Changing something into vector format

**GeoBen** · 03 April 2007, 10:05 PM

DownLoad (free) Inkscape , import, trace and save as SVG

**robbief** · 03 April 2007, 10:31 PM

Folks - thanks for replying, I wasn't aware you couldn't just convert so apologies on this front. Is this tracing something anyone could do or does it have to be really neat? The logo needs to be really accurate.

**handrawn** · 03 April 2007, 11:02 PM

At the end of the day its not going to be absolutely 100%.
Heres a link to Egg's tutorial on how to use shape editor tool in xara
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8XgHkZo1J8
Opinions seem to differ - for something like this, I'd use inkscape like GeoBen, or maybe xara bitmap trace like Gary; - but if it has to be accurate to a very high degree then an auto trace isn't good enough you need to manually trace, so I'm with masque on that one.
And xara is best for manual trace IMO.
need to practice a bit first of course

**GeoBen** · 04 April 2007, 12:01 AM

yep... for good detail, Steve is right on the money. do it by hand.

geo.

**masque** · 04 April 2007, 01:30 PM

Here you go or else this thread will go on for weeks. Took 5 mins. or so to trace the globe/ball.
As for the font I've just dropped in Microgramma. If you want the one in the bitmap original you're on your own as regards finding it.
Derek

PS. I see, now I've done, it that Gary has beaten me to it. I was also going to say to convert the Logo to PDF once you have the font sorted.

**handrawn** · 04 April 2007, 06:22 PM

ok if its open season - heres one done in inkscape

**masque** · 04 April 2007, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by handrawn

ok if its open season - heres one done in inkscape

That is suprisingly good.
Derek

**handrawn** · 04 April 2007, 06:49 PM

inkscape is good at this sort of black/white trace
done on default settings in inkscape 0.45 saved pdf and imported into xara

**gwpriester** · 05 April 2007, 07:34 PM

How would you compare Inkscape to Xara's trace? And did you look at Paul's and Xhris's Guest Tutororials on getting the best results from Trace?

To be honest, I was doing some exploring in Illustrator CS3 and so I used the Live Trace > BW Logo option to do the vector trace. Unlike the Inkscape trace, Illustrator's Live Trace creates a ton of control points and zoomed in on tight, a pretty ragged outline.

Gary

**handrawn** · 05 April 2007, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by gwpriester

How would you compare Inkscape to Xara's trace? And did you look at Paul's and Xhris's Guest Tutororials on getting the best results from Trace?

To be honest, I was doing some exploring in Illustrator CS3 and so I used the Live Trace > BW Logo option to do the vector trace. Unlike the Inkscape trace, Illustrator's Live Trace creates a ton of control points and zoomed in on tight, a pretty ragged outline.

Gary

Gary
thats a question.

I like the inkscape tracer because it traces my pencil drawings the way I want them traced - by which I mean it traces a 300dpi 24bit scan - and preserves the subtlety of line. Does the same for mapping pen ink drawings with lineart scan.

Thing is - if you approach this from a vector drawing direction and hand trace with the shape editior tool, you then need to reinvent the wheel by shaping the lines - not much point in having drawn them by hand in the first place then say I.
Nor would it ever be anywhere near as subtle - might be different if xara got its brushes sorted out [

]
So I find too with xara that the bitmap trace lines are not as subtle - with a logo this may not make any difference, with a black and white drawing of some complexity, it does.

Yes I have seen Paul [gnurf] and Xchris's tutorials - great stuff - but it all seems tailored towards scanning art of relatively uniform line weight - inkscape handles the filigree much better in my experience.

With you 100% on Illustrator trace - Corel too. I downloaded the trials for both and was not impressed. I shall not be buying Draw or updating my Illustrator to CS.