# Scanning, Importing and Vectorizing Bitmaps

Rather than importing images from files, you can use Toon Boom Studio to get images from any TWAIN device (such as scanners and cameras). You can either load them as bitmaps into your scene or convert them into vector images that you can edit in Toon Boom Studio.

You must install a TWAIN driver for your device in order to access its contents. See the manufacturer of your device to get a TWAIN driver.

To select the device you want to use:

- [Control]-click a cell in an Image element in the Exposure Sheet or Timeline and select Import Images > Select TWAIN Source.
- [Control]-click a cell in a Drawing element and select Import and Vectorize > Select TWAIN Source.

4. Use the Select Source dialog box to select the device you want to acquire content from and click OK.

To scan or get a bitmap from a TWAIN device:

1. Select a cell in an Image element.

2. [Control]-click the cell and select Import Images > From TWAIN.

3. A dialog box with your device’s options appears. Use the options in this dialog box to select your options and then scan or load the drawings into Toon Boom Studio.

To vectorize a bitmap retrieved from a TWAIN device:

1. Select a cell in a Drawing element in the Exposure Sheet or Timeline.

2. [Control]-click the cell and select Import and Vectorize > From TWAIN.

The Import and Vectorize Settings dialog box opens.

3. Select a filter. You may have to experiment with these settings based on the qualities of the images you are vectorizing.

- If the lines in your image are thin, select Smoothing + Loss of Sharpness. This filter blurs the lines in the image slightly so that thin lines are picked up in the vectorization process.
- If the lines in your image are very fine, select Smoothing + Greater Loss of Sharpness. This filter blurs the lines in your image more so that more lines are transformed in the vectorization process.
- If the lines in your image are thick, select Edge Enhancement. This filter merges fine lines (noise) into larger lines to create cleaner objects.
- If the lines in your images are thick and include a lot of fine detail, select Sharpening With Clearness. This filter sharpens edges to enhance details in your images.

4. Select a Threshold percentage.

The Threshold value filters out noise in your images. Noise can be dirt or faint smudges on your scanned images.

For example, if your value is set to 70%, all color values below 70% are converted to white and ignored in the final image.

5. Click OK to close the dialog box and continue the process.

A dialog box with your device’s options appears. Use the options in this dialog box to select your options and then load and vectorize the drawings into Toon Boom Studio.

See Also
Importing Static Images (Bitmaps)
Vectorizing Bitmaps
Importing Illustrator and PDF Files
Importing Flash Movies
Changing the Timing (Exposure) of Drawings and Images
Repositioning All Drawings