I took a vintage snapshot I bought on eBay and enlarged it to an 8"x10". This is one of my favorite tricks for creating a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork with very little effort.
Vintage photos abound on eBay and can also be found at flea markets, antique malls, etc. Or better yet, sift through old family photos for a more personal (and free) choice. The price you pay is up to you. On eBay, you can search for themes like kids, animals, cars, etc., whereas finding a photo you like at a market is more serendipitous.
Here are some tips on finding a good candidate.
- Make sure the photo is clear and the contrast is good. Photoshop and other photo editing programs can't fix bluriness. If the photo looks grainy small, it will look grainy when it's big.
- Find a photo without creases or tears (unless you are a Photoshop expert that can fix that, or you are going for a distressed look).
- Don't use a copyrighted image, but most snapshots you find for sale should be in the clear.
- Above all, find one you love! There are too many options to settle on something that's just OK. If you don't see one today, wait a while and try again.
Once you find a photo, you need to scan it at a high resolution. Your beginning and final dimensions will affect the image quality. I would recommend having an end resolution of 300 dpi. It might be a little more than what you need to print photos, but with image resolution, the higher the dpi the better.
If you plan to enlarge the photo (which you most certainly do), you'll need to scan at a higher resolution.
This is going to require a bit of math, which is not my strong suit. But let's see if I can explain with an example.
- Figure out how many times you need to enlarge the photo.
Original snapshot: 2"x3"
Desired end size: 8"x10"
Short side of end size: 8"
divided by short side of original: 2"
8/2 = 4 (This means we need to enlarge the photo 4x or 400%.)
- Then take that number and multiply it by 300 to get the scanning resolution.
4 x 300 dpi = 1200 dpi
So 1200 dpi is the resolution we need to scan the original snapshot to maintain at least 300 dpi when the photo is enlarged to 8x10.
The last and easiest step is to get the photo printed out at your favorite photo finishing place or website. I prefer to use Snapfish.com or Shutterfly.com because you can crop or make any last minute adjustments to your photo before ordering it (really good for those without Photoshop) and you can order matte prints (which you can't get at quick photo places). A side benefit, those sites will also tell you if the resolution is too low to create a good print.
Put in a smooth black frame for a high-end look. Quick and easy!