Bitmap Tracer Blues

**Mark321** · 22 November 2016, 02:48 AM

Wow. As much as I dislike admitting it, I suck at using the Bitmap Tracer. A client gave me a Bitmap of a hand-drawn logo. It's pretty good for hand-drawn. However, I need a vector image of it. So, I thought I would put it through the Tracer. Much to my dismay, I can't figure out HOW to use the dang thing. And I need this logo bad.

Who here knows HOW the Tracer works and how to use it to trace a logo?

Thanks for your help,

Mark

**Egg Bramhill** · 22 November 2016, 03:23 AM

Xara's bitmap tracer is very old and unless it's a very simple image really not up to the job.

I suggest you try Vector Magic Online. I believe you can get one free go, so watch their video first.

I tend to hand trace objects. Can you attach your logo?

http://vectormagic.com/home

**Mark321** · 22 November 2016, 03:28 AM

Here it is, Egg:

I found Vector Magic online and it is GREAT! But it does cost more than my Xara DPX software. Wow.

**Egg Bramhill** · 22 November 2016, 03:58 AM

Vector Magic should make a good job of that, you get 2 free goes.

**mwenz** · 22 November 2016, 04:56 AM

The font is Zapfino One that has had a hefty outline applied. Further modifications were done on the letter 'y'by connecting its tail up around to the letter 'n'. the first lowercase 's' has been modified with the lower section connecting to the letter 'i' and the letters 'H'and the last 's' have been squished a bit.

I've attached a quicky rendition for you to modify if you desire.

Mike

Click image for larger version.

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**mwenz** · 22 November 2016, 05:00 AM

BTW, though some of the settings seem arcane, the free vector drawing application InkScape uses a good tracer (Potrace).

None of the tracing applications do a great job on everything. There will almost always be hand work, both in processing an image before tracing and post-trace cleanup and adjustment. I've used them all.

In your example, I would make a copy of the logo and remove the lettering on one version to just trace the shoosh. On another version I would remove the swoosh to just trace the letters.

In this case, I had the font so used it. I converted the type to curves in the above XAR file.

**angelize** · 22 November 2016, 07:02 AM

The lettering could be traced using the magic lasso tool and the swoosh would be easy to trace using the shape tool In this thread you will find some handy tips and a video to show you how to use the magnetic lasso tool to trace a photo and create vector shapes.

**iamtheblues** · 22 November 2016, 08:54 AM

@ Mark: Don't get an inferiority complex about the Bitmap Tracer in Xara, it's a bit Heath Robinson in its method.

I know people get attached to their logos, but in a case like this, I'd be inclined to persuade the client that his logo is a bit - you know - outdated, perhaps?

Offer him something completely different that he (and you) wouldn't be ashamed of.

Attached is just a suggestion...

Bob.

**RKissane** · 22 November 2016, 01:19 PM

Take a look at this link for xhris website for a video training on Xara. You want chapter 3 for the Bitmap tracer at the 1:53:17 mark.

[URL="http://xhris.digitalred.net/"]

He use to have a write up of the Bitmap tracer but he has replaced this with the video training.

Ray

**Xhris** · 02 February 2017, 02:16 PM

Xara's tracer does a great job with simple flat-coloured logos like this as evidenced by the attached mini tutorial. In fairness, it is absolutely not intuitive how to achieve this quality of result and it could be argued that many of these steps could be effectively performed automatically and intelligently by the Xara tracer in future updates.