Is your artwork missing something? Use a scanner to insert unique and interesting objects.

Scanning can be a great way to capture the intricacies of physical objects, colors, textures, and shapes you experience in the real world, and incorporate them into your artwork.  Capture the vibrancy of a fresh-picked flower, and then use that color as a background or accent color.  Save the cocktail stained bar napkins from your night out and use the circular impressions on your next dinner party invite.  Scan a chocolate chip cookie, and replace the chocolate chips with a picture of your smiling face… You get the idea.  Scan away!

Here are some basic tips from Photoshop User Magazine on scanning:

Here are some of my scanning experiments using stuff around the office: