vectors software ? easyest/ cheapest way ?

Indy Joneds

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
214
Location
Derbyshire England
hi , i searced the forum and founds a post going on about " vector magic " i think , but the video link is no good anymore. but it says " drawing to vector in 1minute . is there a way without paying $300 . i dont have $300 to spend on software. thank you
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,489
Location
Covington, Louisiana
Don't get your hopes up for a software that painlessly converts photos to vector. You can sometimes get reasonable results if the raster image is black with sharp edges and on a white background. If not, you're probably going to get tons of jaggies and control points that need adjusting.
 

Indy Joneds

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
214
Location
Derbyshire England
just want to scan my doodles and convert them to vectors for resizing then printing then transferring onto metal . i got scanner to work , then open with paint , crop , then load into inkscap and EMBED then SELECT IT AND TRACE with GREYS ,SMOOTH , STACKED SCANS AND SCANS = 4 . he preview looks ok but it has been crashing . any other advice ? thanks
bildio and sam
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,489
Location
Covington, Louisiana
Might work, might not. Just depends on what kind of accuracy you're looking for.

Inkscape: I tried it briefly and deleted it in short order. It might be better now, but it was as good as could be expected for not costing anything.

I would download the free CS2 suite from Adobe and use Illustrator. Learn to use the pen tool to trace your work and you'll get accurate outlines.
 

monk

Moderator
Staff member
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
10,857
Location
washington, pa
i draw oversize, then scan into corel. size as needed, then transfer. the transfer may not be perfect, but i can correct/ignore bad spots as i cut. i once tried inkscape. good price (free), but never fooled with it after 1 try.
 

Indy Joneds

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
214
Location
Derbyshire England
I got inkscape to work and turned my scanned doodle jpeg into a mirrored vector . well done me ! just need to draw a more bold main line after all the light ones when i doodle to produce a better vector to cut through.

Eventually after all this study researach malarky im going to have to draw something and cut it .. i can always hide and hoard them i surpose . invest in future scrap metal prices soaring.

anyhoo , thanks for being a helpfull lot .
 

Latest posts

Sponsors

Top