Bitmap to vector

[TheRealDave]

Hey, I have a few b/w bitmap images of tattoos that i'm wanting to convert to vector. They're not the most complex images but i dont really have time or the skill to do them by hand. Is it possible there's a program that'll follow the outlines of the image and return me a nice pretty vector? Thanks :)

For example:

[sanctified Veteran]

illustrator`s live trace feature

[TheRealDave]

Thanks. I'll give it a go.

[FunRoomSite]

  sanctified said:

illustrator`s live trace feature

Can you give me the link please? I would love that! :D

[markwolfe Veteran]

I just went ahead and used GIMPs "selection to path" feature, and it was able to do it just fine, and here is a path trace:

Exported the outline trace to .SVG and attached here (had to append .txt to allow uploading):

tattoo.svg.txtFetching info...

[markwolfe Veteran]

By request, here is a quick how-to on using GIMP to do what I just did.

• Have GIMP open up (using File > Open Location) the sample grayscale image posted here: https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?act=...=post&id=158367 (or save it to your local hard drive and work on it from there)
  
• Since sample is Grayscale, I switched it to RGB (where it seemed to work better on this image) using Image > Mode > RGB
  
• Use the "select by color" tool to select the black tattoo. It will select the entire black tattoo (if not, check your threshold slider, etc.)
  
• In the GIMP area normally where you work with Layers, there is a "Paths" tab Click that.
  
• At the very bottom of the "Paths" window, you will see the "selection to path" button. Click it to create the outline of the tattoo.
  
• The paths window will now have a path in it, that looks like this:
  
  
• Right click that, and select "Export Path...", and it will pop up the dialog that saves it as an .SVG
  

Done.

Hope that helps.

[FunRoomSite]

Lol, where is the paths tab and where you work with layers??

EDIT: NEVERMIND, FOUND IT.

SWEET! I was messing around with it, look what I made, I think im getting the hang of this.

Edited May 15, 2006 by FunRoomSite