[MaxxFusion]

Is there a free software that can convert images to a vector image?

Basically i want to take a jpg and run it through the program to create a vector image.

 

[sbremner]

Yes, but most vector conversion software leaves a lot to be desired. I use Illustrator for that now days, but there are free ones out there.

 

[splathead]

vectormagic.com. You can try it for free but they do charge.

What design software do you use now? It may already have it built in.

 

[MaxxFusion]

I use Illustrator

 

[TABOB]

Need help making t-shirt for my father...

I am a new member to the forums. I want to surprise my father with a t-shirt of his former business but the logo design no longer exists. It was a local fish service store. I have a shirt from when the business still existed, but thats about it. The existing shirt has no trademark or copyright...

www.t-shirtforums.com

I did this in 5 minutes using GIMP and Inkscape. I do this all the time so I'm fast.
Both of these are free software, but you can do the same with Photoshop and Illustrator.
Different images may need a slightly different approach, but normally all you need is adjusting the levels making selection by color easier.
Then you can either create paths to be filled with color, or import the image in inkscape/ illustrator and vectorise it.

 

[into the T]

much better off spending a few bucks for vector magic
it is quick and does a good job

for photos you can't beat vector magic

you can get pretty decent results with the old xara xtreme5 (free here, click the download button, it still works)
for free it is still a decent hybrid program (raster and vector)

i've done full color photos to test it and the results were pretty good (start with a scaled down version to dial in the settings quicker)
below is a photo and a logo traced in the above program (you could further dial in the settings, but i just quickly did them for examples)




~

 

[TABOB]

Here they are vectorized and enlarged in inkscape (around 15 seconds each).
The photo has 124 colors and the dog logo 3 colors (including the background).
Even better results are possible if you spend some time fine-tuning the settings a little bit.
I don't really see how vectorizing the photo is usefull, but it is obviously possible.

 

[Petergosg]

Is there a free software that can convert images to a vector image?

Basically i want to take a jpg and run it through the program to create a vector image.

Vector Magic, Google it. You can print all your high resolution jpeg.
Its not free tho but its cheap

 

[Old218]

There is no magic software that does this with out human intervention. Hire it out, it's normally 8-12 bucks for basic stuff. I use these folks - MVP Graphic world

 

[webtrekker]

For comparison, here are the above images converted with VectorMagic using just one click for each ...

They can be exported as svg, ai, dxf, eps,emf and pdf formats.

 

[Petergosg]

Vector Magic, Google it. You can print all your high resolution jpeg.
Its not free tho but its cheap

I pay $11 a month to Vector Magic for all you can print that month. Its a auto recurring charge.

 

[Icaras1966]

Is there a free software that can convert images to a vector image?

Basically i want to take a jpg and run it through the program to create a vector image.

Try Inkscape, excellent trace program.

 

[Icaras1966]

Try Inkscape, excellent trace program.

It's free

 

[into the T]

For comparison, here are the above images converted with VectorMagic using just one click for each ...
They can be exported as svg, ai, dxf, eps,emf and pdf formats.

yup
you can't beat it for the results and the time saved

 

[into the T]

Try Inkscape, excellent trace program.

no, it's not

 

[TABOB]

Well, Vector magic does a decent job in most cases, but not always, AND you will still need a real vector software to do any adjustments and the rest of the work.

Here is a better attempt of how I'd normally do it, using GIMP to select by color and then vectorize in Inkscape.
Time needed: Less than 30 seconds
Cost: $0 (You don't even need internet connection).
The same can be done with photoshop and illustrator if you already have them. I run Linux on most of my machines, so these are not an option for me.

 

[danversatrans]

We see a lot of live tracing , it is vector but is it Production ready or is it going to give me the best results?. Check to see if you can take your image or artwork and enlarge by 500 % , really ZOOM in, is it clean lines ? Or stair steps. There is a lot of ways to make artwork vector or to vector artwork, BUT is it going to give you the best results ? THAT is the question

 

[TABOB]

We see a lot of live tracing , it is vector but is it Production ready or is it going to give me the best results?. Check to see if you can take your image or artwork and enlarge by 500 % , really ZOOM in, is it clean lines ? Or stair steps. There is a lot of ways to make artwork vector or to vector artwork, BUT is it going to give you the best results ? THAT is the question

The GIMP+Incscape method produces excellent results.
I've done thousands of designs this way.

 

[danversatrans]

on all artwork or certain types of artwork ? because if you can give me a method I can pass on to my customers I would love it TABOB

 

[TABOB]

on all artwork or certain types of artwork ? because if you can give me a method I can pass on to my customers I would love it TABOB

I do all my vector artwork this way, which is 90% of my work.
It's just so much easier to do the design in raster and then vectorize it.
It has to be work intended for vector obviously. I don't see why somebody would want to vectorize a photograph.

if you can give me a method I can pass on to my customers I would love it TABOB

When I have a good resolution design, I just copy-paste it in Inkscape and vectorize it. It's as simple as that.
Here is an example done using the high resolution image I uploaded previously.

This took me 10 seconds to do and does not need any adjustment whatsoever.

When the image is small and pixelated, I use GIMP to create the paths.

I use the select by color tool and tweak the threshold until I get the optimal selection, then I convert the selection to path.
The preview (top right helps setting the optimal threshold).

Here is the path created. You can fill it with color and reshape it as you normally do in vectors.
Its easy, fast, and you have full control.