Without the proper knowledge in graphic design, the chances are that you will end up with boring logos, tasteless web design, and an unadmirable page layout. Of course, you can help yourself by learning the basic elements of composition, shapes, and color psychology, all of which are undoubtedly helpful in any activity involving visual criteria. Yet, in this day and age, you need more than that. Even if you are not an illustrator or designer yourself and belong in the business and marketing offices, then the concept of vector graphics is still just as important.
To know how to vectorize an image might just be the last piece of the puzzle in your project, and by following the instructions in this article, you will be mastering it in no time.
The world of digital graphics is divided into two parts – Vector and raster files. We will be focusing on the former for today because knowledge about it will enlighten you on some things that could boost your creativity and productivity. Vector graphics are simple. They are made from lines, points, and shapes that can form a design that you can quickly scale into varying sizes because it is mathematically allowed. You can do whatever you want with it, resize it, stretch it, crop it. It would not lose its quality because each point has its designated formula. Compared to raster images, which are made up of pixels, vectors are better suited if you find yourself constantly using the same design on different projects.
What Are the Benefits of Vector Graphics?
When you use vector graphics, you will be open to a lot of different uses in many fields of work. – graphic design, marketing, game design and infographics creation. There are three main reasons vector graphics are so popular in these fields:
- Vector graphics allow you to scale images into varying sizes quickly. So, for example, if a company needed its logo to be pasted across different merchandise, ad campaigns, paperwork, vector graphics make the process easier since one can resize a vector-based logo almost instantly without compromising a sliver of quality.
- Vector graphics are also really light for storage. Pixels take a heavy toll on storage. Since vector graphics are void of pixels, it is easily more digestible for computers to load since vectors are made of points. As a bonus benefit, you do not have to worry about losing quality each time you edit a vector design. It is assured to retain quality each time you open and edit.
- Vector graphics are also easy to edit. However, you can also experiment with colors, layout, and different shapes that you wish to incorporate.
How Do You Vectorize an Image?
We have already gone through the many benefits of vectors, so it is only right that you know how to vectorize an image yourself.
- Open a file on Adobe Illustrator.
First off, select the image you plan to work on Illustrator.
- Go to Tracing Workspace.
In the Options tab, go to Workspace and then choose Tracing.
- Select image on your artboard.
Select the image of your choosing, and then the tracing option will be available.
- Check preview.
Ensure that you can view the options you have when tracing your image. Make sure you prepare everything before you begin the editing process. If your image happens to be larger than expected, shrink it so that it will be more tolerable for you to trace.
- Check out the presets in the tracing panel.
There will be presets available in the tracing panel so that you can view which of the specific presets you might find suitable to your expected design. Be sure to make the most out of this feature because it saves time and allows you to explore possibilities.
- Edit color complexity.
If you intend to alter the color complexity, go to the color slider and manipulate the hues to the intended tone and intensity you like.
- Adjust paths, corners, noise.
Find the advanced panel in your illustrator. Once you do, you will view the paths, corners, and noise slider. Paths decide how close the pixels are to following the paths. Corners dictate how rounded they are, with it being more rounded if it turned towards the left. The noise sliders control how many stray pixels are in the image you are editing.
- Trace.
Once everything is set, you can click trace to create your vector.
- Expand your image.
After the tracing is done, click expand so that the illustrator will turn your image into a vector. After you do so, the illustrator will give you the power to rescale individual aspects of your image so that you can resize without altering the entire look of your design.
- Export.
If satisfied with everything, export the vector image into the correct vector format, such as PDF for prints and SVG for the web.
5 Adobe Illustrator Alternatives You Can Use to Vectorize an Image
If you find Adobe Illustrator complicated, here is a list of tools you can use instead. These online applications offer a simpler process of making vector images:
Pixelied.com
Pixelied is a free and trusted online editing tool that spoils users with efficiency partnered with excellent results. Though it has amazing features such as a background remover, thousands of templates, and comprehensive editing options, it is their vector tool that our attention shifts to immediately because it is one of the best ones available right now. With Pixelied, you can quickly create vector images for free with its image vectorizer tool, which shortens the process into merely four steps! It even has the options to blur, rotate, flip, and many other tools that help you expand your creative means when creating a vector design.
Vectorization.eu
Vectorization.eu is an excellent vectorization tool specially made for veterans who want to maximize their output and beginners who want to know how to vectorize an image. Vectorization.eu has it all – vectorizing images, technical drawings, logos, and turning a photo into an illustration. If you happen to find a picture on the internet you want to use for a project, vectorization.eu will sharpen it with no problem. If you are in architecture or the desktop publishing business, vectorization can be of much use with its auto tracer that can generate bitmap files that are perfect for the job. For a comprehensive look at the benefits of this tool, here are some to get you convinced if you are not yet.
- Available on multiple platforms
- Flexible image file converter
- High-quality vectorization
- Secure file transfer
- Easy conversion
Vectormagic.com
If you are looking for efficiency in conversion and tracing, look no further because you have found Vector Magic. Never be stressed about converting a pixelized or bitmap image into vectors again because Vector Magic does the job instantaneously once you upload! Whether it is JPG, PNG, BMP, or GIF images, Vector Magic can have it transformed into SVG, EPS, or PDF vectors with its robust full-color tracer, which will give you the best results in no time. Moreover, if you wish to continue editing after the results have arrived, you can choose to do so with easily digestible settings for beginners and veterans. Not to mention, you can do all of this online, so that will be a huge perk for those who might struggle with connectivity.
Vectorizer.co
Vectorizer.co is a software that knows that you could be struggling or is in the process of learning. Besides the fact that it is a very capable vectorizer tool capable of turning any pixel image into vector images, it gives you the ability to learn even more about vectors with tutorials ready to be viewed on its home page. You can see tutorials about various topics like vector designs, t-shirts, and tattoos. Vectorizer is aware of the possibilities that vectors can, especially if you already know how to vectorize an image properly.
Autotracer.org
If you want a quick and free vectorization tool, then Autotracer.org is the place to be at. Do not forget that auto-tracing tools can be quite expensive, so if you are short on finances, this tool has you covered, complete with efficiency and great results. Autotracer.org is aware that you may be on a busy schedule, so its process is simple – upload, select format, select color, done. You get in with a raster file and get out with a perfectly traced vector image that is ready to use for all your documents.
Takeaway
After the whole process of vectorizing an image, you should realize how much of a help it is to your work rate and efficiency, ultimately becoming a significant factor to device whether or not you can recognize your business as professional and consistent or if it persists in the future. Vectors are crucial to how your business will operate and how it will be perceived, and It shows just how much even the most little things can mean in the greater scheme of things, and in this particular case, it all starts with a few points and lines.
Author’s Bio:
Shelly Solis is currently the CEO and co-founder of SaaSLaunchr, providing valuable services for growing your SaaS company from guest post outreach to SaaS SEO.
