CANA Scanning System. A new scanning system developed especially for scanning the Wedding at Cana by Veronese in the Musee de Louvre

Merging 3D and colour data

The fact that the Factum Arte´s Laser scanner records the surface at a true resolution of 100 microns with no dimensional distortion is essential for the successful implementation of this approach to documenting paintings and relief surfaces. All lens based capture results in some dimensional distortion. Using the 3D data captured with the laser scanner and both commercially available and specially written software, the photograph can be fitted over the 3D scan with great precision. It is effectively a true map of the surface in colour and relief that can be greatly magnified without losing resolution. The merging of the relief and colour data is critical for detailed study and accurate monitoring of the condition of paintings.

High resolution shots are made of the painting with perfect uniform white light along the surface. All the images are balance and colour adjusted against the original to assure the colour fidelity.	The 3D data is used as a topographic reference for every image, matching every shot with the accurate surface of the scanning	The final result is a dimensionally perfect image without any of the distortions that we should find in any of the most expensive digital lens.

Once the colour and the 3D files have been aligned the data is archived separately and in its merged form.

			This is an example of the image overlayed over the surface and the resolution of the image.

Factum arte is currently working on a project with the Calcografía Nacional to replicate Goya´s plates

The safe scanning of manuscripts and books

The aim is to produce high quality digital scans to serve as long term master files and as a source of derivative files. The digital master should represent in as many ways as possible and at the highest resolution, the original manuscript.

For manuscripts of great importance the files must be of sufficient quality to produce a physical facsimile retaining the important characteristics of the original manuscript.

Schema for the APIS

High resolution digital photographs are made using a Phase One H25 instant capture digital back mounted onto a Hasselblad camera. The camera is fixed to a rostrum above the front coated mirror incorporated into the Advanced Paper Imaging System. The instant capture back minimises the exposure of the book to light while the Advanced Paper Imaging System enables the book to be recorded when it is open at an angle of less than 90º. All reflected light is provided by in-built cold flourescent lights. A light sheet, made by Howard Eaton Lighting is used to record the page with transmitted light.

During all stages of the recording work the book is treated as an object rather than simply as a repository of information. In all research the safety of the object is of paramount importance.

All pages are recorded using both reflected and transmitted light. These files are archived in pairs providing a true copy and a digital fingerprint of each page.

If accurate facsimiles are required the sheet can also be recorded in 3 dimensions using the laser scanner designed by Factum Arte for conservation monitoring and documenting. The mixture of colour and 3D data greatly increases our understanding of the sheet and adds another layer of realism to the recording process.