--- title: "Scanning vs Photographing Artwork: An Artist’s View | Contex" description: Danish artist Sofie Børsting compared scanning and photographing her artwork. The Contex IQ FLEX matched photo quality at a much lower cost. image: https://contex.com/hubfs/insights/case-studies-archive/Case-study_Danish-artist-finds-scanning-superior-to-digital-photography_1920x640.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://contex.com/insights/danish-artist-scanning-vs-photography#main-content) [Partner area](https://contex.com/partner-area) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/contex-as/) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/ContexScanners) [![Contex — When imaging matters](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Contex_Logo_R_RGB.png?width=225&height=48&name=Contex_Logo_R_RGB.png)](https://contex.com/) [Products](https://contex.com/large-format-scanner) [Applications](https://contex.com/) [Insights](https://contex.com/insights/all) [Support](https://contex.com/support-faq/) [About us](https://contex.com/about-us/) [CONTACT US](https://contex.com/contact-us/) [Products](https://contex.com/large-format-scanner) [Applications](https://contex.com/) [Insights](https://contex.com/insights/all) [Support](https://contex.com/support-faq/) [About us](https://contex.com/about-us/) [Contact us](https://contex.com/contact-us/) 1. 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Danish artist finds scanning superior to digital photography Case study # Danish artist finds scanning superior to digital photography [Part of: **Fine art scanning: Guides and cases**](https://contex.com/insights/tag/fine-art) In short Danish artist Sofie Børsting found that the Contex IQ FLEX flatbed scanner reproduces the color and detail of her gouache and collage artwork as well as a photographer, at a significantly lower cost, with up to 1200 dpi for large prints such as wallpaper. ![](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Contex_Logo_R_RGB.png?width=48&height=48&name=Contex_Logo_R_RGB.png) [Contex team](https://contex.com/insights/author/contex-team) Published April 25, 2019 · Updated November 10, 2026 · 2 min read Share [mailto:?subject=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3EDanish+artist+finds+scanning+superior+to+digital+photography%3C%2Fspan%3E&body=https%3A%2F%2Fcontex.com%2Finsights%2Fdanish-artist-scanning-vs-photography](mailto:?subject=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3EDanish+artist+finds+scanning+superior+to+digital+photography%3C%2Fspan%3E&body=https%3A%2F%2Fcontex.com%2Finsights%2Fdanish-artist-scanning-vs-photography) ![Danish artist Sofie Børsting with her botanical illustrations](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/insights/case-studies-archive/Case-study_Danish-artist-finds-scanning-superior-to-digital-photography_1920x640.jpg?width=1400&height=600&name=Case-study_Danish-artist-finds-scanning-superior-to-digital-photography_1920x640.jpg) In this article **Scanning fine art?** Read the complete guide to scanning artwork with Contex. [Read the guide](https://contex.com/scan-artwork-and-paintings/) **Danish artist [Sofie Børsting](https://sofieboersting.com/)believed photography was the only way to digitize her artwork with the colors and detail she needed. After testing in the Contex demo room, she found the IQ FLEX large format flatbed scanner gives photographer-level quality at a significantly lower cost.** > “If artists are looking for great color reproduction, they will be happy with the IQ FLEX.” > > **Sofie Børsting**, Danish artist ## Background Danish artist Sofie Børsting creates an illustrated line of products that sells in some of the finest design shops in Scandinavia and around the world. The artwork is made from a combination of carefully hand-drawn botanical elements, collage and gouache with details that need to be preserved, also when digitized for further production. If you ask Sofie Børsting, it is crucial to any artist that digitized versions of their originals do the artwork justice. Therefore, quality is the focal point of any investment. We invited Sofie to visit the Contex demo room in Denmark, where she quickly realized that even the entry-level scanners fulfill her quality demands. It was surprising to her that all Contex scanners deliver up to 1200 dpi, even the flatbed. Most of the time a 1:1 scan of her originals is enough. However, when originals are digitized with the aim of printing on, for example, wallpaper and pillow cases, 1200 dpi really widens your options. ## Challenge Color matching is hard to reproduce when digitizing artwork for commercial purposes. Sofie Børsting thought that digitally photographing her artwork was the only way to achieve the quality she wants. However, that is an expensive and time-consuming solution. ## Solution The [IQ FLEX large format flatbed scanner](https://contex.com/product/iq-flex-large-flatbed-scanner/) from Contex is an optimal alternative to digital photography of artwork. Different types of originals with different kinds of paint and media are easily digitized, all on the same scanner. ## Results Taking into consideration that this is a lifetime investment for an artist like Sofie Børsting, the cost of digitizing artwork with the IQ FLEX scanner compared to a photographer would be significantly lower. And this is without compromising the high quality you get from a photographer. ## Want to know more? - [Download the full case study (PDF)](https://contex.com/hubfs/insights/case-studies-archive/Contex_Case-study_Danish-artist-Sofie-Boersting_V1-1_EN.pdf) - [Color accuracy in fine art reproduction](https://contex.com/insights/color-accuracy-art-reproduction-case-study) - [How ART2art Gallery reproduces artwork](https://contex.com/insights/art2art-gallery-reproductions) - [Our guide to scanning artwork and paintings](https://contex.com/scan-artwork-and-paintings/) ## Frequently asked questions Is scanning artwork better than photographing it? For flat artwork, a large format flatbed scanner like the IQ FLEX can match a photographer’s quality and color accuracy, at a significantly lower cost over time. What resolution do artists need to scan artwork? A 1:1 scan is often enough, but 1200 dpi gives room to enlarge artwork for products such as wallpaper and pillow cases. Which media can the IQ FLEX scan? Different types of originals, paint and media, such as gouache, collage and hand-drawn illustrations, can all be digitized on the same scanner. Who is Sofie Børsting? A Danish artist whose illustrated product line sells in design shops in Scandinavia and around the world. Topics [Fine art](https://contex.com/insights/tag/fine-art)[Case studies](https://contex.com/insights/tag/case-studies) ![](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Contex_Logo_R_RGB.png?width=64&height=64&name=Contex_Logo_R_RGB.png) About the author Contex team The Contex team shares news and practical know-how on large format scanning. Contex has made large format scanners for decades and sells them through distributors worldwide. [More from Contex team](https://contex.com/insights/author/contex-team) ## Keep reading [All fine art insights](https://contex.com/insights/tag/fine-art) ### [![](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Camera-scanner_Topimage_1920x640.png?width=700&height=438&name=Camera-scanner_Topimage_1920x640.png) Guide Solved with a scanner: 9 challenges of art photography November 10, 2026](https://contex.com/insights/scanner-vs-camera-art-photography) ### [![](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Original-to-print_Topimage.webp?width=700&height=438&name=Original-to-print_Topimage.webp) Guide Original to Print: 10 Essential Steps to Accurate Color in Fine Art Reproduction October 22, 2026](https://contex.com/insights/standardize-color-art-reproduction) ### [![](https://contex.com/hs-fs/hubfs/insights/soundwaves-art-foundation/John-Stendrini-from-Soundwaves-Art-Foundation.webp?width=700&height=438&name=John-Stendrini-from-Soundwaves-Art-Foundation.webp) Case study Soundwaves Art Foundation frees up time to raise more money for charity July 2, 2026](https://contex.com/insights/soundwaves-art-foundation-case-study) ## Do you want to know more? 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