#Inkscape vectorize an image how to#

The auto-tracing method may get the job done, but if you want it done right and you want your tracing to have a professional appeal, I recommend tracing it manually.

#Inkscape vectorize an image how to#

You get to dictate boundaries, lines, curves, shapes, colors, and every other aspect. The human element allows you to determine how to best handle those nuances that simply cannot be interpreted by automated software. When you’re manually tracing an image, you’re in the driver’s seat - you are in complete control of the outcome. You can click the Update button to generate a preview in the preview window before finalizing your selection.Ī manually-traced SVG will always be the best option It may be worth it to experiment with different numbers of scans to see what works out best. If you’re working with a really simple PNG that only uses 2 or 3 colors, set the Scans to 2 or 3. Scans are basically the number of colors that will be used in the tracing. This will bring up the interface menu depicted above (check out my Inkscape dark theme tutorial if you’d like a dark interface like mine.)Īssuming you’d like to create a complete retrace of the image and not just a monotone silhouette, choose Color from the Multiple Scans menu. To use the Trace Bitmap function, simply select the object you’d like to trace, then go to Path > Trace Bitmap.

The Trace Bitmap extension scans your image and uses it as a reference to automatically generate a vector rendering of it. The first way you can trace your PNG file is by using the Trace Bitmap function in Inkscape.