocks using photoshop and this trick.

[marting]

HI Stepper, can you be a bit more elaborate about the process with photoshop as I have tried in the past but unsuccessful.
regards

[jseiler]

You might try using inkscape to turn your scan to a vector
format. Its free and quite nice.

John

[BJenkins]

Thanks Stepper Monkey,

I have used Adobe Photoshop 5 a good bit and will try this right now. Just to give you an idea of my understanding, I would have been lost if you didn’t explain black and white vs. gray scale because I did not understand the term 1 bit. I can only assume at this point that Adobe has the ability to convert the file extension to one that a CAD program can use. ??? I’ll try this out.

Thanks John, I will look into this software.

You guys are really helping a new guy build confidence.

Thank You,
Bill J.

[erase42]

bjenkins,
download and try the free trial of bobcad, it comes with a trial of bobart pro
ive had good results with it and its quite cheap especially if you buy before they start with the new v22 and/or. another way to go thats free forever is a free program called wintopo. there are two versions a free forever one and a pro version with a demo with some sort of limits. Depending on what you are actually are going to do, watch for a programs ability to generate a centerline of your scanned art lines. for example your art is a 1/16 wide black marker line. some programs will only define the outside of that shape. so what would be on the screen is a hollow outline drawn around that black line.
thats fine for some things, but some uses need for a single centerline to be created in order to machine fine text or even simply to represent a line drawing with actual lines. play around, there are lots of free demos and freeware out there thats jsut as good as expensive stuff. if youd like, post a scanned drawing here in bmp and id be more that happy to see whats possible with bobart. Im sure others would offer the same. Im going to send you a link to a thread that i cant find at the moment, check your message box.

Ed
E3 Foam

[BJenkins]

See next thread

[BJenkins]

See next thread

[BJenkins]

Thanks for the information. By learning that it is possible to convert a scanned drawing, I was able to use BobArt which is an add on for BobCad/CAM.

Open BobCad and select Open BobArt in the File tab. Then select Load Bitmap Picture in the BobArt File tab. Then select the 2D tab and select Vectorize, check OK and finally, select Send 2D Contours to CAD Window in the file tab. After that you can save the image in BobCad using the Save As option in the File tab in BobCad.

As mentioned by those that offered help, it is possible to convert scanned drawings and there are other ways of doing this. Now I will start learning how to work with my drawing in CAD.

Bill J.

[BJenkins]

Thanks to all that contributed to this thread. I think by starting with a scanned paper drawing I will learn CAD a lot quicker.
Bill J.

[millerrocks06]

if you did not buy a program yt let me know i know the perfect program for you.

[Al_The_Man]

If you have Corel Draw, this may help.
http://www.torchmate.com/assistance/convert.htm
Al.