[colecampbell666]

My ink cartridges are just about dead and don't print that well, and I need to print out pictures of the Ursa for a Lego model. They are impossible to see on the background and I've tried changing the contrast, brightness and sharpening them. Sharpening them help but it mutilated the coloring and made it hard to tell perspective. Any suggestions on how to make them viewable, short of buying new cartridges?

[Flipside]

The only thing I can suggest is desaturate them, that way they'll be in Greyscale and won't be draining the colour inks as much.

[colecampbell666]

The only thing I can suggest is desaturate them, that way they'll be in Greyscale and won't be draining the colour inks as much.

It's not the price that's the problem. We get ink refills so that you can refill them 5-8 times for about 15$. The problem is that the heads are destroyed. My parents won't get more because they print text fine, which is what they're after, but they destroy anything detailed, which I want.

[Flipside]

Well, if you'd said that in the first place, I'd have known.

In that case, no there isn't really anything you can do but get new print cartidges.

[Thor]

you could always eliminate the background, that would make them stand out from it more. 

[Polpolion]

The only thing I can suggest is desaturate them, that way they'll be in Greyscale and won't be draining the colour inks as much.

It's not the price that's the problem. We get ink refills so that you can refill them 5-8 times for about 15$. The problem is that the heads are destroyed. My parents won't get more because they print text fine, which is what they're after, but they destroy anything detailed, which I want.

If price isn't the problem then go out and just buy new whateveryouneeds yourself.

[Thor]

that is a good solution to.  you can pick up a basic inkjet printer for almost less then the inks replacement ink cost.  I recommend HP or canon's printers, I've used both kinds and they are quite good, also have heard nice things about Epson's as well

[colecampbell666]

The only thing I can suggest is desaturate them, that way they'll be in Greyscale and won't be draining the colour inks as much.

It's not the price that's the problem. We get ink refills so that you can refill them 5-8 times for about 15$. The problem is that the heads are destroyed. My parents won't get more because they print text fine, which is what they're after, but they destroy anything detailed, which I want.

If price isn't the problem then go out and just buy new whateveryouneeds yourself.

The price isn't a problem for them, but me.

How do I eliminate backgrounds?

[Thor]

first step is to get a photo editor.  this can range from Costly (Adobe Photoshop CS3) to free (GIMP).  Then just search online for a tutorial.  http://www.good-tutorials.com/ is a good place to look for this sort of thing.  The technique is called Masking, and is very useful in photo-editing.  here is a very basic set of instruction, but you can find ones in more detail http://www.graphicaddicts.net/forums/index.php/topic,337.0.html

This is an essential skill, people get paid good money for doing masking for a variety of purposes.